Preparing for Lammas: The First Harvest

The wheel is turning toward the first of three harvest festivals of the year – Lammas or Lughnasadh – on August 1st. Honoring the seasons without helps us to discover them within, and align with more natural rhythms, as we are part of these cycles.

Lammas is the mid-way point between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the upcoming Fall Equinox (Mabon). It reminds us to take pause as autumn gently approaches and summer passes its peak. It is a time to begin reflecting on the year so far – what the seasons held, what you cultivated, how you grew, and what you want to carry forward – big or small, whether you’ve stayed connected to your intentions or life had another plan.

Wheat, flour, bread, and baked good are main traditional symbols associated with Lammas. This is when grains would start to be ready for harvest and storing. Baking with them was, and is, a way to appreciate the bounty!

Some simple ways to honor and align with Lammas:

– Head to the farmer’s market and enjoy what’s in season.
– Bake! And/or enjoy some fresh bread and pastries :).
– Get outside, however you can. Observe the subtle shifts in the world around you as the cycle moves toward its end.
– Take some time to reflect…

Some gentle reflections for this shift:

– What am I grateful for at this point in the year?
– How have the last few seasons challenged me? Provided for me? Taught me?
– How have I grown? What have I sown, cultivated, and nurtured?
– What have I harvested and what do I want to gather before winter? What do I want to release?

Lammas wished to you of nurturing harvests, joyful bounties, and appreciation for all you’ve grown so far.