1Litha Introduction

1.

Copyright Lady Bridget 1997

Summer Solstice, or Litha as it is also called, occurs on or about the 21st of June, when the
Sun enters zero degrees Cancer. It marks Midsummer for many cultures, even though in
most of the US, summer has barely started and the kids are just now getting out of school!
It is the longest day of the year, and the shortest night; when the sun reaches his apex in the
sky, and the days will now grow shorter as the light begins to wane.
Many legends explain this phenomena as the darkness triumphing over the light. The
darker brother kills the lighter brother in these legends, and the brother who dies resides in
the underworld until it is time for him to return and slay his brother again, to rule for the
next 6 months. The stories of Lugh and Goronwy, and the Oak King and the Holly King are
but two of these legends.
It is interesting to note here that the Christian religion has also tried to usurp this holiday
by decreeing it the birth of John the Baptist, and declaring it his feast day. Now, other
Saints in the Church are only remembered for the day they died (usually in martyrdom) so
it is very curious that St. John the Baptist should be the only one recognized on his natal
day. Also, the original birth of Christ was moved from late Spring when he was actually
born, to December 25 to coincide with the birth of all the other "Sun" Gods. So even the
Christian religion has rotated to the Pagan cycle of the Earth, with their births lining right
up with our Solstices. The natural cycle, what we call the Wheel of the Year, is evidently
highly compelling!
This was the traditional time of year to harvest your magickal and medicinal herbs. Cut
them with a scythe or boline, by the light of the Moon, while chanting the appropriate
chant for the purpose for which the plant will be used. Leave an offering for the rest of the
plant, and try not to harvest more than 1/3rd of the plant so that the rest will remain
healthy and vigorous. If you have to harvest the roots, then you will need to find a bunch of
them growing together, and then only harvest 1/3 of them, so that the rest will thrive in the
space you have just provided. Harvesting a branch should be done at the lowest junction
where the branch joins the main plant, and be careful not to damage the remaining plant.
Nature will provide all our needs, but not if we destroy Her gifts!
If you live in the southern part of the US, you can harvest many plants now also, unless you
are in the deep south. This far south, like southern Florida, and southern California, not
much that has magickal or medicinal value will still be alive by this time. Most of the
harvesting must be done at Imbolc, or Ostara, because the intense heat and sunlight will
have burned off many herbs by this time. One way to try to save them is to put them under
screening, or indoors with diffused light. That will enable some of the hardier varieties to
survive through the early summer at least.
Since the Sun at Litha is entering Cancer, a water sign, this holiday is one of the best ones
for gathering your magickal water which will be used on your altar and in your spells for
the coming year. We usually go to the beach at Litha, and gather salt-water. We bring
offerings of flowers and nuts, and 3 pennies or 3 dimes for prosperity and throw these into
the waves before we take our water. We honor Aphrodite and Yameya as the Goddesses of
the Sea by taking some jewelry as an offering. It can be simply a broken silver chain, a ring
you used to wear, one half of an earring set, things like that. We find that doing this means
that when we visit the beach anytime at all, we don't have to worry about losing any of our
"good" jewelry to a jealous Goddess!
If you don't live near the sea, another excellent source of magickal water, is rain water from
a thunderstorm, and there are plenty that occur at this time of year. The more electrical
energy the storm puts out, the more energized the water is, so the fiercer the better! Collect
in a glass jar, or porcelain, avoid metal containers. Store on a shelf, and don't leave the jar
on the ground, or the energy will ground. We only use our water for 6 months, after that we
return the water to the source, and collect fresh. The energized water really only lasts about
6 months. If you add shells, rocks from the sea, or other non-perishable sea items such as
coral, the energy of the water will stay higher during the 6 months. This water is not for
drinking, but only for magickal use.
In June, the Full Moon is called the Honey Moon, because this is the time to collect the
honey from the beehives. Mead is an excellent brew made from honey, and there is Lord
Riekin's Mead making recipe on this web-page, or you can e-mail Lady Bridget for his
instructions also. Mead is the traditional drink for Summer Solstice for that reason. Small
mead, or Soda-Pop mead, can be made about 10 days prior to drinking, and is low in
alcohol and on the sweet side. For these reasons, it is the preferred Mead to make just prior
to this Sabbat. Incidentally, it was believed that since the Grand Union between the
Goddess and God happened in May, at Beltain, that it was unlucky to have mortal
weddings in May. In addition, many couples found that after the May Day frolic, they were
"expecting" and so June became the most popular month for weddings, and still is today.
Since the June Full Moon is called the "Honey Moon", can you guess now why that term is
used for the time right after the marriage ceremony?!!
It is appropriate also, to have honey on the altar during the Cakes and Wine to dip your
cakes in for this celebration. In our tradition, we always have honey on the altar to
symbolize the sweetness of life. It also is a symbol of what combined energies to a single
goal can accomplish!
There are many songs associated with Litha, or the Summer Solstice, and chants dealing
with the ocean and the ebb and flow of the year are especially appropriate. Do some
research, find books of poetry and see how much material is available with the Sun theme,
and the Ocean theme. Our ancestors have been worshiping the Sun for long ages, and the
wealth of material out there will astound you. Anything that pleases you and your group
can be used in your rituals without copyright infringement as long as it is not published,
and if you distribute words be sure to credit the proper sources.
Happy Litha!
 Preparation For Litha Ritual
@ Lady Bridget 1997

In our tradition, of the Welsh-Celtic as practiced by the Witch and Famous Coven, we
traditionally celebrate Litha at the beach. Being located in South Florida, this is easy and
natural for us to do. We meet a little before sunrise on the morning of the Solstice, and
gather together all our beach supplies, towels, etc, and head "en masse" towards the water.
At an appropriately secluded spot, if one can be found, we set up our towels and assorted
sundries. We do not wear robes for this, but we do wear regular clothes and bathing suits.
Next year, we hope to do this at the Nudist Beach in Miami, and so do away with the
bathing suits altogether. We also do not take any ritual altar tools, unless these need to be
cleansed or consecrated in the water. We don't set up an altar, or otherwise cast a circle.
This is in part because it is a public area, and we have been approached at times by
Christians professing to be worried about our souls. If there are no overt signs to alarm
people, most will ignore us and pass on. Occasionally we will be joined by a solitary Pagan
who also came this morning to worship and didn't know anyone else existed! They were
drawn to us because they saw us dancing in a circle in the water, and could hear what we
were chanting. That is always a wonderful experience.
We bring nuts and pennies or dimes, also flowers, jewelry, and any other offerings we deem
appropriate. We honor Aphrodite and Yemaya as Goddesses of the Sea by tossing the
flowers, pennies and dimes, and old jewelry into the Sea as a way of thanking the
Goddesses, and the Gods, Neptune and Posiedan, for all we have received from the Sea. We
remember that we are nourished by the Sea everyday, and that all life came from the Sea.
I have not written an elaborate ritual for Litha for this reason. I could, but I am keeping
within our practices and want to show you that there are other ways to worship besides
always in the same circle and space. Sacred Space is where you make it and proclaim it to
be, and keep it Sacred.

Ritual for Litha (Summer Solstice)

@ Lady Bridget 1997

Surprise! There isn't one... or at least, not a formal ritual with words to invoke everyone,
etc.
This is instead an outline of what our coven does at Litha, which we celebrate at the beach
at sunrise on the morning of the Summer Solstice. We usually meet an hour or so prior to
sunrise, so everyone can park and carry their supplies to the beach. We bring towels and
wear our bathing- suits, since this is not a nude beach. We also bring containers of our
water from previous years, to give the water back to the Sea to be re-energized and to
collect our fresh water for the coming year to be used to cast circle, to cleanse and to bless.
We honor Aphrodite and Yameya as the Goddesses of the Sea, and also Neptune and
Poseidon as the Gods of the Sea. We bring them items they don't have access to, such as
nuts and berries, flowers, and pennies or dimes, and jewelry. Old jewelry, such as half an
earring pair, a ring which is no longer worn, broken chains, etc. are fine, as long as they are
not plastic. (By voluntarily giving the Sea jewelry twice yearly, we don't seem to lose any
jewelry that we treasure at any other times we visit the ocean!) Pennies and dimes are for
their prosperity, and in return, our own.
We also bring whatever we wish to eat and to share with everyone. This includes bagels and
muffins, fruit, juices, breads and jams, etc. Someone always brings a big thermos of coffee
as well! At sunrise, or just prior the sky is just becoming lighter and the sea is calm. Off in
the distance sometimes we can see vivid summer storms and lightening, usually farther up
the coast. A few tiny boats may be out on the horizon, but the beach itself is quiet, serene,
and all ours.
We start by laying out all our towels and food, and arranging our jugs so we know who's
are who's. Then we all hug and welcome each other, and also those who have joined us from
other covens and groups. Litha is always an open invitation to the whole community.
Next we go down to the Sea individually to get wet initially, and to commune with the Gods,
Goddesses, and the incredible energy of the Sea itself, to cleanse our auras, our spirits, and
to feel the impact of the Sea stretching out to the horizon. It is awe inspiring, as we feel the
gentle tug of the current and the tide, tugging at our feet as we attempt to stay upright! The
Sea is gentle at this hour, and we can commune for as long as we like.
At this time also is when we will toss out our offerings to the Sea and the Gods and
Goddesses, as a thank you for all we have been given by the Sea and by them. This is our
quiet meditation time.
As the sky begins to get lighter, and we see the peeking out of the first rays of the Sun, we
form a circle and hold hands in the shallows. Some of our members are not good swimmers,
and most of our children are present, so we stay shallow. We gaze at the sky and begin to
circle around. We sing "Here Comes The Sun" by the Beatles, also "Here Comes the Sun
King", we also sing "An Anthem to the Sun" by Rick Hamouris, which can be found on the
tape "Welcome to Annwyn". We sing any other chants we make up on the spot, and we
continue to circle and sing until the Sun is well up.
Sometimes there are cloud formations that hide the Sun a bit, and we can use these to
shield our eyes better. Do not stare directly at the Sun, as that is dangerous. (don't be
insulted, I usually have to tell someone that every year!) When the Sun is definitely risen
we clap and frolic in the water, swim, play, and basically enjoy ourselves as much as we
want. We stand in the water, raise our arms to the sky and ask the Sun to bless us and
energize us while He is at His peak of power. Then it's time for breakfast!
Back to the towels and the food...we share whatever we have brought, and we also share
some with the Gods (and the fish!). Be careful not to put too much in the water in the way
of food, where we are we have attracted barracuda, and last year, a sting ray. Luckily we
were finished with the part in the water, so we didn't mind being visited at all! But be
aware that it is also okay just to bury some of your food in the sand as an offering as well.
Things like orange peels, and nectarine or peach pits are better buried than thrown in the
water.
After the communal meal, we each get our containers. Those of us who have remaining
water from last year, pour it back into the sea and carefully return any shells or stones that
we need to give back. Then we collect our water for the coming 6 months. The water only
stays energized for about 6 months, and we use it for casting circle, for spells, for cleansing
and purifying and for consecration. By adding stones, shells, and coral, you can increase
the energy level of the water, but the energy itself does fade after 6 months, the non-
degradable shells etc just keep the level higher, but not longer.
(Side note: I say 6 months because we will do this again on New Year's Day but we meet
around noon instead of sunrise. This has become our coven's tradition, but other covens do
it at Winter Solstice. We all have New Year's Day off, so we chose to stick to that date. It
gives us a chance to "bring in the New Year" in a Wiccan Way. Since the mundane
celebrations for New Year's are so full of energy at this time, we also choose to take
advantage of it.)
After we have collected our water and shells, we sit around and share for a bit, then we
prepare to leave. Anything that is not bio-degradable goes into the trash or comes home
with us if the trash if full, regardless of whether it is our garbage or someone else's. We
always leave our outdoor sites looking better than when we got there. Picking up other
people's garbage is so second nature to us, that we just carry extra garbage bags in our car
for the purpose most of the time. This is our Mother after all!
Once back at the cars, we say goodby to those who aren't coming back to the house with us,
then we all proceed, convoy style, to either the coven-stead, or to one of the Priestesses
homes that is closest to the beach location. There, we change into comfortable, dry clothing,
shower off the beach sand, and break out the tarot decks!
It is also our custom twice a year, at Summer Solstice, and on New Year's Day, to do a daily
reading to see how the next 6 months will be. How we do this is we form a circle around the
room, on tables, the floor, wherever we are comfortable, and we all shuffle our tarot decks.
Then one person starts with June 22 (or the next day's date) and flips over one card. She or
he then tells briefly what they see in that card, a one or two word synopsis, and we all write
that down on our calendars for that day. If you don't have a calendar with you, just write
the dates on a piece of paper and transfer it to your calendar when you get home. The next
person does the next date, and so forth until we get to January 1st. (At New Year we do it
until June 22, or Summer Solstice).
For example this year my calendar has the following notations:
June 23: sexy
June 24: happiness
June 25: not good
June 26: misunderstanding with a woman
June 27: strength
June 28: fertility, creativity
June 29: anger, beware
June 30: opportunity
It is fun to go back to these days as they occur to see what areas they were foretelling, and
to see if they were accurate. Of course, you can be more specific, but we use the pocket
Astrologer calendars mostly, and the days are really tiny, so we try to use few words. You
can use any divination tool you are comfortable with, such as runes or I Ching as they work
equally well. This is also a good opportunity for people who have just been introduced to
divination to learn to go with first impulses upon seeing the card, without relying on any
book definitions, and just to say whatever pops into their heads at first sight. One year we
had exactly 7 people doing this, and I wound up with every Tuesday. I started to see a
pattern - that for me, only the Tuesdays that year were the most accurate!
After the divination, we generally eat lunch, or go out for lunch together. Those of us with
work obligations, if this falls during the week may have to go in for half a day. We hug and
say our farewells, and help our host/ess clean up. We find this is a great way to have a fun
time as a coven, have no pressure on anyone to write a ritual or memorize parts, and we
spend quality time with each other as friends. Building friendship in a coven is very
important, since we are human beings first, and then Priest/esses second. It is important to
us that we can have fun times at the beach just playing around in our worship and not
always have to be solemn. Our motto is "Reverence and Mirth" and this is one of our
favorite Sabbats to practice our Mirth!
If you don't live near the beach, the lake will also work just as well. If you don't have any
lakes nearby that are suitable, perhaps you could do some guided meditation to the beach
as a group in your Solstice ritual. There are many possibilities, and the way we celebrate is
only one of the myriad ways. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have come home to a
religion that allows me so much freedom of expression.
Blessed Be and Happy Solstice!

Email Lady Bridget at ladybrid@bc.seflin.org