Lammas is the midpoint between Litha/Summer Solstice and Mabon/Autumn Equinox.
It’s August now, meaning that the first harvest time is upon us – Lammas. This is the time when the first fruits of our labor can be harvested. What have you been doing so far this year? What do you have to harvest? Where can changes be made to put yourself where you want to be?
In order to properly discuss this time of year, we have to honor the past by taking into account how our ancestors did things. According to paganwiccan.about.com, back in the day our ancestors had to work hard out in the fields during the year so harvesting the grain to make bread was a super big deal! If they had to harvest early then they were considered a failure because they didn’t manage to make it the whole time. Unlike today, when we run out of bread we simply pop over to the grocery store and purchase more. It’s strange how far we have come from working hard in the fields to survive to working hard at our jobs to earn money to trade for goods and services we need to survive. Personally, I’m working toward a more natural way of existence, but that discussion will be saved for a later time. 😉
So what does this mean for us today with our iPhones and Netflix and PS4s and modern conveniences? Well, we can simply honor the energies of the season. Surely there has been something: a craft, a task, a project at work, that you have slowly been toiling away at. This is the time to consciously start reaping what you have sown. Or, you could take this opportunity to start something new. That yoga practice or meditation regimen that you had been wanting to start but the timing wasn’t right… Yea, start that now. You could dedicate yourself to reading those books sitting on your nightstand. Whatever you decide to do, understand that this is to better your inner spirit, your inner Self. Choose something that will enrich your soul, that way you know that you’re working on your Self too, and that is always a fulfilling experience.
We are always talking about changing the world, right? Why don’t we start with the world we are in, our own. You will reap what you sow. This we all know too well. Let’s sow some seeds of a healthy, well taken care of, individualized part of consciousness… YOU! By honoring the gods of the past and going back to a more natural way of life we are changing the fabric of reality and affecting all minds in the grid. Because you did it, you open up the way for another. Way to go you! Changing the world and things!
Here’s to the time of Lammas, may we reap what we sow. May we sow seeds of a fruitful nature to usher in a new way of life, understanding that all change starts inside each and every one of us.
Ostara is one of the 8 Sabbats, comprising the “Wheel of the Year” and dividing the pagan seasons. Ostara is the German maiden Goddess of Spring. Ostara also comes from the name of the Triple Goddess, Eostre, maiden-mother-crone. She is also Persephone at the time of year when she reunites with Demeter, marking her 6 month return from the underworld that Demeter negotiated with Hades. (more lore)
“The name equinox means “equal night” in Latin. It’s theoretically the day of the year when all points on the earth’s surface experience the same lengths of daylight and darkness – 12 hours of each. ” source
Though we are turned inward, dwelling in our winter shell, we feel the edge of something brighter, lighter, the cusp of fresh air -the breath of spring.
The first of the Fire Festivals, Imbolc burns with Transition Magick and energies of Rebirth.
The Goddess, awakened from her slumber, is reborn like the phoenix -the Maiden comes forth from the Crone.
The infinite cycle of Gaia. The wheel of the Earth….
Somewhere in the first 2 days of February (some say the first, some the second) marks the midway between Winter and Spring. It’s a time to remember that *spark* that remains no matter how chilly things get. Literally and metaphorically. 😉
It is a time to honor the Sacred Feminine as the energies within the seeds begin to stir, we prepare for more fertile times. We are also reminded to take advantage of our remaining time in the Winter Season:
Seasonal Energy: Winter
The energy of winter is considered feminine and receptive. It is the season for healing, cleansing, and ceremony. Winter’s tranquil energy is supportive of recovering from the hard work of the prior, more active months. It is the time to clear out stagnant or negative thoughts, ideas, projects, and energy. It is a great occasion to perform cleansing rituals, as well as participate in ceremonies celebrating the year, your accomplishments, family, and friends.
Imbolc or Candlemas is a great day to honor the Sacred Feminine. It can be done in a traditional way, like burning candles and offering flowers at a shrine in Her honor. This date also coincides with the feast of St. Brigit, a Irish Catholic nun whose life work was to tend to women’s health, particularly in childbirth. What better way, then, to honor this special day by volunteering or making a donation to your local women’s shelter.
Brigid was a goddess of the Celts. When she was made a Saint by Christian Ireland, she became patron of livestock and produce, as well as of poetry, prophesy and divination.
Cosmic Tarot: “A woman with a blue scarf is sitting at the shore of a lake.” (deck booklet)
The traditional reading of this card is one of joyous celebration and togetherness… which this time of year does bring us. However, in the Cosmic Tarot this card brings a sense of reflection and renewal. The Solstices are perfect midpoints for us to stop, gauge where we’ve come from and where we’re going. There is also a very present feeling to this card… how do we integrate all experiences into the only moment we ever really have? Water in Tarot represents intuition, so we really want to tune into our intuitions and absorb the messages our Higher Self has for us at this time. With this card, I encourage you to take some time and meditate today, even it’s just 5 minutes of mindfulness, you owe yourself a moment of peace among the holiday chaos!
I will be truncating a basic ritual format, because we don’t know each other well, and I want to keep it simple. But here are a few things I’ve found to include:
Smudge prayer to the four directions:
“We call on the Spirit of Sage to drive away negativity from our circle.
Spirit of the East, Great Spirit of Air, Bring peace and inspire this circle.
Spirit of the South, Great Spirit of Fire, energize and protect this circle.
Spirit of the West, Great Spirit of Water, bring purity and cleanse this circle.
Spirit of the North, Great Spirit of Earth, ground and strengthen this circle.
Great Father Sky, guard this circle from above.
Great Mother Earth, nurture this circle from below.”
Candlelight
“This is a nice ritual you can do with friends or family. You begin by placing on a table, one large unlit candle and various smaller unlit candles for each person present. Turn off all the lights and spend a moment in darkness, remembering and honoring the Sun’s light. Then whomever is leading, can light the main big candle an offer a blessing. After that each can come and light their candle from the main flame and all candles can be placed in a circle or spiral around the main one. Once all candles are lit, a song, blessing or “Happy Solstice” can be offered in unison.”
Fire Releasing
“This can be done as a personal ceremony or with a group. Begin by giving out small pieces of paper and pencils so each can write down what they want to release. When all have written down what they wish to release, all can gather around a fire, and each can in turn come to the fire and throw their paper in.”
Ritual Soap: Frankincense and myrrh with a hint of bayberry. Annointing Oil: Pine and anise to repel negative energy and herald the return of joy. Ritual Cup: Egg nog decorated with a sprig of holly. Altar Decorations: Evergreens, holly and mistletoe can bedeck the halls while pine branches may be place to mark the circle. Aquamarine place on the altar will bring motivation and courage, while an opal passed hand to hand shares hope for the spring to come. Clothing: Stay warm! Wear heavy robes of green and red to help the sun continue it’s journey. Cakes: Cookies! Nothing warms the child within like good, old-fashioned sugar cookies with anise frosting. Gingerbread and plumb pudding were also Victorian favorites.
Recipes
Easy Nonalcoholic Wassail
2 cups cranberry juice
2/3 cup white sugar
7 cups water
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp. whole allspice
1 tbsp. whole cloves
1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate
2 (20 ounce) cans pineapple juice
6 fluid ounces frozen concentrated fruit punch
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the cranberry juice, sugar and water. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Place the cinnamon, allspice, and clove into a cheesecloth bag and tie shut. Add to the liquid and simmer 20 minutes. Remove spice bag and add fruit juices. Serve hot. http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Winter-Solstice?offset=1&max=1
I sometimes feel like Samhain gets a bad rap…. with our modern culture capitalizing on the darker side of the season with slasher flicks and gorey costumes, the beauty of this time of year can be obscured. This is a truly magical time of year, where the veil is thin and (with the right knowledge and protection) we can make some really amazing connections!
Before we go any further, a little history….
Samhain (pronounced Sow-en), dates back to the ancient Celts who lived 2,000 years ago. Contrary to what some believe, is not a celebration of a Celtic god of the dead. Instead, it is a Celtic word meaning “summer’s end.” The Celts believed that summer came to an end on October 31st and the New Year began on November 1st with the start of winter. But the Celts also followed a lunar calendar and their celebrations began at sunset the night before. Many today see Halloween as the pagan holiday. But that’s not really accurate. As the pagan holiday of Samhain is on November 1st. But their celebrations did and still do, start at sunset on October 31st, on Samhain Eve. During the day on October 31st, the fires within the home are extinguished. Often families would engage in a good “fall” cleaning to clear out the old and make way for the new. Starting the winter months with fresh and clean household items.
At sunset on October 31, clans or local villages begin the formal ceremonies of Samhain by lighting a giant bonfire. The people would gather around the fire to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. It was a method of giving the Gods and Goddesses their share of the previous years herd or crops. In addition these sacred fires were a big part of the cleansing of the old year and a method to prepare for the coming new year. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, and danced around the bonfire. Many of these dances told stories or played out the cycles of life and death or commemorated the cycle of Wheel of Life.
In addition to celebrations and dance, it was believed that this thin veil between the physical world and the Otherworld provided extra energy for communications between the living and the dead. With these communications, Druid Priests, and Celtic Shamans would attempted to tell the fortunes of individual people through a variety of methods. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
The most important thing you can do to create a wonderful Samhain experience is to raise your vibration! This will automatically repel any darker energies as “like attracts like”:
There are many ways to celebrate Samhain. Here are a few:
Samhain Nature Walk: Take a meditative walk in a natural area near your home. Observe and contemplate the colors, aromas, sounds, and other sensations of the season. Experience yourself as part of the Circle of Life and reflect on death and rebirth as being an important part of Nature. If the location you visit permits, gather some natural objects and upon your return use them to adorn your home.
Seasonal Imagery: Decorate your home with Samhain seasonal symbols and the colors of orange and black. Place an Autumnal wreath on your front door. Create displays with pumpkins, cornstalks, gourds, acorns, and apples. Set candles in cauldrons.
Ancestors Altar: Gather photographs, heirlooms, and other mementos of deceased family, friends, and companion creatures. Arrange them on a table, dresser, or other surface, along with several votive candles. Kindle the candles in their memory as you call out their names and express well wishes. Thank them for being part of your life. Sit quietly and pay attention to what you experience. Note any messages you receive in your journal. This Ancestors Altar can be created just for Samhain or kept year round.
Feast of the Dead: Prepare a Samhain dinner. Include a place setting at your table or at a nearby altar for the Dead. Add an offering of a bit of each beverage being consumed to the cup at that place setting, and to the plate, add a bit of each food served. Invite your ancestors and other deceased loved ones to come and dine with you. To have this as a Samhain “Dumb Supper” experience, dine in silence. After the feast, place the contents of the plate and cup for the Dead outdoors in a natural location as an offering for the Dead.
Ancestor Stories: Learn about family history. Contact one or more older relatives and ask them to share memories of family members now dead. Record them in some way and later write accounts of what they share. Give thanks. Share what you learned and have written with another family member or friend. Add names of those you learned about and wish to honor to your Ancestors Altar.
Cemetery Visit: Visit and tend the gravesite of a loved one at a cemetery. Call to mind memories and consider ways the loved one continues to live on within you. Place an offering there such as fresh flowers, dried herbs, or a libation of water.
Reflections: Reflect on you and your life over the past year. Review journals, planners, photographs, blogs, and other notations you have created during the past year. Consider how you have grown… accomplishments, challenges, adventures, travels, and learnings. Meditate. Journal about your year in review, your meditation, and your reflections.
Renovate: Select an area of your home or life as a focus. Examine it. Re-organize it. Release what is no longer needed. Create a better pattern. Celebrate renewal and transformation.
Bonfire Magic: Kindle a bonfire outdoors when possible or kindle flames in a fireplace or a small cauldron. Write down an outmoded habit that you wish to end and cast it into the Samhain flames as you imagine release. Imagine yourself adopting a new, healthier way of being as you move around the fire clockwise.
Divinatory Guidance: Using Tarot, Runes, Scrying, or some other method of divination, seek and reflect on guidance for the year to come. Write a summary of your process and messages. Select something appropriate to act upon and do it.
Divine Invocations: Honor and call upon the Divine in one or more Sacred Forms associated with Samhain, such as the Crone Goddess and Horned God of Nature. Invite Them to aid you in your remembrance of the Dead and in your understanding of the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. If you have lost loved ones in the past year, ask these Divine Ones to comfort and support you.
Transforming Expressions: If you encounter distortions, misinformation, and/or false, negative stereotypes about Paganism and Samhain in the media, contact the source, express your concerns, and share accurate information. Help eradicate derogatory stereotyping with courteous, concise, and intelligent communications.
Community Connections: Connect with others. Join in a group ritual in your area. Organize a Samhain potluck in your home. Research old and contemporary Samhain customs in books, periodicals, on-line, and through communications with others. Exchange ideas, information, and celebration experiences. Regardless of whether you practice solo or with others, as part of your festivities, reflect for a time on being part of the vast network of those celebrating Samhain around the world. https://www.circlesanctuary.org/index.php/celebrating-the-seasons/celebrating-samhain
From Jade Wolfwriter at Modern Magick:
Samhain is almost upon us, the veil begins to thin….Already I am feeling the heightened psychic energies. Combined with tomorrow’s full Moon, it is indeed a magickal time….
Samhain is the last of the Harvest Festivals, the Witch’s New Year, a celebration of the Dead. This is the time where we see how far we have come, and we mourn the passing of what we have lost. It is time for us to reap what we have sown, a culmination of our journey this past year…..In Druidic times, this was the final Harvest, the winter fate of their families literally tied to the bounty of the land…
This Ancient festival is a time to honor our *journey and the transition*. Death is the doorway to rebirth, the Earth knows this, as she *journeys* through the darkness that is winter, each year to be reborn in the spring. At Samhain we honor the transition that is Death. We honor those that have left us -celebrating in their ultimate rebirth, either reincarnated, or existing on the astral plane for a while. We honor our own journey here in 3D, our spiritual journey, we close the door on that chapter of our lives, and as the New Year dawns -we step forward onto a whole new level.
My plans for Samhain include a long, solitary walk through nature -taking time to meditate and write in my journal. I’ll have a ritual in the evening, calling upon the Autumn Goddesses: Hecate, Persephone and Hathor. My Altar is decorated in festive decor, and I have a sacred Samhain candle I will light. My rituals are Wiccan in nature; invokation of the Elements, the Goddesses, Circle Casting…..I also call upon the spirits of the Universe…..and since its Samhain and the veil between worlds is thinnest -you can practically call upon any ethereal/higher vibrational being that you’d like! Speak to ancestors, pets, spirit guides, deceased lovers….they are willing and waiting on Samhain -hoping someone will reach beyond the veil.
Tomorrow SMG will be hosting a “Virtual Ritual” by posting submitted photos of Samhain altars! If you’d like to participate, simply post your altar photo in the comments and I will upload photos throughout the day!
And finally, the Card of Samhain from my lovely Halloween Tarot deck!
The High Priestess!!!
In some ways the High Priestess is the Magician’s opposite. Where he is active, she is receptive. Where he is expressive, she is silent. Where he casts the light of discovery, she remains in darkness. She has the latent power to make things happen, which takes the Magician’s conscious will to create one step further. As the link between clarity and mystery, the seen and unseen, she is the perfect Halloween Vampiress.
Traditionally, the High Priestess is the virgin daughter of the Moon, and represents the eternal feminine, sometimes called Isis or Artemis. In her blood-red dress, she balances delicately on he crescent moon of dreams and the subconscious, between the ivy veiled gray and the white castle towers. She attempts, usually successfully, to remain free of any attachments, emotional or physical, that might throw her off balance.
She is spiritual enlightenment and inner illumination, as seen in her yellow eyes and in the twin candles in the white tower (signs of the duality of the number-two card). A bat hangs precariously from her little finger, balanced by the book of mysteries in her other hand. The plants on the bottom of the card are pomegranates and palms, female and male symbols indicating that the subconscious is potentially reproductive.
The High Priestess tells you to rely on your intuition and inner strength in making your next move. You know what to do- don’t worry if you’re not quite sure how you know.
Divinatory meanings:
Intuition, the subconscious, Mystery, hidden influences. Duality.
Source: Deck Booklet
I can’t think of a better card to pull for Samhain Eve… wow!
Since it’s the Equinox (hooray!!) I thought it would be a good idea to pull an extra card this week….. The Magician Reversed!
The Magician (R) – Your conscious mind is your sense of self – your individuality and you are capable of intense focus here. Make clear statements of intent – always in the present, looking into both the exterior and the interior worlds to assess the “facts” of daily living. Your conscious mind initiates, gives orders and stimulates a responses – it brings spirit into matter and vice versa. Truth always comes through goodness. Stop hesitating and confront your problems – stop limiting yourself. When you are not applying yourself in the right way, holding yourself back or fearing failure – you can not achieve anything. Be receptive to guidance, change your attitude and trust that your “true” hearts desire is always beneficial to others.Come to know yourself – then BE yourself. When you lack will power and can not seem to cope with the obstacles, you become too busy trying to find the easy way out and this makes you vulnerable to undercurrents and possible deceit, you will not be aware when someone is not telling the whole story. The proper flow of energy becomes blocked and your purpose becomes confused – which leads you to doing nothing. The power is still there – you simply can not use it productively. Depression, mental disquiet and fear create problems – energy or spirit enters and you do not know how to direct it into outer reality. Ground the energy or it will become trapped in your body, forcing itself on your awareness as anxiety and you will experience “burn-out”. Channel your experiences in a productive direction – learn to understand, structure and direct your experiences towards the service of the community. Look deeper into your situation – go deep within yourself and use the divine power that is available to you.
The holiday of the Autumnal Equinox, Harvest Home, Mabon, the Feast of the Ingathering, Meán Fómhair or Alban Elfed (in Neo-Druid traditions), is a Pagan ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth and a recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess and the God during the coming winter months (Wikipedia).
Mabon or Autumnal Equinox
Sept. 23, 2015, beginning at sundown on the 22nd
TOOLS AND RITUAL COMPONENTS:
Incense: Combine benzoin, myrrh, honeysuckle bark, cinnamon and vanilla
Ritual Soap: Marigold for concentration and purification
Annointing Oil: Syrrh and vanilla for awareness
Ritual Cup: Sage combined with white rose water
Altar Decorations: Acorns, gourds, thistle, late blooming flowers, fresh ferns on the floor, bloodstone and malachite
Clothing: Wear the colors of fall
Cakes: apple pie with vanilla, cinnamon and ginger
Colors of the Season:
The leaves have begun to change, so reflect the colors of autumn in your altar decorations. Use yellows, oranges, reds and browns. Cover your altar with cloths that symbolize the harvest season, or go a step further and put brightly colored fallen leaves upon your work surface. Use candles in deep, rich colors — reds, golds, or other autumn shades are perfect this time of year.
Symbols of the Harvest:
Mabon is the time of the second harvest, and the dying of the fields. Use corn, sheaves of wheat, squash and root vegetables on your altar. Add some tools of agriculture if you have them – scythes, sickles, and baskets.
A Time of Balance:
Remember, the equinoxes are the two nights of the year when the amount of light and darkness are equal. Decorate your altar to symbolize the aspect of the season. Try a small set of scales, a yin-yang symbol, a white candle paired up with a black one — all are things which represent the concept of balance.
Other Symbols of Mabon:
Wine, vines and grapes Apples, cider, and apple juice Pomegranates Ears of corn Pumpkins Gods’ Eyes Corn dolls Mid-autumn vegetables, like squashes and gourds”
So what does this mean for us today with our iPhones and Netflix and PS4s and modern conveniences? Well, we can simply honor the energies of the season. Surely there has been something: a craft, a task, a project at work, that you have slowly been toiling away at. This is the time to consciously start reaping what you have sown. Or, you could take this opportunity to start something new. That yoga practice or meditation regimen that you had been wanting to start but the timing wasn’t right… Yea, start that now. You could dedicate yourself to reading those books sitting on your nightstand. Whatever you decide to do, understand that this is to better your inner spirit, your inner Self. Choose something that will enrich your soul, that way you know that you’re working on your Self too, and that is always a fulfilling experience. 
Seasonal Energy: Winter
Sacred Feminine
Easy Nonalcoholic Wassail
Instead, it is a Celtic word meaning “summer’s end.” The Celts believed that summer came to an end on October 31st and the New Year began on November 1st with the start of winter. But the Celts also followed a lunar calendar and their celebrations began at sunset the night before. Many today see Halloween as the pagan holiday. But that’s not really accurate. As the pagan holiday of Samhain is on November 1st. But their celebrations did and still do, start at sunset on October 31st, on Samhain Eve. During the day on October 31st, the fires within the home are extinguished. Often families would engage in a good “fall” cleaning to clear out the old and make way for the new. Starting the winter months with fresh and clean household items.
sacredmoongrove 