I apologize for being a bit MIA and actually missing the day of Litha! Between graduate program applications, moving prep, and a few really nasty flareups, I just haven’t had the bandwidth to write/edit much. But I still wanted to present my Litha for spoonies post even though it’s a little late.
It’s hard to believe we’re nearly halfway through 2023 already! For Litha, the summer solstice, it felt like the right time to create and share a sun ritual with you all. Witchcraft often centers around the moon–timing spells around the phases of the moon, drawing down the moon’s energy to empower ourselves, etc. But I’ve always been more of a devotee of the sun. Maybe it’s because I’m a morning person by nature and my fibro makes late nights all the more difficult. Maybe it’s just because I’m a Leo. But when I do tarot for myself, more often than not my deck uses the Sun card to signify me. Sunflowers are my favorite flower, too. (At least I’m consistent!)
In tarot, the Moon draws us into unfamiliar worlds and gives us the curiosity and power to explore the unknown. The Sun card, meanwhile, inspires confidence and sparks joy. Litha provides a great opportunity to honor the sun in our sky, thank it for what it does, and draw on it for two things that spoonies often struggle with: energy and confidence. Note that we’re treating the sun itself as our deity/force for the purposes of this ritual, but there are PLENTY of sun gods that you could call upon if you so chose. If you already work with a sun god, you are absolutely welcome to invite them into the ritual and to honor them alongside the astral body they represent. But that’s completely your call.
Let’s begin!
YOU WILL NEED:
- Something to give as an offering. Fresh flowers or fruit are particularly ideal, but as always, choose an offering that is within your means. If you have the energy and funds to go out and buy a bouquet, that’s great–but a simple offering of something on hand (like a spoonful of tea leaves or coffee beans) given from the heart works just as well.
- Something to direct the sun’s energy into. Essentially during the ritual you’ll be creating a sun charm of sorts, which you can carry with you when you need an extra boost. Wearable items like a necklace, ring, or pair of earrings are ideal. (You don’t need to go out and buy something new, either, unless you can do so easily and really want to!) But you could also choose a crystal, a button, or anything else that could be carried in your pocket. Heck, you could even use a keychain! Just keep the object smallish so that it is, in fact, something you can carry with you when you need it.
- A glass of water.
YOU COULD USE:
- If you’re able to be outdoors and under the sun for this ritual, make sure you have sun protection like sunscreen, a parasol, a sun hat, etc. Honoring the sun doesn’t mean you have to let yourself get burned!
- If you have a tarot deck, you could pull out the Sun card and keep it nearby to add focus to the ritual.
- Same goes for crystals; if you have sunstone or carnelian on hand, they can add a lovely boost to the ritual.
THE RITUAL
- Set up your ritual space. If you’re able to perform the ritual outdoors, that’s fantastic, but if that’s not feasible for you, set up near a window. The only hard requirement here is that you perform the spell while the sun is out. You want your soon-to-be-spelled charm item in front of you. Put the glass of water and the offering under direct sunlight (or as close to it as possible).
- Ground and center yourself however feels most comfortable for you. You might spend a few moments in quiet meditation, focusing on your breath. You might repeat a mantra. You might say a prayer to a patron deity or ask an ancestor for their blessing. Whatever gets you in the headspace for ritual.
- If you like casting a circle before a ritual, take a few moments to define the perimeter of your circle. If it’s a larger area and you’re comfortable moving, you might walk/wheel the perimeter. If it’s a smaller area, or you prefer not to move around, you can trace the outline with your finger or a tool like a wand, crystal point, spoon, etc. Or you can simply imagine/visualize a circle of light or a protective bubble expanding out from your heart and growing until it surrounds the entirety of your space.
- Pick up your offering if you’re able, or put your hands around it, or simply make it the object of your focus. Say aloud or silently to yourself, “Great Sol, center of our solar system, giver of light and warmth. On this summer solstice, I honor all you do for our world. I notice you in the growth of plants, in the cycle of the days and months, and in the warmth on my face. I bring this offering to thank you for your presence, and the gifts you give us.”
- Set aside your offering. Pick up your glass of water, put your hands around it, or focus on it. Say aloud or silently to yourself, “Generous Sol, as you give power and growth to our world, I come to you today seeking a boost. I seek energy to support my body and mind. I seek confidence to support my heart and soul.” Imagine the sun’s rays pouring into your glass, infusing it with all the energy and confidence of the sun itself. Use whatever senses feel the most vivid/accessible to you. If you are a strong visualizer, picture yellow or white light burning in your glass, brighter and brighter. If you’re more of a kinesthetic person, imagine the glass growing warmer and warmer, radiating pleasant heat into your hands or onto your face. You could even imagine a powerful hum, like the sound a generator might make, if your mind’s ear is stronger than your mind’s eye.
- Pick up your soon-to-be-spelled charm. If it’s wearable, like a necklace or earrings, put it on. If it’s something you plan to carry, like a crystal or a keychain, put it in your pocket or simply place it on your person somewhere (even if it’s balancing it on your lap). Say aloud or silently, “As I drink this water, blessed by the sun, I infuse myself and my charm with the confidence and energy I seek. I know that I am constantly growing, evolving, and expanding under the sun’s rays. When I carry this charm, I will sense the sun’s power buoying me and giving me strength and self-assurance.”
- Take a few moments to drink your water. As you do, meditate on situations when you might benefit from a bit of a solar boost. Imagine how it would feel to enter these situations with increased confidence, or a burst of energy. Know that you can take this charm with you whenever you need it as a reminder of the sun’s gifts to you.
- When you’ve finished your water, set the glass aside, Say aloud or silently, “Great Sol, center of our solar system, giver of light and warmth, I thank you again for your presence and your blessings.”
- If you cast a circle at the beginning of the ritual, undo it by reversing whatever you did to cast the circle. Walk or wheel in the opposite direction, reverse the direction you used to trace the perimeter, or imagine the bubble of light shrinking back into your heart.
You now have a small sun charm that you can bring with you whenever you’d like! If you feel that the charm’s energy is waning, you can always put it under direct sunlight for a day to recharge it, just like you might do with a crystal or tarot deck under moonlight.
The next month or two are going to be bumpy, as my spouse and I move across the country and both start new master’s programs. I’m going to do my best to stay consistent on this blog, but bear with me (and apologies in advance) if I’m spotty here and there. Spoonie life means that you really have to choose your battles and conserve energy, especially during big life changes. In the meantime, though, I’d love for you to check out another podcast episode that I made a guest appearance on! Tarot Heroes is an amazing podcast that brings in tarot authors, readers, deck designers, and more to teach each of the cards in the RWS tarot. I got to appear and talk about one of my favorite cards, the Hierophant, and it was SO much fun! I highly recommend the entire podcast–Erin is both a delight and incredibly knowledgeable, and her format is accessible for newbies and seasoned readers alike.
(Audio version of this post coming soon!)