As the sun reaches its zenith and the longest day of the year unfolds, we greet Litha (pronounced LEE-tha), a cherished Lesser Sabbat celebrated at the Summer Solstice. This sacred time, also known as Midsummer, is a vibrant homage to the sun’s powerful energy, radiating vitality, growth, and abundant life. It’s a poignant moment when we recognize the sun at its highest point before its journey back towards shorter days begins. The vibrant energies of Litha are beautifully expressed through colors like green, gold, orange, red, and yellow, echoing the richness of the earth and the fiery heart of the sun itself. This year, in the Northern Hemisphere, Litha graces us on Sunday, June 21st, offering a perfect opportunity for deep gratitude, heartfelt reflection, and a gentle drawing in of protective energies. What wonders in your life are calling out for celebration? Recognizing and giving thanks for these blessings helps anchor the positive energies all around us.
Just days later, on Monday, June 29th, the Strawberry Full Moon lights up the night sky. This enchanting lunar phase, aptly named by indigenous tribes for the ripening of wild strawberries, symbolizes a time when all is in flow and beginning to bear its sweet fruit. With the radiant influence of Litha still lingering in the air, this particular full moon invites us to embrace manifestation, celebrate our personal freedom, and nurture our most authentic growth. The convergence of these powerful celestial and seasonal energies creates an exceptionally potent period. It’s a wonderful time to keep a journal handy, not just to track your thoughts, but to capture all the wonderful moments and positive shifts unfolding around you. Let these last days of June be truly awesome, filled with the simple, profound magic that nature continually offers.
As the wise Scott Cunningham reminds us, “Seek wisdom in books, rare manuscripts, and cryptic poems if you will, but seek it out also in simple stones, and fragile herbs, and in the cries of wild birds. Listen to the whisperings of the wind and the roar of water if you would discover magic, for it is here that the old secrets are preserved.” Let us heed this call, connecting with the earth and sky, and finding wisdom in the natural world that surrounds us.