Litha

(Summer Solstice)

June 21st

The Sun at Midsummer reaches that moment in His journey across the sky when his power peaks, then in one majickal instant, begins to wane. As we have seen at the Winter Solstice, the Oak King, God of the Waxing Year, vanquishes the Holly King, the god of the Waning Year. At midsummer, the reverse is true, with the Holly King wresting the baton from his rival twin. Midsummer is the time of year when the Young God retreats to the ever-turning wheel of the stars, the realm of the goddess Arianrhod. There he must wait and learn before being reborn again at the Winter Solstice. This holiday shares the same carefree, frolicking qualities of Beltane, and brings into balance the activities of the Faerie world with our own. Flowers and herbs are in full bloom at Litha and are essential to Midsummer rites. We often call upon the Faerie Queen and the Flower Goddess Vivian. It is Vivian who gives the sword Excalibur to King Arthur. That tradition continues with our Cabot Clergy to this very day, as we ceremonially wield Excalibur swords to proclaim our self-Sovereignty.