Litha 2024: Summer Solstice Rituals and Spiritual Traditions

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Step into a realm of magic and wonder as I unlock the secrets of Litha 2024, also known as the Summer Solstice! Embrace this pivotal moment as the sun reaches its peak, and enjoy the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere!

Each season and celebration has its vibe and energy, and this Pagan Holiday is no different! It’s got a punch of power and symbolism, and all we need to do is slow down and observe what Nature is showing us.

Many Pagans, Witches, and those interested in Nature Spirituality celebrate the seasonal cycles. Sometimes referred to as the Wheel of the Year, it consists of eight celebrations. Four of these festivals (Imbolc, BeltaneLughnasadh, and Samhain) are rooted in Gaelic history and origins.

The other four (Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox, and Winter Solstice) represent the sun’s location. I created a complete guide to each season, including history, traditions, symbols, correspondences, ritual ideas, and how you can celebrate.

Please note that I make every effort to ensure this information is correct and accurate through my own experiences and referencing sources throughout AND at the bottom of this article.

Posts on this site may contain affiliate links that allow me to earn a small commission from your purchases (at no extra cost to you!)

When is Litha 2024?

In 2024, the Summer Solstice will occur on June 20th (Northern Hemisphere) and December 20th (Southern Hemisphere).

The Summer Solstice, which is also referred to as Litha, is the longest day of the year. Many communities, notably those in Scandinavia, celebrate the Summer Solstice by observing Midsummer’s Eve as a festival and holiday.

Litha Meaning During the Summer Solstice

During the Summer Solstice, it’s easy to see and feel the pure joy and happiness around us. Bees buzzing, birds singing, flowers in full bloom, and plenty of sunshine. It’s a time of positivity, growth, and creativity.

Now is the time to work hard to help bring the dreams, goals, and manifestations you created this last Winter to fruition. The Summer Solstice is a true celebration of Nature! Mother Earth is at its peak and blossoming.

The Summer Solstice celebrates the power of the sun reaching its peak. From this point on, the darkness will overtake the light, and daylight will fade a bit earlier each day. Soon, the nights will grow longer and the days shorter.

The question of whether the ancient people celebrated Summer Solstice has long sparked heated controversy among current Pagans, Wiccans, Witches, and spiritual practitioners.

While there’s scholarly evidence to indicate that it was indeed observed, 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 of the origins, many modern Wiccans and other Pagans do choose to celebrate Litha every year in June.

Wigington, Patti. “Litha History – Celebrating the Summer Solstice.” Learn Religions, Feb. 11, 2020, learnreligions.com/history-of-summer-solstice-holiday-litha-2562244.
Litha Meaning During the Summer Solstice

Litha and Summer Solstice Correspondences

Litha and Summer Solstice correspondences are very helpful when creating an altar, doing ritual work, meal planning, or decorating your home for the summer season. Here are a few ideas to get you started!

Summer Solstice Colors

  • Green
  • Gold
  • Light Blue
  • Yellow
  • Red
  • Orange
  • White

Greenery

  • Basil
  • Bay Leaves
  • Lavender
  • Mint
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Chamomile
  • Mugwort
  • Vervain
  • Rose
  • Honeysuckle
  • St. John’s Wort
  • Yarrow
  • Calendula
  • Sunflower
  • Star Jasmine
  • Marigold
  • Oak
  • Cinnamon
  • Elder

Litha Food

(typically any fresh fruit or veggie that’s in season)

  • Honey
  • Berries
  • Cheese
  • Lemonade
  • Lemons
  • Oranges
  • Sun Tea
  • Honey cakes
  • Mead / Ale / Wine
  • Whipped cream
  • Ice Cream

Animals

  • Bees
  • Cow
  • Butterfly
  • Dragonfly
  • Horse
  • Summer birds (Wren, Robin, Hawks, Eagles, Swallows, etc)

Crystals for Litha

  • Emerald
  • Jade
  • Green Calcite
  • Sunstone
  • Orange Calcite
  • Carnelian
  • Citrine
  • Amber
  • Tiger’s Eye
  • Diamond
  • Pearl
  • Quartz
  • Ruby
  • Garnet
  • Copper (metal)

Litha Symbols

  • Sun (or simple circles to represent this solar energy)
  • Fire / Bonfire / Balefire
  • Sun Wheel
  • Sunflower
  • Phoenix
  • Fae
  • Herbs
  • Summer flowers
  • Rose
  • Spirals

Summer Solstice Spiritual Intentions

  • Love
  • Life
  • Light
  • Passion
  • Creativity
  • Healing /Health
  • Growth
  • Empowerment
  • Fertility
  • Power
  • Success
  • Prosperity
  • Happiness
  • Warmth

Scents

(incense, candles, or oils)

  • Lavender
  • Sage
  • Lemon
  • Rose
  • Mint / Spearmint
  • Jasmine
  • Rosemary
  • Verbena
  • Coconut
  • Orange
  • Any floral scent

Gods / Goddesses / Spiritual Energy Representations

  • Gaia
  • Aestas (Roman)
  • Aine (Celtic)
  • Brigantia (Celtic)
  • Venus (Roman)
  • Aphrodite (Greek)
  • Apollo (Greek/Roman)
  • Zeus and Thor (Thunder Gods)
  • Ra (Egyptian)
  • Greenman
  • Oak King
  • Anuket (Egyptian)
  • Benten (Japanese)
  • Any other sun Gods/Goddesses
Bee on my backyard garden lavender during Litha and Summer Solstice
Bee on my backyard garden lavender during Litha and Summer Solstice

Litha and Summer Solstice Ritual Ideas

The Summer Solstice is a time of year steeped in magic and mystery. If you’re unsure how to celebrate, you might feel left out.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, go outside and enjoy the sun. Take a few minutes during your lunch break or over the weekend. It’s okay if it’s not exactly on Summer Solstice. Remember to enjoy the whole season, not just one day!

If you get too busy, keep it simple. Soak up the sun with some friends, play by the water, drink, eat, laugh, and celebrate the earth, sun, love, and life!

Visit a Sacred Site

Stonehenge has its own interesting history that I won’t get into in this post, but it is perfectly positioned so the sun’s rays directly light up during the Summer and Winter Solstice. It’s believed that solstices have been celebrated there for thousands of years.

Other places worldwide also align with the sun at this time of year. For example, I was fortunate enough to visit the Mayan Ruins in Tulum, Mexico, a few years back. One of the temples was designed and built with the Summer Solstice in mind, and the building floods with morning sunshine.

Please know that any sacred or special space to you will be a great place to connect spiritually for your Summer Solstice celebration.

Summer Energy Guided Meditation

Celebrate the Summer Solstice with my Summer Energy Guided Meditation. This meditation helps you connect with the sun’s powerful energy and align with its natural rhythms.

Perfect for both beginners and experienced practitioners, this session will enhance your Litha celebrations and fill you with the sun’s radiant warmth. Get ready to relax, recharge, and bask in the glow of the solstice with this transformative meditation!

Summer Energy Meditation Guided [NO MIDROLL ADS]

Summer Solstice and Litha Guided Meditation

Summer Solstice Journal Prompts

The summer solstice is a time of celebration and growth and can also be a time of spiritual reflection. Why not use the summer solstice to reflect on your spiritual journey and set goals for the rest of the year?

Here are some Summer Solstice spiritual journal prompts to help get you started! Each one is designed to help you connect with Litha’s spiritual intentions:

What ignites your passion, and how can you fully embrace it this Summer Solstice?

What aspects of your life bring you the most joy and fulfillment? How can you nurture these areas more intentionally?

Do you have any seasonal family recipes you love to make this time of year? Do you have any stories or memories of making them?

Write about a moment when you felt truly empowered. How can you recreate this?

What brings warmth and comfort to your soul? How can you include more of these elements in your daily life or routines?

Write a love letter to yourself. What affirmations and promises do you want to make to honor your journey?

What fuels your inner fire? How can you keep this flame burning brightly throughout the season?

Imagine it’s the upcoming Winter season. What one goal can you accomplish now that your future Winter Self will be grateful for?

How do you celebrate your achievements? Plan a ritual to honor your successes. (Maybe try a Self-Love Spell)

Who are the people that bring love and light into your life? How can you show your appreciation for them?

What passionate pursuits have you been neglecting? How can you make time for them this season?

What symbols or objects make you feel empowered? Use your answers to create a Summer Solstice altar featuring these items.

Create a Flower Crown

A very popular summer tradition is creating your own flower crowns! You can do this with any flower you choose! Sunflowers, daisies, roses, lavender, marigolds, yarrow, honeysuckle, dandelions…I could go on and on! Pick your favorites and get creative!

If you’d like to create one you can use again later, feel free to go to a local hobby store and use faux flowers like I did (pictured below) on my wedding day!

Simple Flower Crown I made for my wedding day
Simple Flower Crown I made for my wedding day

Summer Solstice Spell Jar for Creativity and Good Luck

This is one of my favorite Summer Solstice morning rituals. This spell jar ritual harnesses the vibrant energy of the Summer Solstice, empowering you with creativity, luck, and prosperity. I created a video tutorial you can check out here:

Midsummer Magick: Summer Solstice Ritual Oil Spell Jar | Celebrating Litha

Watch a Step-by-step Summer Solstice Ritual Oil Spell Jar Tutorial

Feel free to adjust this spell to fit your spiritual beliefs. Do not use fresh herbs if you want to use them as ritual oil when complete. Using dried herbs in oil will prevent this spell from growing mold. If you’d like more details on creating your own DIY Spell Jars, check out – Mix Up Your Magic With Spell Jars!

Gather Your Supplies

  • Citrine Chips: Represents creativity and happiness
  • Dried Lavender: Brings peace and luck
  • Dried Rose Petals: Enhances luck and emotional connection
  • Sweet Almond Oil: Associated with wisdom and prosperity
  • Small Reusable Jar with a Lid
  • Small Funnel or Tweezers (for filling the vial)

Prepare Your Space and Set Your Intention

Find a quiet and comfortable space to create your spell jar. If possible, do it outside in the summer sunlight! Cleanse the area using the method of your choice to ensure clear, positive energy.

Before you begin, take a few moments to ground yourself. Hold the empty jar in your hands and visualize your intention for creativity and good luck. Feel the spiritual energy of the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, and let it fill you with warmth and inspiration.

Begin the Summer Solstice Spell Jar Ritual

Place a layer of citrine chips at the bottom of the jar. Sprinkle in the dried lavender and dried rose petals. Finally, fill the jar with sweet almond oil and securely close the jar with its lid.

Sit with the completed Spell Jar in your hands. Visualize solar energy filling the jar and say an affirmation or mantra of your choice. Here are a few ideas to help get you started-

  • With solstice rays, my dreams ignite, shining brightly day and night
  • Good luck finds me every day, in every task, and every way
  • In the solstice sun, I find my way, growing stronger every day

Place the sealed jar outside in direct sunlight to capture the spiritual energy of the sun’s rays. Use your intuition to decide how long to leave it there (I try to leave it out all day).

Complete the Ritual

After the jar has absorbed the sun’s energy, bring it back inside. You can keep it with you, place it on your altar, or in a space of your choice. You can also use the oil to dress your candles, offerings, or even yourself.

Summer Solstice Spell Jar for Creativity and Good Luck

Divination Work

Divination work of all kinds is wonderful during Litha 2024. This holiday has many intentions centered around love, but you can really ask about anything or see what comes up. Here are a few divination techniques to help get you started!

Welcome and Greet the Sunrise

It’s customary to welcome the sun on the morning of the Summer Solstice. I typically like to lay a blanket down in my backyard (and remember to turn the sprinklers off). I sit in a comfortable meditative position facing east. You can also do this near an open window if you don’t have a backyard.

Don’t get hung up on the details; do what works best for you and set your intentions for the day. Think of all the things you are grateful for, including the glimmering sunlight. Let it wash across your face and body and fill you with warmth, energy, and glowing radiance.

Watch the Sunset

I’m definitely a morning person, but I know not everyone is. You can still use a similar process to greet the sunrise noted above. Why not sit facing west outside on a blanket or an open window and thank the sun for its warmth and beauty?

Photo of me enjoying the Summer Solstice next to my backyard lavender
Photo of me enjoying the Summer Solstice next to my backyard lavender

Solar Powered Water

You place water beneath the moonlight to create Moon Water, don’t you? Why not also capture the wonderful, powerful energy of the sun as well? You can use your Sun Water in rituals, blessings, or any Summer Solstice celebration.

I often add tea bags, fresh herbs, fruit, or citrus slices (oranges, lemons, limes) to mine for a delicious sun tea! It’s so refreshing and fills me up with that fresh solar energy! Plus, it’s a lovely way to incorporate the natural abundance all around us right now. Get creative and use the correspondences above for inspiration!

Now may also be a wonderful time to connect with the spiritual energy of June’s Strawberry Moon!

A Gift of Green

Do you have an abundance of herbs or flowers growing in your garden? Why not share the bounty with a neighbor, friend, or loved one?

Gather a bunch of herbs or flowers and tie them together with a beautiful ribbon. Maybe even add a tag with a nice note to tell them how much you appreciate them. Rosemary, mint, lavender, roses, or basil would be wonderful this time of year!

A Gift of Green: Gather a bunch of herbs or flowers and tie them together with a beautiful ribbon.
Gather a bunch of herbs or flowers and tie them together with a beautiful ribbon.

Litha 2024 Decoration Ideas

Celebrate Summer Solstice with fun and festive decoration ideas! From outdoor parties to colorful centerpieces, these ideas will help you get in the summer spirit.

  • Mirrors or Suncatchers – these are a great way to direct and reflect sunlight. Not only are they beautiful, but they’re awesome for ritual work
  • Solar Lights are a wonderful way to keep that sun energy going into the night! You can place them in your garden or on your back porch. I have one on my kitchen windowsill!
  • Create a flower garland or wreath – If you made a flower crown, why not decorate your home and hearth? Making flower garlands or buying a bouquet of flowers from the store can add so much beauty to your space and be an instant mood lifter. You can create a wreath from anything you may have collected from nature walks, or feel free to create a faux wreath with items purchased at a craft store.
  • Candles – I always decorate with candles….lots of candles (this is a fire celebration, after all). You can burn any color you like, but if you’re looking for ideas, consider incorporating candle color meanings.
  • Lights – Beautiful lights aren’t just for Winter Solstice! Fairy, outdoor, or holiday string lights are a wonderful way to incorporate light into your home, altar, or outdoor space.
  • Connect with the Fae – The veil is still thin with the Fae world this time of year. Ever wonder why Shakespeare incorporated them into A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Learn more about Fae Mythology and leave some offerings for them outside. They love honey, mead, flowers, and herbs. You can also learn more about the different types of Fae.

I hope you found this post about Litha 2024 and the Summer Solstice helpful! Lots of love to you and remember as always…

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