17/06/2026
🔥🌿🍷🌸 Litha Ritual For Solitaries 🌸🍷🌿🔥
It's Litha, the Summer Solstice on Sunday 21st, but you can perform this ritual anytime over the next week or so.
If you are a solitary witch, like me, this ritual is perfect. You can adapt it for a group if you wish. As with most rituals you do not have to follow it to the letter, your intention is the important part.
You will need;
🌸 Seasonal flowers and items to decorate your altar.
🔥 A small fire. A fire pit outside will work well, but an indoor fireplace is also fine. If you cannot build a fire, use some candles (red or gold are best).
🌿 Herbs representative of happiness, lavender and vervain are traditional.
🎀 A small square of fabric and a ribbon.
🪘 A drum or rattle.
🍒 Seasonal fruits or other foods.
🍷 A glass of fruit juice, red wine, or spring water.
The Ritual
Cast your circle and mark it out by walking clockwise around it and laying flowers around its perimeter. Build the fire or light the candles and speak the following words:
"At this time of life and joy when summer’s reached its height,
I honour the season and the sun with these flames burning bright,
And as the year begins to wane, I’ll keep with me this light
To fill my heart and warm me when the day turns on to night"
Feel the warmth of the flames and imagine their light filling you. Sit by the fire (or candles) and place the herbs in the centre of the square of fabric. Fold the fabric up around the herbs and tie it off to make a pouch.
Imagine pushing all your troubles, pains, sorrows, etc. into the pouch. Throw it into the fire if you’ve built one. If you are using candles, place it on your altar for now.
Stand up and walk clockwise around the fire or candles. If your fire is not in the centre, simply walk around the circle. Play the instrument or clap your hands if you like, and chant the following words as you walk:
"Turn, turn, turn, turn, the Litha fire is burning
Walk the circle, chant the song, the year’s great wheel is turning."
As you walk and chant, reflect on the year – what have you learned? What has come to pass? What is yet to come? Picture a great wheel turning, a representation of the steady passage of time.
Continue this active meditation for as long as you like. When you are ready to stop, sit by your altar again and place the food and drink in front of you.
Speak a small and personal expression of gratitude for all that the Earth has provided and for the food and drink before you. Throw a bit of the food into the fire and pour some of the drink onto the ground (or put them into an offering bowl if you are not outside and/or you do not have a fire). Enjoy the rest.
Close your circle and end your ritual, putting out the fire or candles last. Go outside and bury the offerings if needed. If your ritual used candles and you did not burn the herb pouch, keep it on your altar until you can throw it into a fire. If you cannot, you can bury the pouch instead.
Painting ~ The Magic Circle (study) 1886, by John William Waterhouse.
