Celebrate Litha: The Power Of The Sun

Litha or Alban Heruin as the Druids call it, celebrates the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. The Ancients gave thanks during this summer festival for the sun and their growing crops.

Litha is all about celebrating the power of the sun. For Wiccans, Litha is considered one of the Sabbats.

There are so many ways to celebrate. This article will introduce you to many fabulous ways you and your family and friends will enjoy this festive holiday.

Litha Correspondences

Colors: Yellow, Orange, Gold.
Symbolizes Power, Creativity, Inspiration, Love, Healing, and Fertilization.
Herbs/Spices: Cinnamon, Lemon, Musk, Orange, Rose, Saffron, and Sandalwood.

Flowers: Heliotrope, Sunflowers, and Wisteria
Crystals: Amber, Jade, Tiger’s eye, Jasper, Peridot, Aventurine, Ruby, Emerald.

Animals: Bees, Butterfly, Cow, Dragonfly, Dragons, Horse, and the Phoenix.
Symbols: Sun wheel, Sun, Fire, Bonfires, Roses, Daisies, All rayed flowers, Torches, Fairies.

Deities: Ra, Bast, Helios, Oak King, Fortuna, Arinna
Foods: Bread, Cheese, Edible flowers, Elderberries, Fresh fruits and vegetables, Lemons, Mead & Wine, Milk, and Oranges.

Litha Altar

Setting up my Litha Altar always brings me great joy. I have an agricultural background and love the connections with flowers and vegetables of the solstice. In fact, I typically have an indoor and an outdoor altar for Litha.

Place flowers or a pot of herbs on your altar along with symbols of the sun. A bowl of oranges, a pinwheel, or you can simply cut out a circle from a piece of orange construction paper.

Decorate your altar with sun-colored orange and yellow candles.

Read our article on Candle Colors.

Keep your eyes open for our new course in Candle Magic!

Honor deities of the sun with statues of Ra from Ancient Egypt or Helios.

Decorate your altar with oak leaves and acorns. Oak trees symbolize the sun and power.

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The Battle of the Oak King Vs the Holy King

During the summer solstice, the Oak King and the Holly King fight to see if darkness overcomes light. As it must during Litha the Holly King wins this age-old battle and our days begin to grow shorter.

Legends will vary on whether this happens at the solstices or equinoxes. Regardless, it symbolizes the earth’s movement around the sun and the lengthening and shortening of the days that correspond with the seasons.

During the Winter Solstice, and our season of Yule, the Oak King conquers the Holly King, and the days begin to lengthen. He reigns until the Summer Solstice or Litha. They battle once again when the Holly King is victorious and the days grow shorter.

Read more about the Celtic Month of Oak

Wiccan practitioners often see this battle as representing the dual nature of the Horned God. This battle symbolizes the battle between light and dark, and good and evil.

Contemporary pagans often view the Holly King as an Old Man Winter or Santa Claus figure. He is dressed in a red outfit, wears a holly leaf, and is seen in the woods with deer.

Read our article Do Pagans Celebrate Christmas?

In contrast, the Oak King represents fertility.

Remember to hang pretty cotton ribbons on the trees in order to thank the tree and to leave gifts for the Fae.

Ways to Celebrate Litha

Charity

Litha is a great time to consider others. Traditionally this was a time people shared food from the field and gardens. If you don’t have a garden donate time or money to a local food kitchen.

You can also contribute time or goods to local summer festivals in your area.

Mid-Summer Nights Fire Ritual

Bonfires are a Celtic tradition and a fine way to honor the sun. However, you may live where a bonfire is not feasible or unsafe.

That’s ok, you can tone it down a bit and the gods will understand. A firepit or a grill will suffice.

Use oak wood and throw dried herbs into the flames. Dance and sing!

When you are done the ashes from the bonfire were then dug into the fields or compost piles to increase the fertility of the ground.

Litha is a great time to have a picnic with friends. Photo by Mason Dahl.

Make a Gods-Eye or Ojo de Dios en Espanol

This is a great craft for pagan families and can actually be done on any of the sabbats. For Litha, we want to use bold sun colors of orange, yellow, and red.

God’s Eyes were originally woven amulets made by the indigenous people of Mexico and Central America. Catholic missionaries continued the tradition as a way to assimilate the culture. Today we see them throughout this part of the country often sold in the marketplace.

God's eye or Ojo de Dios on Quemado Mountain, San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Photo by Anaroza.

Traditionally the Ojo de Dios were made to protect children. Parents would make them to pray for their children to have a good long life and be protected from evil.

Two sticks are placed in a cross shape. This represents the four cardinal directions, north, east, south, and west. It also symbolizes the for elements, earth, water, wind, and fire.

Often black or dark blue is used as the first color in the circle to represent God’s Eye.

These modified steps come from The International Folk Museum

Materials:

• 2 straight branches, dowels, or popsicle sticks. Tip: You can make this more meaningful by collecting the sticks on a nature walk.

• Colorful yarn (contrast colors; put light colors next to dark colors) For Litha weave in some yellow, orange, gold, and/or red.

• Glue - for young children white glue works well. Older children can use craft glue.

• Scissors

Steps

1. Tie or glue the two sticks together, in the shape of a cross. You can use glue and give it a few minutes to dry or you can use your first color of yarn and tie it tightly.

2. Take a length of yarn in your first chosen color

3. Wind the yarn around the sticks in a clockwise direction.

4. First, go behind the stick with the yarn, bring the yarn around the stick and on to the next stick

5. Repeat this until you have the desired amount of yarn for that color.

6. Change the color of the yarn by tying the two pieces of yarn together and continuing as in step 4

7. Continue these steps by wrapping new colors of yarn until you reach the size you want.

8. When you are finished, tie the end of the yarn. Snip off any stray tails when finished.

Take A Hike!

What better way to honor the Sun gods and goddesses than to take a hike. Get out in nature and appreciate all that Mother Earth gives us.

This should be a slow hike. No rush to get from Point A to Point B. Take your time and savor your environment.

If you are near the ocean or a lake a walk on the beach will get you out in the sun. A prairie, meadow, or even a farm field are also nice.

You might try stopping mid-hike and taking some time to meditate.

Are you a Green Witch? Take along your field guide and use this time to look for witchy plants.

I love hiking but the summer sun just calls me to the lake. Luckily I live in an area with lots of lakes and opportunities to kayak. Photo by Ame Vanorio

Make Music

Music is a great way to get in touch with your inner god or goddess. Chant, sing, dance, or play an instrument. Just get your body moving!

Looking to meet like-minded folks? Join a drum circle. Meet Up, Facebook, and Reddit can all help you find local drumming circles.

Get Your Book On!

Longer summer days often mean more time to relax with a good book. Check out your local library’s summer reading program.

This can also be a great time to read some pagan-oriented books as a family.

I recently purchased this book to read with my niece. It’s a fun book of various adventures of Pan filled with brightly colored illustrations. Check it out on Amazon.

Wedding and Handfasting Season

There is a good reason that June sees the most weddings and handfastings. The sun is in its full glory, the flowers are blooming and the weather is perfect for gathering outside!

Litha Magic

During Litha, we celebrate the magic between the goddess and the god. At the summer solstice, we see the goddess as pregnant and as a mother. God is strong and virile.

Have a ritual outside under the sun. It may be a simple tea where you light candles, drink tea from foraged plants, eat oranges, and offer thanks to your chosen deities.

Spells for love and passion work well this time of year.

Read our 5 Fast Acting Love Spells

Spells to Celebrate the Summer Solstice

Litha, also known as the Summer Solstice, is a time of abundant energy and vibrant magic. As the sun reaches its peak, nature flourishes and the world is bathed in warmth and light. This powerful energy is perfect for casting spells that embrace the essence of Litha and celebrate the season.

Here are a few spells that can enhance your Litha experience:

Sun Blessing

• Stand outside during sunrise on the morning of Litha.

• Close your eyes and feel the warm rays of the sun on your skin.

• Visualize the sun's energy flowing into your body, filling you with vitality and confidence.

• Say aloud or in your mind: "Blessed is the sun's fire, infuse me with its power and desire."

• Feel the energy of the sun radiating within you, imbuing you with its strength and passion.

Herbal Abundance Charm

• Gather a selection of dried herbs associated with abundance and prosperity, such as basil, mint, chamomile, and sage.

• Place the herbs in a small pouch or cloth bag and tie it with a green ribbon.

• Hold the charm in your hands and visualize the energy of growth and abundance infusing the herbs.

• Whisper your intentions for the coming months, focusing on prosperity, success, and growth in all areas of your life.

• Carry the charm with you or hang it in a place of abundance, like your garden or near your workspace.

Litha Fire Release Spell

• Build a small fire in a safe space, preferably outdoors. You can do this in your grill or fire pit.

• Write down any negative thoughts, habits, or emotions you wish to release on small pieces of paper.

• Hold each piece of paper in your hands and visualize the energy of the fire transforming and transmuting those negative aspects into positive ones.

• One by one, toss the pieces of paper into the flames, saying: "By the power of Litha's fire, I release and transcend these traits and desires."

• Focus on the flames dancing and watch as the smoke carries your intentions away, freeing you from their hold.

Sun Deities

Bast is often seen as a cat

Bast(Egyptian)

Bast is the daughter of Ra and Isis. She is the goddess of war, childbirth, women, and children, and of course the cat.

Bast is one of the primary goddesses I honor. She loves the summer sun and will join you in your Litha celebrations.

Check out our article SIGNS BASTET IS CALLING YOU

Helios (Greek)

Helios, the Greek god of the sun, is a majestic and radiant deity who illuminates the world with his golden chariot. Often depicted as a handsome and powerful figure, Helios is believed to ride his chariot across the sky each day, bringing light and warmth to both gods and mortals alike.

Trusted with the duty of driving the sun across the heavens, Helios is symbolized by a radiant golden crown and fiery orbs. As a god of great importance, he is revered in Greek mythology as the source of life-giving energy and a bringer of vital crops and abundance.

Helios's presence is felt not only in the realm of the celestial, but also as a tireless watcher and revealer of secrets, casting his all-seeing gaze upon the Earth. His divine influence extends well beyond his celestial duties, making him a revered figure in Greek mythology and a cherished deity among followers of ancient traditions.

Mawu-Lisa (Dahomey)

Mawu Lisa is a creation goddess of the sun and moon. She represents creativity, fertility passion, and Universal Law.

She is the goddess of spring and agriculture and is symbolized in seeds. Mawu is still worshipped today in West Africa.

Read more about her in our blog.

Ra (Egyptian)

Ra, the Egyptian sun god, is a majestic and powerful deity whose radiance illuminates the ancient land of Egypt. Known as the creator and sustainer of all life, Ra is often depicted as a falcon-headed deity wearing a solar disk, which symbolizes his dominance over the sun.

The Egyptian deity of the sun, specifically the sun at high noon. He ruled the entire universe.

Aten is represented as the disk of the sun and was originally part of Ra.

He is revered as the king of the gods and is believed to traverse the skies during the day, tirelessly battling chaos and darkness. As the epitome of light and warmth, Ra influences the fertility of the land and the success of agricultural endeavors.

At sunset, he embarks on a perilous journey through the underworld, defeating the forces of darkness and emerging victorious the following dawn. Lift up your prayers to Ra offering devotion and prayers to him to ensure his continued blessings and protection.

He sent his daughter Sekhmet to punish people. Sekhmet is the goddess of war and of healing.

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Sunna or Sol (Norse)

Sunna is the Norse Sun Goddess and appears in the Poetic Eddas where she rides in a chariot pulled by horses. She is the sister of Mani, the moon.

Known as the radiant and powerful bringer of light, Sunna traverses the skies with her magnificent chariot, drawn by golden horses. Her warm rays embrace the earth, nourishing life and filling the world with energy and vitality.

Sunna is a symbol of renewal and the cycle of life, as she rises each day and sets again, only to be reborn with the dawn. She is revered as a harbinger of growth, prosperity, and enlightenment, inspiring worshippers to bask in her radiant glow and celebrate the blessings she bestows upon them.

Wi (Native American)

The powerful sun god of the Sioux Tribe. He is symbolized by the American Bison. He is married to the lunar goddess Hanwi.

As the bringer of light and warmth, Wi holds a significant place within indigenous mythology. Also known as Apolima, Tsilulwitz, or other regional variations, Wi is believed to traverse the sky each day, casting his radiant rays upon the earth.

A symbol of vitality, resilience, and spirituality, Wi plays a crucial role in agricultural practices, guiding planting and harvest seasons.

Native American communities express reverence for Wi through sacred rituals, often offering prayers and blessings to honor his life-giving energy. With his gentle touch, Wi unifies tribes and fosters a deep connection between humanity and the natural world, reminding us that we are all connected.

Author, Ame Vanorio, is our founder, a lifelong pagan, and environmental educator. Ame teaches several of our courses.