A Litha ritual celebrates the magic of all that swirls unseen in the Summer Solstice air.
Midsummer is a time to honor the woodland spirits, love, and the fleeting beauty of nature in her full glory.
Take a moment to pause and reflect on the splendor and mystery of the season with this Litha ritual for solitaries.
Contents
What Litha means in modern witchcraft.
Many modern witches honor Litha, or the Summer Solstice, as a key turning point on the Wheel of the Year.
On the night of the Summer Solstice, the sun transitions from waxing to waning light.
A Litha ritual honors the sun in its full glory.
Folkloric tales vary widely from tradition to tradition but generally center on the retreat of light and the return to darkness.
(It’s important to note that this “darkness” is not a manifestation of negativity or evil, but merely the second side of the two-sided coin. One is necessary for the other, and they wax and wane in harmony).
Many practitioners also consider Midsummer a time to capture the spirit of romance and harness it for spell work and ritual. It’s therefore a common time to perform love spells and handfastings.
Litha is also an ideal time for wishing magic–especially wishes made to the woodland spirits!
Symbols of Litha
The Summer Solstice means many things to cultures around the world. The following list is by no means exhaustive and is obviously centered on modern witchcraft, but it should give you an idea of the energy and spirit of the holiday.
All of these symbols and images are appropriate additions to your Litha altar.
-Bees & honey
-Dragonflies
-Sundials
-Windchimes
-Gold and shimmering objects
-Oak leaves
-Hummingbirds
-Moss
-Sounds of the forest
Litha Ritual for Solitaries
The following Litha ritual for solitaries requires only a few items that you probably already have or can get for free. But feel free to adjust it to your preferences or to make it more specific to your tradition. It is meant as a guide, or rough outline, rather than a rigid formula.
Things You Will Need
-1 small jar of honey (an ounce or 2 is all you need)
-dried lavender flower
On the morning of the Summer Solstice, allow your jar of honey to charge in the full sunlight all day. The jar needn’t be large or wasteful–a tablespoon or two of honey will do!
Just before sunset, when the light is deep gold, pack a basket with your ritual supplies, including the honey, cauldron, charcoal dish, lighter and lavender flower.
Find a quiet spot outdoors, preferably in the woodlands.
Have a seat.
Light the charcoal disk and get a good burn going. Place some of the dried lavender on the charcoal disk and make a wish to the woodland spirits for the coming summer.
Pass the jar through the smoke several times, focusing on your intentions.
Extinguish the charcoal disk completely.
Place your hands on the jar of honey and close your eyes. imagine the jar of honey is a jar of light. Feel that light penetrating your hands, arms, chest, and so on until your whole body pulses with the energy of the summer sunlight.
Pour the honey on the ground as an offering.
Happy Litha, everyone!
English 
Spanish