The Summer Solstice Tarot Spread: Litha Reading for Peak Power

BY NICOLE LAU

The summer solstice—celebrated as Litha in the pagan tradition, occurring around June 21—is the longest day of the year and the peak of solar power. The sun is at its highest point; the days are at their longest; the year's energy is at its fullest expression. It is a time of celebration, abundance, and the full flowering of what was planted in spring. It is also a turning point: after the solstice, the days begin to shorten again, and the wheel turns toward harvest and eventually toward the dark. A summer solstice tarot spread harnesses this peak energy for celebrating what has grown, assessing what is flourishing, and preparing for the harvest season ahead.

The Solstice Peak Spread (4 Cards)

A simple spread for the summer solstice:

• Card 1: What Is in Full Bloom — What has grown and flourished since the spring equinox
• Card 2: My Peak Power — The quality or capacity that is at its fullest expression right now
• Card 3: What to Celebrate — The achievement, growth, or blessing most deserving of celebration
• Card 4: The Turning Point — What is beginning to shift as the wheel turns toward harvest

The Litha Spread (6 Cards)

• Card 1: The Year's Harvest So Far — What has grown and manifested in the first half of the year
• Card 2: What Is at Its Peak — The energy, project, or relationship at its fullest expression
• Card 3: What to Celebrate — The growth and achievement most deserving of honor
• Card 4: What Is Beginning to Turn — What is starting to shift, complete, or move toward harvest
• Card 5: What to Tend in the Second Half — What needs continued care and attention through the summer and autumn
• Card 6: The Solstice Blessing — The gift of this peak moment

The Fire Spread (5 Cards)

Honoring the summer solstice's fire energy:

• Card 1: My Inner Fire — The passion, will, and creative energy burning in me right now
• Card 2: What My Fire Is Creating — What my energy and will are bringing into being
• Card 3: What Feeds My Fire — What nourishes and sustains my passion and vitality
• Card 4: What Dims My Fire — What is draining or diminishing my energy
• Card 5: How to Tend My Fire — The most important action for sustaining my vitality through the second half of the year

Summer Solstice Ritual with Tarot

1. Pull your spread at sunrise or at noon—the peak of the sun's power
2. Create sacred space outdoors if possible: sunflowers, citrine crystals, gold and yellow candles
3. Begin by acknowledging what has grown since the spring equinox—speak it aloud
4. Pull your spread and journal your reading in the sunlight
5. Write a gratitude list for the year's growth so far
6. Set an intention for the harvest season ahead

Seasonal Tarot Practice

For practitioners who want a comprehensive library of seasonal and wheel-of-the-year tarot spreads, 50 Tarot Spreads: A Visual Guide includes summer solstice and all eight sabbat spreads alongside the full range of lunar and seasonal layouts.

For practitioners building a daily practice that aligns with the natural rhythms of the seasons, the 30-Day Tarot Practice Workbook provides a structured framework that can be started at the summer solstice—a 30-day commitment to intentional daily practice at the year's peak energy.

Recording your seasonal readings year after year in a dedicated journal creates a longitudinal record of your soul's journey through the wheel of the year. The High Priestess Tarot Journal provides a dedicated space for this kind of sustained seasonal practice documentation.