Litha - Summer Solstice
The Summer Solstice is a wonderful time of year when the power of the sun is at its peak. It marks the longest daylight of the year, and is a celebration of the life giving sun.
When is Litha:
Litha is celebrated on longest day of the year, typically between 20th - 22nd of June. Litha falls on the Summer Soltice, and marks the beginning of Summer. Litha is one of the eight sabbats that form the Wheel of the Year, celebrating the annual cycle of the passing of the seasons. The eight sabbats are divided into two categories; the quarter days, and cross quarter days (also known as fire festivals). Litha falls under what is known as the quarter days, along with Ostara, Mabon and Yule. The quarter days, also known as quarter festivals and lesser sabbats, form the four solstices and equinoxes that occur every year.
The Wheel of the Year
Where did Litha originate from?
Litha originates from a variety of ancient cultural practices, as most ancient civilizations celebrated the Summer Solstice in some way. The celebrations of Litha by modern pagans are mostly influenced by ancient Celtic practices. The Celts traditionally celebrated the Summer Soltice by jumping over bonfires, dancing, feasting and telling tales - similar celebrations to the other festivals.
Other traditions included rolling a wheel set on fire down a hill into a rive or lake as a charm against droughts, and harvesting herbs for medicine. The gathering of herbs by druids also came to be known as Gathering Day in Wales because of this practice during the Summer Solstice.
In Celtic mythology, there is an old folk story that personifies the battle between light and dark, summer and winter; the battle between the Oak King and Holly King. The Oak King and Holly King are two opposing forces in a never ending battle, personifications of summer and winter. The Oak rules of the lighter months, whereas the Holly King rules over the darker months. During every solstice, these two mighty kings will battle for domination over each other.
The Oak King is reborn during Midwinter, battling the Holly King with victory. His strength is at it’s peak during the Spring Equinox, but his strength wanes after the Summer Solstice as the nights become longer. He represents summer, daytime, the sun, light, life, and warmth. The Holly King is reborn during the Summer Solstice and defeats the Oak King. The Holly Kings strength is at its peak during the Autumn Equinox, but wanes after Midwinter. He represents winter, night time, the moon, darkness, death and coldness.
The folk tales involving the Oak King and Holly King have many variations. For instance, in some tales the Oak King and Holly King are two brothers fighting for the love of the Mother Goddess. Others depict them as dual counterparts of The Horned God. There are even parallels drawn between the tale of the Oak King and Holly King to the Green Knight (as the Holly King) and Sir Gawain (The Oak King). As author John Williamson writes in The Oak King, the Holly King and the Unicorn: “The pact and subsequent beheading of the Green Knight represents the reign of the Oak King, and a battle between winter and summer…Thus the Green Knight (the verdure of winter and mistletoe) and Gawain (the Oak King and summer) are the personifications of the alternate seasons of fertility…In the same ceremonial context, we may now grasp that the beheading of the Green Knight by Sir Gawain completes the solar year with the death of winter at the end of the waning cycle’.
The Green Knight (2021)
How Litha is celebrated now?
For pagans and other spiritual practitioners who celebrate the sabbats today, Litha is a time of year for celebrating the sun and abundance.
Pagans individually celebrate Litha in many different ways, but the most common practices to celebrate Litha are:
Bonfires - Bonfires have been a long tradition during Litha, the Celts dancing in front of bonfires to celebrate and honour the sun god. Some pagans believe that fire connects you to the spiritual world, and thus dancing around a fire or throwing herbs like lavander can make you feel more attuned to the Earth. Bonfires are also just a great way to get together with friends and loved ones.
Herb Harvesting - The Summer Solstice is also known as ‘Gathering Day’ in Wales as the Druids harvested herbs during this time for medicine and magic. Harvesting herbs such as lavender, rosemary and thyme can be wonderful for feeling more connected with the earth, as well as having the opportunity to get out of the house and get some sunshine during the longest day of the year.
Litha Altar - many pagans and witches love to decorate their altars according to the seasons and current festivals. Having your own spiritual space such as an altar is wonderful for making you feel more connected to your spiritual side, as well as gaining a heightened focus on your intentions, rituals and practices. Some items to decorate your altar for Litha can be: chamomile, rose petals, lavender, cinnamon, rosemary, fennel, mint, mugwort and nettle. You can even use essential oils to fragrance your space such as: lemon grass, sweet orange, lavender, lemon verbena, peppermint, rosemary and frankincense. Decorating an altar is a completely personal experience and is up to the practioner in how they best wish to decorate their altar to further their practice, and these are just some suggestions of how you can feel more attuned to the festival.
Stonehenge - Stonehenge is a very popular place to visit during the summer soltice as Stonehenge was built to align with the solstices. Every year, thousands of people visit Stonehenge to witness the magical experience. Many pagans visit to take part in rituals and ceremonies as a way to celebrate the summer solstice, and for some its a way to feel more connected to their ancestors.
Handfasting - Because Litha is so heavily associated with abundance, happiness, joy and love, it has also become popular among pagans to do hand fasting ceremonies (a practice similar to marriage) during the summer solstice.
Litha is a wonderful time of year to reflect on our personal growth and give appreciation to the life giving Sun. It is a great time to bask in the rays of the sunshine and appreciate the abundance of life around us. Just remember to always apply sun screen daily while outdoors, as while we love our life giving queen, too much exposure is harmful to your health.
“In golden glow of Litha’s fire,
The Oak and Holly Kings aspire,
An eternal battle they engage,
As summer solstice turns the page.
Oak King stands with strength and might,
His sunlit crown, a radiant light,
He reigns with warmth and vibrant power,
Through long days, nature’s finest hour.
Holly King, dark and winter-born,
With icy touch and shadows worn,
He rises on this fateful day,
To claim his reign, darkness in sway.
Their clash reverberates in the air,
A struggle timeless, beyond compare,
As Oak and Holly fiercely vie,
Day’s fate hangs on the summer sky.
With bated breath, we watch the fight,
As sun descends, yielding to night,
Holly triumphs, his victory near,
Days grow shorter, darkness draws near.
Yet within this eternal strife,
The Wheel of Year turns on this life,
For when winter solstice arrives,
The Oak King’s strength again revives.
In cyclical dance, they never rest,
The Oak and Holly, forever blessed,
As seasons shift, their roles unfurl,
A testament to nature’s eternal swirl.
So, as we honor Litha’s blaze,
We embrace the sun’s fiery rays,
Knowing the Oak King will return,
Bringing light, as the seasons churn.”
