Litha: Summer Has Begun!

Litha, also known as Midsummer, falls on the Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere. This is the longest day of the year. It is a day that honors the sun, fire and the peak of power as we are warmed by the sun’s vibrancy. 

With the sun in high power and the days being longer, it’s important to get out and enjoy the nice weather while nature is in its full power. But it is also important to balance time for rest and reflection.

How To Celebrate

There are so many joyful ways to celebrate Litha. The sun is shining and high in the sky! The days are longer! We may feel more hopeful on these longer days of summer. 

Fire

Traditionally, fire is a strong representation of Litha because it symbolizes the sun's power. Bonfires were lit not only to honor the sun’s strength, but also to ensure the harvests were abundant. 

At this time, seeds had already been planted and there was hope for a bountiful season. Fire, dancing and feasts were common as a way to express gratitude for nature’s abundance.

If you are safely able to, have a bonfire. If that is not possible, even lighting a candle and watching the flame dance is a strong way to honor the season. Remember, it’s more about intention and honoring than it is about having a large fire.

Enjoy time in nature

The birds are enjoying the longer days with their songs starting early in the morning and going through dusk. Have you noticed that? Make sure to take time to enjoy the small, simple things that nature is offering up. 

Look at how the plants have grown, flowers are in bloom and the sky seems to have an endless blue about it even in the midst of big fluffy clouds. 

Take some time to go for a walk. Go to a lake, walk through the woods. Even a walk around your neighborhood seeing how green everything is can be meditative and peaceful. 

Take time to reflect

This is the season where it’s go, go, go! With all the hustle and bustle of trying to enjoy every minute of this nice weather, make sure to take time to relax and reflect.

Our lives need balance. With the light, we need to balance time for introspection just as we need to take time for extroversion during the dark season. 

We are at a halfway point to the year. Did you make goals at the beginning of the year? Where are you at in relation to them? Don’t be too hard on yourself if you aren’t close to achieving them. Now is a good time to see how realistic they are and be kind to yourself as you make appropriate adjustments. 

Break your goals down into simple more manageable ones and break them down even further if you need to. For example, if your goal is to write a book and you haven’t even started yet, make it a goal to do an outline first, then maybe write your first chapter.

We tend to set overzealous and oftentimes unrealistic goals for ourselves and then are too hard on ourselves when we don’t accomplish them. We feel we win when we meet our goals so make them smaller. Be kind to yourself.

Get out there!

While we need to take time to reflect, we need balance so do make sure you are taking advantage of the nice weather, especially if you live in a climate like I do where winters can be harsh.

Take time to connect with people, plants and even the wild animals. Magic is all around us. So while your more traditional spiritual practices of tending your altar or practicing more established rituals may not be top of mind, that’s OK. 

Our connection with whatever source we are drawn to is present to us everywhere. So while you are enjoying the colors and smells of a beautiful flower or watching the water dance to the shore, know that you are still connecting to your spiritual source. 

Honor the faeries

Our ancient ancestors considered Litha a time where the veil between our world and that of the faeries thinned. If you ever see something out of the corner of your eye while outside only to look and see nothing, well, that could be the faeries playing tricks on you.

People sometimes see faerie rings in lawns. This is when there is a ring of mushrooms that sprout up. These can be a sign of good luck and fortune so be respectful! There are many lores and superstitions surrounding faeries, but they can be tricksters and I’d rather have them on my side!

If you have a natural source of water near you like a river or lake, keep on the lookout for Hag Stones. These are stones with a nature-made hole through it. They are thought to bring good luck and, if you peek through the hole, you may be able to see the faerie realm 

Hag Stones contain elements of both water and earth so they are good for grounding and balancing emotions. So keep it close to you!

Sometimes the most profound rituals and spiritual experiences are the smaller ones that come more from the heart than from a carefully planned event because you are going with the flow and feeling your way through it with your heart.

Whatever you decide to do to honor the season, make sure to enjoy the beautiful richness of nature as she is in her bountiful state. Honor nature and honor yourself.