The Summer Solstice also known as Litha and Midsummer is celebrated around the 21st June. The sun is at its height and full power and is the longest day of the year. The Goddess swells with pregnancy and it is a time of joy and celebrations of fulfillment and achievements. The Earth is full of fertility and abundant. It is the time where the Oak King and Holly King meet again, in battle to fight over the rule of the land. This time the Holly King wins and the days from this point will start to get shorter. Dark taking over light, slowly yet surely. But first we celebrate!
Summer Solstice Goddesses
Sulis Minerva (Celtic, Roman)who is a sun goddess. The name Sulis is Celtic and the Romans then combined her with their own Goddess of wisdom Minerva. Sulis Minerva watched over the hot springs and sacred waters in the town of Bath, in the UK.
Sunna or Sol (Germanic) who is a Norse Goddess of the sun. She is the sister of the Moon God Mani and the wife of Glaur or Glen. She is a healer.
Hestia (Greek), the Goddess who watches over the family. She is given the first offering in the home and any time a new settlement was formed, the flame from the hearth of the public shrine was taken to the new town from the old one.
Summer Solstice Gods
Lugh (Celtic) is a Sun God of skill and talent. He is a harvest God, but during the Summer Solstice the crops are flourishing and at their peak.
Horus (Egyptian) is as Sun God. He rises everyday and then sets. He later became connected to Ra the Sun God.
Aten (Egyptian) is an aspect of Ra the Sun God. He is the Creator and is represented by a disc of the Sun, with rays flowing outward.
Apollo (Greek) is the God of the Sun, music, medicine and healing. As his reputation spread throughout the lands to the British Isles he took on many aspects of the Celtic deities.
Summer Solstice Symbols
The Sun, discs, circles, wheels, flowers, trees, fire, honey, bees, fruit.
Summer Solstice Colors and Flowers
Yellow, red, orange, gold, sunflowers, any orange, red and yellow colored flowers, roses, oak, acorns.
Faeries
This is another time for the faeries! Try connecting with them, by leaving them offerings, playing some music or even building them a little house. You can ask them to help you with tasks too. But always give offerings as thanks. They love, chocolate, milk, honey, shiny things such as coins and how about some mead! They will be especially helpful in the garden, helping the plants grow and looking after them. You could also try a meditation to connect with them. Sit out side in the garden or somewhere in nature, close your eyes, relax and breathe. Have the intent to connect with them and imagine your surroundings you are already in but in your minds eye, go exploring and see what happens!
Meditation
Sit and close your eyes. Take three deep breaths, relaxing yourself. Imagine you are in a beautiful meadow. The grass is tall, with wild flowers, the sky is blue and the sun high in the sky. Birds are singing, bees are buzzing and there is a cool gentle breeze.
You notice a narrow path between the tall grass and you start to walk along it. You smile and breathe in the wonderful aroma of the flowers that surround you. Its a lovely summers day, filled with warmth and peace and this makes you very happy.
As you continue to walk, notice what you come across. Is there any particular birds you see? Bees? Insects etc? Anything that stands out to you?
Continuing your walk, you notice something in the distance, it looks rather big. As you get closer you notice that its a circle of stones. You approach it and see a big bonfire in the middle and by its side is a big man. The man sees you and says ‘come in my child’. You enter the circle and approach him. He is very big, strong but there is a gentleness about him. You say hello and ask who he is. He tells you he is the Sun God Ra. He is the divine light, the warmth of the mid day sun and he brings healing. He says ‘Close your eyes, and hold your head high towards the sky. Feel the rays of the sun, the warmth that shines down on you. Feel it cleansing you, helping you to become whole.’ You stand there feeling the energy of the sun. Then he says, ‘You are a child of the light. Open your heart and shine your light for others to see. Help them on their paths. For when you shine, you help others in turn to shine their light.’ He then places his hand on your forehead. He says something in another language, which you do not understand, but you feel something happening. Remember this feeling. He then asks you to open your eyes and says ‘Go forth from here, feeling cleansed, new and reborn. Shine your light little one for all to see.’ He kisses your forehead and walks away from you behind the fire. You know then it is time to go. You give thanks and place some of your hair into the fire as an offering. You make your way out of the circle, along the narrow path through the grass, making your way back to where you began. On the way back, is there anything different? Take note of this. Take three deep breaths, feeling yourself coming back to the room and opening your eyes.
Write down your experience and anything that may have come up. What did you feel when he placed his hand on your head? Did you understand the language he was speaking in? Or did you know what the language was?
Summer Solstice Ritual
Set up a small altar with candles, something to represent the Sun God and Goddess, flowers and incense. Have a gold candle as well, for the Sun God.
Light the candles (but not the gold one) and ask the four directions to be present to protect you in a circle. Then call on the Goddess and God, either by just asking, chanting or drumming. Feel their energy and sit with it a little while.
Then start the meditation above. Once this is finished, thank the Sun God for his healing and his light he gives out. For without the light there would be no life. Light the gold candle and say ‘this is for the Sun God who gives his light to all. Nourishing us, giving life and healing. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.’
You could then do some drumming, chanting, singing bowl to honor the Sun God and his Goddess. Just go with the flow, building energy and honoring them. They are life itself, bringing abundance at this time of year.
Add anything else you would like to do and when you are ready, close the circle by thanking the Goddess, God and directions. Give an offering of your choice and leave it outside, which will help feed animals or go back into the earth as an offering of thanks.
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Thanks for everything bless be opon Sun as My Father and to Moon as my Mother be bless the Mother goddess of all beauty be bless the Mother of all and all see you next time