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Episode 206: Altars pt. 4- Litha
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Welcome back, Witches! This week we’re continuing our Altars series with Part 4: Litha. As we approach the summer solstice, we’re exploring ways to create a meaningful altar that reflects the energy, symbolism, and traditions of the season. From colors, herbs, flowers, and crystals to symbols of abundance, sunlight, and growth, we’re discussing different ways to build a Litha altar that feels personal to your practice. Whether you create elaborate seasonal displays or prefer something simple and intentional, this episode is full of ideas to help you celebrate the longest day of the year. So get in, Loser — because this week we’re welcoming the sun and bringing a little Litha magic to our altars.
If you really loved the show and want more Get in Loser content, check out our Patreon, Supercast, & Buy Me a Coffee links below. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @GetinWitches, on TikTok @weredoingwitchcraft, or email us at weredoingwitchcraft@gmail.com. You can support our show through our links below. Patreon: patreon.com/GetinWitches Supercast: https://getinloserweredoingwitchcraft.supercast.com Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/getinwitches Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio- The Witch
Resources
- Patti Wigington (2018). 10 Deities of Litha: Summer Solstice Gods and Goddesses. Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/deities-of-litha-2562232
- Patti Wigington (2019). An Ancient Solar Celebration. Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/history-of-summer-solstice-holiday-litha-2562244
- Willow (2016). Flying the Hedge. Litha Correspondences. https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2016/06/litha-correspondences.html
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Witchcraft Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Do you feel drawn to learn more about witchcraft and the occult, but feel lost on where to start? Then welcome to Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft, a podcast all about what it means to be a witch and where to get started on your journey.
00:00:11
Speaker
Join us as we navigate through various witchy topics and share what we've learned about the
Focus on Letha: The Summer Solstice
00:00:15
Speaker
craft. So get in witches for part four of our altar series, this time covering Letha.
BTS Concert Experience & Ticketing Issues
00:00:46
Speaker
I'm excited for this weekend. I am going to be seeing BTS in concert. That is so exciting. I can't wait to see your outfit. I still can't figure out what I want to wear.
00:00:59
Speaker
Oh no. no Like it's And i was like, okay, well, maybe I'll just order like a BTS knockoff shirt from like Shein. It is too late. So I'm just like, oh, waited till the last minute. So I don't know what I'm going to wear.
00:01:16
Speaker
Maybe I'll just like go buy a band shirt at the concert and spend like $100 something. But The t-shirts now are like $50. Yeah.
00:01:28
Speaker
It's like t-shirts are like 50. Hoodies are like between 80 and 100. then beanies are like 35. It's so ridiculous. Did you see that Live Nation and Ticketmaster have been found guilty in court for creating a monopoly? Yeah.
00:01:48
Speaker
I did not see that, but I love this news. too. I don't know – We'll see what happens because right now the rich and powerful just get to stay the rich and powerful no matter what they do. so But it is a it's a small win right now.
00:02:04
Speaker
Yeah. God, I really hope that in – which I don't think this would ever happen in America, but you know we can only hope and pray. But I think that Japan did it the right way where they like they have as far as like tickets and stuff,
00:02:22
Speaker
it does make it more economically advantageous, I guess, to be able to go see your favorite people. and Like it's more realistic that you'd be able to go see your favorite people in concert when they come because you can't resell tickets.
00:02:41
Speaker
Oh, yeah. you have to keep the ticket prices at like ah ah at a rate where people can afford it. Yeah. And because you can't resell them,
00:02:51
Speaker
you don't have these people going in buying in all these tickets and then yeah selling them for a shit ton of money. Sleep Token did that last year with their tickets. um you couldn't You couldn't transfer tickets.
00:03:05
Speaker
Yeah. Like if you bought a ticket, that was your ticket. So a bunch of like scalpers at the beginning didn't realize that and bought a bunch tickets and then couldn't sell them. But people got pissed because like they legitimately needed to sell a ticket because they couldn't go and you couldn't like venue.
Significance of Letha in Witchcraft
00:03:24
Speaker
If you did, a venue turned them away. Yeah. like you This isn't your ticket. Honestly, that's a good fucking rule regardless. Like maybe don't buy the ticket until you know for sure you can go. Yeah.
00:03:36
Speaker
And you know there's some things that you buy that say you can't go anymore and it's like, well, but there's no returns. feel like it should be like that for concerts too. You bought a ticket. Oh, you can't go anymore.
00:03:48
Speaker
I'm sorry, but yeah maybe next time don't buy a ticket whenever it first comes out, wait a little bit. yeah Because I'm sure there's probably, if if people live by that rule and that guideline, there would be tickets left available.
00:04:00
Speaker
Yeah.
00:04:05
Speaker
the first wave of people they were all turned away if they had resell tickets and then they changed it to where yes you could but that person had to come with you yeah they had to come for you to get into the venue I like that rule too. Yeah. They had to like show that, Hey, this is my ticket.
00:04:23
Speaker
I gave it to them and then they would let people in the venue. And I was like, thank God. Because yeah that was like really the only way we got to see them was that sculptors weren't allowed to resell the tickets. Yeah.
00:04:34
Speaker
So I think that should be a rule across the board. Yeah. And yeah. So but we're not talking about concerts or BTS. Yeah. We're not.
00:04:45
Speaker
We're not. What are we talking about today? We're talking about Letha and Letha Alters. I'm so excited about this episode. These episodes are my favorites. I do love the altar episodes. But we also, when we went through all of Letha and Ostara originally on the podcast, those also were some of our favorite episodes to recent. Yes.
00:05:06
Speaker
so Yeah. So Letha marks the summer solstice and it is the longest day and the shortest night of the year. It's a celebration of solar power, abundance, vitality, and the fullness of life at its seasonal peak. In short, it's the celebration of light in all of its glory.
00:05:26
Speaker
Letha occurs between June 20th and the 22nd in the Northern hemisphere and December 20th and 23rd in the Southern hemisphere. This Sabbath matters because Letha invites reflection on balance as much as a celebration at the height of light. It also reminds us the wheel is turning and change is always part of the cycle.
00:05:51
Speaker
For many, Letha is a time to focus on gratitude, protection, prosperity, and deeper connection with the natural world, making it a meaningful point to align spiritual practice with the energy of the season.
00:06:06
Speaker
ah So looking at some of the brief history and naming context surrounding Letha, it's also known as Midsummer or the Summer Solstice, and It's a time when the sun reaches its highest point and appears to stand still, which is actually where the word solstice actually comes from. It comes from the Latin word solstitium.
00:06:26
Speaker
And for ancient agricultural societies, this solstice was both a sacred and practical turning point because it was a celebration of light, fertility, and abundance, but it was also the moment that marks the sun's power as it begins its gradual decline.
00:06:40
Speaker
One of the strongest threads to Letha's history is the relationship between this solstice and sacred landscapes and solar alignments. Ancient stone circles and ritual sites like Stonehenge were carefully positioned to track the solstice sunrise. These places show how deeply people honored the movement of the sun, using the architecture and ceremony to connect with the earth and sky.
00:07:05
Speaker
Bonfires on hilltops were also common across Celtic and Northern European traditions. and they symbolized the height of solar power and served as offerings for protection, fertility, and good harvests. Fire and water were central symbolic opposites in Midsummer lore, and in many parts of Europe, people would light giant wooden wheels on fire and roll them down into rivers or lakes as a way... to reflect the balance between the strength of the sun and the cooling, life-giving force of water. And as Christianity spread, many older Midsummer customs were absorbed, as they do, into the feast of St. John the Baptist, creating what is known as St. John's Eve, which is on June 23rd, and St. John's Day, which is on June 24th.
00:07:50
Speaker
Across Europe, St. John's Eve became associated with bonfires, night vigils, herbal gathering, dew collection, and cleansing
Letha in Literature and Tradition
00:07:58
Speaker
rituals. These traditions preserved older pagan themes of purification, blessings, and liminal magic under a new Christian name, which is bullshit, but we've seen this time and time again.
00:08:12
Speaker
And then in Slavic countries, this night survives as Kupala Night or Ivan Kupala. It's known to be one of the most vibrant Midsummer festivals, blending Christian and pagan elements through bonfires, water rites, flower wreath divination, and folklore about magic and spirits.
00:08:30
Speaker
It celebrates fertility, love, and the power of the shortest night of the year. And then, Letha also carries a magical association through Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. This play helps shape the popular idea of Midsummer as a liminal, enchanted night where the veil between the worlds feels thinner. the fae are near, and love and transformation are possible.
00:08:53
Speaker
This aligns with the other folk beliefs surrounding Midsummer as a threshold time where the energy is heightened and there is a possibility for otherworldly encounters. And while the play is not a historical source by any means, it reflects the cultural sense that Midsummer is a night of magic and kind of ties back to during that time how important it was and how culturally significant it was.
00:09:16
Speaker
It's also my favorite Shakespeare. So let's look at the core themes of the Sabbath. The first being solar worship tying into sun deities. So solar symbolism is a meaningful part of Letha because the sun has long represented vitality, illumination, growth, success, and spiritual power across cultures.
00:09:37
Speaker
At midsummer, when solar energy is at its peak, these symbols can take on added significance, offering ways to reflect on personal power, clarity, creativity, and the forces that sustain life.
00:09:51
Speaker
Working with solar symbolism at Letha can also deepen the connection between seasonal observance and magical practice. The sun as life giver versus destructive force speaks to an important duality often explored at Letha.
00:10:07
Speaker
The sun nourishes crops, it supports life, and it makes abundance possible, but too much heat can scorch, deplete, or even destroy. That balance reminds us that powerful forces often carry both generative and challenging aspects.
00:10:23
Speaker
In practice, this can open conversations around balance, respect of natural forces, and the ways that power can create or consume depending on how it's directed. Solar talismans and sun magic matter at Letha because they offer practical ways to engage with the season's energy.
00:10:42
Speaker
From charms and symbols tied to protection, vitality, and success to magical workings aligned with confidence, empowerment, or blessings, solar magic gives practitioners ways to actively work with midsummer currents.
00:10:57
Speaker
Letha can be an especially potent time for charging talismans, for creating sun-related altarpieces, or exploring how solar energy shows up within one's broader practice.
00:11:09
Speaker
and Looking at the core theme of fertility abundance and the peak of growth, during this time of year, the sun reaches its peak, and this symbolizes vitality, life force, and creative energy. Letha occurs during the height of the growing season, so during this time, crops are thriving, animals are active, and this serves as a way to reassure people that the harvest was coming.
00:11:34
Speaker
Fertility is strongly associated with Letha and not just fertility in terms of reproduction. This also includes manifestation themes as well. And so if you're looking
Fire Festivals and Liminal Magic
00:11:43
Speaker
at the wheel of the year and just in in general, right? So we just prior to Letha, we had Beltane and this is where we kind of sow those seeds, right? And we start seeing the first blooms. When we think about Letha in terms of manifestation, this is where we're seeing our ideas are coming to fruition and it's deepening those relationships, your personal power. And it's a time where success is becoming visible and things are in motion.
00:12:10
Speaker
Midsummer has also been historically associated with desire and romantic energy, mirroring what is happening in the world. During this time, animals are mating, plants are pollinating, and there are culturally significant practices that traditionally took place around this time as well. So a few of those, the first being jumping over bonfires alone or with a partner to bring luck and success.
00:12:32
Speaker
fertility or hand fasting ceremonies, which we covered way back in season one, I believe, but any sort of marriage ceremony. And then wreath floating or flower divination to predict marriage is also a traditional practice that took place around this time.
00:12:48
Speaker
So now let's look at the fire festival and bonfire traditions. As Sam mentioned, there's one known as jumping bonfires for luck or fertility. And this is one of the folk customs that's often associated with midsummer and older fire festival traditions. In various practices, passing over or near the flames was believed to bring blessings, encourage fertility, invite good fortune, or support health and vitality.
00:13:14
Speaker
Beyond the literal act, the symbolism speaks to moving through fire as a form of transformation, crossing into blessings, and engaging with the generative energy associated with the season.
00:13:27
Speaker
Fire as protection and purification is a central theme in many witchcraft and pagan understandings of festivals of fire. Fire has often been worked with not only as a source of light and vitality, but as a force that cleanses, wards, and transforms. At Letha, bonfires can symbolize burning away what no longer serves, strengthening protective boundaries, and working with fire as both a practical and spiritual tool for renewal.
00:13:54
Speaker
And then as Sam mentioned already as well, there's the act of rolling burning wheels down a hill. And this is a midsummer custom that's often interpreted as reflecting the movement and power of the sun. The fiery will can symbolize the solar cycle, the turning of the wheel of the year, and the sun beginning its gradual descent after reaching its peak at the solstice.
00:14:19
Speaker
In magical and symbolic terms, it also speaks to motion, change, and the recognition that even at the height of light, the cycle is already shifting. Another core theme here is the theme around liminal magic and the turning of the wheel. So even though Letha is the peak of light, it's also a turning point and it's the moment where the year begins its slow descent into darkness, which makes it a liminal threshold as well. During this time, some practitioners focus their magic on preserving the things they have or that they've built, protecting their abundance, and preparing for the second half of the year.
00:14:57
Speaker
Looking at fairies and nature spirits, fairy folklore at Midsummer is often tied to the idea that Letha is that liminal time. when the boundaries between worlds may feel thinner and the natural world is especially alive with presence.
00:15:11
Speaker
In folklore, Midsommar has been associated with heightened activity among fairies and other nature spirits, making it a season linked to enchantment, caution, and deeper attentiveness to the unseen. Exploring this at Letha can open discussion around how folklore, seasonal energy, and spirit relationships intersect in practice. Protective magic against mischievous spirits reflects a common thread in folk traditions where heightened spiritual activity also called for discernment and protection.
00:15:45
Speaker
Charms, protective herbs, boundary magic, and apotropaic practices were often used to guard against trickery, interference, or unwanted influences.
00:15:56
Speaker
In a magical context, this speaks not only to protection from external forces, but also to the broader importance of boundaries, respect, and intentionally when engaging with spirit work.
00:16:08
Speaker
Offerings to land spirits matter because Letha can be a meaningful time to honor reciprocity with the more than human world. So offerings have often been used as gestures of respect, gratitude, and relationship building with the spirits of place, whether connected to land, water, trees, or local ecosystems.
00:16:29
Speaker
Within practice, this can open conversations around animism, stewardship, and the idea that spiritual relationship is not only about asking for blessings, but also about giving in return.
00:16:43
Speaker
And another theme is related to water magic and healing springs. While fire plays a huge part in Letha celebrations and imagery, so too does water in creating a balance. Sacred wells, rivers, and other bodies of water were believed to be more powerful during Letha, and they were thought to be gateways to spirit realms and to hold healing energy because they were infused with the solar energy of Letha. And so ways in which water was used, they were used during ritual bathing at sunrise to cleanse illnesses or negativity, As I mentioned earlier, they would collect dew for healing or beauty. And then they also use sun-charged water in magic as well.
00:17:26
Speaker
In terms of divination, there were a lot of forms of divination that are tied to Letha. So love divination has often been associated with midsummer and folk traditions, particularly through practices meant to reveal future partners, relationships, or the direction of the heart.
00:17:43
Speaker
Tied to a season linked with fertility, abundance, and attraction, love divination at Letha can be understood as working with the expansive and magnetic qualities often associated with peak solar energy.
00:17:55
Speaker
In practice, it can also open broader conversations about divining not only romantic outcomes, but what is being called into alignment in matters of connection, desire, and relationships.
00:18:07
Speaker
Dream magic can tie naturally to Letha through the idea that solstice is that liminal time and energetically it's a heightened time, making it well-suited for visionary work, incubation, and symbolic messages received through dreams.
00:18:22
Speaker
In folk belief and magical practice, certain seasonal thresholds have long been seen as potent moments for seeking insight, and Letha can be approached in that spirit.
00:18:34
Speaker
Dream work at midsummer may center on guidance, personal clarity, or receiving messages connected to what is currently growing or unfolding in one's life. Sam briefly mentioned it earlier, but the flower wreath divination is part of the season's strong association with blooming fertility, beauty, and the living abundance of the natural world. In folk customs, flowers have sometimes been woven into divinatory acts related to love,
00:19:01
Speaker
luck, or future outcomes, and wreaths themselves can carry symbolism for cycles of wholeness and continuity. At Letha, this kind of divination can be seen as engaging directly with seasonal energies expressed through the land.
00:19:18
Speaker
And then the last one is mirror or water scrying. which can be especially resonant at Letha. Whether working with sunlight on water, reflective mirrors, or scrying as a method of seeking vision and insight, these practices can align with Letha themes of illumination, revelation, and clarity.
00:19:38
Speaker
At the summer solstice, when light is symbolically and literally at its height, divination focused on seeing clearly can hold particular seasonal significance.
Deities and Spirits of Letha
00:19:50
Speaker
Now looking at some deities and spirits that are associated with Letha. Letha has long been associated with deities of the sun and fire, spirits who embody radiance, vitality, protection, and abundance. So this may not be an exhaustive list. This is a pretty well-rounded cross-cultural view on a few of the deities that are associated with this time of year. The first being Amaterasu, which is a Shinto goddess.
00:20:18
Speaker
She embodies light, order, and life-giving radiance. In Shinto myth, when she hides in a cave, the world falls into darkness. She's a powerful symbol of how essential light is for the world and for the spirit, tying her back to Letha. She represents illumination, renewal, and stepping back into joy and visibility, and she is celebrated every July in Japan.
00:20:41
Speaker
Didn't we cover her on the podcast? We sure did. Okay. I was like, I know this one. Yeah. We did cover this one. It's probably a couple seasons ago, but we did. Yeah.
00:20:51
Speaker
Next is Aten, and this is an Egyptian deity represented by the visible solar disk of the sun itself. Aten is therefore associated with the direct life-giving force of the sun.
00:21:02
Speaker
At Letha, Aten can represent the sun at its fullest strength, sustaining crops, energizing the earth, and reminding us of the sheer power of light as a source of life.
00:21:13
Speaker
Next is the Greek deity Apollo, and this is one of the main deities linked with Letha. Apollo rules sunlight, healing, and music and truth, which are all themes of Midsummer. Letha is a perfect time to speak about clarity, inspiration, creative fire, and the healing power of warmth and light. Next is the Greek goddess Hestia.
00:21:35
Speaker
While Midsummer is often associated with bonfires and the great outer sun, Hestia reminds us of our own sacred fire within the home. She's perfect for themes of protection, peace, hospitality, and tending the inner flame that sustains family and community. And this is another goddess that we have talked about on the podcast before. And then Horus, which is an Egyptian deity who represents kingship, protection, and divine sight. Letha is a great time to connect with Horus as a guardian force, especially if you're discussing solar protection or blessing your family or home.
00:22:10
Speaker
And I'm just going to preface this first one with I'm probably going to say it wrong. i listened to so many pronunciations. And if you guys could see my phonetic spelling. It's a lot.
00:22:23
Speaker
It's a lot. So in Aztec mythology, Huitzilopochtli is tied to Letha through his association with sun, power, warfare, and the sustaining force of solar energy.
00:22:38
Speaker
He was a warrior sun god and patron of Tenochtitlan, who battled Nanawati. I'm doing my best. Yeah. And fought against darkness and was believed to require regular sacrifices from worshippers to ensure the sun's survival through the next 52-year cycle, which was a number of deep significance in Mesoamerican myth.
00:23:00
Speaker
And so basically, that was a very short way to explain that there was this battle for the sun that they all fought with really rough pronunciation. So my bad.
00:23:12
Speaker
I think you did a great job. Thanks. As a solar deity connected to movement, vitality, and the ongoing struggle that keeps the sun in motion, he can offer a perspective on the sun not only as life-giving, but as an active, potent, and demanding relationship.
00:23:28
Speaker
Juno's symbolism for Letha can be seen through themes of sovereignty, protection, fertility, and degenerative powers often associated with Midsommar.
00:23:39
Speaker
She's also called Juno Luna, and she blessed women, quote-unquote blessed women, with the quote-unquote privilege of menstruation. The month of June was- You take that right back. i don't want it. Yeah. The month of June was named for her, and as patroness of marriage, her month remains a popular time for weddings and hand fastings. Her presence can bring in dimensions of sacred order, abundance, and guardianship, all of which can align with seasonal themes present at the solstice.
00:24:16
Speaker
Lu, similar to Mercury, was known as a god of skill and the distribution of talent and is sometimes associated with Midsummer because of his roles as Harvest God. During the summer, solstice crops were believed to flourish in anticipation of Lunasad when they would be gathered from the earth.
00:24:38
Speaker
Lu is often a natural fit in conversations about Letha because of his association with light, skill, mastery, and brilliance. His solar qualities and connection to radiant power can make him relevant in Midsommar as well. At Letha, he can represent cultivated power, creative force, and the kind of illumination tied not only to the sun, but to the knowledge and excellence. Sulis Minerva emerged when the Romans occupying the British Isles blended aspects of the Celtic sun goddess Sulis with their goddess of wisdom, Minerva, the resulting deity watched over the hot springs and sacred waters of Bath.
00:25:17
Speaker
Sulis Minerva offers a fascinating connection to Letha through the blending of solar healing and sacred water symbolism. Associated with the thermal springs at Bath and often understood through both Celtic and Roman lenses, she brings together illumination, wisdom, healing, and place-based spirituality.
00:25:37
Speaker
Sunna, which is also known Sol, is a north sun goddess described in the poetic Edda as sister to the moon goddess Mani. She drives the sun chariot across the sky, pulled by the horses Alssven and Arvac. while pursued by the wolf's skull. and is also associated with healing, as well as linked to some traditions of glen, also called glower.
00:26:04
Speaker
She can be considered one of the clearest fits for Letha because she is directly tied to the sun itself in Germanic traditions. As the divine embodiment of the sun and its movement across the sky, she aligns naturally with solstice themes of light, vitality, and cosmic order. Working with Tsuna at Letha, can invite reflection on direct solar reverence, the sacredness of seasonal cycles, and the relationship with the sun as a living spiritual presence.
Letha Practices and Misconceptions
00:26:34
Speaker
So let's move in to some correspondences. For colors, you have amber, gold, green, orange, pink, red, white, and yellow.
00:26:44
Speaker
For plants and herbs, you have berries, calendula, chamomile, chickweed, heliotrope, Honeysuckle, Lavender, Rosemary, St. John's Wort, Sunflower, Violet, and Yarrow.
00:26:57
Speaker
For animals, you have bees, butterflies, crows, and bulls, eagles, hawks, horses, and swallows. And some common themes are abundance, cleansing, creativity, growth, inspiration, fire energy, motherhood, power, success, warmth, and vitality.
00:27:15
Speaker
And then looking at symbolism, this would be things like life, fire, rebirth, transformation, power, and purity. Symbols include things like sunflowers, leaves, swords, spears, the sun, God's eye, sun wheels, bonfires, bale fires, fire itself, sundials, bird feathers, and seashells. The elements here would be fire and water.
00:27:42
Speaker
As far as crystals and gemstones, this would include lapis, diamond, tiger's eye, emerald, jade, and any green or yellow stones. And then for food and drink, this would be things like mead, ale, summer fruits and vegetables, strawberries, honey cakes, whipped cream, oranges, lemons, summer squash, and honey.
00:28:03
Speaker
And now on to part that you're all here for, right? The alter styles and setup. So the first one we're going to talk about is solar focused. So for this, you would incorporate symbols associated with the sun, such as solar disks, sun wheels, gold or yellow candles, and imagery representing vitality, illumination, and personal power.
00:28:26
Speaker
Use correspondences tied to solar energy, including herbs like rosemary, calendula, sunflower, or St. John's wort alongside crystals such as citrine or sunstone, and include items that support solar devotion or intention setting. such as affirmations, offerings of honey or citrus, or tools used for meditation, manifestation, or honoring the seasonal sun cycle.
00:28:52
Speaker
The next altar setup style would be nature and harvest focused. This would be to celebrate the summer solstice's peak light and abundance. And this would be an altar that would incorporate things from the natural world, like fresh flowers, such as sunflowers, daisies, and marigolds, herbs that align with the sun like rosemary, thyme, basil, or St. John's wort, and seasonal fruits like berries, cherries, and citrus, or even early harvest vegetables. As for colors, I would stick with warm colors like yellow, orange, and gold to layer in with the cloths that you use or with your candles. And for natural items, this could include things like feathers, seashells, or wood.
00:29:35
Speaker
If you're leaning more towards like a fire festival altar, You could build the altar around traditional fire festival themes like transformation, fertility, protection, or renewal.
00:29:47
Speaker
Incorporate flame symbolism through candles, lanterns, cauldron imagery, or bonfire-inspired elements along with seasonal flowers, greenery, grains, or fruits relevant to the celebration. and add ritual tools or symbolic objects connected to festival practices, such as charms for protection, written intentions to burn safely, or representations of community abundance, or the turning of the seasonal wheel.
00:30:15
Speaker
Yeah, and if you're interested in more of a fairy or spirit of the land altar, this is looking more towards the liminal magic of Midsummer, where the veil between the worlds is thin.
00:30:25
Speaker
This altar, though, shouldn't be used as a space to summon, but rather as a space to provide offerings and acknowledgement. This altar style can be polished, but I think it would be most impactful if it was a little wild. So you can include things like small offerings of milk, cream, honey, or bread, or any of the traditional fae offerings. Objects gathered respectfully from your environment to include things like stones, driftwood, moss, or acorns.
00:30:53
Speaker
Flowers or herbs that speak to you for this time of year And as for colors, this could include things like greens, golds, whites, or even touches of iridescence. And you could also add some invitational things to your altar as well, like a small bowl of water for the spirits, shiny objects or mirrors, and bells or wind chimes.
00:31:12
Speaker
If you're more of a minimalist, you can create a minimalist solar energy altar. So focus on a few intentional pieces rather than many objects, such as a single candle, one solar associated crystal, and a meaningful symbol of the sun or personal empowerment.
00:31:31
Speaker
Use color, light, and simplicity to evoke solar energy, incorporating gold, white, or warm tones, natural sunlight placement, or a clean, uncluttered surface that feels energizing rather than crowded. Keep the setup adaptable by rotating one or two seasonal elements, small offerings, or a single focal object that reflects your current solar working, making the altar easy to maintain while still being meaningful.
00:32:00
Speaker
And as far as offerings go for food, I'm not going to rehash everything that we talked about. You could use any of the foods or correspondences that we discussed already in the correspondences or the altar styles and setups. as a way to provide an offering. You could even cook something, like make a dish with all of those ingredients and then offer a plate at your altar for a specific deity or just the fey in general, whatever you wanna do. And then as far as actions go, i think one of the most impactful ways that you can celebrate this time of year is giving back. So whether that be going on a walk and picking up trash that you see or planting something in your garden, tending to your flower beds, tending to a community garden and like those sort of things, donating food. If you have an abundance of food that you're harvesting, donating that food to a food pantry or to somebody who needs it.
00:33:02
Speaker
All of those things I think would be perfect action for this solstice. And as with anything, there's always going to be some common misconceptions. So one of them is that all Letha altars must be bright and sunny. So while solar imagery is common, focusing only on brightness can overlook Letha's deeper symbolism as both a celebration of abundance and a recognition that the wheel is already turning toward darker days. So remember that it's a balance and that you can incorporate symbols of cycle, balance, and transition.
00:33:34
Speaker
Acknowledging that the solstice holds both the peak of light and the quiet beginning of its decline. We talk about this quite often, but there's always this like pressure surrounding like Instagram worthy images. And you should probably avoid the pressure to create an elaborate or aesthetic alter for appearances and focus instead on the setup that feels meaningful, accessible, and supportive to your practice.
00:34:01
Speaker
Another one is that we kind of forget that Letha was often celebrated outdoors. So remember that midsummer has deep roots in outdoor celebrations and incorporating nature, sunlight, or open air ritual can be just as aligned as an indoor altar. And then you don't need to overload your altar with too many correspondences. Trying to include every associated herb, crystal, symbol, and tool can create clutter, while a more focused altar often feels more intentional and effective. um And then the last one is just forgetting general fire safety.
00:34:42
Speaker
So if you're using candles or flame-based symbolism, just keep safety central by being mindful of placements, flammable materials, and practical alternatives when they are needed.
Episode Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:34:56
Speaker
Yes. The amount of times we bring up fire safety on this podcast. Yes.
00:35:16
Speaker
That's a wrap on this episode of Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft. We hope you had as much fun as we did. If you love this episode, we'd be eternally grateful if you left us a five-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts. It helps more witches, seekers, and magical misfits find our show.
00:35:32
Speaker
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00:35:46
Speaker
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00:35:59
Speaker
Join us next week for a listener-requested episode on understanding how to research all things related to magic and the occult. Until then, stay magical, stay curious, and as always, blessed be witches.