A blog post on the Sabbat Litha/Summer Solstice as written by Paula.
LITHA
Litha: June 20-22
Litha pronunciation: LEE-tha
Themes: abundance, growth, masculine energy, love, magic
Also known as: Midsummer, Midsummer’s Eve, Summer Solstice.
Colours: blue, green, and yellow, red, orange.
Decorations: Dried herbs, pot-pourri, seashells, summer flowers, and fruits.
Incense: Sage, Mint, Basil, Lavender, Rose.
Herbs, Flowers and Trees:
Chamomile, Cinnamon, Honeysuckle, Lavender, Marigold, Rosemary, Rowan.
Crystals:
Amber, Calcite, Carnelian, Citrine, Sun-stone
Animals
Bees - a symbol for passing limitations. Finding the sweetness in life and basking in the energy of the sun.
Butterflies - the symbol of transformation and transition. Butterflies represents a new beginning in life and leaving behind what was once familiar.
Deities:
Gods
Apollo, Greek god the sun, healing, truth and prophecy.
Baldur, Norse god of light and purity.
Bel, Celtic God of the sunlight, health and healing.
Ra, Egyptian God of the sun.
Sol, Roman god of the sun.
Goddess
Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love, beauty and pleasure.
Aurora, roman goddess of the dawn and poetry.
Brigit, Irish goddess known as the “bright one”.
Hestia, greek virgin goddess of the hearth, domesticity, family and the home.
Vesta, Roman god of the home, hearth and family.
This is the longest day and shortest night of the year. From here on out, the Sun will set a little earlier each night until Yule.
This Sabbat celebrates the Sun God and the Sun, fire plays a very prominent role in this festival. It can burn, consume, cook, shed light or purify. Candles are used in many homes to represent fire and the sun at this time as many are not able to have a fire in their home or garden.
The Midsummer Full Moon is known as the 'Honey Moon' mead is made from honey that is now available. Mead is regarded as the divine solar drink and drunk to celebrate its magical and life-restoring properties of the Sun.
THINGS TO DO
One way to set the mood for Litha is to create an altar using symbols of the Sun, Fairy lights (these can be a string of LED loghts), Candles, Sunflowers ( real, drawn, or artificial), Seashells, Feathers, Summer fruits, Bees, Butterflies, Fire imagery, Faeries, Crystals mentioned above.
You can make the altar as simple or as complex as you like or have room for.
You can even use a jar, this is a nice way to have an altar that is specific and takes up little space.
A FAIRY GARDEN
This can be fun to make and again does not have to be elaborate. Use what you have and with a ,little imagination you can make a garden that will be pretty and celebrate the magic of the Fae.
If you have some sand make a tiny garden in a saucer using crystals, stones, artificial flowers and an image of a fairy.
Make a fairy garden in a teacup again use items you may have lying around and add some sparkle with LED lights or candles.
FAIRY LANTERNS
These are lovely and easy to make, a simple jam jar works.
How to make mason jar fairy lanterns
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FOOD
No celebration is complete without a feast.
Summer is the perfect time to have seasonal foods in the form of salads. Fresh produce from the garden is even better if you have them, if not get what you can from the supermarket of farmers market if you have one.
Fruit salads are refreshing and full of summer goodness, throw in what you have and add some ice-cream for that indulgent touch.
Cake is always a treat so why not make some fairy cakes or cupcakes.
However you celebrate the Summer Solstice have a good one and make it extra special.
