A Dreamy Litha: Summer Solstice Rituals
“I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being.” – Hafiz of Shiraz
Midsummer has arrived in the Australian Alps, and the high heat of the sun is beginning to paint the landscape in a palette of shimmering gold and hazy pink. The faeries are calling me down to the meadows of dandelion and daisy, and the weather is now warm enough to seek out solitude in quiet corners of the sweetwater river. Here I can seek out a little rockpool, pretending I’m a water nymph, and listen to the sound of the healing waters rushing by, cleansing my soul and refreshing my spirit. The long days have taken on a lazy, dreamy energy, and I find myself contemplating the meaning of Litha, and found this quote to be the perfect companion to my thoughts at this time of year – “I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being.”
Litha marks the summer solstice, the point on the wheel of the year when the day is the longest, and to me, it really feels like a festival of the sun. Also known as Midsummer, it is a time when the veil is thin and the fae folk come out of the shadows to dance in the light. These pagan holidays are rich with symbolism that predate the world religions and find meaning in the rhythm and cycles of nature.
This year, in the Southern Hemisphere, Litha falls on the 22nd of December, and I must admit, it can all be a little overwhelming when we are also celebrating Yule a few days later with our brothers and sisters in the North. So, I often refer to this holiday as Litha-mas and intend to take it slow and, in true hedgewitch style, I like to do things a little differently. So, in this episode, you’ll see how I blend the traditions of both festivals into one magical celebration of light, love, and hope. And, I’m letting the faeries guide me and inspire me to fill this day with flowers, fruits and sunshine, and things to delight my inner child. Litha is, after all, about that youthful energy that summer brings, providing so much scope for the imagination!
If you would like to join me, in my latest episode of ‘The Rambling Rose’, I’ll be celebrating by making a lovely peach and lemonbalm iced tea to enjoy with a book in the shade. I’ll also take a little dip in the Sweetwater River, make a flower altar to the goddess Freya, and paint a chapter header for my new book ‘Wild Faerie Magick’. I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Watch the full episode here:
Sweet Beltane: A Romantic Witch's Self Love Rituals
We’re supposed to be in the height of Spring here in Australia, our skin being kissed each day by the warmth of the sun, and the bright fire being ignited as the wheel turns towards Summer... but, unbelievably, it has been snowing, and this little rose needs full sun to blossom.
And so, this Beltane, I’ll celebrate by treating myself to the most romantic and relaxing day ever, embodying both the god and the goddess, and spoiling myself as I would a lover. I’ll start with a long, lazy morning baking a scrumptious breakfast in bed, lots of cuddles with my beloved furry companion, and an indulgent herbal bathing ritual in my outdoor tub. I’ll paint just a single page for my new book ‘Wild Faerie Magick’ and light a Beltane fire in my moon garden to burn away any stagnant energy and invoke the bright new beginnings of the season ahead.
If you’ve been following me for some time, you might have noticed what a hopeless romantic I am. And I couldn’t think of anything more perfect than luscious Sweet Strawberry Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting. Strawberries are, of course, an aphrodisiac. Named so after the goddess Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, fertility and sensuality, who I’ll be invoking in all of my rituals throughout this day.
As a Taurus Sun, Pisces Moon and Libra Rising, it is no surprise that Aphrodite is my favourite goddess, and I work with her often in my spellwork. According to mythology, when Aphrodite rushed to the side of her dying lover, her tears mingled with his blood. Wherever this tincture of her tragic heartbreak fell to the earth, strawberries grew. (I will share the strawberry rolls recipe as a printable page for my beloved ‘Wild Roses’ over on Patreon).
My date for Beltane this year is my beautiful white wolf, Noah. And, since we’re all in such a romantic mood, I thought I’d share the inspiration behind his name. Firstly, it reminds me of the rainbow that appeared after that fabled ocean of tears that threatened to drown the earth. Just like that rainbow, Noah appeared in my darkest hour, and I will always love him for that.
Another reason I named him Noah, was after that epic romance ‘The Notebook’. Do you remember how the main character, built his sweetheart the house of her dreams, a white house with blue shutters and a room overlooking the river so she could paint.
On the wheel of the year, Beltane marks the midway point between the spring equinox and summer solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s traditionally celebrated on the first of November, and in the north, the first of May. The exact date this year (2022), however, falls on the 7th, so there’s still time to plan your witchy celebrations.
Beltane is the festival of passion, pleasure, fertility and love. The word translates to ‘bright fire’, and in earth-based traditions, represents the symbolic marriage of the God and Goddess, and their eternal embrace. But, with the endless winter here in Victoria, it has felt so much more like Samhain, or Halloween, than Beltane recently. There have been mushrooms growing in my garden, spooky stormy nights, cool winds and there are still leafless trees. I’ve even felt the veil thinning and ancestors walking beside me. It’s quite unnerving, and I fear that climate change is affecting the earth’s deep primordial rhythms, her heartbeat, and our ancient rituals, by unbalancing the wheel of the year.
Perhaps because the seasons seem so jumbled this year, I’m not all feeling the customary energy boost of Spring’s peak. In fact, I’ve been feeling utterly exhausted, and so, I’ll turn to Aphrodite again, to make blissful herbal bath soak in her honour. I’ll provide the recipe over on Patreon, but you can also follow along via ‘The Rambling Rose’ vlog.