Episode 77 - Litha
History and Traditions of Litha
Litha is a celebration of the summer solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year. It’s also referred to as Midsummer or Midsommar. Nearly every agricultural society has marked the high point of summer in some way on this date–usually around June 21 or 22 (or December 21/22 in the southern hemisphere).
Wiccan Traditions
There's always been a question about whether or not Midsummer was truly celebrated by the ancients. There's evidence to indicate that it was observed, but there were suggestions made by Gerald Gardner, the founder of modern Wicca, that the solar festivals (the solstices and equinoxes) were actually added later and imported from the Middle East. Regardless, many wiccans celebrate Litha and the pregnancy of the Goddess and the height of power of the sun God.
Litha is when a battle between light and dark takes place. In this battle, the Oak King and the Holly King battle for control. During each solstice, they battle for power, and the balance shifts. The Oak King, who represents daylight, rules from the winter solstice (Yule) to Litha. During this time, the days steadily get longer. However, during Litha, the Holly King wins this battle, and the days get steadily darker until Yule.
Celebrating in the Southern Hemisphere
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