“And so they linked their hands and danced

‘Round in circles and in rows

And so the journey of the night descends

When all the shades are goneAnd so they linked their hands and danced

‘Round in circles and in rows

And so the journey of the night descends

When all the shades are gone”

As we stand a the doors of Midsummer I’m filled with the excited of the warm days ahead ; of days spent by a lake, fresh veggies ripening in the garden, sunset bbq’s and camping in the woods.

Summer’s are short here on the coast so we fill our days with outdoor activities and bask in the sunshine that is hidden behind rainclouds for most of the year.

Witches observe 8 Sabbats known as the Wheel of The Year and Litha is a popular time for Handfasting (wedding) ceremonies. We honour the Sun God who’s powers begin to wane after the longest day of the year. From this day forward the days will become increasingly shorter as we head toward the Harvest season.

I create the circle of power, light and love to be a meeting place with the Goddess and God on this day of Midsummer

Today I’m going to share how you can celebrate Litha. Whether you’re a novice Witch, an ordained Priestess or just someone who enjoys the sacredness of ritual. Sitting in meditation is perfectly fine but something about collecting tools and ingredients and setting up an Altar makes the celebration special. This particular ritual is from my personal Book of Shadows where I keep note of correspondences, moon phases, magickal recipes and ceremony.

A Litha – Midsummer Ritual

You will need:

A yellow altar cloth

A small pouch filled with summertime herbs (from your garden or you can collect them in the woods)

A cauldron (or any heat resistant pot or bowl)

1 cup of Spring Water

1 red candle to represent the Sun God

1 green candle to represent the Earth Goddess

4 white Quarter tea-light candles

A summer incense (jasmine, rose, lotus)

Your Magickal tools (wand, athame, bell, anything you want to use)

Preparing for Ritual:

Sweep the ritual area in a deosil manor. Set up the Quarter candles and any accessories symbolizing the elements of the quarters. Decorate the altar with wild seasonal flowers (around my home I can easily find catmint flowers, clovers, daffodils, dogwood and violets). Prepare your pouch of Summertime herbs and as you prepare it pour any sorrows, regrets or troubles into it.

Place the cauldron in the centre of you altar, the red sun candle to the right of it and the green Goddess candle to the left of the cauldron. Place the cup of fresh Spring Water in from the of Goddess candle.

Take a shower or bath for purification then sit quietly in meditation for a while to ground and centre yourself. When you are ready, play some background music for the ritual. Below is one of my favourites for ritual.

Cast the Circle …

…Pick up your wand and with arms upraised, face the South and say: “I celebrate the Mid of Summer held in honor of the blazing Sun God. All of Nature vibrates with the fertileness of the Goddess and of the God. The Earth basks in the light and life of the sun. The ever turning Wheel of the Year has made the light ever stronger and the light has kept growing longer until today, the middle of the time of Light.

Litha, Midsummer’s Day, Summer Solstice, from here the light begins to fade again until once more the Wheel turns to the time of darkness, Yule, Winter Solstice. Yet for today the sun is high, the light is bright, the earth is warm. As the sun God blazes above may the fires of my rite flame below”

Face the Altar, put down your wand and light the Green Goddess Candle and say: ” Oh Mother of Nature, she that bring the meadow to bloom. Green forest Mother from lakes and streams, your children spring forth. Blessed Lady of the stars and the moon. Fruitful womb of which I honour and ask of thee thy blessing”

Light the red Sun God candle and say: “Oh Father of all things. He that plants the seed and nurtures life. God of fertility and fruitfulness, from hill and forest your children emerge. Blessed Lord of the blazing sun, potent consort of which I honour and ask of thee thy blessing. By thy power oh sacred herbs, may the Lord of the sun burn away the hurtful, the troublesome and the painful, leaving me purified through his warmth and light”

Hold the pouch over your main Altar Candle and light the pouch aflame. Drop it into the cauldron to burn and say “Great Goddess and Great God. From thee all powers flow forth. The two that are one, Great Spirit of all that is, by thy powers and the powers of Air, Fire, Water and Earth, by thy powers and the powers of the sun, moon and stars, I banish any negatives from my life”.

Visualize anything that no longer serves you burning away to nothingness. When all that is left is ashes, douse the ashes with the fresh Spring Water and feel as if the water were being poured over you and all troubles washed away.

Wave you hands gently over the cauldron and say :” As the phoenix rises from the ashes, so let this water be pure and new. Mother Goddess, bless this water so that it may bless and renew me. Father God, may your rays of Midsummer Sun bless and nourish me. Two that are one, may your blessings sustain me as I journey anew”

Pass your cupped hands over the cauldron pausing briefly each time to pour in wishes for health and prosperity and good fortune. Dip your forefinger of your right hand into the cauldron water and trace a pentagram on your forehead and say ” Let my mind be open to truth”

Anoint your lips and say “Let my lips always speak the truth”

Anoint your heart area and say “Let my heart seek the ways of the Goddess now and always”

Anoint the centre of your palms and say “Let my hands be gifted to work in Magickal ways”

Anoint the soles of your feet and say “Let my feet ever walk upon the sacred paths”

Now it is time for any spells you may want to work which for Midsummer include prosperity, fertility and plentiful harvest spells.

Finish the ritual by having cakes and ale (any grounding snack will do) and release the circle.

Clean up. The Ritual is Done!

Thank you for joining me today . If you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and join me over on Instagram @ BellWitchManor

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Blessed Litha, Blessed Sumer Solstice!

Love,

Jennifer