It is hard to believe how quickly June is flying by! It has been intensely hot here in the upper midwest for the better part of a week, and this morning I awoke to a break in temperature; one that I will relish in while it lasts!
“...This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight,
the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go of and becomes the future; the place of caught breath, the door of a vanished house left ajar...” ― Margaret Atwood
Today is Litha/Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Litha is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word for Mid-Summer. Think of the year as represented by a wheel. Then think of how the sun rises and sets each day, in a circular motion. This wheel is broken into segments that in ancient times reflected planting and harvest cycles. These cycles remind us of how interconnected we are with nature. Today on the wheel imagine the sun being directly overhead representing the longest day of sunlight this year. It is also a time to imagine the battle between light and darkness; both representing special places in the year; places for action, growth, rest, and rebirth. As we move forward, the days will be shortening into late summer and fall. Litha like Beltane is celebrated through the element of fire. Fire symbolizes purification and transformation; so leaving behind the old and focusing on the new.
The sun and summertime have a powerful life-giving energy and is a great time to set intentions. I have never been great at this, however, I did set specific intentions during the first full moon of this year in January, and it’s amazing how that simple task, set this year up for special things. It has been a season of change here, one I can be thankful for and release it all at the same time, moving forward. This summer energy is heightened by the fact that the full strawberry moon is also happening during Litha this year.
What can you do to celebrate?
🌻 Herbs in the garden tend to be at their most robust right now, pick a bunch, tie the stems with twine, and hang them to dry in your kitchen. I do this every year with lavender and it makes a beautiful dried bouquet!
🌻 Spend time outside with your family. Go on a walk and pick wildflowers, or harvest something from your garden. If you don’t have a garden, find your local farm stand and get something to include in your dinner.
🌻Have a bonfire. If you are not a bonfire person, light a candle to symbolize the light of this longest day.
🌻Make a let-go list of things you don’t want to take forward with you and burn it.
🌻On a piece of paper write down what you want to accomplish between now and the Winter Solstice/Yule. This can be anything small to large, just get it down on paper! Read what you wrote down, fold the paper, and put it in a safe place. When Yule comes around take that paper out, re-read what you wrote, and reflect on how far you have come, then burn the note to release it, and put the ashes in a potted plant.
Have a Blessed Litha!
Until Next Time,
