Exploring the Energy of Litha
Radiance. Vitality. Expansion. Sunlight. Ecstasy.
Abundance. Joy. Ripening. Sovereignty. Celebration.
Wildness. Golden. Devotion. Heat. Embodiment.
Litha: The Season of Vibrant Life Force
Welcome to the Season of Fullness and Form! Welcome the full manifestation, the joyful work that brings our winter visions into full expression and embodiment. The power of the Sun is peaking and we celebrate the essence of light, growth and abundance.
This season of the South, Litha and Midsummer, marked by the gateway of Summer Solstice, invites us into a new seasonal altar and a deepened sit spot, a season of making, creating, crafting, bringing into physical expression our inspirations and visions. This season is one of Abundance, Plenty, Nourishment, Play and Deep Nature Connection. There is so much to honor, experience and embody here...
The longest days are here. The most light. The fullness. The beauty. The vitality. The manifestation.
This season illicits a lot of activity – playing and being outdoors – lightning bugs, mosquito bites, making s’mores, having fires, eating watermelon, playing in creeks, drinking lots of water and making sun teas.
Let's weave these ancient energies and apply them to our modern-day experience, and receive these invitations to enliven them as our life experience. In this article, you can find the Herbs of Litha, a seasonal recipe, and a ritual to deepen the medicine of this holiday. To learn more about this holy day, and walk the wheel with me, access my instant download course, Wheel Walkers.
May these rhythms, recipes and rituals craft a doorway for deep reclamation and remembrance of who you truly are. Blessings.
The Herbs of Litha
Lavender
Ivy
Yarrow
Fern
Wild Thyme
Mugwort
Vervain
Chamomile
Rose
Honeysuckle
Learn more about the herbs of Litha in Wheel Walkers!
Litha Ritual
Letter to Your Future Self
Find a peaceful place out in nature where you feel connected to the planet, and at home with yourself – your “sit spot” –– and begin to write yourself a letter to open at winter solstice. Tuning in at your sit spot and really touching, “what is it that I would like to remember about this time, come winter solstice?” Think of yourself in that cave of the winter. What would you like to open and remember about summer, about yourself, about the truths that are so alive and accessible right now?
The invitation of self care is connected with “she of many hands”. The summer months are super full. We often can take on a lot of commitments. Our self care can fall behind in this active season, so if you have the opportunity, recommit to your sit spot, schedule in time to be in nature, to be in ceremony, to go for a walk, to go dance, to cook, to create, to read, to write, etc. then you have a book that’s for summer reading that’s just for you. Having that time for self-care. Balance the wheel of your life.
When we look at the whole of the seasonal energy, we see there’s a time for giving and time for receiving. There’s a time of life, which is now, and there’s a time for death, which is to come. And it’s all available right now.
The quality of our giving depends on the quality of our receiving. Are we receiving in ways that help rejuvenate us? Where can we lean a little bit more into these fresh, vibrant, wild, alive, raw foods of summer? A lot of life force energy. How will it feel to create some time for loving on yourself a little bit more? Bringing your journal to your sit spot, noticing, perhaps taking some moments to journal about what this summer season looks like, what it’s teaching you, what is it you’re a part of when you're in this space? Having some time in gratitude to express our appreciation for that which we see around us.
Litha Recipe
Faery Honeycakes
Recipe inspired by Hearth and Home Witchery | Yields approx. 18 cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup sweet white wine
1 egg
2/3 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup of honey
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
Oil for frying
Instructions
Beat the wine and egg in a medium bowl.
Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Stir into the egg mixture.
Let stand 30 minutes.
Combine the honey and nutmeg in a small bowl.
Heat 1/2 inch of the oil in a frying pan until hot but don't let it get so hot it smokes!!
Drop the batter into the oil 1 tablespoon at a time and fry until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.
Dip into honey.