At summer solstice, also known as Litha the summer sun born, in the heart of the midwinter has reached the fullest point in its journey! Litha is a day of inner power and brightness for nature and for us!
In a way the solstice has always confused me a little becuase on the one hand after the longest day and the shortest night the winter sun is born. On the other this is celebrated all over the world as the start of summer. Either way , as with all the solar festivals the solstice has a nice sense of balance about it.
Most ancient cultures celebrated the summer solstice in some way. The Celts celebrated Litha with hilltop bonfires and dancing. Many people attempted to jump over or through the bonfires for good luck.
Other European traditions included setting large wheels on fire , and rolling them down a hill into a body of water (please remember safety if you do this). The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, and in some traditions, Litha is when a battle between light and dark takes place. In this battle, the Oak King and the Holly King battle for control. During each solstice, they battle for power, and the balance shifts. The Oak King, who represents daylight, rules from the winter solstice (Yule) to Litha. During this time, the days steadily get longer. However, during Litha, the Holly King wins this battle, and the days get steadily darker until Yule.
SYMBOLS OF summer solstice /Litha
Symbolism of Litha: power, heat, the sun, celebration of life, summer, strength, courage, Power, Creativity, Inspiration, Transition, Healing, Fertilization
Date of Litha: this festival is celebrated over 3 days from 20th June until the 22nd. The actual longest day changes between these days each year so ask google what day it is when you read this !
Symbols of Litha: Sun, Drumming, Sun wheel, Sun, Bonfires, Roses, Daisies, All rayed flowers, Torches, Fairies
Colors: Gold, Pink, Red, Yellow and Orange
Foods: Honey, Ale, Bread, Cheese, Edible flowers, Fresh fruits and vegetables, Lemons, Mead & Wine, Milk, Oranges, Pumpernickel bread, Oatmeal cake
Herbs: Oak, St Johns Wort, frankincense, lemon, sandalwood, heliotrope, copal, saffron, galangal, laurel, ylang-ylang, chamomile, cinquefoil, elder, fennel, hemp, larkspur, lavender, male fern, mugwort, pine, roses, wild thyme, wisteria and verbena
Flowers: Dasises, Blossoms, Violets, Lilacs, Roses, Snapdragons, Jasmin, Elderflower, Sunflowers- pretty much every flower that is out in June!
Animals: Bees, Bears, Salamanders, Eagles
Goddesses: Sol, Sulis Minerva, Litha, Freya, Hestia, pregnant goddesses, Vesta
Gods: The Green Man, Balder, the Holly King, Lugh, Apollo, Frey, Thor, Ra,
summer solstice /Litha activites
- Enjoy a floral/herbal bath
- Take a walk or a go for a hike
- Create Litha water (place a sealed jar of water outside for 24 hours to harness the sun and moon’s energy (you can also infuse it with herbs or flowers)
- Just before the solstice gather and dry your herbs for the winter.
- Dance dance dance on the shortest night!
- Watch the sunset and the sunrise- Alot of people go to Stone Henge and other historical sites to do this. If you do please remember that these places are fragile both in history and in their nature. Particularily please respect the organisations who are looking after these magical places as they are preserving them for future generations. A nice way to do that is too actually volunteer for them and become a guardian of sacred sites yourself.
- Have a bonfire with music and drums!
- Make a sunwheel from solstice coloured fabric, willow or herbs
- Create a personal empowering mantra to celebrate your power every day.
- Make a suncatcher
- Do a yoga sun salutation to the solstice sunrise.
Summer Solstice Solar Elixir
- Large glass jar with lid
Camomile tea bags
Fresh elderflower and lavender
Honey or simple syrup (optional)
How to make
- Fill the glass jar with filtered water and add the tea, fresh herbs and a Cover jar with the lid and place in the sun to infuse for about three hours.
- Spend some time sitting with the jar and charge it with an intention. Connect with the plants/stones, with the life-giving energy of the sun and focus on something you wish to call forth.
- After its done infusing, strain the tea and refrigerate.
- Serve with ice, sweeten with honey or simple syrup (optional) and garnish with fresh herbs and fruit of your choice
I hope you have a powerful Summer Solstice!