Litha Prayers

Dramatic Sunset at Stonehenge Horizontal
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Midsummer is the time when we celebrate the bounty of the earth and the power of the sun. Our fields are flourishing, fruits are blossoming on the trees, herb bushes are fragrant and full of life. The sun is at its highest point in the sky, and it has bathed the earth in its warmth, heating up the soil so that when autumn rolls around, we'll have a rich and bountiful harvest. These prayers celebrate the different aspects of midsummer. Feel free to modify them to suit the needs of your tradition.

Did You Know?

  • Litha is the season of the summer solstice, so prayers can focus on the power of the sun as it rises in the sky.
  • Prayers honoring the blooming gardens and celebrating solar deities are always appropriate at midsummer.
  • Because of its proximity to the Fourth of July, some people use this time of year to offer prayers for freedom, independence, and unity.

A Garden Prayer for Litha

Woman practicing yoga in foggy field
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If you're planting a garden this year, you may already have plants in the ground by the time Litha rolls around. Don't worry, you can still offer up this prayer to help them flourish! Go out to your garden on a sunny day, stand barefoot in the soil, and feel the magical energy of the earth. If you're a container gardener, that's okay, place your hands around each pot as you say this prayer to bless your flowers, fruit, and vegetables!

Small plants, leaves and buds,
growing in the soil.
O fiery sun, may your rays of
light and warmth
bless us with abundance,
and allow these plants to blossom
with life.

A Prayer for the Beach

Prayers on the beach at sunrise
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The beach is a magical place, indeed. If you're lucky enough to visit one this summer, remember that it’s a spot where all four of the elements converge: the water of the ocean crashes upon the shore. The sand is warm and dry beneath your feet. The wind blows in off the coast, and the fire of the sun blazes down upon you. It’s sort of a combo platter of all sorts of magical goodness, right there waiting for you. Why not take advantage of it? Try to find a secluded spot where you can be alone for a few moments, and offer up this prayer to the waves.

O mother ocean, welcome me in your arms,
bathe me in your waves,
and keep me safe
so that I may return to land once more.
Your tides move with the pull of the moon,
as do my own cycles.
I am drawn to you,
and honor you under the sun's fiery gaze.

Litha Prayer to the Sun

Woman reaching for the sun.
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Litha is the season of the summer solstice, and the longest day of the year. This means that the very next day, the nights will begin getting longer incrementally as we move towards Yule, the winter solstice. Many ancient cultures honored the sun as significant, and the concept of sun worship is one nearly as old as mankind itself. In societies that were primarily agricultural, and depended on the sun for life and sustenance, it is no surprise that the sun became deified. Celebrate the sun while there's time, and let its warm energy and powerful rays envelope you.

The sun is high above us
shining down upon the land and sea,
making things grow and bloom.
Great and powerful sun,
we honor you this day
and thank you for your gifts.
Ra, Helios, Sol Invictus, Aten, Svarog,
you are known by many names.
You are the light over the crops,
the heat that warms the earth,
the hope that springs eternal,
the bringer of life.
We welcome you, and we honor you this day,
celebrating your light,
as we begin our journey once more
into the darkness.

4th Of July Prayer

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The 4th of July falls just a couple of weeks after Litha, the summer solstice, and it isn't just about barbecue and picnics and fireworks, although those are all a lot of fun too. Before you go off to watch a parade, eat a ton of food, and bask in the sun all day, offer up this simple prayer as a call to unity and hope for people from all nations.

Gods of liberty, goddesses of justice,
watch over those who would fight for our freedoms.
May freedom be given to all people,
around the world,
no matter what their faith.
Keep our soldiers safe from harm,
and protect them in your light,
so that they may return to their families
and their homes.
Goddesses of liberty, gods of justice,
hear our call, and light the sky,
your torch shining in the night,
that we may find our way back to you,
and bring people together, in unity.