Tag Archives: midsummer

Sabbats: Midsummer (Litha)

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Midsummer or Litha takes place on the summer solstice (around June 21st in the northern hemisphere and December 21st in the southern hemisphere.  This is my explanation of this holiday.  It may or may not work for you and your path.  There are a number of things that this Sabbat usually celebrates: 

  •  The power and strength of the sun
  • Various sun Gods
  • The longest day of the year
  • The Oak King takes over for the Holly King

Some ways of celebrating culturally are:

  •  Have a bonfire
  • Eat foods that honor fire (usually spicy)
  • Eat seasonal foods
  • Go on a picnic
  • Go for a hike
  • Drink mead, but drink responsibly
  • Have a drum circle
  • Dance
  • Host a barbeque
  • Watch the sun rise
  • Spend time with family
  • Pick herbs
  • Make a flower or oak leaf crown or wreath
  • Pick seasonal foods (where I live, this means we go strawberry picking)
  • Watch A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Some ritual ideas are:

  • Fire magic
  • Drum or make other music
  • Dance or move
  • Honor a sun God
  • Reaffirm your relationship to any deities you work with

Sabbats and Esbats, Wiccan Holidays

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The Sabbats are the eight Pagan holidays related to the passage of the sun, which is sometimes personified as a God.  A lot of Wiccans have a story of how the God is born at Yule, grows to manhood, impregnates the Goddess at Beltane, and dies at Samhain only to be reborn again at Yule.  Because they are based on the Sun, they mostly occur at the same time in the calendar year.

I am slowly including posts for each Sabbat. Each post goes into what is celebrated at each Sabbat, ways to culturally celebrate, and some suggestions for rituals at each.

Yule (Winter Solstice)

Imbolg (February 1st or August 1st for the southern hemisphere)

Ostara (Spring Equinox)

Beltane (May 1st or November 1st for the southern hemisphere)

Midsummer (Summer Solstice)

Lughnasadh (August 1st or February 1st for the southern hemisphere)

Mabon (Autumn Equinox)

Samhain (October 31st or April 31st for the southern hemisphere)

The Esbats are the 12-13 Pagan holidays related to the passage of the moon. They usually coincide with the new moon or the full moon. The moon is often personified as a Goddess. Because women’s bodies (mostly) change on a 28-day cycle, the moon is often associated with females. When I have finished with the posts for the Sabbats, I will then focus on the Esbats.