Tag: Litha/Summer Solstice

Litha History – Celebrating the Summer Solstice

An Ancient Solar Celebration

Nearly every agricultural society has marked the high point of summer in some way, shape or form. On this date–usually around June 21 or 22 (or December 21/22 in the southern hemisphere)–the sun reaches its zenith in the sky. It is the longest day of the year, and the point at which the sun seems to just hang there without moving – in fact, the word “solstice” is from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates to “sun stands still.” The travels of the sun were marked and recorded. Stone circles such as Stonehenge were oriented to highlight the rising of the sun on the day of the summer solstice.

Did You Know?

  • Early European traditions celebrated midsummer by setting large wheels on fire and then rolling them down a hill into a body of water.
  • The Romans honored this time as sacred to Juno, the wife of Jupiter and goddess of women and childbirth; her name gives us the month of June.
  • The word “solstice” is from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates to “sun stands still.”

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December Solstice 2021 – First Day of Summer in Southern Hemisphere

December Solstice marks the arrival of the first day of summer in the southern hemisphere. That’s why in the earth’s southern areas, the December Solstice is known as the Summer Solstice. In 2021, the official first day of summer in Australia (southern hemisphere) will occur on Wednesday, December 22, at sharp 02:59 Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).

Not to mention, this astronomical event will also mark the brightest as well as the longest day of the year in the southern hemisphere. On the other hand, for people living in the northern hemisphere, this solstice marks the arrival of the first day of winter. That’s why in the earth’s northern areas, December Solstice is known as the Winter or Hibernal Solstice. Again, for the people living in the northern half of the earth, this astronomical event will also mark the darkest as well as the shortest day of the year.

Simply speaking, one can say that the meaning of solstice changes depending…

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For Your Listening Pleasure – Summer Solstice Song

~Litha~Summer Solstice Song~Lisa Thiel~

For Your Viewing Pleasure – Summer Solstice

Happy Summer Solstice from the Southern Hemisphere

For Your Viewing Pleasure – Winter Solstice

What happens during the winter solstice?

The Great Gift of Summer Solstice

For Your Listening Pleasure – Summer Solstice/Litha

~Litha~Summer Solstice Song~Lisa Thiel~

There is beautiful harmony in this song.

Blessed be dear ones.

Let’s Have Some Fun – Northern Hemisphere Yule/Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice Ritual Potpourri

Recipe by Gerina Dunwich

20 drops musk oil

25 drops pine oil

1 cup oak moss

2 cups dried mistletoe

1 cup dried poinsettia flowers

1 cup dried bayberries

1/2 cup dried rosemary

1/2 cup dried holly leaves and berries

3 crushed pinecones

Mix the musk and pine oils with the oak moss, and then add the remaining ingredients. Stir the potpourri well and store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.

(The above recipe for “Yule Ritual Potpourri” is quoted directly from Gerina Dunwich’s book “The Wicca Spellbook: A Witch’s Collection of Wiccan Spells, Potions and Recipes”, page 162, A Citadel Press Book, Carol Publishing Group, 1994/1995)

 

Let’s Have Some Fun – Southern Hemisphere Litha/Summer Solstice

Magickal Activity for December 21, The Summer Solstice

Floating Candles

Midsummer is a celebration of light and life, symbolized by the flame of a candle and the movement of water. A large glass bowl filled with an assortment of floating candles makes a wonderful point of focus for ritual. Choose bright yellow sunflowers, white lilies, and red tulip-shaped candles. Have each person participating in the ritual inscribe his or her desire, with a pin, on a candle. Have each person come forward, place his or her candle in the bowl and light it as he makes his wish. Following the ritual, the bowl is placed outdoors, and the candles are left to burn out.

The Sun Wheel

One of the most popular symbols of Midsummer is the Sun Wheel, the turning of which suggests the turning, or progression, of the seasons. The Wheel is decorated with flowers, fresh herbs, and brightly colored ribbons.

The simplest method for making a Sun Wheel is to buy an already-prepared natural-branch wreath from an arts and crafts store. Affix small branches of rowan to form the spokes of the wheel (four spokes to represent the elements and cross-quarter days or eight to symbolize the eight Wiccan Sabbats). Use floral wire to attach fresh flowers and herbs to the wreath. Embellish with brightly colored ribbons. The wheel can be used as the focal point for your Midsummer rites or hung on the front door of your home for decoration.

For Your Listening PLeasure

SONG OF SUMMER SOLSTICE | Kulning & Nyckelharpa

This song is short but sweet.

Beltane Sunset to Sunset. April 30th – May 1st

Beltane honours Life. It represents the peak of Spring and the beginning of Summer. Earth energies are at their strongest and most active. All of life is bursting with potent fertility and at this point in the Wheel of the Year, the potential becomes conception. On May Eve the sexuality of life and the earth is at its peak. Abundant fertility, on all levels, is the central theme. The Maiden goddess has reached her fullness. She is the manifestation of growth and renewal, Flora, the Goddess of Spring, the May Queen, the May Bride. The Young Oak King, as Jack-In-The-Green, as the Green Man, falls in love with her and wins her hand. The union is consummated and the May Queen becomes pregnant. Together the May Queen and the May King are symbols of the Sacred Marriage (or Heiros Gamos), the union of Earth and Sky, and this union has merrily been re-enacted by humans throughout the centuries. For this is the night of the Greenwood Marriage. It is about sexuality and sensuality, passion, vitality and joy. And about conception. A brilliant moment in the Wheel of the Year to bring ideas, hopes and dreams into action. And have some fun…..

Traditions of Beltane

Beltane is a Fire Festival. The word ‘Beltane’ originates from the Celtic God ‘Bel’, meaning ‘the bright one’ and the Gaelic word ‘teine’ meaning fire. Together they make ‘Bright Fire’, or ‘Goodly Fire’ and traditionally bonfires were lit to honour the Sun and encourage the support of Bel and the Sun’s light to nurture the emerging future harvest and protect the community. Bel had to be won over through human effort. Traditionally all fires in the community were put out and a special fire was kindled for Beltane. “This was the Tein-eigen, the need fire. People jumped the fire to purify, cleanse and to bring fertility. Couples jumped the fire together to pledge themselves to each other. Cattle and other animals were driven through the smoke as a protection from disease and to bring fertility. At the end of the evening, the villagers would take some of the Teineigen to start their fires anew.” (From Sacred Celebrations by Glennie Kindred) Green Man – Beltane

To read more interesting things about Northern Hemisphere Beltane click here

Category Samhain/Deep Autumn

WE ARE THE ANCESTORS: MAY WE BE INTERESTING FOOD

May 9, 2020 · by Glenys D. Livingstone · in Samhain/Deep Autumn · Leave a comment Our present lives are formed by all who came before us. We are in-formed by them, whether conscious or not. In PaGaian Samhain ceremony as it has been done traditionally, participants are invited to remember the ancestors in this way: Let us remember our ancestors, those who have gone before, whose lives have been harvested, […]

THREADS OF GOLD IN THE COMPOST

April 20, 2020 · by Glenys D. Livingstone · in Samhain/Deep Autumn · 2 Comments There are threads of gold in the compost, if one has the vision for it. And we may take the golden thread, exclaim the strongest natural fibre known – our creative selves, our imaginations – for the building of a new world made sacred, of our conceiving: yet beyond our knowings, across the vast Darkness between […] For more interesting article about Southern Hemisphere Samhain click here  

Yule Winter Solstice/Litha Summer Solstice

Toady is the longest night of the year. A time of celebration. Deities that are used Father Winter, Kris Kringle, St, Nick to name a few. Herbs ginger, sage, cinnamon. Crystals are emerald, ruby

At the Winter Solstice we reach the depth of darkness with the longest night of the year. So come join us in our celebration. Its time for all of us to come together.

Blessings,

Raven Spirit Walker

Image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay

Some Thoughts for Litha

Solstice Poem

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General Search for Summer Solstice Spells and Traditions

Happy and Blessed be as You Celebrate Litha/Summer Solstice Sisters and Brothers in the Southern Hemisphere

A very short explanation of the Holly or Oak Kings Ruling as the Goddess Consort’

For More Information on the Oak King

For More Information on Litha

Scroll Down For More Information on the Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere

I hope these links help you learn more about the different topics.

The Oak has will be born at Sunrise on the Summer Solstice after…

Litha Baby Red roses

Here the young Oak King fights the tired out Holly King to rule from the Litha until Yule until…

oak-king-battling-holly-king

The Holly King is reborn. Now the Oak King is an old man but still fights the Holly king.

pagan-child-of-promise-yule-greeting-card-117-p

The Holly King wins and grows to maturity from the Yule until Litha when the cycle of the battle between the young and older Kings battles repeat themselves for the honor to rule as the Goddesses Consort. The Oak Kings is also in some traditions is known as The Green Man or The Horn God or the God of the Hunt.

I Need Help Finding a Specific Pictures

I have the Goddess with an infant or toddler. What I cannot find is a picture of the Goddess with an infant or toddler. I have this, I think, a cool idea for a post and need both of these kinds of pictures in order to do it.

Thank you so much for your help. It will be much appreciated.

S. H. Count Down to Litha – Printable Coloring Pages

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SS 2

LITHA

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S. H. Count Down to Litha

This is a video showing how to make a Summer Solstice/Litha candle to keep or give as a gift.

Craft With Me – Altered Candle – Summer Solstice Crafts

N. H. Count Down to Yule

This video has some ideas for things to make to decorate your home or altar with.

Yule Altar Crafts & Decorate My Altar for Yule with Me!

Litha


Litha Comments & GraphicsLitha

Litha is the first of the harvest festivals. Its focus is of the sun , which is at its highest at this time of the year . This is the longest day of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere it falls between June 19-June 22 and in the Hemisphere it falls between June 19-June 22 and in the December 22. This is also known as The Summer Solstice.

In Great Britain where the large standing stones of Stonehenge are , during this time of the year the sun is dead center of the circle. Many scholars feel that this is significant as this is a sacred time of year and relevant in the preview of what the harvest will bring for the rest of the season.

Another name for this celebration is Midsummer, and during this time it is said that one can find the doorway to the Otherworld and the realm of the of the faerie realm, gifts and trinkets, in order to honor them and show respect so that the fair folk don’t cause havoc to the homes. One reason for this belief has to do with the idea that fireflies with their flittering lights are faeries frolicking about.

A common custom at Litha is the Summer Tree, much like the Yule Tree, the Summer Tree is usually a young oak that is decorated with garlands of flowers and colored eggs to promote fertility of the crops and animals. On Midsummer’s Eve the tree is burned in a bonfire to promote fertility and prosperity.

The Litha celebration is usually a mild one as it is mainly focused on the first harvest, usually fruit and berries and melons are harvested at this time. Lighter meals and sweeter fruits and vegetables. It is the first day of Summer and normally pretty hot, so most people are needing the cooler refreshments during this time. Cold soups and chilled salads are usually served.

During this part of the year we also see the Holly King and the Oak King battle it out. The Holly King represents the darker side of the year, the cooler months, the end of days. The Oak King represents the sunny time and the hotter months. During this battle , which ends when the sun sets, the Oak King is defeated and the Holly King takes the throne. This represents the days are now from this point on getting shorter. The battle again at Yule and the Holly King then looses the battle as the days will start to become longer in the Oak King’s reign.

It goes without saying that during Midsummer, the Sun is the main focus. The Sun brings life and nutrients to the world and so it is celebrated. In most, but not all, Pagan cultures the Sun is seen as a male entity and the Moon as female. So during this Sabbat we are celebrating the male aspect more than the female. Though there are some Sun Goddesses, such as the Norse Goddess Sunna, we tend to see more Gods associated with the Sun such as the Egyptian God Ra, the Greek God Helios and the Roman God Apollo.

Crafts that are great at Litha would be suncatchers, which can be seen as a form of sympathetic magick where we are capturing the essence of the Sun. When we choose designs that are representative of qualities that we need in our life along with using colors that are corresponding with those needs we can use the suncatcher to bring that energy into our lives. Suncatchers are inexpensive and can be purchased at any stores that sells children’s crafts.

Another fun craft to make is the God’s Eye. Taking two sticks and wrapping colored yarn or string while meditating on the Sun Deity or the Sun. Many early religions viewed the Sun as the Eye of God. Looking directly into the eye of God will cause you to go blind , just as if we look directly into the sun it can cause damage to the eyes. Simply the act of creating these is meditative. They then can be hung to remind us that we are looked after or if you say a prayer and throw it into the fire to take the prayer to the Sun deity that you are honoring it can be seen again as a form of sympathetic magick.

This is the time of the year when we get a preview of what is to come . To thank the Sun for the nutrients it has provided, however, we are not out of the woods yet. The first of the Harvest Festivals is at hand, but there is still a lot of hard work still ahead of us. This is a little break to allow us to remember how marvelous the world and nature is. How when we planted at Beltane has started a chain of events that will help us prosper and grow to a wonderful full harvest. We still need to nurture our plants, just as we nurture our faith, and in time we will come to that place in our lives when we can rest and look back at what we have done. Right now we are looking forward at what is starting to show.

 

by Minnie Eerin
The Magical School Newsletter: Litha
Publisher: Colleen Criswell