LITHA - JUNE 22ND

Also called Summer Solstice, Midsummer
and St. John's Day.

The Earth is in full bloom.
The Mother is pregnant and the god (the Sun)
is King of Summer at the peak of his powers.

It is a celebration of the longest day of the
year and the beginning of Summer. It has been a
grand tribal gathering time since ancient times.
The Goddess manifests as Mother Earth and the
God as the Sun King.

The Solstice is also time for creative abundance.
I think Beyerl says it best in A Compendium of
Herbal Magick, "Just as herbes are dependant upon
the Sun's rays so, too, are our creative endeavors
dependant upon a positive, divine radiance from our
own inner self. There is nothing within our solar system
which is not touched by the energy of the Sun itself."
Metaphorically speaking, it's time to bring ourselves
into the light, time to reach new heights, explore new
ventures, and grow.

Like the other seven celebrations on the
Wheel of the Year, Litha has been adopted or
appropriated by the Christian Church and it has
been linked to a Christian saint's day, the feast
of of John the Baptist which takes place on
June 24th. In a fine example of coincidence or
synchronicity, the flower which is most associated
with Litha is the elegant bloom of the St. John's Wort
which flowers in June. The association of Litha with
St. John is curious indeed. John, the harbinger of
Christ, has often appeared in medieval art in the form
of a horned man or a satyr, further illuminating ancient
ties between Litha or St. John's Eve and the horned gods
of old. In earlier times, St. John was often referred
to as "the Oak King", and as the "voice crying in the
wilderness" he has profound and irrevocable ties to
forest and woodland. Thus, behind a venerated Christian
saint stands the ancient figure of the Green Man or
horned lord, the pagan deity and wild man whose foliate
face adorns many an old Christian church in Europe.

Perhaps more than any other, the festival of Litha
is associated with fire because at this time the
Sun is at its zenith, and bonfires have been a
prominent feature of celebrations since ancient times.
The fires of Litha are the flames of sun worship,
protection, healing, purification and blessing.
In ancient times, all Europe was alight with bonfires
on the eve of Litha or St. John's Eve, and it was
traditional for communities to gather around the
Litha bonfire to celebrate and participate
in rites of summer.

The objects associated with Litha are the
cauldron of Cerridwyn and the magical spear of
Lugh, and both objects have strong associations
with fertility: the cauldron as the vessel of
life, and the spear as the fertilizing male principle.

Following are some of the Herbs of the Summer
Solstice, and their folklore:

Chamomile - an herb of the sun, Chamomile's bright
yellow flowers bring power and light to your
space and rituals.

Chickweed - While primarily a Lunar herb,
chickweed - interestingly similar to many other
Solstice herbs - encourages one to see things
more clearly.

Chicory - another herb of the sun, Chicory can be
used to transcend life's obstacles. Chicory can
help overcome financial binds by inspiring a
more frugal focus.

Elderflower - Panpipes were often made from elder
stems, but gather wisely or the Elder Dryad will
haunt those that cut her wood without permission.
Instead of cutting, sleep under and Elder tree at
Midsummer's Eve to see the King of the Fairies parade by.

Figwort - Toss this herb to smoke on the Midsummer
Fire and your home will be protected throughout
the year.

Lavender - Lavender is laid on the fires of the
Summer Solstice as an offering to the union of
the Goddess and God, both in equal power
at this time.

St. John's Wort - The Welsh called this plant
the "leaf of the blessed", believing it to be
the ideal combination of water with fire, and
thus between light and dark, night and day,
making it a perfect celebratory herb at Midsummer.
In Brittany the herb is still gathered with ritual
reverence and a prayer and question of permission
is given before harvesting, as picking the plant
represents the dismemberment of the God as Summer
Lord, and the Great Sacrifice. Harvest time is
Midsummer for drying over the Solstice Fires,
or for soaking in an olive or almond oil for a
beautiful ritual oil.

If you're an herb gardener as well, remember
that trimming your herbs back at this time of year,
or just before they bloom, will give longer life
and an increased harvest to your fresh herbs.