Lammas- First Harvest, Early Autumn 1st Feb(S) 1 Aug (N)
The first harvest arrives at the end of summer. It is a time to start seeing what you have and acknowledge the abundance of the summer.
Start to take stock of your health, well-being, creativity and work. Bring gratitude and abundance to your creative and cyclical life.
Lammas 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.
We celebrate Lammas on the 1st of February in the Southern Hemisphere, (1st August in the North- 1st Feb the North, celebrates Imbolc, the first spring) part of the bigger Wheel of the Year, containing all the seasonal festivals of the solar year.
In many pastoral heritage, this time of year marks 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. This is why when we live cyclically and in tune with nature is so important to bring some of these concepts and traditions back. We can start to teach our children where food comes from, how to grow, how to honour our ebbs and flows of energy, and that the seasons and our own lives are always changing.
The name of the old first harvest festival- Lughnasadh (Loo-NAS-ah) comes from the celebration of the ancient Irish god Lugh- the god of artisans and craftsmanship.
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 the end of any season, it is important to give thanks, especially at Lammas and the Autumnal Celebration. To represent abundance, gathering and 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. 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 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 reminds us to take a step back and tell ourselves 'Well done'.
Click Link to below download Free PDF of Lammas Poster,
Questions to Ask Yourself and Rituals for Lammas-
I Honour the Season
Journaling or meditating, ideas or themes
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 you take from summer into autumn with you?
What abundance and love do you have in your 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?
This Lammas Week, see what I have to offer. starting with Yoga with Andrea on 2nd Feb- Every Friday @yogasteps Studio 8.30 am
and Sat 10th Feb- Creative Workshop- 9.30-11.30 am @YogaSteps studio R250
