Summer Solstice: Virtual This 2020!
The Summer Solstice is upon us! Over the many years that this time has been celebrated, many traditions and activities have become standard practice.
Often a jovial affair with friends and family, this year is a little different with COVID-19. We want to talk about the origin of this holiday and why people celebrate, but also share some alternatives for you to be able to celebrate this years’ festivities at home!
There have been many names given to the Summer Solstice, two of which being Litha and Midsummer.
Midsummer was used for a long time and was a more practical, self-explanatory name for the time of year. Since summer in the Northern Hemisphere was always said to begin around Beltane (May 1st, or May Day), Midsummer was to mark the halfway point of the season. “Litha” was introduced in the 20th century and is linked to an old Anglo-Saxon word for the month of June.
On this day, when the sun reaches the highest, northern-most point in the sky, the God comes to his full power and the Goddess gives her greatest offering of the year; it is during this time that crops are growing healthily and in abundance, and even the wild and wooded areas are flourishing with greenery. Since a lot of focus is on the element of fire to honor the Sun God, ancient Pagans would celebrate with torchlit promenades and blazing bonfires to feed energy to the God. Today, you could still celebrate with a bonfire ritual, with you and a few friends gathering around and scattering herbs into the fire as offerings. If you can’t go as big as a bonfire, candle fire should work just as well!
Lighting candles or even a bonfire would work just as well virtually!
A fun and symbolic way to start a virtual Litha celebration would be to start your video in the dark and once everyone is on and ready, light your candles together! When everyone sees the suddenly lit up faces of their loved ones, it will bring all the warm feelings we emulate during the summer solstice.
If you’re into medicinal herbs or herbs for magic work, Litha is the perfect time to gather!
By this point in the year, the herbs are mature enough to collect and the energy of Litha gives added benefits! During Litha, this is a traditional practice in Wales, so it has been referred to as The Gathering Day. Anything you gather can be used to adorn your altar: flowers, herbs, even fruits! Give your space some bright yellows, warm oranges, sky blues, and earthy greens to illuminate it. It’s suggested to keep at least one candle burning throughout the day to honor the Sun God, but we understand that that could be a safety risk! If you would like to hold any sort of ritual on that day, try to plan it for noon, when the sun is at it’s peak. The strength and vitality during this Sabbat will make it easier to perform more difficult rituals, so you should take full advantage!
If you plan to meet virtually, give a tour of the herbs and flowers you have collected in celebration! Show off your altar or sacred space and tell the stories of collecting the items that decorate it. Talk about why you chose certain colors and flowers to honor Litha. We don't often get into details about what is on our sacred spaces, this could be a great time to learn about what types of tools others use and perhaps get new inspiration or ideas for your own practices! With your freshly (or store bought!) gathered flowers, Litha is also a perfect time to make some floral crowns! This is an excellent activity to do virtually while chatting with your friends and commenting on everyone's project.
You could pack a nice, light lunch to enjoy outside in the bright sunlight, and this could be done solidarity or with a small group of friends – depending on your comfort level at the current moment.
Be sure to pack fruits and vegetables to snack on, and from your own garden if you can manage it! Spend as much time as you can outside during Litha and soak up the sun and the energy it’s wanting to give you. Go on a hike, either alone or with family or friends. This should be a nice activity to do in a small group where you can still keep safe distances from one another, but if you choose to go by yourself take the time to reflect on you and all the accomplishments you’ve made up to that point. You could also of course meet virtually for lunch and still enjoy the sunshine and company of others!
One of the most exciting things about this particular summer solstice is Stonehenge!
A truly iconic event of midsummer is the sun rising behind the ancient site's Heel Stone. It is hugely spiritual and usually tens of thousands of people go to celebrate every year! This year the site has been closed because of the pandemic. Lucky for us, they will be showing this beautiful sight virtually this year! Tune into English Heritage’s Facebook page, which will stream the sunset on 20 June (9.26pm BST) and the sunrise on 21 June (4.52am BST). Each stream will last around 30 minutes and can also be accessed after the live event.
However you decide to celebrate this holiday is completely – and uniquely – up to you, and the currently pandemic will surely bring about creative solutions!