Litha: a time of abundance, battle and the Fae.

The Earth Mother is in bloom, abundant and beautiful. Growth, prosperity and fertility energies run wild, our world is buzzing and alive. Even though the First Harvest of Lammas still seems a long way off, now is a fantastic time to start gathering an early harvest. Fruits, vegetables, edible flowers and plants, honey and eggs are abundant as the sun shines over us. Litha is the prime time to gather Sunflower, St John’s Wort, sage, mint and Mistletoe. Mistletoe’s magick is extremely potent, especially when it grows on Oak, as it is aligned with the Sun and will bring protection, negative cleansing, health and good luck.

Beginning at the Summer Solstice, the longest day and the shortest night of the year, a new sabbat dawns for all pagans incorporates: Gathering Day, Midsummer or Litha.

Traditionally, large bonfires are lit on Midsummers Eve symbolising the peak of the Sun god’s energy: purifying, cleansing and life giving. Large wheels would be constructed, set alight and rolled down big hills towards the river. Women from covens and groves walk naked amongst gardens, ensuring continued fertility and growth, and folk would stay up all night, sitting around the bonfire awaiting the new Dawn. A true celebration of the Sun.

But Litha, in balance, is also a time to remember and begin to prepare for the dark half of the year. As the last light of Midsummers Eve sets on the centre stone at Stone Henge and between the great pyramids of Egypt, our days will gradually become shorter as the Sun’s hold begins to ebb and wane until eventually winter is with us once more.

The burning wheel rolling down the hill crashes into the river and is extinguished, light giving way to dark, representing this time of year with the elements of Fire and Water. The bonfires will burn out and cast no more heat or light and eventually grow cold. But from the cool ashes come morning, protection amulets would be crafted, the energies of which would see the wearer through beyond the rebirth of the Sun God at Yule.

Balanced – a mid-year checkpoint, a time to review the six months that have just passed and with this knowledge evaluate and adjust your path into the remaining half of the year.

As much as Litha is a period for celebration, it is also a time of great battles. Not only between daylight and night time, but we also observe the end of the Oak Kings reign and the beginning of the Holly Kings watch. At Midsummer the great Celtic Mother Goddess, Danu, and her Tuatha De Danann were led into battle by their king, Nuada. The Battle of Mag Tuired, against the then resident people of Ireland the Fir Bolg, raged for four days and was bloody and brutal. It ultimately culminated in Nuada’s right hand being cut off, leaving him unable to fight and lead as a king. However, the Fir Bolg were defeated, in a blood rage of overwhelming power and destruction, the Morrigan laid waste upon the battleground and sent the remaining Fir Bolg people fleeing when she slayed their king Eochaid.

Whilst we celebrate the summer, the Sun, all of the Earth Mothers bounties and our first step into darkness, I’ll offer up one subject for your consideration, a fair warning if you will, and that is of the Fair Folk. William Shakespeare delightfully alerted us to the magick of the Faery folk this time of year when their potions wrought havoc in Midsummer Night’s Dream, and that’s because Litha is when the Fae come out to play. Whilst some of you will happily step into a fairy ring or stone circle with St John’s Wort in your buttonhole and Rue in your pocket, do so with extra caution at Midsummer because now is the time of mischievous tricks, you may even find yourself off to the Faery Kingdom, never to return. So, turn your jacket inside out and follow the ley line to safety; Puck, otherwise known as Robin Goodfellow, is surely about.

Thus Robin lived a merry life
        As any could enjoy,
    'Mongst country farms he did resort,
        And oft would folks annoy
    But if the maids doe call to him,
        He still away will go
    In knavish sort, and to himself
        He'd laugh out hoe, hoe, hoe!

    He oft would beg and crave an almes,
        But take nought that they'd give:
    In several shapes he'd gull the world
        Thus madly did he live.
    Sometimes a cripple he would seem,
        Sometimes a soldier brave:
    Sometimes a fox, sometimes a hare;
        Brave pastimes would he have.

    Sometimes an owl he'd seem to be,
        Sometimes a skipping frog;
    Sometimes a kirne, in Irish shape,
        To leap ore mire or bog:
    Sometimes he'd counterfeit a voice,
        And travellers call astray,
    Sometimes a walking fire he'd be,
        And lead them from their way.

    Some call him Robin Good-fellow,
        Hob-goblin or mad Crisp,
    And some again do term him oft,
        By name of Will the Wispe;
    But call him by what name you list,
        I have studied on my pillow,
    I think the best name he deserves
        Is Robin the Good Fellow.

    At last upon a summer's night
        King Oberon found him out,
    And with his elves in dancing wise
        Straight circled him about.
    The fairies danced, and little Tom Thumb
        On his bag-pipe did play,
    And thus they danced their fairy round
        Till almost break of day.

    Then Phebus he most gloriously
        Begins to grace the air,
    When Oberon with his fairy traine
        Begins to make repair,
    With speed unto the fairy land,
        They swiftly took their way,
    And I out of my dreams awake,
        And so 'twas perfect day.

    Thus having told my dream at full,
        I’ll bid you all farewell.
    If you applaud mad Robin's pranks,
        May be ere long I’ll tell
    Some other stories to your ears,
        Which shall contentment give:
    To gain your favours I will seek
        The longest day I live.

- - excerpt from Ben Jonson's 1625 ballad Robin Goodfellow