The major sabbat of Lammas Day denotes the high point of the year; all crops are in their peak of fullness, the weather is sunny and warm and all the land is bursting forth with the beauty of life. For centuries, Pagans have known we have the heavens above to thank for this bounty and the gods of nature must always be recognized for their munificence with a gathering of the tribe and a feast, ideally in the great outdoors.Ask attendees to bring harvest offerings for the altar: fresh-picked flowers, apples, pumpkins, gourds, corn, wheat stalks bundles fresh pickings from their garden and food to share in thanksgiving made from the crops: berry pies, watermelon, tomato salads, pickles, green beans, corn pudding, lemon cakes, cucumbers, apple cider and beer brewed from wheat, hops and barley. This celebration of the reapings from the summer season should reflect what you grown with your own hands. Fill your cauldron or a big beautiful colored glass bowl half-full with freshly-drawn water. Get packets of tiny votive candles for floating in the water. At the feast table, make sure to have a place-setting for the godly guest Lugh who watched over the plantings to ensure this bounty. Place loaves of fresh-baked Lammas bread by his plate.
Plants carry potent energy you can use to amplify your magical workings. Use the signs of the sun, moon and stars to your advantage and, over time, you will come to know which ones are most effective for you. Make sure to use your own astrological chart in working with these herbs.Here is a guide to the astrological associations of plants you may grow in your kitchen garden or keep dried in your pantry:
Aries, ruled by Mars: carnation, cedar, clove, cumin, fennel, juniper, peppermint and pine
I’ve found that my remedy box has grown into a cupboard over the years.I tend to study and read up on a condition and seek out the most effective and reliably recommended remedy to treat it.most herbs, tinctures, and essential oils have more than one therapeutic use, and my knowledge has grown as a result of having some of these herbs in my cupboard.Often, the range of uses is wide; for example, lavender oil is indicated for skin conditions, respiratory and circulation problems, nervous tension and exhaustion, coughs and colds, muscle aches, and menstrual cramps, as well as cuts.I stanched a deep cut on my toe with lavender oil recently, a new use for me, and it worked great.It’s a natural disinfectant, too!I would estimate that this cure cost me about a dime as opposed to a $2000 trip to a crowded emergency room, with an exposure to myriad viruses.It was peace of mind for pennies.
Here is a delightfully easy recipe that will produce a flavorful homemade liqueur that smells as good as it tastes.If you are interested in making a hassle-free bottle of spirits apples are a wonderful way to start.Start with these ingredients:
Summertime...and yet the living is not but so easy.
My rich and full life has kept me away from here for a good part of the summer. I'm not just a village witch, you know. I'm a gardener and canner, and this summer we expanded one of the community gardens and brought another one "online" in my neighborhood.
The Goddess in Her many aspects teaches us the mystery of the cauldron—birth, death and rebirth. Nowhere is this unfolding of regeneration more evident than in the garden bower at high summer. Heady with the fragrance of rose, valerian, lily, sweet pea, peony and more, the air itself seems ripe with life. As blossom turns to bloom then fades to seed or dies back to root we witness a time lapsed allegory of our own days on this earth, ending with the promise of new generations.
I was in the garden yesterday, devoting these warm weather days to Spring time. I was not born with the greenest thumb, but the more I've tended the sacred garden of my heart in communion with Earth as Divine Creatrix, the more nurturing my hands have become to Her soil, and in life.
In his book, Spiritual Growth Through Domestic Gardening, Al Fritsch, a Jesuit priest, says, “Gardening enhances our relationship with Earth. Through gardening, we are helping to heal the planet which is part of the work we are called to do.”
Thesseli
You should post on Substack too, where you won't have to worry about being deplatformed or kicked off the site for your views. (Also, I've archived th...
David Dashifen Kees
I feel it necessary to state, unequivocally, that anti-trans points of view are not an essential part of Paganism. As a trans Pagan myself who helps ...