By the Mystery Way of the 13 moons, Lammas, or what I call First Harvest on my own solitary path, is here! For pagans, our traditional Harvest season kicks off with Lammas, also known in the Celt influenced tradition as Lughnasa, on August 1. It lasts until Samhain, or Final Harvest.

On the Women’s Mystery path, Lunar Lammas is an esbat celebrated when the moon is full while in the astrological sun sign of Leo.

Tonight 🙂

I would love to throw up all these images of the Harvest of flowers in our rolling, wild gardens and from the bramble and brush at the forest’s edge here, but my harvest this year is so very different… and so this will be a short post, as me and my honey and our 11 year old and our newborn are nestling into the family room sofa for orange sunset and movie night. We paused a moment, as we’ve done so often, and listed our gratitudes with one another.

The most simple, earth bound and practically rooted way to celebrate outloud the entry to Harvest season.

For us, a harvest of hearth, to be sure.

I met my partner result of a Lunar Lammas wishing moon ritual! Tonight, according to Mystery tradition, isn’t a wishing moon, but the next full moon on Aug 22 is. You can ready for Harvest season by reading up and beginning to think on, or feel into, how you’d like to honor these passings this year.

To read more about Harvest festivals in general, ancient and secular, go here.

Lammas is a cross-quarter holiday. Remember the solstices and equinoxes “quarter” the year, and cross-quarters mark the middle of a Season. Lammas marks mid-summer, is southwest on the wheel, and is a strong time to call in animal guides in ritual, journey or through other divination tools like cards etc. Ancestor work at this between the Veils crossing is strong, as well, and a brief reminder here at least on my path that Harvest Season is also what we might call Ancestor Season.

Tonight’s a good night for offerings to the green alleys, genuis loci or spirits of the Place, to the Guides, allies or Ancestors …but in general, Lammas tide continues through the new moon so really any time or way your moved to mark ritual, make offerings or celebration, go with Your Flow!

I was moved this morning to offer libations.

To the Land, and to the dearly departed~

This earth path as I walk it is about making sacred of the mundane every day. Magic is afoot, if only you open your wonder, wander eyes to See.

Happy, Blessed Lammas-tide dear friends. Be good to you, be blessed as you do, and for God’s sake, don’t let them Tame you!!

~

image Margaret Clark, 1901-2001