Litha

Litha, Summer Solstice:

Along with the winter solstice megalithic structures do not seem to mark the summer one in any greater numbers, and so it is difficult to say that mid-summer was marked in such ancient times.

Fortunately there is evidence to show that other mid-summer practices may still indeed be very old. As with the winter ones these practices take place a couple of days after the actual solstice either on the eve of the 24th June or the evening of the 24th itself. The main one being the rolling of a wheel of straw usually alight down hillsides. This was documented in southern France in the 4th century, which then goes on to describe how the remains of the wheel were taken to the local sky god's temple. Descriptions appear in other sources over the intervening years to suggest it was a widespread practice in northern Europe. This practice did die out in Britain but it is known that for the wheel to reach the bottom of the hill and often the river below alight was an omen of good luck for the harvest. The flaming wheel has been equated with that of the solar symbol, the spoked wheel, which as mentioned before was a well established throughout pagan Europe.

Bonfires seem to be equally as ancient, though not mentioned much in early history, they are so widespread and became readily associated with St. John's day. The importance of these fires as a celebration connects them to two subsequent saints' days, following close on in the yearly calender, just in case the weather was not supportive of the first feast day!. There is much mention of magical practices and warding off of danger that it seems they were to protect the ripening harvest as the sun began it's slow decline. There is still one surviving in the U.K. today that genuinely does have an ancient heritage, though most were discouraged during the more repressive religious times in our history. Most of those lit today are revivals. In Ireland they have survived far better. The word 'bonfire' is thought to mean 'goodwill fire',( though this is not certain) it fits with the protective qualities it was meant to invoke and the custom of giving to the poor, especially giving bread and ale, that developed in the 15th century. Garlands of tree branches and fennel as decorations were also mentioned then, along with attractive lanterns lit for the whole night.

Litha is a term for midsummer derived from the old Germanic based calenders, it refers to the gap between the two summer months translated as 'earlier litha' and 'after litha' and a form of it was used in by Tolkien in his Lord of the Rings trilogy, to represent mid-summer's day. These factors make it a common term in use for the solstice now.

Today we celebrate the height of the seasonal year, many plants are 'pregnant' with life, and the sun is in all it's glory. The Goddess is the nurturing mother and the God is the caring wise father. After will follow decline and the acceptance of diminishing power, something to be aware of, it is a time to see the cycles and be joyful in the understanding of the inevitability, of 'being in the now'. Because of it's height the energy of the sun is utilised in many rites and magical practices either for protection or blessing, and in charms to carry light into the dark parts of the year.

The family is emphasised now and so is the acknowledgement of the male role as father, protector and teacher, through the Oak King's story. After the male energy is slowly going into decline, going into the Harvest, passing on the strength to the next generation, and then beginning the journey to the inner (underworld) of being.