Doreen Van Boxtel

Southern Hemisphere.

Date: 20 - 23 December - When the Sun is at 0 Capricorn degrees .

Northern Hemisphere

Date: 20 - 23 June - When the Sun is at 0 degrees Cancer

The sun is at the height of it power before beginning its slide into darkness and we experience the longest day and shortest night of the year.

It is important to note that the separation of the light and dark halves of the year have nothing to do with good and evil.

Light signifies growth and expansion; dark means withdrawal and rest. Both are necessary.

The Solstice is also seen as a battle between light and dark. Although the sun is strong now for 6 months, the days will be short again.

Much like the battle of the Oak King and the Holly King. Light and dark must battle for supremacy. At this Sabbat, light wins.

The Sun, flowers and Earth are in full bloom. Hot Midsummer creates a fiery, mature, breathless passion.

The God is at the very height of his power as we hit midsummer, at this point of the year the crops are coming along nicely.

We have done all of the planting associated with spring and life gets a little easier as we sit back and tend what we've created.

Its a time of great celebration before we meet the work ahead as the harvest comes in.

We honour the God and Goddess whose union has blessed us with the fertility to create the projects we began way back at Imbolc.

On Midsummer the veil between the worlds is said to be very thin making this a great time for divination, historically many maidens would divine a husband at this time.

Litha is considered a great day for fairy sightings. If you honour the fairies and fairy magic, the fairies will stick around your home tending to your gardens: the fruits, flowers and vegetables.

Litha celebrates abundance, fertility, virility, the beauty and bounty of Nature.

Harnessing the Suns great power makes all types of magick appropriate now.

We can also harvest the first of our magickal herbs at this time since they are drenched with the great power of the sun on this longest day of the year.

It is a good time for empowerment, for strong magick and male rituals, for handfastings and communing with Nature Spirits, for workings of culmination.

The journey into the harvest season has begun. Dedication Spell.

Spend time outdoors in the Sun and nature as often as you can. Midsummer is a time we can celebrate the growing of crops. Try to setup your altar in the outdoors if possible. If not possible, indoors near a window so there is plenty of light from the sun.

Craft an amulet. Dispose of old amulets in the Midsummer Fire. Create dream pillows

Colours: Yellow, Red. Orange, Gold.

Incense: Musky or cleansing scents, Lavender, Musk, Sandalwood.

Crystals: Agate, Pearl, Moonstone,

Herbs: Mugwort, Vervain, St John;s Wort, Rosemary.

Altar Decorations: Seasonal Flowers.

Food: Red wine, herbed bread, pasties, cooked meats, fried chicken, potato salad with hard boiled egges..