3 Litha / Summer Solstice / Midsummer Spell & Rituals

Litha, also known as the summer solstice and Midsummer, is one of the eight sabbats celebrated in the year of the wheel. Litha occurs on the longest day of the year, the first day of summer, celebrating and honouring the sun. 

• Yule celebrates the Winter Solstice.
• Imbolc or Candlemas celebrates the first signs of spring.
• Ostara celebrates the Spring Equinox.
• Beltane celebrates May Day.
• Litha celebrates the Summer Solstice.
• Lughnasadh or Lammas celebrates the start of the harvest season
• Mabon celebrates the Autumn Equinox
• Samhain celebrates Halloween

On the summer solstice we show our gratitude by working with the fiery energy of the sun to help propel us through our lives. This is a time of great action. On Litha we have an opportunity to harness this mighty force to burst through blocks, Intentionally charge your body, crystals, and trigger transformation. 

On midsummer we work with the Southern element, fire. Every magical practitioner will have different reasons and meanings associated with the element. Our relationships can subtlety shift our perceptions of the elements, but generally the element of fire is associated with power, passion, creativity, sex, and transformation. 

Throughout this post we will explore 3 rituals you can perform to honour and work with the element of Fire to help support your life. 

Check out our Ritual For Abundance With The Goddess Oshun for an everyday summer spell you can perform. Building relationships with deities is a beautiful way to honour those who have come before you while building your personal power. Oshun is a gentle and benevolent Orisha that welcomes new devotees. 

Leap Of Faith Fire Ceremony

On the longest day of the year the energy of fire is aligned and alive. We can use this day to shift major areas of our lives. We have an opportunity to break through core beliefs that are blocking our magic, obstacles holding us back, and situations we want to leave in the past. 

For this ceremony you will need:

• A red candle 
• An object your are willing to part with to represent what you want to be rid of
• An object you want to keep with you that represents your desired outcome. 

Begin by cleansing your candle by running it under cold water for 30 seconds. Next we are going to dress our candle. Since this is a ceremony to remove things from our lives we want to leave space within the candle to absorb that which we do not want. This means we don’t want to add all the sigils, symbols, herbs, crushed stones or heavy oils. I suggest only lightly dressing our candle with an appropriate oil like Block Buster Oil, Road Opener oil, or Clear & Protect Oil. Set your dressed candle aside. 

Next we will cleanse that object we are willing to part with. I recommend choosing a stone like Smokey Quartz or an object that holds memory. Run your object under cold water for 30 seconds. 

Finally we will cleanse your token of the future by running it under cold water for 30 seconds.

Once your candle and tokens are prepped it is time to choose your location, set sacred space, and prepare cautionary measures. We are literally going to be jumping over the flame so we need to set ourselves up for success. 

We advise to perform this ceremony outside on patio stones, not wood. Wear tight fitting clothing and shoes. Place your candle in a stable, fire safe container. Have cold water or a fire extinguisher accessible in case of an emergency. Make sure there is plenty of room around your candle for you to quickly step over or jump over. 

When you are ready pick up your token and hold it between your hands at your heart centre. Focus on your intention, what you want to leave behind. Pour it into your token. All the emotion it triggers, all the physical symptoms or feelings in your body triggered, all the memories and pain, pour all of that into your token until you no longer feel it within your body. 

When you feel ready put your token representing the past down on the floor behind you. Don’t look at it, don’t look back until you’ve completed this ritual. 

Step up to the position, ready to step or jump over the flame. Out loud speak your intention. Speak to the universe what you are leaving behind when you travel “through” the flame. 

Step or jump over the flame. 

On the other side looking into the future pick up the outcome token and hold it between your hands at your heart centre. Focus on how you imagine your life in the future will look without your burden. What emotions will you feel? How will your body physically feel? What activities do you hope to perform? What will it sound like? Take your time and pour all of that into your token. 

Carry your future token on your person for the next year, until you loose it or it feels appropriate to leave it behind. 

When you feel ready and the ceremony is done thank the element of Fire and close your sacred space. When you are finished extinguish your flame and throw your old token in a random dumpster or garbage off of your property. 

Intention Charging Sun Bath 

The element of fire popularly represents passion, drive, inspiration, creativity, comfort, and arousal. It is the quality of our nervous system that control our bodies. It is our vitality, our ability to be active and sensual. 

The first day of summer is a perfect time for a revitalizing sun bath. Gather yourself, a blanket, stones, talismans or jewelry and head out to your favourite location with an open sky out in nature. My go to places are well loved parks or beaches. 

I suggest using stones associated with the element of fire. My top picks are sunstone, carnelian and citrine. 

If you are charging up your body I suggest wearing a bathing suit and sun block. It’s important to create balance by protecting your skin from the powerful sun rays. A sun burn is counter active to what we aim to accomplish. 

While you are laying down comfortably, surrounded by your trinkets that you want charged take this time to perform a revitalizing meditation. 

Connect with the various aspects of fire you wish to imbue into your body/tokens. You can focus on one or if you want to fully honour the element you can go through each one individually. 

Focus on passion, you drive, inspiration, and creativity. Feel from your sacral area and your solar plexus filling up with that energy. Feel it spreading through your body, from your core into your extremities. Feel yourself so full that the energy is over flowing out of your fingertips and toes. 

Feel the energy warm you from the outside in. Feel it heating your body, your blood, loosening up tight muscles, expanding your blood vessels. Feel yourself take up space that you inherently deserve. Feel your aura grow and strengthen. 

Feel every aspect of your body filled with this energy. Feel your bones energized, feel the muscles and deep tissue warmed by this energy. Feel your nerves, the electrical currents running through your body becoming super active. Feel the blood and liquids in your body flowing freely, spreading oxygen and health through your body. 

When you are finished thank the sun, thank the element of fire, and thank your body for holding this energy. You can leave an offering to the sun and Fire elements. Appropriate offerings include whiskey, tobacco, and sunflower seeds. 

Transformation BBQ Ritual 

This ritual is a wonderful group activity to do some low-key, high impact magic. 

In this ritual we will use the transformation aspect of the sun and the element of fire. By taking raw food and using the transformative powers of fire to make it edible we can add an intention to get these same results in an aspect of our lives. 

You can grill meat, vegetables, fruit, really any foods you feel appropriate for this task. Take some time to think about the area of your life you want to transform. 

Maybe you need to attract relationships, turn a cold situation with one infused with warmth. I’d go to marshmallows or something sweet. 

If I wanted to transform a situation relating to business or hard work I’d lean towards meat, tofu, fish or any protein heavy food. We want to encourage energy and fuel for our bodies. 

Look at the metaphysical properties of veggies, of animals, and of fruits to find the appropriate food you wish to transform. One of my favourites is The Magic of Food by Gwion Raven. 

You can either perform this ritual using a barbecue or a fire pit. 

Fire pit friendly foods include hot dogs, s’mores, popcorn, and marshmallows. I have a cast iron pan with a lid and I recently made ramen with an egg and bok choy in my fire pit. 

While prepping your foods consider their properties and how they relate to the aspects of your life you wish to transform. You can speak it out loud as well. 

While you’re cooking your food speak about the transformation you wish to trigger in your life. Speak out loud or discuss it with your group. Talk about how it’ll improve your life, get into the details. How do you plan on making and supporting these changes? How will you incorporate it into your life?

This is a celebration so I encourage laughter and joy. Love makes food taste better!

When you are consuming your food take your time with it. Savour the flavours, feel the food slide down your throat and into your stomach. Feel your teeth breaking down the food, doing the work to transform it into a form your body can absorb. 

Feel this in your body deeply. Smell the food, this is a sensory ritual, indulge your senses. 

Make sure to place a small portion on a plate for the sun and element of fire. Make an offering for the gratitude you feel and for the work that you will do to transform your life. 

The sun and the element of fire are present in our lives every single day. It makes the food grow, the planet warm enough to support life, it helps create rain. It is a force that deserves to be honoured and respected. Without it life wouldn’t be viable. 

Take this day to honour its effect in your life and build a relationship with it by performing some magic together. 

Blessings to you on this fiery day.