Litha (The Summer Solstice)
The Litha (lee-thuh) is a Pagan holiday that celebrate the Summer Solstice, also known as Midsummer. The solstice is celebrated June 20th-22nd in the northern hemisphere and December 21st or 22nd in the southern hemisphere. Litha is the longest day and shortest night of the year, marking the beginning of summer. Similar to Beltane, Litha is also associated with fires symbolizing life and fertility.
Bonfires are a central part of the celebrations, symbolizing energy of the sun. Usually you would light the bonfire on high hilltops so the flames would reach as high as possible. They would sing and dance around the fire. Europeans would light wheels and roll them downhill into a body of water. This symbolizing the turning of the wheel to the darker half of the year. Another celebration is to have a drum circle as the sun is coming up the morning of the Summer Solstice.
Litha is associated with abundance, growth and success. The earth is teeming with life and greenery, and gardens are in full bloom. Flowers and herbs gathered at this time are believed to have magical potency. Common symbols associated at this time are fire, wheels, fairies, sun, sunflowers and water.
While Litha is focused on the sun and fire, it is also a festival of water. In older times people would go to holy wells and make offerings of coins, pins, flowers to deities. When Christianity started taking over, the churches took over the wells and dedicated them to certain saints.
Correspondences
NH: June 21st SH: December 21st
Colors: Blue, Gold, Green, Orange, Red, Yellow
Decor: Fire, Flowers, Sun, Wheel, Torches
Animals: Bee, Butterfly, Cow, Deer, Dragonfly, Hawk, Horse, Lizard, Snake
Rituals: Abundance, Blessings, Energy, Healing, Love, Protection, Success
Herbs: Basil, Calendula, Carnation, Cedar, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Clover, Daisy, Dandelion, Elder, Eucalyptus, Foxglove, Frankincense, Heather, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemongrass, Marigold, Meadowsweet, Mugwort, Myrrh, Oak, Orange, Pine, Rose, Rosemary, Rowan, Sandalwood, St. Johns Wort, Sunflower, Thyme, Vervain, Yarrow
Crystals: Amber, Carnelian, Citrine, Emerald, Fluorite, Garnet, Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Moonstone, Peridot, Sunstone, Tigers Eye, Topaz
Ways to Celebrate
Have a bonfire
Sunbathe
Watch the sunrise
Have a picnic
Go swimming
Do some baking
Create a fairy garden
Gather herbs and flowers
Make floral wreaths
Meditate on the energy of the season
Cast spell work for healing, abundance, protection, growth
