How to Celebrate the Summer Solstice
The summer solstice, mystically known as Litha, happens on June 21st. It’s the longest day of the year—in the Northern Hemisphere, it is the day where the North Pole is tilted closest to the sun.
Here’s how Nikki Van De Car describes it in The Wheel of the Year: A Guide to Sabbats, Lunar Cycles, and the Stars Above:
Ever since the winter solstice, we have been growing and stretching, working toward manifesting all that we desire. Tomorrow, we will begin to recede and rest—but today, on this longest day, we are hovering in that moment of ultimate growth.
The name Litha has origins in Celtic folklore. Nikki Van De Car writes in Ritual: Magical Celebrations of Nature and Community from Around the World that “Litha comes from Celtic traditions in Ireland and Scotland. According to folklore, Litha is the day on which the battle between light and dark reaches its peak.”
For a little more insight on Litha, we turn to Amanda Lovelace’s Make Your Own Magic: A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Empowering Witchcraft:
what i love most about litha is how it teaches us a lesson that goes far beyond the season.
appreciate the sunny days in your life because you never know what could happen. tomorrow, the sky could open up and unleash an unexpected and devastating storm over you. while you’re huddled in your shelter waiting for it to pass, you’ll have all of those good times to hold on to. they’ll also remind you that you have plenty more to look forward to once it’s all over. the wheel of your life will always turn back in your favor again.
Now, let’s walk through a few mystical practices for summer solstice.
An Accessible Litha Ritual to Embrace the Power of the Sun
What we love about this ritual from Nikki Van De Car’s The Wheel of the Year is that you can easily fit it into your day—even a busy one.
Wake up with the dawn. If you can, go out to witness the sun’s rise, watching the darkness fade with the gentle dispersal of light. Sit and meditate for a few minutes, allowing the sun’s energy to ease you into the day.
When it’s time to get moving and begin your day, whether that means going to work or school, getting your household out the door, or sitting through traffic, hold onto those moments of peace and sit or stand a little straighter, stretching yourself up to the sun while letting it warm and energize you.
If you are able, step outside again at solar noon and lift your face to the sun. Briefly open your eyes, just long enough for the sun to imprint its image—don’t damage your eyesight! Close them again, and watch as your eyes’ memory of the sun shifts and changes, brighter even than the brightness of the sun behind your eyelids. Bring your feet together and find Samasthiti, or equal parts standing—grounding the base of the big toe, the base of the little toe, the inner corner of the heel, and the outer corner of the heel to come into balance. Feel your own sturdiness, and know that all your growth comes from this place of strength within. Take that sense of balance and confidence with you as you continue your day.
At sunset, go out once more. If it’s possible to find a place where you can watch the sun slide down into the horizon, do so—you’ll learn that it’s almost impossible to catch or predict that final moment, as if the sun is stretching out, holding on for just a little longer. When it does at last set, exhale a breath of gratitude for its warmth and light, shining for so long on the solstice—knowing, too, that it is still shining somewhere, and that it will, as always, return tomorrow.
Start-of-Summer Altar, Ritual, and Affirmations
The summer solstice is the perfect time to refresh your altar and invite new affirmations and rituals into your life. For this, we turn to Kirsty Gallagher’s Sacred Seasons: Nature-Inspired Rituals, Wisdom, and Self-Care for Every Day of the Year.
The start of summer brings us the summer solstice…filled with energy and life…It feels like opportunity is everywhere, and Nature is showing us that anything is possible…This is the season to celebrate being alive and to use this outward expansive energy of summer to move out there into the light; let yourself shine and be seen, and make the most of every opportunity that comes your way.
Start-of-Summer Altar
Add oranges, yellows, reds, or gold to your altar to honor the power and life-giving energy of the sun.
Decorate your altar with greenery, particularly oak leaves, and midsummer blooms, especially wildflowers. Add a candle or suncatcher to represent the sun’s light.
Add symbols of all that you want to experience over summer—maybe images of places you’d like to visit or adventures you’d like to go on and things you would like to welcome into your life.
Start-of-Summer Daily Ritual: Say Yes
At the beginning of each day, simply say “yes” to yourself a few times. Yes to a new day, yes to opportunities coming your way, yes to your dreams coming true, yes to life. Just say yes.
Affirmations for the Start of Summer
“I am open to new opportunities.”
“I listen to my heart.”
“I say yes to life.”
A Spell to Reaffirm Your Beach Body
During this season, we are often overwhelmed by advice on achieving a “beach body” for summertime. Such narratives are incorrect and do not resonate with our spiritual or physical well-being. That’s why we love this reaffirming spell from Amanda Lovelace’s Make Your Own Magic.
this spell isn’t about magically obtaining a beach-ready body—it’s about accepting the fact that you already have one, because every body is a beach body. there’s not a single thing you have to change about yourself before you put on your bathing suit and have some fun in the sun.
What You’ll Need:
- your fave bathing suit
- a full-length mirror
Directions:
before you head down to your local beach or swimming pool, put on your bathing suit.
next, find a full-length mirror.
as you look at your reflection, i want you to pretend as though you’re looking at your best friend, because that’s exactly what you’re going to treat yourself like.
and what do best friends do? hype each other up!
if you haven’t already, go ahead and give yourself a warm and welcoming smile, look yourself in the eye as you shower yourself with compliments along the lines of, “omg, you look absolutely incredible!” and “that top looks super-cute on you, witch.” (try to avoid using words such as flattering, which are often euphemisms for “makes you look skinny.” you don’t have to look thin to look good.)
now, talk back to your reflection and agree with them, and say “so mote it be.”
although this may seem like an overly simple spell, i think choosing to unconditionally love and accept your body in a society that’s constantly telling you what’s wrong with it is extremely powerful magic.
To conclude the spell and for further reflection, Amanda offers a tarot card pull prompt: what can i do to be nicer to my body today?
A Refreshing Solstice Sun Tea Recipe
Erika Kubick’s Cheese Magic: Seasonal Recipes, Plates, and Pairings offers us a refreshing iced tea recipe that brews in the sun!
This iced tea is aglow with solar power: infused with black tea, calendula, and sunlight, then sweetened with a spicy Cilantro Jalapeno Syrup and brightened with lime juice. It is crafted not only to taste like summer, but to prepare you to get the most out of the season. Calendula is associated with sun energy and is used to strengthen spells and instill confidence. Lime is traditionally used in cleansing and healing, especially since it’s naturally rich in vitamin C. Cilantro is popular in fertility rituals, and jalapeno is used for protection and to speed up any spell––from love to luck and success. Pair with an aged Pecorino or serve alongside The Litha Sun Plate.
Solstice Sun Tea (Makes 1 Quart)
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp dried calendula
- 5 black tea bags
- Juice of 1 lime
- Cilantro Jalapeno Syrup (get the recipe in Cheese Magic)
- Lime wheels, to garnish
Directions:
Add the calendula to an empty tea bag or strainer and place it inside a mason jar or pitcher. Add the black tea bags and fill with a quart of water. Place the jar or pitcher in the sunlight and let it sit for at least 3 hours.
When the tea is done steeping, remove the tea bags, Add the lime juice, then add the syrup to taste. Pour the brew into ice-filled glasses, and garnish with lime wheels.
Note: Making sun tea is an age-old summer tradition that’s become unpopular due to the possibility of bacterial growth. To stay on the safe side, let the tea and calendula sit in the sun for several hours before brewing. Then continue with the recipe, but leave the pitcher in the refrigerator to cold-brew for about 12 hours.
RP Mystic Editor’s Note: If you’re not a fan of jalapeno or cilantro, feel free to leave out the syrup and sweeten the tea with your preferred sweetener (honey, simple syrup, or raw sugar all work well!).
Understanding the Power of Calendula
Now that we’re thirsty for some Solstice Tea, we’re curious what made Erika decide to incorporate Calendula in the recipe. Let’s turn to the Calendula card in Dirt Gems: A Plant Oracle Deck and Guidebook written by Anne Louise Burdett and illustrated by Chelsea Granger.
Calendula –– Calendula officinalis –– The Fire Keeper
As a guide, sunny, bright Calendula gently asks us to be willing to step into the light. Calendula teaches us that the deepest work does not always have to be the most obvious. They remind us that so often subtle, powerful healing is taking place without our conscious direction or understanding. Calendula allows us to be soft yet firm, containing and eliminating what we do not need. They help us decide when to tell our unwanted voices or any harmful presence, No, you may not proliferate, and when to invite sweetness to come on the tails of this release.
Calendula is not cathartic or aggressive. Instead, it allows quiet grief to subtly release. Calendula opens and guides, penetrating with a light touch rather than force. Calendula can go to our difficult places, find the secrets and the shadows, and say to them, You. You are okay. Stay with me, but don’t devour me.
Calendula can move our voice as they move our lymph. Where fluids have puddled, circling, swelling, and tender, so may our thoughts and actions. When we find ourselves stuck in mistrust and misunderstanding, it is often because we are stagnant within ourselves. Calendula opens, releasing our voice so we can state why we are here and mean it. They offer us the choice to let go of what we have been holding—from patterning, from limited beliefs, from deficient tissue states. We can let things move through us as we remove the container of insidious infection as well as toxic beliefs.
Invite Calendula and their gentle fire to your table. Ask them to stand by your home, fill your vessels, and distill your words. Adorn your life with Calendula, and remember their golden light is always there when you are stuck, shadowed with doubt, and longing for release.
Harness the Power of Crystals
As all of us mystics know that crystals are a powerful and natural tool for magical practices. Here, we’re sharing 3 crystals perfect for the summer solstice courtesy of Grace Duong’s Mystic Mondays: The Crystal Grid Deck: An 80-Card Deck to Charge Your Intentions. Carry them with you or add them to your altar!
SUNSTONE
Leadership, Confidence, Freedom
Sunstone shines bright, igniting willpower underneath the sun’s rays. A stone of leadership, Sunstone gives you the courage to step out on your own and dare to make a difference. Radiating warmth and vitality, Sunstone brings confidence to the beholder and is known to bring good luck. Fortuitous in nature, Sunstone brings out your natural talents, allowing you to shine like the star you are. Sunstone helps fulfill karmic contracts, alleviating pressures around a sense of purpose or fulfillment. Abundance will flow once you nurture your gifts.CITRINE
Creativity, Happiness, Manifestation
A powerful and energizing stone, Citrine derives its warmth from the rays of the sun and shines positivity wherever it’s needed. Like vitamin C for the soul, Citrine works its magic on both physical and emotional levels, transmuting negativity into light-filled vibes and positivity. A great stone for enhancing one’s prosperity as well, Citrine magnifies your creativity to inspire manifestation. Known as the “light maker,” it encourages fresh beginnings, new ideas, and living life to the fullest. Accept the abundance that is coming your way.GOLDEN HEALER
Abundance, Expansion, Golden Rays
Universal life force flows strongly with the Golden Healer! With an exceedingly high vibration, Golden Healer carries bioscalar waves, an abundant form of power that increases in spatial mass. This potent energy can expand awareness across multiple dimensions, transforming your vibration all the way down to the cells in your body. Connected to the solar plexus, this stone allows the highest form of healing for your identity and self-worth, releasing ancestral trauma that may have affected you and been passed down through your family lineage.
Before you go, we’ll leave you with wise words from Amanda Lovelace in Make Your Own Magic: “no matter what you choose to do, take advantage of the light while it’s here.”
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