Per-Ankh Feed
Monday, 23 May 2022
Litha - Summer Solstice

Litha: Summer Solstice - 21st/22nd June
Litha (Midsummer, Gathering Day, Summer Solstice, Alban Heffyn, Feill-Sheathain)
Incense: Sage, mint, basil, Saint John's Wort, sunflower, Lavender
Decorations: Dried herbs, potpourri, seashells, summer flowers, and fruits.
Colours: blue, green, and yellow
The Fire Festival of Litha
Midsummer or the Summer Solstice is the most powerful day of the year for the Sun God. Because this Sabbat glorifies the Sun God and the Sun, fire plays a very prominent role in this festival. The element of Fire is the most easily seen and immediately felt element of transformation. It can burn, consume, cook, shed light or purify and balefires still figure prominently at modern Midsummer rites.
Most cultures of the Northern Hemisphere mark Midsummer in some ritualised manner and from time immemorial people have acknowledged the rising of the sun on this day. At Stonehenge, the heelstone marks the midsummer sunrise as seen from the centre of the stone circle.
In ancient times, the Summer Solstice was a fire-festival of great importance when the burning of balefires ritually strengthened the sun. It was often marked with torchlight processions, by flaming tar barrels or by wheels bound with straw, which were set alight and rolled down steep hillsides. The Norse especially loved lengthy processions and would gather together their animals, families and lighted torches and parade through the countryside to the celebration site.
The use of fires, as well as providing magical aid to the sun, were also used to drive out evil and to bring fertility and prosperity to men, crops and herds. Blazing gorse or furze was carried around cattle to prevent disease and misfortune; while people would dance around the balefires or leap through the flames as a purifying or strengthening rite. The Celts would light balefires all over their lands from sunset the night before Midsummer until sunset the next day. Around these flames the festivities would take place.
In Cornwall up to the mid 18th century the number and appearance of fires seen from any given point was used as a form of divination and used to read the future.
Astronomically, it is the longest day of the year, representing the God at full power. Although the hottest days of the summer still lie ahead, from this point onward we enter the waning year, and each day the Sun will recede from the skies a little earlier, until Yule, when the days begin to become longer again.
Agriculturally, the crops are in full growth. They are reaching the pinnacles of maturity and coming closer to the harvest time. Most wild herbs are fully mature by Midsummer and this is the traditional time for gathering magickal and medicinal plants to dry and store for winter use. In Wales, Midsummer is called Gathering Day in honour of this practice.
Magical Aspects
Since this sabbat revolves around the sun, a candle should be lit for the entire day, especially if it is cloudy or raining. The fire represents the sun and is a constant daily reminder of the power of the God. Rituals should be performed at noon, when the sun is highest in the sky. The best rituals to perform on Midsummer are those dealing with masculine issues, masculine energies, or issues dealing with solar influence.
Many pagans choose to make protective amulets, in the week before the Sabbat, which are later empowered over the Midsummer balefire. Some witches choose to bury their protective amulets each Midsummer’s eve and construct new ones. Rue, rowan and basil, tied together in a white or gold cloth, is a good protective trio that can be carried in your pocket year round.
Midsummer is the time to formalize any relationship and couples that have been together a year and a day since the previous Beltane can make their marriage final. This Sabbat is also an excellent time to re-new wedding vows.
Midsummer Incense
Sage, mint, basil, Saint John's Wort, sunflower, mistletoe (specifically the berries which represent semen), oak, rowan, and fir.
Suggested activities for Litha:
*Rededication to the Lord and Lady
*Divination related to romance and love
*Light a white candle in front of a mirror and say your own Lithia prayer over it, then allow the candle to burn out.
*Float paper boats with blessings on a river/stream to bring luck and love to whatever may find it, or to the land.
*Singing and dancing around a bonfire
*Outdoor picnic feasts
*Create crowns out of flowers
- The Wheel Of The Year
- More Pages »
- The Wheel Of The Year
- Solstice And Equinox Dates 2010 To 2020
- Yule - Winter Solstice
- Imbolc
- Ostara - Spring Equinox
- Beltane
- Litha - Summer Solstice
- Lammas
- Mabon - Autumn Equinox
- Samhain
Social Stuff
Quote of the DayQuote Of The Day: Monday, 23 May 2022
We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse
Colour and Incense of the Day:
Monday, 23 May 2022
Todays Colour is: Cerise
Todays Incense is: Mystic
TWG Newsletter
The Newsletter is due to be published in -44704 days, on the .
Enter your email to subscribe to the TWG Newsletter.
Quick Links
Moon Phases
Monday, 23 May 2022
Last Quarter 2 Jun 08:24
New Moon 10 Jun 11:52
First Quarter 18 Jun 04:54
Full Moon 24 Jun 19:39
Sabbats
Northern Hemisphere
Imbolc - Feb 2nd
Ostara - Mar 21st/22nd
Beltane - April 30th/May 1st
Lithia - June 21st/22nd
Lammas - July 31st/Aug 1st
Mabon - Sept 21st/22nd
Samhain - Oct 31st
Yule - Dec 21st/22nd
The Next Sabbat is: Lithia in 30 days.
Northern Hemisphere
Imbolc - Feb 2nd
Ostara - Mar 21st/22nd
Beltane - April 30th/May 1st
Lithia - June 21st/22nd
Lammas - July 31st/Aug 1st
Mabon - Sept 21st/22nd
Samhain - Oct 31st
Yule - Dec 21st/22nd
The Next Sabbat is: Lithia in 30 days.
Southern Hemisphere
Imbolc - August 1st
Ostara - September 21st/22nd
Beltane - Oct 31st/Nov 1st
Lithia - Dec 21st/22nd
Lammas - Feb 1st/2nd
Mabon - March 21st
Samhain - April 30th/May 1st
Yule - June 21st
2022 Solstices and Equinoxes
Spring Equinox: 20th Mar 22:45
Summer Solstice: 21st June 16:38
Autumn Equinox: 23rd Sept 08:20
Winter Solstice: 22nd Dec 04:38
Latest Blog Entries
Aug
23
Jul
8
Dec
22
Oct
25
Sep
12
Widget Box
Events
Week: 22Day: 143 of 365
May - 2022 | ||||||
M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
1 | ||||||
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
30 | 31 |
Starsign: Gemini

21st May - 20th June
The Twins.
A Masculine, Mutable Air Sign.
In the esoteric tradition Gemini represents communication and expression.