Litha - The Culmination of the Sun
Hail the Sun! Litha is the celebration of the culmination of the sun. In the pagan wheel of the year the summer solstice marks the midpoint of the summer season, hence this holiday's other popular moniker: Midsummer’s Day. In this series of agricultural holidays we celebrate a time of plenty. Fruits are setting, the fields are full, and the harvest is nigh. Bounty is assured, and people celebrate with bonfires and vegetable offerings to the Earth Mother.
The word Litha comes to us through a document written by a monk named Bede. This monk recorded the anglo-saxon names for the months. Litha was assigned to this time of year and means “gentle” or “navigable”, which lends itself to people of the sea describing their environment. Side note: The document is called De Temporum Ratione, “The Reckoning of Time” which is one of the most profound ways of describing the passing of the seasons I have heard-- I love it! Anyhow, the mild weather in the North is a blessing -- the tempest of Spring is finished, the scorching heat of late summer has not yet begun. Litha marks a transition time, being the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The light in one moment culminates, and then begins to wane. We are reminded of the ephemeral nature of the fullness of moments of victory, completion, and arrival. In reality, we spend most of our lives waxing and waning from the heights of summer and the depths of winter and we must be wary of chasing the high points and avoiding the low. As we cross over into the second half of the year, the Oak King gives way to the Holly King, who rules the waning dark time.
The Green Man is present through all, and can be seen peeking out of the leaves of the forest, beckoning us into the luxuries of summer. Lazy days by the water, gentle walks in the shade of the trees, afternoons resting, sheltered from the intense heat of the sun. Danu, the Irish version of the Earth Mother, is venerated at this time and represents the bounty of our literal Earth. This is a time to consider all that the Earth gives to us, and thank our home. The Earth holds us from flying off into space, shelters us with her protective atmosphere, feeds us from the rich soil of her surface, and houses us with wood, rushes, rocks, and clays. Litha is an excellent time to start seriously turning our attention towards this fundamental truth and start taking action to use resources with more care, attention, and gratitude.
Of course, we can’t talk about Midsummer without honoring the faeries! Friday night, or Midsummer’s Eve, is a time for invoking the faeries and their mushroom-moon magic. Take care, the fey folk are not to be invited lightly -- carelessly straying into a mushroom ring or fairy feast can consume years or inspire madness. The fey can be pleased with offerings of sweets, milk, and chaotic beauty. Beltane pulled back the veil from the Otherworld, and Litha was traditionally celebrated by circumventing the sidhe hills with torches as well as leaping and dancing around a community bonfire. This is the last chance for frivolity, as the heavy harvest is coming soon. Take this time to rest when you can, play when you want, and be at peace with a certain amount of chaos as the faerie folk have their way with their little tricks.
Celebrating Litha with a beautiful altar of vegetables, flowers, and herbs is highly encouraged. St. John’s Wort is traditionally gathered at this time of year, and we can make oils and tinctures that capture the sun for sunburn, the aches and pains of the farming season, and the dark nights of winter waiting for us. Other herbs gathered at this time are Chamomile, Hawthorn Flowers, Elderflower, and Mugwort. Chamomile calms our sunstroke and gives us sweet rest, Hawthorn heals our hearts, Elderflower clears out allergies, and Mugwort brings in magic into our lives and vivid dreams in the night.
Whichever way you choose to revel in the longest day of the year, I wish you peace, rest, rewarding work, and the spirit of the Sun in your heart and mind.
May it be so.
In Love,
Susan Marie
P.S. Have you heard about our Herb Nerd Penpal club? Members get amazing seasonal mailings for each holiday on the wheel of the Year that feature a seasonal herb, give in depth information about the season + recipes/activities to try, and loads of gifts in the form of herbs, remedies, art, and other such surprises! I offer this to Hummingbird level Patrons over on my Patreon site! Click here to check out all the abundant offerings there for aspiring and practicing Green Witches.