Litha 2021 – With Light, Comes Hope and Renewal

Litha, indisputably is essentially the most highly effective day of the year for the Sun God. Regardless of the tradition or nation, the Sun God has all the time held a superior place and has been worshipped worldwide.  This day is also referred to as Midsummer and the summer season solstice.  It is the longest day of the year and Mother Earth receives extra gentle on today than every other.

In 2021, the summer season solstice occurs on Sunday, June 20, at 9:32 P.M. MST.  In trendy occasions we name today the primary day of summer season, but many get confused by why it was known as midsummer within the historical occasions.  This is definitely defined whenever you take a look at issues from an historical perspective.  With crops being planted in late March and early April, the rising season was about midway over in late June.  To these ancestors, it was the mid-level of summer season, thus the lasting time period.

There are many rituals present in historical past to commemorate today and many Gods and Goddesses related to it.  People would rejoice through the lengthy day and into the evening to honor and thank their Gods for every little thing that made their existence simpler as human beings.  Our ritual tonight will honor a few of these historical traditions.

What objects you’ll want to gather for this ritual (as written)

Yellow Altar Cloth
Gold Sun Candles (taper sort with sufficient for every particular person)
Goddess Candle (White)
God Candle (Yellow)
Midsummer flowers and herbs – heaped in droves on the altar
Any sort of photo voltaic or solar objects for adornment

Any portion of the ritual that’s bracketed by <> symbols ought to be understood as educational notes and to not be spoken aloud.

The 2021 Litha Ritual – With Light, Comes Hope and Renewal

With an awesome gentle comes hope and renewal for all who select to take part.  Our Litha celebration honors the suppliers of this nice gentle, the Sun God and the Sun itself!

East

We look to the East, the course from which the solar rises and the nice spirits of Air make their houses.  The east is the course of recent beginnings, renewal, rebirth and illumination.   For simply as every begin begins anew with the primary golden rays, we are able to select to resume these elements of our lives which aren’t assembly expectations.  Take inspiration from the East and always remember that renewal might be accomplished as usually as vital.  <gentle yellow candle within the east>

South

We look to the South, the course of the mid-day solar and the birthplace of the everlasting spirits of Fire.  The south is the course of ardour, creation, heat, and progress.  Midpoints are sometimes crossroads within the nice travels often known as life, but shouldn’t be seen as moments of indecision or disarray.  If transformation turns into a necessity, ponder each the pathway resulting in and the pathway main from that which you’re in search of adjustments to; the larger image is commonly an awesome compass. <gentle red candle within the south>

West

We look to the West, the course of the setting solar and the supply of the nice spirits of Water.  The west is the course closure, reflection, introspection, and finally the course of our ultimate ending.  Yet, don’t worry that which is inevitable, for the west can also be the course from which the ancestors journey forth to share their knowledge with the residing.  Listen to the previous and discover the supply to a future which leads you to your highest self.  <gentle blue candle within the west>

North

We look to the North, the course of the traditional ones, the monuments of the world, and the nice spirits of Earth.  The north is the course of abundance, prosperity, sustenance, and internal knowledge.  All issues we have to maintain life are supplied to us from our pure environment, however it’s as much as us to be taught, construct, and use them in concord with the world round us.  Conserve and defend that which all humankind will depend on as we speak, tomorrow, and eternally.  <gentle green candle within the north>

Goddess

Great Goddess – she who is thought by many names in lots of locations.  Bless us every and all on this nice evening of celebration because the wheel continues to show and the seasons anchor us in our day by day lives.  Guide us as we stroll the identical pathways as our ancestors and assist us to keep away from the snares and pitfalls of that which is unwelcome in our lives.   <gentle Goddess candle on the alter>

Sun Gods

Great God of the Sun; your names are many and your repute universally recognized.  On this celebration of Litha, we name upon Áine, and Alaunus, and Belenos, and Étaín.  We name upon Macha, and Usil, and Sól, and Dažbog, and Hors.  We name upon Apollo, and Lugh, Huitzilopochtli, and Inti.  We name upon these with out names and these unnamed and these whose names shall be coined sooner or later.  We ask for the continued and future blessing of sunshine, heat, warmth, and consolation, for today and all days forward. <gentle yellow solar God candle on the alter>

Introduction

Tonight we’re gathered to rejoice Litha with an awesome pageant of fireside!  Throughout time, hearth has performed an necessary position in conventional celebrations and none as centered as tonight.  Fire represents the Sun and all the advantages related to it.   History tells us of many various celebrations carried out by our ancestors throughout the traditional world, and tonight we will interact in a few of these traditions to honor the Sun God.  With so many historical traditions, and so many historical deities, we select to not offend and slightly deliver all of them into this circle to be celebrated as equals.  Yet, a few of you will have particular inclination towards one God or Goddess, so earlier than we go additional, lets all pause for an extended second of reflective silence.  Use this time to focus in your particular beliefs, the blessings supplied by them, and what the long run holds.

But, earlier than we start, I implore every and each particular person gathered to take a second and replicate on the blessings all of us expertise from the nice Sun God.

<chief ought to permit a couple of minutes of silent meditation>

Music of Litha – Summer Solstice

Choosing the correct music in your ritual is commonly extra enjoyable than you may assume.  As I used to be placing this one collectively, it felt like an awesome non secular journey was proper on the cusp of occurring.  When I got here throughout this Midsummer Magical Witch Meditation, I knew that I had discovered the suitable theme track.  The artist behind this magic is Skeed.

Litha Traditions & History

Our ancestors have been depending on the obtainable sources within the lands the occupied, for every little thing.  As humankind developed communities, some folks selected to give attention to specialised duties, akin to smithing, device-making, or weaving.  Everyone else was both a hunter/gatherer or a farmer and they have been extremely depending on the solar and availability of water for achievement.  At the time, the solar was mysterious and magical and it’s no shock that the solar was a essential point of interest in lots of their practices and rituals.  On Litha, the solar would hold within the sky for what appeared an eternity.  So a lot that even the phrase solstice interprets as “sun stands still”.

Many of our ancestors additionally believed that Litha was a part of a much bigger, annual battle between the sunshine and the darkness.  They personified these halves of the year with two nice kings; the Holly King, that dominated within the winter, or the dark half of the year, and the Oak King, who dominated within the gentle half.  Each year two nice battles would happen; one on the Summer Solstice and the opposite on the Winter Solstice.  Also on every solstice, the ruling king was vanquished for six months, with the successful King taking the throne for his time.  On Midsummer, the Oak King meets his nemesis in mortal fight, solely to be defeated and pressured to retire to place till he can retake the throne at Yule.  Many historical Europeans would rejoice this nice battle and the altering of the seasons in their very own methods, however every of these rituals had a focal theme, which was hearth.

Sun Celebration Circle

As we watch the solar depart over the horizon, we provide a ultimate celebration and honor to the nice vitality that feeds our lands.  The solar is the best supply of heat and gentle recognized to humankind and usually occasions we take it with no consideration. From the passing of the Winter Solstice, the times have been getting longer and longer, till today, Litha, the longest of all of them.  Today we honor all of the Sun Gods and Sun Goddesses which were a part of human existence throughout time.

<Ritual chief takes a gold taper candle and lights it from the Sun God candle on the alter>

The flame represents the sunshine of the solar.  It is everlasting and by no means-ending.  Without the solar, we couldn’t exist and subsequently we honor the solar on the highest diploma.  We supply excessive praises to the Sun Gods and Goddesses.  The gentle is given to us freely and no particular person might take possession or management of it.  The gentle can be utilized, it may be shared, and it may be loved by all.  Light is the supply of consolation, hope and renewal.  We shall create a circle of sunshine inside our circle to point out inclusiveness and unity.

<Ritual chief takes their lit candle and turns to the particular person subsequent to them, utilizing it to gentle their candle and that particular person goes to the following and so on till all are lit.>

As you move the sunshine, say “with this light comes eternal hope and with that hope, we shall grow and never stray from our path”

<Once all have lit candles, ask the group to carry them above their heads, tilting them towards the middle of the circle>

Hail to Áine, and Alaunus, and Belenos, and Étaín.  Hail to Macha, and Usil, and Sól, and Dažbog. Hail to Hors, and Apollo, and Lugh, and Huitzilopochtli. Hail to Inti, and Ra, and Helios, and Sunna.  Hail to Saule, and Hestia, and Magec, and Lisa.  Hail to Šerida, and Freyr, and Ao, and Tawa.  Hail to Ah Kin, and Guaraci, and Napioa, and Malakbel.

To the Gods and Goddesses who deliver us gentle, we sing praises to the very best diploma and supply thanks from the core of our soul !

As the solar radiates in all instructions, the sunshine is unfold to each area throughout the land.  Slowly flip and level your candle gentle because the rays of the solar go outward!

As it all the time has been, it shall all the time be!

<Have every particular person put their lit candle on the alter if potential, or safely extinguish it and place the candle the place it gained’t trigger a fireplace>

Setting the Watch

Each city and village would make preparations for the night festivities by constructing an enormous neighborhood bonfire the evening earlier than the celebration (this apply was known as setting the watch).   Additionally, particular person landowners would construct related, albeit smaller bonfires on their property; additionally in preparation.  At evening, torches have been carried from bonfire to bonfire, setting every ablaze as they handed.  Those fires would usually be tended all through the evening and the villagers would keep as much as watch the solar rise the next morning, honoring the Sun God.  The following day, the ashes have been gathered and scattered all through the fields as a blessing to strengthen them.

In some traditions, it was believed that these bonfires (additionally known as balefires) have been seen as a essential.  They believed that the solar wanted strengthening on Litha and fires throughout the countryside could be the supply of recent vitality.  Also those self same folks would set alight big wheels certain with straw or barrels lined with pitch, and roll them down steep hillsides.  These practices served a number of functions; first to recharge the solar, and additional to drive away evil and promote fertility.   Historically, we all know that folks would dance across the fires till lastly leaping via the flames as a purifying or strengthening ceremony.  Couples would grasp each other’s fingers and make the precarious bounce collectively, as an indication of strengthening their bond to 1 one other.  Unmarried younger folks would leap throughout in hopes of discovering a accomplice within the coming year.

<Ritual chief ought to give everybody a fast hearth security briefing (once more) to organize for the leaping of the hearth>

The Leap of Fertility

Before we leap, we provide the Sun God this prayer:

All that we want hangs excessive above the land
Light and heat radiate to the bottom under
The land thrives and turns into ever greener
On this, the longest day of the year
We honor the nice and highly effective Sun God
The steward of life and giver of hope
Our houses are all the time open to your gentle
Our hearts are all the time open to your love
We rejoice tonight, for tomorrow
The journey into darkness begins once more

<every particular person or couple ought to strategy the ‘jump area’ and say aloud their particular person prayer or phrases of hope to the Sun God>

As you bounce throughout the hearth, do not forget that by doing so, you’ll be shielded from evil within the coming year.  A warning to {couples} although – in case your fingers come aside through the bounce, then you definately’ll face a troublesome year in your marriage.

<let the leaping start>

 

Cakes & Ale

<At this time, you could serve refreshments to the group when you’ve ready them upfront, however remind everybody to stay within the circle>

Closing the Circle

North

We start our journey residence by seeking to the North, to thank the Earth spirits for honoring us with their presence.  As we depart, we will keep on the message of conservation of our pure sources.  Abundance doesn’t me we squander.  Prosperity might be taken away simply as simple because it was given.  All issues are in a relentless state of change and we can not permit ourselves to grow to be complacent. <extinguish green candle within the north>

West

Now we glance to the West, the place the final glimmer of the longest day of the year’s solar has crossed over the horizon.  We go away this circle with an awesome feeling of hope and an eagerness to share our non secular knowledge with these in our personal circle.  As we go away this Litha celebration,  we, as soon as once more sing excessive praises for the steerage of our ancestors and the quiet occasions of reflection we’re in a position to spend with their spirits.   <extinguish blue candle within the west>

South

Now flip to the South and bask within the perpetual heat that radiates throughout the land.  From this second ahead, we will stroll with a objective and go away indecision to those that are usually not able to ascend to a better airplane of existence.  Our course shall be illuminated with constructive folks, the great thing about the pure world, and the information that self-enchancment is the the best, but additionally among the most troublesome work to carry out. <extinguish red candle within the south>

East

And lastly we flip to the East.  Our recollections nonetheless contemporary of the Litha solar rising to start out the day.  We have chosen to resume our lives within the areas that we select.  We have chosen to lift our requirements and to not compromise our values to be able to obtain success.  We go away impressed and eternally grateful for the chance to take cost of our personal lives and to step forth on a path of wonderment and progress.  <extinguish yellow candle within the east>

Goddess

Great Goddess, we once more thanks, as we’ve got thanked you a lot occasions earlier than.  Your knowledge and love are our guiding gentle and your forgiveness and compassion maintain us humble and grounded.  Thank you for sharing this evening with us in our sacred area. <extinguish Goddess candle>

Gods

Sun Gods Across Time and Space, we’ve got spoken your names, raised our vitality in nice honor of you, and have bathed within the golden heat that you simply all the time present.  Our thanks can not ever match the bounty of your blessings, and but we provide our most heartfelt thanks anyway.  <extinguish God candle>

This Litha Circle is Now Open But Forever Unbroken

Blessed Be!

Additional Reading

The Gypsy Thread is a good useful resource for pagan and moon ceremonies.  You can browse the archives at this hyperlink.  As all the time, you may copy them to be used with out price or copyright infringement.  Some information is simply too useful to be offered; it should given away freely to those that would  guarantee it’s survival.

 

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