Midsummer, also known as Litha, is celebrated at the Summer Solstice, and marks another major point in the solar year, the longest day. At this time the sun is honored at its peak potency, and from this point until Yule the year will be on the wane. Some tradidtions see the Sun as the God, fierce and powerful, others see it as the mother Goddess warming herself-the mother earth who is pregnant with the coming harvest. It is customary at Litha to begin gathering summer herbs to dry for wintertime use, and to reenact battles between deities who represent both the dark and light halves fo the year. At Litha the deities of darkness emerge victorious, and the Sun begins to weaken.
~Edain McCoy
