BEGINNING OF THE HARVEST
As we make our way through high Summer, we approach the 3rd of our big Sabbaths: Lammas / Lughnasadh. August 1st, traditionally marks the first harvest when Lugh – the Celtic God of Light – dies and fills the crop with his radiant energy. Lammas probably originates in Old English and means “loaf mass”; it honours the bread loaves made from the first corn.
This Sabbath is a celebration of the gifts that Mother Earth provides us with. And it’s a celebration of our personal growth and ripening process. There is still time until the final harvest is done and we are ready to withdraw into the darkness again.
Your first crop
Lammas is a time of reflection. We look back on the seeds we planted over the year and the intentions we set, adjusted and let grow. The first harvest might seem small or almost invisible to us. We may find that there is indeed some corn to reap, but it is not at all enough to survive winter.
Look closer. That goal you set for yourself may seem very far away, but intentions don’t go bad or die. By setting intentions, you have changed something within you, and the outside will follow. Your first crop is the energy you have changed by setting your intentions.
Adjust. The farmer has to get it right with the first try or else he will end up broke and broken. We don’t. We can change the fertiliser at any point in the process, we can plant limitless seeds, and we can always take a step back and start over. Your first crop is the insight you get about your journey.
Be kind to yourself. You are doing the work, and it can become hard and exhausting. Take a break, nourish your heart and spirit, and take any action you need to take to move on. Your first crop is the compassion you find for yourself.
Lammas: Celebrate
Lammas is a celebration of growth and abundance. Spend some time outside and ground yourself in nature and sunshine. Marvel at the sunflowers and the lavender. Maybe bake some bread to honour the light that has enriched the crop. Light red and yellow candles to honour the light within yourself. Be patient – the harvest has just begun!
“I feel alive, I feel the love, I feel the love that’s really real – I’m on sunshine, baby” (Katrina & The Waves)
Kerstin Wolff
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