Litha (Midsummer)

Litha, also known as MidSummer, is a celebration on or around June 24th (in 2019 it was June 21st but for the next few years it will be the 24th).

It is one of 8 sabbats that the pagans celebrate each year and it occurs on the summer solstice, celebrating the beginning of summer.

Why is it called Midsummer then?

I wondered the same thing so I had to go do a bit of research (I do love research).

Turns out that according to the meteorological summer, the season starts on June 1st and ends on August 31st, but according to the astronomical summer, it starts on 24th June (the summer solstice) and ends on September 23rd. Astronomically it is midsummer and is the day with the longest period of daylight and is in the middle of the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes giving it the name, Midsummer.

What is the celebration?

The traditions of Litha are mixed and come from multiple cultures. The Celts would celebrate by dancing around bonfires on hilltops where people would attempt to jump over them for good luck (well it would be bad luck if they failed and fell in right?).

Other cultures would set large wheels on fire and roll them down a hill (which sounds like a recipe for disaster if you ask me) into a body of water (*phew* that’s ok then).

In some traditions, Litha is a battle between light and dark where the Oak King (representing daytime and ruling from the winter solstice (YULE)) and the Holly King (representing nighttime) battle for control and the balance shifts.

In the modern day though, Litha is a day of inner power and brightness.

What can we do on Litha?

You could partake in one of the above (please be careful with fire, no leaping into one please) or you could:

- find a quiet spot and meditate about light and dark forces in the world

- celebrate outside and get back to nature (go for a hike or have a picnic in the woods)

- if you have kids you could plan a scavenger hunt - don’t pick any live plants though.

- hold a fire ritual or bonfire

- do something for charity

- Host a drum circle or spiral dance

- read a good book

- celebrate family

- Have a clean up of the house

- Host a barbeque

Litha is also a good time to practice love magic or even get married (the pagan version of which is called handfasting).

What are you planning on doing?