Crossroads Gallery

Litha
June 20th 2008

Herbs and Flowers:
Mugwort, Vervain, Chamomile, Rose, Honeysuckle, Lily, Oak, Lavender, Ivy, Yarrow, Fern, Elder, Wild Thyme, Daisy, St. John’s Wort

 The word “solstice” is from the Latin word solstitium, which literally translates to “sun stands still.” The travels of the sun were marked and recorded with the construction of ancient Stone circles such as Stonehenge, which is oriented to highlight the rising of the sun on the day of the summer solstice.

On this day the sun reaches its zenith in the sky and we celebrate the longest day of the year. Many legends explain this phenomena as the darkness triumphing over the light. The darker ‘brother’ kills the lighter brother in these legends, and the brother who dies resides in the underworld until it is time for him to return and slay his brother again, to rule for the next 6 months. The Welsh tale of Llew and Goronwy, England’s Gawain and the Green Knight and the virtuous Celtic battle between the Oak and the Holly King are but a few of these legends.

Magickally and spiritually, we see this as a time to celebrate the ending of the waxing year and the beginning of the waning year, in preparation for the harvest to come. Thoughts put into action during the winter & spring will begin to manifest and hopefully, Gods willing, we will reap the rewards of our hard work. Midsummer has always been regarded as a time of rest & relaxation for agricultural communities, between the hard work of sowing & planting, and the labor of the harvest. So, enjoy the bounties of the season, work & play hard knowing that with the coming darkness there will be a time to rest and recharge.

Solstice Lore Around the World
On June 23rd, many Europeans countries celebrate ‘St. John’s Eve’, a festival which commemorates the Nativity of John the Baptist¤ In Latavia, the festival of Jani (from Janis, the Latin for John) is still popular & is a national holiday. On the night before the Solstice, fires are lit & people stay awake thru the night and women wear crowns of woven herbs & flowers.¤ In ancient Denmark on Midsummer’s day, women would gather herbs for their healing potions for the rest of the year.¤Love rituals were & are associated with Midsummer and June is named for Juno, the Roman Goddess of marriage & motherhood.¤ A British Folk tradition states that if a young girl picks a sprig of St. John’s wort on midsummer’s eve & it is still fresh in the morning, she will soon marry.

Solstice Activities
Play. Above all, Litha celebrates children and the joy that the young take in experiencing life. Find a fun outdoor activity to do~with children, with friends or just by yourself~and indulge in the warm sun and green surroundings. Have a picnic, go for a bike ride or find a hiking trail you can walk. Visit the Rose Garden in Schenectady or the Landis Arboretum in Esperance. Appreciate the beauty of nature and savor the sunshine on what is symbolically the longest day of the year.

Leave food for the faeries. According to tradition, the barriers between the mortal world and the supernatural world become much thinner on Litha and faeries wander freely amongst the woods and streams. (William Shakespeare used it as the basis for his celebrated play "A Midsummer Night's Dream.") You can leave offerings of milk, honey or baked goods in places where they might find them. If you have a garden, place the food near a blooming summer flower. You can also put it in the hollow of a tree or near standing water, while a hearth or a kitchen counter makes a good place for a saucer of milk and honey.

Make Daisy-Chain Crowns for the girls & Green Man masks for the boys out of paper plates and either real or construction paper leaves.

Eat Citrus or Orange, Yellow & Red Foods~ Cook over an open fire~ Drink Lemonade & Mead (a wine made from honey) ~ Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes~Baby Greens with Strawberries~Round Cheese Pizzas~Anything that represents the Sun & the Foods Available Locally that are in Season.

For more information & Ideas Please Refer to the books & website below.

Blessed Solstice!
Lis

Celebrating the Great Mother, Cait Johnson & Maura D. Shaw

Ceremonies of the Season, Jennifer Cole

The Sabbats, Edain McCoy

Circle Round, Starhawk

www.schooloftheseasons.com