Lughnassadh
We have circled around again to Lughnassadh. Lughnassadh, also known as Lammas, is the first of the three harvest festivals. Many traditions abound surrounding this holiday, the most prominent being that if a girl-child is born on Lughnassadh, she will alternate between loyalty and destructive tendencies. In short, she will switch between being your greatest ally and your greatest enemy without warning. Then back again. Okay, so that actually isn't true, but my sister was born on Lughnassadh. ;)
Seriously, as I said, it is the first of the harvest festivals. While still at one of the warmest points of the year, the days begin to become more noticeable shorter (the actual decline beginning at the Summer Solstice as previously indicated) and the first of the crops begin to be harvested.
The festival was named after the Celtic God Lugh, the God of sun and fire. Look to the weather out your windows (provided you are in the northern hemisphere) and this will make sense to you. Again, the Sabbatt is best practiced through the gathering of family. Grains and breads are prominent in this festival and should play a primary role in the dietary portion.
This is a day of thanksgiving. As the warm days prepare to decline, and the hardships of the fall and winter loom on the horizon, now is the time to take stock of what you have and give thanks for it.
Gather with your family and take the time to acknowledge the bounty of the Goddess as it begins to unfold before you, and give prayer that the harvests coming up are good ones. Now I recognize that most of us live not on the gift of the land, but rather the gift of the supermarket. Yet this is not an intangible theory. Can you get the produce you want? Certainly. But the bounty effects price, and thus your checkbook, so at least consider that on this day.
Note that the God is retreating, and soon the cold will return once more. Mostly, celebrate. This is the first of the harvest festivals, and thus the easiest to celebrate. The last is the one that is the most difficult, since then you might be facing the fact of a poor harvest. Here we have speculation.
Think therefore on this. What is it you would harvest from your life and your relationships? What is it you expect? Now is the time to iron out your expectations and desires. Unlike with the crops, even within this season you can adjust.
Relax, and enjoy your family's company. Take stock of the bounties that you have and give thanks. Take stock of what still needs work and plan and implement the plan. It is Lughnassadh. The God smiles on you. Smile back, and celebrate life, or something close to it.
Seriously, as I said, it is the first of the harvest festivals. While still at one of the warmest points of the year, the days begin to become more noticeable shorter (the actual decline beginning at the Summer Solstice as previously indicated) and the first of the crops begin to be harvested.
The festival was named after the Celtic God Lugh, the God of sun and fire. Look to the weather out your windows (provided you are in the northern hemisphere) and this will make sense to you. Again, the Sabbatt is best practiced through the gathering of family. Grains and breads are prominent in this festival and should play a primary role in the dietary portion.
This is a day of thanksgiving. As the warm days prepare to decline, and the hardships of the fall and winter loom on the horizon, now is the time to take stock of what you have and give thanks for it.
Gather with your family and take the time to acknowledge the bounty of the Goddess as it begins to unfold before you, and give prayer that the harvests coming up are good ones. Now I recognize that most of us live not on the gift of the land, but rather the gift of the supermarket. Yet this is not an intangible theory. Can you get the produce you want? Certainly. But the bounty effects price, and thus your checkbook, so at least consider that on this day.
Note that the God is retreating, and soon the cold will return once more. Mostly, celebrate. This is the first of the harvest festivals, and thus the easiest to celebrate. The last is the one that is the most difficult, since then you might be facing the fact of a poor harvest. Here we have speculation.
Think therefore on this. What is it you would harvest from your life and your relationships? What is it you expect? Now is the time to iron out your expectations and desires. Unlike with the crops, even within this season you can adjust.
Relax, and enjoy your family's company. Take stock of the bounties that you have and give thanks. Take stock of what still needs work and plan and implement the plan. It is Lughnassadh. The God smiles on you. Smile back, and celebrate life, or something close to it.
posted by Wanderer at 12:19 AM
5 Comments:
Sorry. It wasn't up when I started.
Last night the setting sun was an incredible golden color, with the dark clouds that all but covered the mountian the sun was setting behind. The golden tint, the golden glow was breath taking and seemed sureal to us. Like the scene from some Sci-Fi movie where the world was very old and the sun dying. The veggie stands are springing up on the rez. Fresh squash and melons. Cherry season and apricot season are already over. Life goes on...Hey, come on down to NM for a visit, bring the little lady and sweet baby. RD has a job for you...I'll cook you lasagna - no beer though, not allowed on the Rez. now I'm just stalling, too many things left to do on my "Things to do" list.Wow, that word verification is very long and complicated...let me practice here - iwsphfdr, nope that should be iwxphfdr, fdr, wasn't he a president...cut that out maryellen - get to work!
RD has a job for me? Why is it that in a way that sounds ominous? :) I must say, the scenario sounds appealing, as a visit anyway. Couldn't be too long term. That no beer thing would get old pretty fast. You are definitely on the list of blog friends that I need to get around to visiting with at some point. Not that I ever imagine actually being able to afford to do so. You and Grey Owl are on the short list. I still have to go visit Lisanocerous on her home turf one of these days to.
Lughnasadh Blessings! I don't know about you, but I'm not quite ready for the harvest festivals yet, I'm still hanging on to summer for some reason this year.
I've always loved the harvest season, anxious to be rid of this long, hot, dry summer...but in turtledove's comment about hanging on to summer, part of me laments, looking at our sorry planet, and the sorry populace that are distroying her with war, greed, and ignorance...I wonder how soon the cycles will halt altogether. Will there even be, inspite of global warming, another summer?
Post a Comment
<< Home