Litha: The Summer Solstice Name That's Younger Than Your Parents

Litha: The Summer Solstice Name That's Younger Than Your Parents

The name Litha is younger than you think — and the real history of the Summer Solstice is wilder than you think. From ancient Egypt to the Inca Empire to a Swedish midnight skinny dip past a murderous river demon, every culture celebrated the same sun completely differently. Plus the Oak King myth debunked, Litha 2026 astrology, and how to actually celebrate the Summer Solstice. Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@dbjpodstl] with facial expressions included. SOURCES & FURTHER READING The Name Litha & The Wheel of the Year * Aidan Kelly — "About Naming Ostara, Litha, and Mabon" [patheos.com/blogs/aidankelly/2017/05/naming-ostara-litha-mabon] * Venerable Bede — De Temporum Ratione (The Reckoning of Time), 725 AD * Ronald Hutton — The Triumph of the Moon (1999)Ronald Hutton — The Stations of the Sun (1996) * Green Egg Magazine history [wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Egg] Ancient EgypT * Sphinx & pyramid solstice alignment [ancient-origins.net] * Sirius, Sopdet & Isis mythology [britannica.com/topic/Sopdet] * The Nile flood calendar [wikipedia.org/wiki/Flooding_of_the_Nile] * Aswan High Dam ending the annual flood [britannica.com/topic/Aswan-High-Dam] * Nabta Playa — world's oldest solar observatory [astronomy.com/observing/nabta-playa-the-worlds-first-astronomical-site-was-built-in-africa-and-is-older-than-stonehenge] Inca / Inti Raymi * Inti Raymi history [ history.com/topics/ancient-americas/inca Sapa Inca as Son of the Sun: historyskills.com/classroom/year-8/inti] * Manco Capac origin story [machupicchuhop.com/en/blog/manco-capac-and-mama-ocllo-legend] * Intihuatana stone [ britannica.com/topic/Machu-Picchu] * Inti Raymi revival 1944 [peru.travel/en/attractions/inti-raymi] Swedish Midsommar * Midsommar history — Nordic Museum via The Culture Trip [theculturetrip.com/europe/sweden/articles/a-brief-history-of-swedens-midsummer-festival] * Midsommarstång origins [scandinavianarchaeology.com/midsommar-summer-is-coming] * Seven flowers tradition [scandification.com/midsommar-what-it-is-and-how-swedes-celebrate-it Näck water spirit: visitsweden.com/what-to-do/culture-history-and-art/culture/mythological-creatures] * Swedish birth rate stat [news.berkeley.edu] * Official Swedish Midsommar guide [sweden.se/culture/celebrations/swedish-midsummer] The Maypole * Maypole history [wikipedia.org/wiki/Maypole] * Ronald Hutton — The Real Meaning of the Maypole [idler.co.uk/article/the-real-meaning-of-the-maypole-2 Puritan ban of 1644: efdss.org] The Oak King & Holly King * No ancient evidence for the myth [irishmyths.com/2024/12/18/holly-king-oak-king] * Robert Graves biography [poetryfoundation.org/poets/robert-graves] * Ronald Hutton on invented tradition [religionnewsblog.com/18250/wicca-ronald-hutton] * Scholar critique of The White Goddess [reactormag.com/book-review-robert-graves-the-white-goddess] Feast of St. John the Baptist * St. John's Day history [britannica.com/topic/Saint-Johns-Day] * Church absorption of pagan holidays [history.com/topics/religion/christmas-traditions] Astrology of Litha 2026 * Venus conjunct Jupiter & June 2026 transits [planetswithin.com/june-2026-astrology-overview-horoscopes] * Cancer season astrology [astrostyle.com/june-2026-horoscope] * Mercury retrograde in Cancer [dazeddigital.com/beauty/article/70372/1/horoscopes-june-2026] How to Celebrate / Rituals * Litha herb traditions [seawitchbotanicals.com/blogs/swb/herbal-magic-for-litha-a-solstice-fire-ritual] * Litha rituals overview [pagangrimoire.com/litha-rituals] * Germanic Midsummer traditions [naturallymodernlife.com/witchy-ways-to-celebrate-summer-solstice] Further Reading * Ronald Hutton — The Triumph of the Moon (1999) * Ronald Hutton — The Stations of the Sun (1996) * Robert Graves — The White Goddess (1948)Venerable Bede — De Temporum Ratione (725 AD) FOLLOW THE SHOW INSTA [https://www.instagram.com/dbjpodstl/] TIKTOK [https://www.tiktok.com/@dbjpodstl] YOUTUBE [https://www.youtube.com/@dbjpodstl] SUBSTACK [https://heathernations.substack.com/]

The Real History of Tarot Cards (A French Pastor Lied)

A Protestant pastor walked into a dinner party in 1781 and invented the entire myth of tarot's ancient Egyptian origins. He had zero sources. The room of intellectuals ate it up anyway. This week: the real 600-year history of tarot, the secret society behind the most iconic deck ever made, and the artist who drew every card you've ever pulled — and got paid once, no royalties. In this episode: * Why everything Antoine Court de Gébelin claimed about tarot and ancient Egypt is wrong — and why the real story is actually more interesting * How a Brooklyn-born occultist and a Jamaican-British artist created the most iconic tarot deck of all time, inside the same secret society * What the Fool card has meant for 600 years straight — and hasn't needed a single reinterpretation * Follow Delusional Bitch Juice wherever you get your podcasts. If this episode made you pull out your deck, leave a review — it helps more than you know. Sources for this episode: * Metropolitan Museum of Art — Tarot History [https://www.metmuseum.org/] (free to read online) * Morgan Library — Visconti-Sforza Collection [https://www.themorgan.org/] (the actual cards, viewable online) * Collector's Weekly: Tarot Mythology by Hunter Ottman-Stanford * Mary K. Greer's Tarot Blog [https://marykgreer.com/] — translation of Court de Gébelin's original 1781 essay * Artnet News: The Artist and Oculist Who Designed the Iconic Tarot Deck and Why Has No One Ever Heard of Her Name

Beltane History, the Scorpio Full Moon & What the Church Tried to Erase

What if I told you an entire village would extinguish every fire — every lamp, every hearth, every stove — and then drive their livestock between two massive bonfires, just hoping nothing went wrong? That's Beltane. And this year it's happening on the night of a Scorpio Full Moon. This episode covers the real history of one of the oldest festivals in the Celtic calendar: where the name comes from (scholars genuinely still debate this), why the fires had to be made by friction, what the Romans were doing at the exact same time (strip shows — yes, really), and why cultures across Europe with no contact with each other all landed on the same answer to "what do you do when spring peaks?" Then: the Scorpio Full Moon peaks at 11 degrees Scorpio on May 1st at 1:23 PM EDT, and we need to talk about what it means when the most intense lunar event of the year lands on one of the two days the veil is already considered thin. In this episode: * The Celtic fire festival the Church tried to suppress — and why the bonfires kept going anyway * Why May 2026 has two full moons, and what the double veil thinning on May 1st actually means * What you can actually do on Beltane (including why an evening walk counts, and why I'm not responsible for any divorces) New episodes every week. Find Delusional Bitch Juice on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

58: Charleston Dreams, Lana Del Rey Drama & Taylor’s Sparkly Orange Era

On this episode of Delusional Bitch Juice, Heather reunites with Mikayla, the original DBJ host, for a full-circle catch-up! Mikayla spills all about her big move from St. Louis to Charleston—from gut feelings and woo-girl energies to the realities of moving cross-country as a mom and influencer. We talk about coastal cities, content creation, and what it’s really like trying to stand out in Charleston’s creator scene. Then, we dive into the pop culture chaos of the week: * The messy Lana Del Rey vs. Ethel Cain feud and why it’s giving déjà vu of Sabrina vs. Olivia. * Taylor Swift announcing her 12th album The Life of a Showgirl—and why her “sparkly orange era” might change everything. * Whether Sabrina Carpenter has what it takes to be the next pop queen—or if Taylor’s crown is untouchable. If you’ve ever debated whether moving to a coastal city makes you a better influencer, or just love a little pop star drama and Taylor Swift theories, this one’s for you. Like, Follow & Share if you vibed with this episode! Instagram: Delusional Bitch Juice [https://www.instagram.com/dbjpodstl/] [00:00] – Welcome back, Mikayla! The OG delusional bitch returns[01:00] – Why Mikayla is leaving St. Louis for Charleston[05:30] – The hardest parts of moving cross-country as a mom[12:00] – Is Charleston forever or a stepping stone to Chicago?[16:00] – Collab Club updates + coastal creator life[19:00] – Charleston vibes: food, fashion & King Street[24:00] – St. Louis vs Charleston food scene[32:00] – Podcast platforms: Podcastle vs Descript[33:00] – Lana Del Rey vs Ethel Cain: the feud explained[46:00] – Taylor Swift’s new album The Life of a Showgirl[55:00] – Sabrina Carpenter collab & the future of pop girlies[59:00] – When’s Taylor’s downfall coming? Who’s next in line?[1:00:00] – Mikayla’s official move date + Charleston sendoff

57: Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Good Jeans’ Backlash, TikTok Growth Hacks, & Love Is Blind in St. Louis

On this episode of Delusional Bitch Juice, Heather is holding it down while Chloe takes some “Marriage Time Off,” bringing in special guest Sofia to spill insider TikTok growth hacks. Learn exactly how she broke out of the 300-view slump, the hashtags and posting times that trigger the algorithm, and why engagement beats followers for going viral in 2025. We break down the Sydney Sweeney x American Eagle “Good Jeans” campaign backlash — including the eugenics controversy, the fashion PR response, and how brand scandals can actually boost stock prices. Then, we dive into why Millennial nostalgia dominates 2025 entertainment (Freaky Friday, Devil Wears Prada, Mean Girls) and why “comfort content” is our collective coping mechanism. Other hot topics: * No clear “Song of the Summer” for 2025 — what’s replacing the era of Espresso and Peaches? * The weird, silent moment at a Bad Bunny concert and why fans are calling it “creepy vibes.” * Love Is Blind casting in St. Louis: dating scene realities, Main Street & Westport date night ideas, and why our city is a hidden gem for reality TV. * Retail chaos stories from Missouri’s Tax-Free Weekend — including line drama, in-store shortages, and online vs. brick-and-mortar shopping. Timestamps: [0:00] – Heather’s solo intro + guest Sofia [5:10] – Sydney Sweeney “Good Jeans” ad explained [15:22] – Why Millennial nostalgia rules 2025 [20:45] – How to beat the TikTok algorithm [39:12] – Where’s the Song of the Summer? [45:30] – Creepy vibes at a Bad Bunny concert [55:50] – Love Is Blind in St. Louis [1:05:40] – Best local date spots