Litha
The
Summer Solstice is on June 21st ! Reporting by Náoimí Smyth and Orion Hall-Turner .
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Litha , also known as the Summer Solstice , is one of the eight Sabbats observed by pagans and Wiccans . It symbolises the transitional period between the light half of the year and the dark : or , in Pagan folklore , the battle between the Oak and the Holly king .
Midsummer Myths
There are a plethora of cultures that have honoured the potency of the Sun , and Litha in particular derives a lot of its rituals and customs from European traditions and mythologies through the centuries .
It was believed to be a time where evil spirits roamed more freely , and they could be warded off by wearing garlands made from flowers and herbs . In addition , bonfires were lit to bring prosperity and the ashes were made into amulets and used for protection during the darker months .
The longest day of the year is also the chosen ground for the symbolic battle between summer and winter . In Wiccan traditions , the Oak king is the ruler of summer , fertility and growth ; whereas the Holly king rules over winter , darkness and death . They represent the dual aspects of the horned God , an archetypal deity that forms a base belief in Wicca . The allegorical leaders are in an endless battle .
First , the Holly king succeeds , reigning over the darker half of the year and then , during the winter solstice or Yule , he loses against the Oak king who brings forth the spring and summer months . The tale serves as a reflection and celebration of the changing of seasons that still resonates with witches across the world today .
Festival of the Fae
Other legends that surround the summer solstice talk about mystical entities such as faeries and regard this time of the year to be the festival of the fae . In neo-Druid traditions found in England , it ’ s said that if you stay up the night before while sitting inside a stone circle , you may witness the antics of these magickal creatures .
Today , the Summer Solstice is one of the main events in the Wiccan calendar . It ’ s one of the four major Sabbats celebrated through the year , and practitioners come together to celebrate the longest day of the year and all the magick that comes with it .
Although it may be a reminder that the nights will once again grow longer , it ’ s also a time to appreciate the fleeting sunlight , and to embrace the coming colder months . Here are a few simple ways you can honour the presence and magick of Litha .