The summer solstice is a time of the rest and relaxation. Months and days have been spent on planning and working. Now it’s a time to soak in sun, swim in the ocean and perform sun magic to fuel growth and abundance spell. It’s time to attract a house spirit into your home.

Make your bed with fresh sheets and blankets, tuck a dream pillow under your head, drink a cup of mugwort tea to attract prophetic dreams.

Collect sun water to cleanse the house and bring sun energy to the house

Here is an article on love magic you can do on Midsummer Eve – Lita.

Lita from the Anglo-Saxon dialect is translated as “the longest day of the year.” Among the Celtic folks of Britain, the very time of the Midsummer festival speaks of its past connection with the cult of the sun. Therefore, the main rites and rituals are similar to the same complex of rites on the day of the winter solstice.

The Celts have many beliefs associated with both days about supposedly especially powerful evil spirits on the night of the solstices. Central to the celebration of these days are ritual fires.

An important role in the rituals dedicated decorating houses with greenery – green branches, flowers, even trees, in some rituals of the winter and summer holidays there are motives for marriage and family well-being.

The common among the Scots custom was also connected with the cult of the sun to roll wheels wrapped in straw and lit from mountains or steep cliffs of rivers. Sometimes at the same time they wondered: if the wheel burned all the time while it was rolling, then they believed that the harvest would be good.

Mystery of the Fern

According to the Celts, the fern also had a mysterious magical meaning during this period of full flowering of all nature: at midnight it seemed to bloom for a short moment.

The daredevils went to the forest at midnight to see the fern flower and collect its seeds. Such campaigns were considered very dangerous, since this plant was vigilantly guarded by fairies and various evil spirits.

Anyone who still managed to get the seeds could allegedly become invisible and watch the dances and games of the fairies on this magical night.

In Slavic culture it was believed if you see the Fern in bloom you become filthy rich.

The Scots also considered fern seeds to be the most effective against evil spirits. From the evil spirits, the elderberries collected that night and the birch branches nailed over the doors and over the gates helped.

Birch

Birch played a significant role in the rites of the summer solstice among all the Celtic peoples.

Many family and marriage motifs, as well as fortune-telling, are woven into the customs of celebrating the day of the summer solstice. Both girls and boys guessed, often using various flowers and plants for this purpose (most often St. John’s wort), sometimes some objects. In Scotland, on this night, lovers took an oath of allegiance to each other, the violation of which was considered a crime. Such an oath was pronounced either near a megalith stone, or near a revered source and sealed with a handshake.

in many places in the British Isles, June is considered the most suitable month for marriage.

House Decorations

It is a custom to decorate the house with seasonal plants and herbs, and to collect and store those with magical and medicinal properties for use throughout the year. Among the most popular at this time of year are rue, roses, fennel, orpina, St. John’s wort and verbena.

Ruta – Fennel – St. John’s wort

The ancient Druids especially value the mistletoe, which grows on oaks (which they considered sacred), and on the eve of the summer solstice Druids harvest this plant with a golden sickle.

Mistletoe Oak – Holly – Ivy

Traditionally mistletoe, holly and ivy are used around the solstice to decorate homes. It is strictly enforced that men only wear holly and women wear ivy.

Midnight on Midsummer Eve

Midnight on Midsummer Eve or noon on Midsummer’s Day is the best time to gather plants and herbs for use in magick. Divination wands and wands cut at midnight are believed to have greater power, while plants and herbs harvested at midnight are doubly effective. Many of the herbs picked at midnight are also used as charms to protect the home from fire or lightning, the family from disease and illness, and to ward off negative sorcery and the attentions of the pesky Fairy Folks.

Fire After Sunset

It is an old custom in England and throughout Europe, on the eve of the solstice, to kindle a great fire after sunset; the fire serves the dual purpose of lighting up revelers and warding off evil spirits. In addition to the lights, the streets are lit with lanterns and torchlight processions pass through the villages. Led by Green Jack and his girls, and then by Morris dancers and skate riders, giant effigies of wicker men and dragons paraded before being burned at the stake in a symbolic sacrifice to the sun.

Fire Power

People believe that Lita’s fire have great power and jumping over the fire would bring prosperity and protection in the coming year.

The charred remains of the fire can later be used to create amulets against injury, bad luck, and bad weather.

The ashes from the fire are mixed with seeds not yet planted and scattered over fields and gardens to protect the crops. After the coals have cooled, the farmers drive their livestock through the ashes to cleanse them of sickness and disease.

Power of the Water

Water is also an important component of Lita’s celebrations and is a great time to collect magical water for your spells.

Many people living close to the coast conduct their rituals on the beach, others near sacred wells, rivers or streams and naturally use water in their rituals.

If you don’t live near the sea, it will be enough to collect rainwater or dew from trees or water from a stream with a fast current, especially after a lightning storm.

Water should always be collected in glass containers, not metal, and stored on a shelf above the ground, otherwise its power can be dissipated. If necessary, it should only be used for magical purposes.

Beware of Fairies

According to folklore, Midsummer’s Eve is a night second only to Halloween in importance to the Fairy Folk, who particularly enjoy playing and riding that night, hoping to catch the unwary. To see fairies, you only had to pick up the ferns at midnight sharp and rub them on your eyelids, but be sure to carry a piece of rue in your pocket so you don’t get captured. To protect yourself and avoid getting caught, just turn your jacket inside out so fairies don’t recognize you as a human. As you travel through the forest tonight, you must find one of the “ley lines,” old paths that linked ancient sites and places of worship, and stay on it until you reach your destination. Ley lines were usually associated with mystical protective powers and should protect you from any evil forces, as was crossing a stream of “living” (flowing) water.

Fights between the Oak King and Holly King

In mythology, Lita symbolizes the end of the reign of the Oak King. As the sun approaches its peak at the summer solstice (represented by the Oak King) and begins to set back towards winter (represented by the Holly King), the two engage in combat. This time, the Oak King is defeated by the Holly King, who then rules the second half of the year until they meet and fight again on the winter solstice. In fact, this is a reenactment of the annual cycle of life, growth and death in nature. The Oak King is a growing youth who reaches his peak in the middle of summer, while the Holly King is a mature man whose life passes into winter, from where he is again reborn from the Goddess.

Midsummer Eve Altar and Praying to Hecate

The altar should be bright and colorful, just like you set on Beltain. Place the flowers on the altar and braid them into your hair. Dress the altar in your usual tools and decorations, and be sure to include a small cauldron, burning coals, and bits of wood. Keep a small bowl of loose seeds of any type handy.

Ground and focus on these words:

This longest day is a source of joy.

Its brightness and warmth I will use.

Cast the Circle with a wand, athame, or flower stem:

The wheel moves from dusk to dawn.

Now I know that I will reap what I sow.

Call directions:

A wind blows from the east, cool and clear.

Be here with me today.

Come spirit with thoughts and words so close.

Stay in this circle.

The south brings fire to the summer sky

Be here with me today

Come in spirit with passion riding high

Stay in this circle.

From the west come mist, mist and rain
be with me here today.

Emotions must be felt again

Stay in this circle.

The earth is under my feet,

Be here with me today

North, care, our birthplace

Stay in this circle.

Summon deities:

Isis, Istarte, Diana,

Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna

Be with me today.

Isis, Istarte, Diana,

Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna

I hear what you’re saying.

Isis, Istarte, Diana,

Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna

Share joy in any way.

Pan, Poseidon, Dionesius, Apollo

Be with me today.

Pan, Poseidon, Dionesius, Apollo

I hear what you’re saying.

Pan, Poseidon, Dionesius, Apollo

Share joy in any way.

Statement:

In the middle of summer

On this long day

I stand in my circle

With joy and strength!

Magic work:

Stir the cauldron to create a flame. Take the bowl of seeds in your hand and slowly throw three small handfuls of seeds into the flame.

From the first handful say: Prosperity!

With the following words: Security!

With the third to say: Bountiful harvest of my dreams!

Pause as you watch the flames turn to embers as you contemplate your dreams, the prosperity and protection you seek. Watch as they walk towards you. When you’re ready, sing joyfully:

God and Goddess, now I see

Your loving blessings come to me!

Reject Directions and Deities:

Thanks Sever for being here.

Stay if you want, go if you must.

May there be peace between us.

Thank you West for being here.

Stay if you want, go if you must.

May there be peace between us.

Thanks South for being here.

Stay if you want, go if you must.

May there be peace between us.

Thank you East for being here.

Stay if you want, go if you must.

May there be peace between us.

Loving Goddess of this hour

You helped me gain strength

Myself for what I need.

I will grow like a seed.

Strong God of this special day

You helped me find my way.

I celebrate the balanced sun

And now my ritual is almost done.

Thank you for your presence here today.

Go if you want. In my heart you will remain.

The circle is open, but not broken.

May the peace of the Goddess

And the power of God

Go forever in my heart.

Blessed.

Lita is a very magical time. Although the nights are short, they are filled with the magic and power of the earth and plants more than on all other holidays. Good time for wishes, communication with gods and spirits.

A good time to get out of the city, build a fire and remember what it’s like to walk barefoot on the ground … Remember the feeling of taking off when you jump over the fire, and how cold the water is in the shade of old willows.