Lammas is here…! It is an ancient festival that has transformed and adapted with each culture, but at the root is the earth's natural drawing in and letting go.
(1st February in the southern hemisphere, (1st August in the North- today the north celebrates Imbolc, the first spring) part of the bigger Wheel of the Year, containing all the seasonal festival of the solar year.
It marked the start of the harvest season and was traditionally a time for offering thanks for the abundance of the summer. Many of these traditions and earth-honouring times have been lost due to the development of modern life, and the disconnect between nature and our environment.
That is why it is so important to bring them back, teach our children where food comes from, how to grow, how to honour our own ebbs and flows of energy, and that the seasons and our own lives are always changing.
The names of the old festivals- Lughnasadh (Loo-NAS-ah) comes from the celebration of the god Lugh- the god of artisans and craftmanship. The Christianised name for this festival became Lammas come from old English for ‘Loaf Mass’ in which the first baked bread of the harvest was blessed in church.
Traditionally this day was celebrated by creating a circle, honouring the harvest grain with bread, grains, crafts, eating together, and sharing food and crops.
both names, or if you prefer the term first harvest all symbolise the same thing...
"Honouring the abundance of the year with gratitude"
Thanking the earth for growing and feeding us, thanking our creativity to make and nurture.
There are many ways to celebrate or honour today. here are a few examples of simple things you can do to remind us we are part of the earth's great cycle.
Gratitude & Abundance
At end of any season, it is important to give thanks, especially at Lammas and the Autumnal Celebration. To represent abundance, gathering and really seeing what we have to show from our summer growth.
Search for Abundance in Nature
Go for a walk, and look out for flowers, fruits and crops ready to burst. Really take time to notice the natural changes every day. By doing this we can start to look within at the subtle changes we make every day. Bring awareness and acceptance into our lives when things shift and constantly change.. this is normal!
Collect Seeds & Store
Gather your sunflowers & pumpkins, pick chillies, and herbs and make pickles for the winter season. don't have a garden? don't worry, sow microgreens or herbs in your kitchen, you can harvest them every day.
Bake & Share Bread
The Name Lammas come from 'Loaf Mass' the grains of harvest are celebrated and are central to this tradition. bake some bread, or share food with your family and friends. Sharing gives us an oxytocin boost, with love and gratitude in our hearts.
Honour Your Cycles
These moments in nature can help us understand our own cyclical nature, what other seasons and cycles affect us? what does the season change feel like in your body? do you feel like changing your foods or exercising? how do other cycles affect you? the moon shifts, your menstrual cycle? your daily energies?
Bring the outside in
Create a harvest altar, maybe from the things you find on your nature walk or draw or create something beautiful, Lammas is about honouring the creations that reside in all of us, celebrating what humans can make and the ability to make something beautiful.
Reflection
Take time to start taking stock of our lives, projects and what needs finishing up in the next few months. honouring what we have achieved over the summer, or in a particular project, or work. before we start to edit or change, Lammas is reminding us to take a step back and tell ourselves 'well done'.
Top Tips, Questions to ask yourself and Rituals for Lammas
Here are a few ideas to honour the First Harvest
I honour the season
Ideas- Journal, meditate on or share in a circle or with a listening Partner
What Jewels of wisdom does Autumn offer me?
What beautiful abundance can I carry with me?
What amazing things have I achieved or produced this summer?
Gratitude
Write 3 things I am grateful for today.
What resources do I take from summer into autumn with me?
What abundance and love do you I have in life,
What are you grateful for today?
Reflection
Ideas- mini clear out, Prune the garden or rake some leaves, Write down anything that is not serving my life at the moment, you can always symbolically burn it!
What can I release?
What do I not need in my life?
What is not helping move forward?
I Honour Nature
Ideas- Decorate homes with natural seasonal objects, and collect some fruit or flowers, feather or seeds. Take a nature walk to witness the abundance and fruitfulness.
What are the most beautiful things I notice at the end of summer?
I honour the shifts in seasons of nature and within myself.
I honour the harvest
Ideas- light candles, decorate your home with fruit and flowers, meditate outside, and listen to the sounds of nature.
how can I invite abundance into my life?
how can I honour what is going right in my life?
what fills your heart with love?
For a free PDF infographic of this blog- Click Below
This Lammas Week, see what I have to offer. starting with Yoga with Andrea 2nd Feb- Every Thursday @yogasteps Studio 8.30am
and Sat 4th Feb- Creativity Workshop- 9.30-12 @YogaSteps studio R300
for a deeper understanding of these cycles and celebrations, sign up for my Cyclical Creativity online course. or book a one to one mentoring session