I can’t believe it’s almost time for the first harvest. This year has gone by so quickly already. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing; time seems to march on faster the older that you get. Perhaps that’s because, as a child, there is a lot of ritual. You get used to summers off, going back to school in September, the building excitement for Thanksgiving and Christmas, then the new year comes. I used to count every day left until spring break, and then again until summer started. The waiting was endless.
Perhaps that’s something we need more of in our adult lives, especially with the endless trudging of day-in, day-out working for the weekends. Something to make our lives more special and bring us together with others. That’s why I started this blog; I wanted to share that there is more to life than just the day-to-day things we can see. There really is a whole other world out there, if only we can stop and appreciate it.
First Harvest: Reaping your Seeds
I’ll be the first to admit that I am not always the most consistent person with my spiritual work. I have tried hard to do bi-weekly rituals (with the full and new moons), and to get myself out into nature where I can see faeries. I don’t always do so well during the winter, which is a time for introspection and rest. If I could hibernate all winter, I definitely would!
However, I have tried to be consistent at planting “seeds” this year. Basically, that just means setting intentions with each new moon. I want to get better at this whole spiritual work thing, because it means raising the vibration of a planet that desperately needs it. It is hard for me, as a sole practitioner, to have the discipline to stick to it. But I am starting to see results from previous moons. It is close to harvest time, which means all the work that I’ve been putting in, all the growth that I have been doing will come to fruition.
Lammas and Faeries
Lammas (sometimes referred to as Lughnasadh), is the first harvest of the year, typically a grain harvest. It takes place on August 1 (in the Northern Hemisphere). This is when our ancestors would go out and harvest their grains to store them for the winter and to make bread out of them. If you would like to celebrate, you can always bake a loaf of fresh bread (because what is better in the world than a loaf of fresh-baked bread?!) and set a slice outside for your fae friends. You could also leave some butter and fresh honey; they like that too! Just remember not to eat it the next day; the faeries have consumed the “essence” of any offerings. Simply bury the food in your garden.
This is a high holiday for faeries, but it is not one of their most favorite holidays. Still, they always appreciate any offering made to them, especially if they have been helping you with your spiritual work. You can even burn some incense for them! Once, I left some incense and cookies out on my backdoor altar. The altar had candles and a little box containing some crystals. When I woke up in the morning, the box of crystals was gone! My fae friends had taken them (or had someone take them) to use.
Summing it all Up
If you have been diligent with your spiritual work this year, perhaps you will notice things changing around you soon! Your growth will start to manifest. I always keep a journal of each ritual that I do, in order to “track” my intentions. It’s fun to take a look back and see how things came to pass, or how I managed to create even better things than I had desired originally. The days may be growing shorter, trudging us ever closer to autumn, but there are still a few weeks left to maximize your growth! You just have to make sure you put in the work.
