Litha, the summer solstice, or midsummer is really a pagan holiday observed between June 19-22nd. It's the day once the sun is at its greatest height which therefore leads to it being the longest day of the year. From this point on, the sun will start its descent and the nights will gradually start to draw in.
It's also know as a cross quarter day, making it a minor holiday for pagans, Wiccans and witches and can be found between its neighbouring fetes of Beltane (May Day) and Lughnassadh. But with such potential for glorious weather and a balmy, warm evening who is able to resist the charms of a Litha celebration!
Traditionally, Litha was the season to reap your crops as they were believed to be particularly blessed with magical qualities and powers on the actual evening, or on Midsummer Event night's eve. However, to sustain the power of your yield and as an offering to the Gods and Goddesses it absolutely was considered necessary to leave the roots or stems of the plant intact.
At Litha, also being a fire festival, it was considered you could attract prosperity by jumping over a bonfire (much like Beltane celebrations) which were lit to ward off the evil spirits that were believed to roam freely on this evening. Actually the veil between the natural and supernatural worlds were considered to be at their thinnest and so for extra protection, torches were carried after dark and in the end of the celebrations.
Such wicked associations were sadly passed on to witches at this time also, as it became the time of year when they were to be observed on their way to meetings with several other evil beings!
But because of the heady and beguiling draw of the hot nights, Litha is of course a-time for fertility rites. This really is determined by the festival's character in the cycle of the God and Goddess. At this time the Goddess is recently with kid, having united and become married to the Sun God at Beltane. So Litha, along with Beltane, became an extremely popular function for weddings (known as hand fasting) and for celebrating new life.
Some people have grown up hearing the word "Midsummer" and may have wondered what it meant. Certain calendar's symbol "Midsummer's Eve" as some time in mid-June, and of course there is the Shakespearean play bearing its name, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Midsummer is a party that has historical roots, and is continued today primarily by those who practice pagan and wiccan religious paths. How do these modern pagans celebrate and comprehend the Midsummer event superstition holiday?
At Midsummer, we find ourselves on the stage in the Wheel of the Year once the Sun is at its zenith, the summer solstice. It's the longest day of-the full year. Since the summer season traditionally began on Beltane (May 1 in the Northern Hemisphere), this festival is usually called Midsummer. It is also known as Litha.
In the Northern Hemisphere the summer solstice falls around June 1922, while it's between December 20 23 in the Southern Hemisphere.
Midsummer is a time when much focus is on the sun, of course. Many ancient temples and sacred places, including Stonehenge, are arranged in such a manner as to align with the place of the sun at summer solstice.
Like Yule, its opposite counterpoint on the Wheel of the Full year, Midsummer conjures up themes of the emblematic Oak King, representing the light half of the full year, fighting the Holly King, who represents the dark half of the full year, when light is waning. Although the Oak King is at his height, after this day the Holly King will begin to possess the upper hand. For another six months, light will decrease Click Here .
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