How you can Rejoice Lughnasadh
Celebrating Lughnasadh, as certainly one of 8 seasonal festivals throughout the ever-turning Wheel of the Yr, is a superb approach to just do that!
What’s Lughnasadh? (Pronounced Lavatory-nah-sa)
Lughnasadh, additionally referred to as Lammas, is the start of the harvest season. It was traditionally the primary of the harvest celebrations to rejoice the primary fruits and grains of the season. It’s also the midpoint between the Summer time Solstice and Autumn Equinox.
Lughnasadh is normally celebrated proper round August 1st within the Northern Hemisphere, or February 1st within the Southern Hemisphere after we attain the midway level (cross-quarter date) between Solstice and Equinox.
This can be a seasonal celebration, and so if it is August, and also you’re within the Southern Hemisphere, take a look at my publish on Imbolc to be taught concerning the corresponding seasonal celebration for you.
Lughnasadh (pronounced Lavatory-nah-sa) is an historic Irish Harvest usually competition held on August 1st to rejoice the abundance of the Earth, and to acknowledge the passing of time and entrance into the hidden (esoteric) begin of Autumn.
It is without doubt one of the 4 Celtic Hearth festivals and was mentioned to be celebrated from sundown to sundown, so starting on sundown on July 31st and lasting till sundown on August 1st.
However actually… Rejoice someday in early August when it actually seems like summer season harvest time the place you’re, or when the timing is best for you. Some individuals desire to rejoice on the precise cross-quarter date, which this yr is August sixth.
Lughnasa (alternate spelling) can also be typically referred to as Lammas. Lammas comes from the Saxon phrase Hlaf-mass which implies “loaf mass” or “the Feast of Bread”. This identify factors to one of many key meanings of the competition, which was a celebration of the grain harvest marked by blessing and baking bread with the primary grain harvested of the season. Extra on that quickly.
Seasonal Indications of Lughnasadh
At the beginning of August, Summer time is current in full drive. The Earth is ripe with abundance and we are able to really feel and witness the complete flowering of Summer time.
The Solar brightly shines excessive within the sky and sunflowers bloom, tomatoes are ripe on the vine, and the primary of the seasons crops are being harvested.
Metaphysically, within the Spring and Summer time Season, the residing Earth being (Gaia, Sophia) breathes out her etheric and astral forces. This manifests as plant development and an plentiful outwardly expression of vitality and life.
Our agrarian ancestors would have honored the abundance of the Earth, celebrated a bountiful first harvest and the beginning of the harvest season, and given because of Spirit for a lot of blessings and choices for bountiful future harvests as effectively.
With Summer time now absolutely in its peak, we are able to additionally honor and see that that is additionally a time the place the forces of change stir throughout the Earth. The forces of development in nature are beginning to gradual, and the lengthy days of summer season are visibly shortening.
That is the hidden and refined entrance into Autumn. Quickly Mom Earth will start her in-breath of the astral and etheric life forces that manifest so abundantly as rebirth, development and vegetation within the Summer time months.
Quickly the verdant development that peaks in Summer time will halt, the times will develop darker and colder as soon as once more, and the Wheel of the Yr will flip from Summer time into Fall after which Winter.
The cycle continues on, and but we are able to take this time of Lughnasadh to rejoice the attractive Summer time climate, and to rejoice abundance, life, gentle and to honor Mom Earth as an entire proper right here and now.
Celebrating the height and alter of the seasons all year long is such a stupendous reminder of the facility of being current absolutely within the second amidst the continued cycles of change…
An attractive alternative to be in gratitude, to embrace life and to consciously select to boldly transfer ahead in acceptance of the current season and openness in direction of the brand new with open hearts, gentle shining vibrant and really a lot renewed.
10 Methods to Rejoice Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh is a harvest competition that was noticed by agrarian individuals who have been very in contact with the cycles of nature, and the magic of the Earth energies current throughout.
They noticed and honored these components within the second.
In our trendy world, persons are fairly disconnected from Nature and her pure knowledge and cycles. That makes celebrating this and different Wheel of the Yr festivals a superb alternative to reconnect with the non secular forces of nature, to tune into the cycles of change, and to tune in to gratitude for the Earth, and for the various blessings of affection, gentle and abundance in your life.
Lughnasa (alternate spelling) is a time to honor all you’re reaping the rewards from in your life, and all that has come to fruition so that you can harvest and revel in.
It’s a time to be absolutely alive, current and grateful, whereas being aware and honoring what has come earlier than, and what path you’re on main into the long run that can come to be.
There are a lot of methods to rejoice Lammas or Lughnasadh, listed below are a number of of my favourite methods:
1. Get Out Into Nature
Go for a aware stroll in nature, or discover a shady house by a lake, river or the Ocean to swim, chill out, and simply be current tuning into the pure world.
As you’re mindfully observing nature, turn out to be conscious of the forces of development and life current throughout you. Tune into the warmth and power of the Solar and sense the modifications the Earth is present process.
Really feel into how steady the heat and warmth of summer season is, and but there’s the underlying realizing that it too will quickly fade.
What indicators of the hidden strategy of Autumn do you sense or see?
Do you see any crops or flowers going to seed? Replicate on how this fruition and harvest can also be the start of that crops journey into decline the place they’ll return into the Earth to relaxation and lay dormant by way of Winter earlier than as soon as once more being reborn within the Spring.
Really feel into nature and into the qualities of the Summer time season with all of your senses and revel in connecting with Mom Earth with a way of reverence and gratitude.
2. Bake Do-it-yourself Bread
The identify reminds us of the traditional custom of celebrating the primary grain harvest of the season by blessing the grain and baking recent bread with it.
You possibly can faucet into this deeply rooted custom by mindfully and with intention baking your personal Lammas bread to take pleasure in and share with household and associates.
When you’re mixing the substances of your bread collectively, ship/ stir good vibes into the dough infusing your bread with blessings for abundance, pleasure, love, well being, and vitality.
I like making this Gluten Free Buckwheat Bread Recipe which I obtained from my good friend Bridget Nielsen…
Gluten Free Buckwheat Bread
Mix/ Grind collectively and put aside to thicken:
1/2 Cup Chia Seeds
2 Cups Water
1T Vinegar
Combine Flours Collectively in a Separate Bowl:
3 Cups Buckwheat Flour
1 Cup Arrowroot Flour
2 Cups Natural Almond flour (Can Substitute Chickpea flour as effectively)
1.5 T Psyllium Husk Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
Sprint of Salt
Combine Blended Chia combination and 1/2 cup apple sauce in with the Flours.
Add 1- 1.5 Cup Water
Combine Effectively
Pour Into A Ready (buttered or coconut oiled) Pan and Bake at 375 levels for one hour.
(I prefer to sprinkle sunflower seeds on prime)
Baking this wholesome Buckwheat Bread makes for a stunning morning Lughnasadh ritual…
However with an hour bake time, if it’s scorching the place you’re, baking bread indoors could look like the furthest factor from what you’d prefer to be doing.
If that is so, I’ve fantastic information for you!
It’s referred to as Bannock Bread!
Bannock Bread is sort of skillet bread that you may make on the stovetop. It has a fast prepare dinner time, or you may even make it over campfire!
Try this Gluten Free Bannock Bread Recipe right here.
3. Put together a Backyard to Desk Meal
For a summer season harvest competition… What higher method is there to rejoice than a harvest meal?
Why not benefit from the bounties of the season by getting ready a crisp and colourful salad (to serve alongside your home made bread) with recent herbs and home-grown greens harvested out of your backyard.
I LOVE this simple Hemp Seed Herb Salad Dressing to prime it off.
In case you don’t have a backyard of your personal to reap from, cease by an area farmers’ market to buy what’s recent and in season…
Alternately you may simply decide up recent, or have delivered, in season produce from an area grocery retailer like cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, peppers, edible flowers, dill, kale, cilantro and carrots.
Serve with roasted chickpeas, or anything you want.
Actually wish to make this the proper Lughnasadh Feast?
Have A Picnic!
Get pleasure from your meal outdoor in your backyard with household and associates, or pack a picnic and produce it with you to take pleasure in in certainly one of your favourite nature spots.
4. Go Berry Selecting or Go to a “You Choose Orchard”
Examine and see if any You Choose Orchards or native berry farms close to you’re open and have fruit that’s prepared …
In case you’ve by no means been to a You Choose Farm or Orchard, take my phrase for it… It makes for a very beautiful and enjoyable outing, plus you may get to deliver residence some recent and wholesome treats.
Relying on the place you reside, you may additionally be capable to go foraging for blackberries, huckleberries or raspberries within the wild. In case you do forage, make sure you depart some berries for the birds, bears and bees. And sure I mentioned bears, who sure, love berries too so should you do forage in nature, be bear conscious.
It’s also possible to simply decide up some recent and in season fruits like peaches, plums, nectarines and berries on the retailer or native farmers’ market to make a Lughnasa fruit salad, or this wholesome and but nonetheless decadent model of berries and cream.
5. Sit Out and Watch the Stars
Lughnasa is the proper alternative for reconnecting with the evening sky amidst the height of Summertime earlier than it as soon as once more is instrument chilly and chilly at evening for such adventures.
A stargazing celebration may be as easy or as elaborate as you need and wish.
In case you reside in a giant metropolis, it’s possible you’ll have to drive exterior of the town limits to discover a darkish sufficient space to get view of the starry evening sky.
Time for a tenting journey?
There actually is simply one thing so magical and spiritually reconnecting about sitting exterior by a campfire gazing up on the stars. Extremely beneficial.
6. Harvest Seeds
Round Lughnasadh many crops, flowers and greens are going to seed, and these seeds may be harvested.
Every tiny seed comprises the whole blueprint for the plant it’ll sometime turn out to be. This can be a lovely factor to replicate on and ponder in and of itself.
A seed is each the harvest of the present season in addition to the potential for harvests of the long run.
Collect seeds from crops in your backyard, amassing them rigorously and drying them within the solar to plant subsequent spring.
In case you have youngsters make sure you get them concerned on this!
Be taught extra about seed saving right here.
7. Reflection and Meditation
Meditating on Holidays and excessive power dates is my favourite… And with the Lions Gateway simply days away now… The Lammas Cross Quarter Vacation is de facto each.
Discover a snug place to sit down and chill out. Mild a candle or burn some incense-like cedar or sandalwood and permit your thoughts to calm and your consciousness to enter inside.
It’s throughout the internal house of peace and calm that your power may be replenished, and the steerage and help out of your staff in Spirit clearly heard.
If you would like a Free Guided Meditation for connecting together with your angels Click on Right here.
Take a while to meditate, chill out, reconnect with nature… After which seize a journal and a pen for some private self-reflection.
What seeds of intention did you plant within the springtime, and the way have they grown and blossomed in your life?
What remains to be rising in direction of fruition?
How will you higher help and deal with your self with a view to help and maintain your initiatives?
Do you are feeling aligned with this being a time of celebrating harvest and abundance? Why or why not?
Be taught extra Self Reflection Prompts Right here!
8. Divination
This time of first harvest is the proper alternative to attach in with steerage and help out of your staff of guides and angels in spirit.
Use your divination technique of alternative, or check out the next Lughnasadh Card Unfold together with your tarot, oracle or angel playing cards:
First Harvest Oracle Card Studying:
Card 1: The place are you now.
Card 2: What are you harvesting?
Card 3: What in your life wants extra care, nurturing and time to totally bloom?
Card 4: What do that you must launch/ let go of to extra absolutely thrive?
Card 5: What are you able to share with others? How will you be of service?
Card 6: What seeds are actually being planted for later harvest?
9. Make Natural Solar Tea
You possibly can after all, simply infuse recent herbs with boiling water to make a scrumptious and wholesome mug of scorching tea.
However why not put the sweltering summer season solar to make use of and make solar tea?
There actually is one thing magical about recent herbs + purified water + sunshine…
Go for herbs like mint, lemon balm, yarrow, basil, chamomile, thyme, lavender, or ginger… (the checklist definitely goes on)
It’s also possible to take this a step additional and switch your tea right into a crystal elixir by putting crystals round your glass pitcher or mason jar solar tea whereas its brewing outdoor for 4-6 hours.
As soon as your tea is steeped and charged with the photo voltaic forces and crystalline energies…
Pour your self a pleasant huge glass over ice, sweeten with a little bit of uncooked honey if you would like and take pleasure in!
10 Get Artful
Work on a inventive venture you’ve got already began, let your self freely categorical your emotions with watercolors, or take into account making one thing particular to rejoice like Beeswax Candles, or dollies constituted of corn husks. (Corn is without doubt one of the crops generally harvested round this time.)
Nevertheless you select to rejoice…
Glad Lavatory-nah-sa!
With a lot love,