Litha Workshop
Litha, which is also known as the Summer Solstice, is the time that the sun is at its peak and is the longest day of the year. This is the celebration of the strength of the sun and also a celebration of the upcoming weakening of the sun. During Litha, it is traditional to light balefires or bonfires, which were made from oak and fir, in honor of the sun on top of hills or mountains. This is still done today in some parts of the world. The fires were lit on the hills and mountains because they were considered to be "little brother" fires of the sun, and by being lit on the hills and mountains they were even closer to the sun. It is also said that to bring fertility, luck, good harvest, good or speedy marriage, and to ward off disease for the upcoming year, you should jump over the balefire and once the fire has burned out, you should drive your animals through them as well. Also, after the fires are out, it is said to bring good luck, fertility, and good harvest to your crops if you take the ashes of the fire and spread them through your crops. It is said that if you take an ember from the fire and place it in your hearth inside your home, it will ward off negativity, disease, and bad luck for the rest of the year. Some traditions will cut down a fir tree and decorate it similar to the Yule Tree, except with ribbons, colored eggs, flowers, and bells, and at the end of the night the tree was thrown into the balefire and burned.
Litha is also a time to celebrate the fullness of the crops and of nature. At this point, everything is ripe and bloomed and will very soon be ready for harvesting. It is also a continuation of the celebration of love and marriage among the younger people and the God and the Goddess. Also, Litha is considered to be the best time to celebrate and make offerings to the Faeries. It is said that at Litha, the Faeries are at their peak as well, and you should make offerings to them generously. This is also a great time to get out and commune with nature, since she is at her peak as well. It is a time to enjoy solitude among trees and plants, to begin to harvest herbs and flowers, and to bask in the sun and enjoy some childlike play outdoors.
Litha Correspondences
Colors of Litha: Gold, Green, Red, White, Yellow
Incenses of Litha: Rose, Violet, Fir, Cedar, Tangerine, Frankincense, Frangipani
Herbs of Litha: St. John’s Wort, Basil, Parsley, Mint, Thyme, Vervain, Lavender
Flowers of Litha: Marigold, Violets, Nasturtiums, Roses, Carnations
Symbols of Litha: Sun wheels, Sun, Fire, Roses, Daisies, Equal-armed Crosses
Stones of Litha: Tiger’s-eye, Clear Quartz, Topaz, Amber
Tools of Litha: Wand, Cauldron, Spear
Energies of Litha: Power, Creativity, Inspiration, Love, Divination, God Energy, Healing, Fertilization
Gods of Litha: Amun-ra, Apollo, Baal, Bel, Belinos, Frey, Janus, Lugh, Odin, Ra, Thor, Vishnu, Woden, Zeus
Goddesses of Litha: Aphrodite, Astarte, Bast, Blodeuwedd, Brigid, Cerridwen, Danu, Epona, Freya, Frigg, Gaia, Hathor, Hestia, Inanna, Juno, Rhiannon, Vesta
--Some Correspondences taken from Midsummer by Anna Franklin
Litha Recipe: Rose Petal Chamomile Jelly
- 4 cups tightly packed rose petals
- 2 tablespoons chamomile
- 3 1/2 cups boiling water
- 1 package dry fruit pectin
- 4 cups sugar
Clean rose petals. Blend with chamomile in a large enamel or stainless steel bowl. Pour boiling water over petals, making sure they are saturated, and cover bowl. Let stand for one hour. Strain, squeezing petals to get all of the liquid out of them. Discard petals and strain liquid again. In a large enamel pot, stir pectin into rose water. Bring to a boil. Add sugar all at once. Bring mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute exactly. Remove from heat. Skim foam from top (good to eat, just put in a little saucer). Pour jelly into clean, hot jars and seal with paraffin or according to canning instructions. Makes about 5 cups. NOTE: The color of the rose petals will make the color of the jelly
Taken from Dancing With the Sun by Yasmine Galenorn
Midsummer Candle Spell
Taken From Midsummer by Anna Franklin
For a general well-being and prosperity spell, take a yellow or gold candle and anoint it with marigold oil, saying:
In honor of the Lord and Lady on this Eve of St. John, grant
me the fruitfulness and profit of my planting and my work.
In the name of the Lady and her Lord, So Mote It Be!
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