Other names for this holiday include Litha, Summer Solstice, Alban Hefin, Feill-Sheathain, Jani, Juhannus, Midsommarafton, or Saint John's Eve.

On or around June 21st

Midsummer is the day that marks the Summer Solstice. It is the longest day and shortest night of the year. From the moment of Summer Solstice, sun's power begins to wane and the days begin growing shorter. The journey into the harvest season has begun. And along with it comes the journey back into the darker half of the year. It is important to note here that the separation of the light and dark halves of the year have nothing to do with good and evil. Light signifies growth and expansion, dark means withdrawal and rest. Both are necessary for life.

Midsummer celebrations begin with Midsummer Eve which is known as the evening of herbs. All of the herbs and flowers gathered this night are considered exceptionally potent. And five herbs in particular are thought to have special magical properties on this night; these are Roses, Rue, St. John's Wort, Trefoil, and Vervain (Verbena). Due to this, there is a great harvesting of herbs and wild plants done on this night and herbal magick is stronger than at any other time. Traditionally, it was thought that women should walk nude through their gardens on this night to ensure continued fertility for the season of growth and many pagans still harvest their herbs on this night in such a fashion.

Just as it is in the prior Sabbat of Beltane, fire is an important aspect to Midsummer celebrations. Bonfires, representation of the sun, are lit to rouse love, purification, health, and fertility. In the past, the fire of Midsummer was traditionally kindled from the friction of two sacred woods, fir and oak. In these more modern times, the fire is not often kindled in such a fashion, yet the woods burned continue to be that of fir and oak. Nine different types of herbs are thrown upon the Midsummer fire. These consist of Heartsease, Lavender, Mistletoe, St. John's Wort, Vervain (Verbena) and a choice of four others chosen from herbs significant to you and typical of this season such as Yarrow. Also cast into the fire, for the purpose of destroying them with both care and respect, are amulets that have lost their usefulness.

The ashes of this Midsummer fire are believed to contain within them the powers of protection, health and luck. As such, they are often sprinkled within gardens and across the thresholds of homes. Especially powerful is fetching running water or dew on Midsummer morning and mixing it with ashes from the bonfire to be sprinkled around the house, yard and on oneself.

Water is another very important aspect of Midsummer. In times past people would swim in waters that flowed towards the rising sun as it climbed in Midsummer morning sky. It is believed that bathing in springs and rivers on Midsummer brings healing, cleansing and protection, and the dew of Midsummer is said to bestow health to whomever drinks of it.

Midsummer is the time when everything is abundant and flourishing. Flowers are in bloom and smell their freshest, colours are their most vibrant, trees are their greenest, hives are rich and heavy with honey, and berries are at their sweetest. It is the time that nature's lavishness has reached a pinnacle point.

This is the season of passion, will, strength and surprisingly that of soothing love. As such, Midsummer is the perfect time to understand the dynamic aspects of passion, will, strength and our need for the corresponding gentle aspects that love can bestow. It is through this season that we can see the beauty of life, the intensity of being, the rapture of passion, the exhilaration of awareness, possibilities of creation and the surprising tenderness of love. Divination on matters of love are especially powerful Midsummer Eve.

Midsummer is the time to heighten our awareness of our own abilities. A time to experience our passions and the strength and the great wellspring of energy within us, to be conscious of how we use these gifts and what they can bring. It is a time for experiencing our own true power.

Midsummer Eve and Midsummer are is an ideal time for divinations and healing rituals.

Some celebration ideas for Lughnasadh include:

• Throw a barbecue or party with a bonfire.
• Consider leaping the fire, singly or in couples holding hands, to bring fruition to your life.
  If you choose to do this, please take appropriate precautions: don't wear loose clothing, tie up long hair, make the fire small. And be careful!
• Use or make an item to symbolize troubling things in your life that you wish to be rid of. Push your thoughts and energies concerning these troubling things into the item. Then toss the item into the fire to symbolically burn those troubles from your life.
• Go berry picking.
• Partake in the fruits and vegetables of the season, in honor of the earth's richness and abundance.
• Share your garden's harvest with those that are not so fortunate.