As the Yuletide season approaches, the significance of the home transforms into a profound celebration of sacredness. In many cultures, the house serves as a microcosm of the universe—a symbol of safety, security, and shelter. This concept parallels various spiritual traditions, highlighting the home as a sanctuary that embodies the nurturing qualities of the Great Mother.

In sacred architecture, just like the temple, palace, and mountain, the home stands as one of the world’s centers. It represents not just a physical space but also an inner realm where personal and collective stories unfold. During the Yuletide season, this connection deepens as families gather to honor traditions and share love, echoing the home’s role as a repository of wisdom and memory.

This year, I reflect on last year’s family gathering. So much has changed since then, and a lot of it has to do with changes happening in my home and family. Like so many of us, my mother is aging, and each gathering seems particularly precious. The time spent at my family home in Statesboro has yielded a new understanding of its history and the future. My home here in Marietta has been my respite as I recuperate from a recent accident. Last year, I lived with my holiday decorations well into the new year; this year, given all that has come to pass, it’s likely that my family and I will scale our celebrations to match.
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From a Jungian perspective, the dynamics of our internal lives are mirrored in the spaces we inhabit. The feelings of warmth and safety that the home provides reflect our own psychological state. As we adorn our homes with lights and decorations, we engage in an act of internal reflection, inviting the spirit of the season into our lives.

Freudian interpretations further enrich this understanding by emphasizing the feminine symbolism of the house. The nurturing environment it provides evokes qualities traditionally associated with femininity, reinforcing the idea of the home as a protective womb. The roof symbolizes heaven, the windows become portals to the divine, and the walls embody the earth—all elements that connect us to a larger cosmic reality.

In the context of Yuletide, this sacredness is amplified. As we gather around the hearth, we not only celebrate the warmth of our homes but also acknowledge their role as sacred spaces that cradle our aspirations, fears, and love. The rituals we perform—be it decorating the tree, sharing meals, or exchanging gifts—transform our homes into temples of joy and connection.

Ultimately, the home during Yuletide serves as a vital center where the sacred and the everyday intertwine, reminding us of the enduring importance of shelter, security, and community in a world that often feels chaotic. As we embrace the season, let us honor our homes as sacred spaces that reflect both our inner selves and our shared humanity.
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Love, Susan

s the wheel of the year turns towards Mabon, the autumn equinox, we find ourselves at a moment of profound balance and reflection. Mabon, celebrated around September 21st to 23rd in the Northern Hemisphere, marks the time when day and night are equal, signaling the shift from the sun’s vibrant energy to the deep introspection of the dark half of the year.
 
Surely, we can feel the wheel’s turning these days. The light crispness in the morning air, changes in our lives. Some of us are seeing our children or grandchildren off to college or celebrating the giant leap to high school. Others of us are honoring the contributions of our parents as they face retirement or approach the end of their life’s journey. At no time in living memory has it ever been so crucial that we actively cultivate our relationship with the divine feminine. At no time in living memory has it ever been so crucial that we actively walk in sacred balance on the Earth.
 
For those of us who live our lives attuned to the Divine Feminine, this time offers a deep renewal and opportunity to reconnect with our inner rhythms and honor the sacred cycles in ways that have meaning to us.
 
The History of Mabon Celebrates The Fruits of Our Labor
 
Named after the Welsh god Mabon ap Modron, whose name translates to "great son" or "divine son," Mabon is steeped in myth and tradition. Historically, it is a time of harvest and thanksgiving, celebrating the fruits of our labor and preparing for the coming winter months. The myths surrounding Mabon often highlight themes of rebirth and renewal, as well as the cyclical nature of life and the sacred dance between light and dark.
 
In your recent experience, how is the Divine Masculine showing up at this powerful time that intentionally honors the Divine Feminine?
  
Of course, the equinox itself is a powerful symbol of equilibrium. As the wheel of the year reaches this point, we are reminded of the need for balance in our lives, between the material and spiritual, the active and the receptive. For the Divine Feminine, this balance is a central theme, reflecting the harmony between nurturing and creating, strength and vulnerability.
 
Where do you hope to cultivate more balance in your life?
 
Mabon Invites Us To Pause, Reflect and Honor Our Achievements
 
In today’s fast-paced world, the concept of balance is more crucial than ever. Women, who often juggle multiple roles and responsibilities, can find solace and inspiration in the teachings of Mabon. This equinox encourages us to pause and honor our personal harvests—whether they are achievements in our careers, personal growth, or the nurturing of relationships.
 
What should we pause and honor in our personal harvests?
 
Mabon invites us to embrace the Divine Feminine’s qualities of introspection and renewal. As we transition from the outward, active energy of summer into the inward, contemplative energy of autumn, it’s an opportunity for women to reflect on their own life cycles and rhythms.
 
What have we harvested this year?
What do we need to release or transform as we prepare for the introspective winter months?
 
This festival also offers a chance to celebrate our achievements and acknowledge our inner wisdom. It is a time to honor the feminine aspects of the self that may be overlooked—our intuition, creativity, and the ability to nurture both ourselves and others. By tuning into the equilibrium of the equinox, women can find a renewed sense of purpose and direction, aligned with the natural rhythms of the earth.
 
 
Celebrate Mabon With Timeless Rituals To Honor Balance
 
This year, why not embrace Mabon with rituals that honor the balance of light and dark? This could be through a simple candle meditation, a ritual feast with seasonal foods, or by spending time in nature, reflecting on the changing season.
 
As you celebrate, consider incorporating practices that connect you with the Divine Feminine, such as journaling about your personal harvest or creating art that expresses your journey through the year.
 
In embracing Mabon, we celebrate not just the harvest of the earth but also the abundance within ourselves. We honor the cyclical nature of our own lives and recognize the profound balance that the Divine Feminine brings to our world. As we move through this season of equilibrium, may we all find the space to reflect, renew, and prepare for the coming cycles with grace and strength.
 
In this sacred time of Mabon, let us remember that we are part of a greater whole, and through balance and reflection, we can tap into the eternal wisdom of the Divine Feminine within us.
 
If you are feeling the call to your deeper work this Mabon, simply hit reply to this email to share your experience with me.
 
Love,
Susan
 
 
 
 
 

​Mabon Candle Ritual: Embracing Light and Dark

Purpose: This simple candle ritual is designed to honor the balance of light and dark that defines Mabon, the autumn equinox. It helps you reflect on your personal harvest and embrace both the light and shadow aspects of your life.

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Materials Needed:

• Two candles: one white (representing light) and one black (representing darkness)
• A small dish or bowl of water
• A journal and pen
• A comfortable and quiet space

Here are the steps to the simple candle ritual:

Prepare Your Space: Find a quiet, comfortable space where you can sit undisturbed. Arrange the white candle on your left side and the black candle on your right side. Place the bowl of water in front of you, symbolizing the flow and balance between light and dark.

Set Your Intentions: Sit comfortably and take a few deep breaths to center yourself. Close your eyes and take a moment to set your intentions for the ritual. You might say something like, "I honor the balance of light and dark in my life. I seek to understand and embrace both aspects with grace."

Light the Candles: Light the white candle first, focusing on its brightness and warmth. As you do, think about the light aspects of your life—your achievements, joys, and positive experiences. Reflect on the light you bring to the world and how you can continue to shine brightly.

Next, light the black candle, focusing on its depth and stillness. As you do, consider the darker aspects of your life—challenges, fears, and areas of growth. Reflect on the lessons you’ve learned from these experiences and how they contribute to your personal development.

Reflect and Write: Spend a few moments gazing at the candles, allowing their flames to symbolize the balance between light and dark. Take your journal and write about what you have harvested this year—both the successes and the lessons learned from difficulties. Consider how you can integrate these insights into your life as you move forward.

Water Blessing: Dip your fingers into the bowl of water, symbolizing the flow between light and dark. Sprinkle a few drops of water around the candles and say, “May this balance bring harmony and wisdom into my life.”

Closing: Thank the candles for their guidance and extinguish them, beginning with the black candle and then the white candle. Sit quietly for a few moments, feeling the equilibrium between light and dark within yourself.
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Final Thoughts: Carry the sense of balance and harmony you’ve cultivated during the ritual with you as you move through the autumn season. Consider setting aside time regularly to reflect on this balance and how it manifests in your life.

Lughnasa, also known as Lammas or Lughnasadh, is one of the four major Gaelic festivals, marking the beginning of the harvest season. Traditionally observed on August 1st, it holds a special place in the Celtic calendar and is steeped in ancient rituals and cultural significance.
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As we approach this point on the wheel of the year, the farms here in Georgia are bustling with the bounty of first harvest. Let’s reflect for a moment on this timeless rhythm that returns each year to ensure that people survive and thrive in the times ahead.

Origins and Historical Significance
Lughnasa is named after Lugh, a prominent deity in Celtic mythology often associated with the sun, light, and craftsmanship. Lugh is celebrated as a heroic figure, and Lughnasa is believed to have originated as a festival in his honor. Historical accounts suggest that it was originally a celebration of the first fruits of the harvest, reflecting the agrarian societies’ deep connection to the land and its cycles.

Customs and Traditions
The festival was a time for community gatherings and feasting, with activities centered around giving thanks for the bountiful harvest. Traditional foods like bread made from the new grain, along with seasonal fruits and vegetables, played a significant role in the celebrations. Offerings were made to Lugh and other deities to ensure a good harvest for the year ahead.

Sports and games were also a key part of Lughnasa celebrations. These events, which included athletic competitions and horse races, served not only as entertainment but also as a way to strengthen community bonds and showcase individual prowess. The festival’s focus on competition and communal participation reflects the Celtic emphasis on honor and collective well-being.

As we watch the 2024 Olympic games, I’m inspired by the global recognition of the values of honor and collective well-being that are a big part of this season.

Lughnasa Today
In contemporary times, Lughnasa is experiencing a resurgence as part of the broader revival of interest in Celtic traditions and neo pagan practices. Modern celebrations often blend traditional customs with contemporary elements, such as music, dance, and arts and crafts fairs. Many people observe Lughnasa by hosting gatherings that emphasize the themes of abundance, gratitude, and community spirit.

Throughout my life: Symbolism and Reflection
Lughnasa embodies themes of abundance and transition. It marks the midpoint between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox, a time when the days begin to shorten and the shift from growth to harvest becomes evident. The festival encourages reflection on the fruits of one’s labor, both literally and metaphorically, and serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of human effort and the natural world.
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In honor of this interconnectedness, I’d like to share with you this Lughnasadh Tarot Spread from Tess Whitehurst. Because Lughnasa and Lammas are used interchangeably to mark this point on the wheel, let me also draw your attention to this beautiful offering from We’Moon. It encourages us - along with a bounty of ways to celebrate this time - to “Make Bread Not War!” 

In celebrating Lughnasa, people honor the age-old traditions that connect them to their ancestors and the cycles of nature. Whether through traditional rites or modern adaptations, the essence of Lughnasa remains a celebration of harvest, community, and the timeless rhythms of the Earth.
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May this Lughnasa be a time of celebration of community and the timeless rhythms you enjoy on Earth.
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Love,
Susan

These are the long days, the hot days following the Summer Solstice. Like each of these days, tomorrow promises to be a long, golden and beautiful day, a benediction to life on Mother Earth, our home planet. We welcome the light and the coming harvests it ensures. Gladly, as these last weeks have been all over the energetic map. 

To a lot of us, this summer feels like we’ve been hung out to dry like the laundry, and we’re flapping in the breeze.

To be fair, there’s a lot going on in the world - and in the universe. The women in my world are receiving their gains with gratitude, but they’re also seeing a lot of loss: loss of focus, loss of time, loss of peace, bone loss, loss of direction. These are the personal losses with big implications for whether we are able to show up in the world or not. If it goes on long enough without letting up, we may also stand to lose our initiative.

Resilience wasn’t supposed to mean that we take our losses lying down.

Venus, the evening star, is rising at dusk to bring us into alignment energetically by raising our awareness of the thin line of light and shadow. Right now, she and four other planets are sitting in the same astrological house in the sky. Of those, Jupiter and Mercury are joining Venus in a chorale. Their song calls upon us to look at the structure and function of our communications regarding our own situation in the world, as well as the situations in which others find themselves. 

These global losses may feel like a betrayal, so embittered, so political, that we may not feel that there’s a way to do anything that will help. Not even a little bit.

What we learn as we join this interplanetary sing along may give rise to a range of reactive emotions. If this occurs, our frustration will need to be directed so that it has a productive place to land.

Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” would remind us of the obvious: Don’t leave home without a towel. For some of us, that would be a beach towel!

Summer solstice, the longest day, squeezed every morsel of basil scented light from the day. Practitioners will understand that its waxing to fullness is comparable to that of the full moon. Now, as the light wanes, in its ending comes a new beginning, the next part of the journey.

We are also leaving behind the Cancer Full Moon, which signified the emotional realm: nurturing, playful, and loving. Whether we’re drinking water, bathing, or swimming in it, the water element helps us move through our own blocks. This nurturing graces us with the ability to prepare, reflect, and renew with purpose and awareness. 

At this time, we are reminded to hydrate often. Whenever  possible, we may luxuriate in pools of water, whether we’re in our bathtubs, a mountain spring, or an ocean eddy.

The duality that we experience between light and dark during summer reminds us that with the waning of solstice comes both celebration of harvest and bounty. Two more turns of the wheel of the year await us before the leaves turn:

Lughnasa, or First Harvest, on August 1
Mabon, or Fall Equinox, on Sept. 21

These points on the wheel are our times to honor the deepening wisdom within, tending the inner landscape even as we tend the outer one. As medicine women, we honor all that we harvest in advance of the darkening, cooler months that daily draw near.

At these points, I invite you to perform a simple ritual in honor of the harvest season. A crystal bowl, sparkly stones, flower petals, a candle, and an invocation to Spirit in your own words are all that you need. Express gratitude, then ask to release any stress or pain in whatever way feels right to you. Then, call in your heart’s desires. If you need help with integration, I am here for you.

The beauty and expression of nature can be amazing, but it can also be dangerous in some ways. Understanding the basic flows of environmental change will help you understand how to respond to the changing nature of rapid change in our lives.

In other words, you can work with the basic flows of natural change to manage the perceived decline associated with rapid change. 

There are three main ways to do this. These include aligning with the energies of Creation, responding to the cycles of change, and connecting with the rhythms of our Universe.

Aligning with the natural energies of Creation

First, stay true to Creating what you want to know how to do in your life. The easiest way to achieve this is to work consciously with the basic forces of nature, earth, water, air, fire and spirit.

Each element works intelligently and lives according to the nature of the Universe, guiding and informing us along the way. Each natural force has its own specific characteristics and functions. 

Earth Element: The Earth attribute defines the physical world in which the representations exist. 
Water Element: The water element informs emotions and the emotional world where we feel pain and love. 
Air Element: The air element gives information to areas of the mind that are overwhelmed by too much information. 
Fire Element: The fire element tells us the point of action where we move from the point of decision. 
Spirit Element: Finally, Spirit flows through all things, connecting them and man to the higher realms. 

Working with the elements can give you the tools you need to start unraveling the chaos. In this way, nature supports your ability to deal with external events. External events are those beyond your control, especially those that bring big changes to your life. These types of events can bring all your vulnerabilities to the surface. 

In nature, natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunamis can be harmful to humans, but they also serve to restore the earth's balance. When you worry about events beyond your control, you feel that all the confidence, security, and comfort you have is at stake. To manage and respond to change, it is important to develop and strengthen our relationships with the Elements. 

Particularly in these times of rapid change, it can be difficult to access our inner knowing. Often, it is out of balance and rhythm. The ability to stay connected to the changing rhythms and fundamental principles of the Universe provides a way to access the rich inner resources of our own knowingness. Mirroring the balanced and refreshing patterns of change found in nature can help you balance your inner self with the chaotic world around you. 

Balance and harmony found in nature are calm and restorative and enhance your ability to manage the demands of rapid change. 

Connecting with the movements of the world

Staying in touch with the movements of the Earth and the basic principles that will help you live well, even in times of rapid change. At times, it seems that we can all sink into an inner darkness from which we cannot escape. 

But if we understand that nature exists in a balance between light and dark, new and old, we can embrace the times of work and rest, life and death. In this way, change offers a metaphor for our own growth and change. When we listen to the forces of nature in times of rapid change, we can trust the process itself.

Love
​Susan

The shortest days have dawned. For the foreseeable future, we dwell in darkness.

Too often, darkness is shown to us as something to be feared. We are told that we must be a light in the darkness. No-one tells us that as spiritual beings; it may also be desirable to allow ourselves the luxury of being blanketed by the wintry dark.

Dwelling in darkness allows us to deeply be, at one, with what is. In warm, wooly no-thingness, we can allow ourselves to return to the wild spirit of our inner terrain. We can enter a place of deep awe and become fully present with presence. 

To go deeper, we choose to cease to see darkness as something to be feared. Instead, we breathe in deeply of the dark, and take it in.

As humans, we need to understand that dwelling in darkness is necessary. This state of being allows us to nurture the deepest, unseen essence of ourselves. The dark nurtures us, seeps into our bodies, until it is the right time to emerge again into the light.

The dark which nurtures us also feeds what needs to be fed. Like compost in the garden, the dark is a type of nutrient that warms and feeds our soul’s roots so that it can grow. When the new growth is ready, it will push its way through to the surface. This is the first, quiet step toward manifestation, allowing our dreams and desires to incubate until the way forward is revealed.

Remember, we dwell safely in darkness in the womb before we travel the birth canal to arrive into the waiting arms of the mother. 

This Winter Solstice, I invite you to allow the darkest night and those that follow to nurture you until you feel ready to re-emerge.

The days and nights between Winter Solstice and Epiphany are meant to be a time of deep renewal. Now is an excellent time to heal, destress, and allow. When we dwell in darkness, we cannot help but turn toward the light.

Love and light,
Susan

​Today, we remain within the window of Samhain, a turn of the wheel that marks a time when the ancestors are honored. As we reflect on the dead, it’s a perfect opportunity to reflect on the undead walking among us. After all, wisdom seeker, you are a person, not a zombie.

And so am I. 

The other day I noticed something: what it costs a person in terms of time and life force energy to watch zombies on television. Out of curiosity, I looked up the number of hours it takes for a person to binge watch “The Walking Dead” series. You’d give up 131 hours, or 5 full days plus 11 hours, according to Audacy. And that only gets us up to 2020. There are 3 more years of episodes to take into account.

A special kind of mindlessness is required to binge watch “The Walking Dead.” Piled up on the sofa, ignoring the world, to ignore your own consciousness. To give up more than a week’s waking hours. Eating junk food or delivery. Wearing sweat pants or last night’s pajamas. 

You’d almost have to be a zombie to watch so many hours of television about zombies.

To be one of the undead is to be unconscious of the human experience. To tune out and turn off what it means to be human. Whether we’re binge watching, binge eating, or some other addictive, numbing behavior, anything we’re using to stuff or shut down our feelings is the stuff that zombies are made of.

To be alive. To be human, is to place heightened attention on ordinary experience in order to elevate consciousness. 

During COVID and the shutdowns, many of us coped with the isolation in a variety of ways. Some of us also shut down as a way to protect ourselves from the waves of collective grief resulting from so many deaths. Others of us chose to use the opportunity to slow down, place heightened attention on the ordinary, and appreciate the experience of living. 

Atlanta chef Stephen Satterfield at Miller Union is among the former. He used the time to write “Vegetable Revelations: Inspiration for Produce-Forward Cooking.” It’s both art and craft, produced for everyday kitchens. 

What would you be creating if we humans dwelled within our own fully realized consciousness? What would we be called to create? The questions may be rhetorical, but the answers are not. 

This Samhain, I invite you to go more deeply into these questions. The exact point when the Sun reaches 15 degrees Scorpio this year, which falls right between Autumnal Equinox and Winter Solstice, occurs on November 7. So from today through November 7, let’s consider the metaphor of the undead in our lives.

How often do you resemble the walking dead, stumbling through your life without realizing what you’re doing or creating? Or is there someone in your life who appears human, who is going through the motions, but who has a deadening effect on your existence? 

This “philosopher’s zombie” may look just like you or me, but actually have little capacity for consciousness. This zombie is an unconscious being in a human body who is just going through the motions. Think of the people in your life with whom you spend the most time. Some are real, fully occupying their lives, while others may be vacant. When we pay attention, we can discern those who project a mirror image of humanity but hold only emptiness inside.

When we are fully conscious, we experience our human existence through our own senses, our own bodies, our own memories. When we live fully, flat screen technicolor with surround sound is a poor substitute for the capacity for rich experience that each of us carries as our birthright. 

Today, and in the week that lies ahead, you may wish to use your journal to reflect on these Zombie tendencies.

In what areas of your life are you among the walking dead?

1. Where are the crazies showing up? Are they in your head? In your bed?
2. How might you be living your life as a fully realized person instead of a zombie? 
3. List 3 things you can do to shake off the crud. Then take action.

Love, Susan

 ​As August sunlight slips away and dusk creeps up on us earlier every day, it’s time to pause. Take a breath. Turn our hands to the tasks before us as Autumn Equinox approaches.

This in-between time of harvests means the growing season is starting to wind down. As we busy ourselves in the garden or at the farmer’s market, we are grateful. Some of us will “put up” seasonal vegetables and fruits for the winter ahead. Others of us will declutter to reclaim spaciousness or begin to plan for regeneration next spring. 

In a few days, the Autumn Equinox will be upon us. The midpoint between Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice, it represents solar and lunar, light and dark, masculine and feminine in a perfect, sacred balance. Autumn Equinox, observed on September 21,  is also called Mabon on the Wheel of the Year. Mabon is an old harvest celebration which lies in equal distance between Lughnasadh/Lammmas and Samhain. Sometimes called a pagan Thanksgiving, Mabon is often seen as a time to offer gratitude and release things which do not serve you. 

Let’s think about that.

Where can you utilize the wisdom of decrease and reduction in order to improve your work and life? For example, now is a good time to bring a close to bad relationships, whether negative social ties or professional ones. It may be time to change unhealthy habits or release limiting beliefs. Reflect on your successes, then be willing to let go of things that did not support your success.

If you are like me, you are tuning into the need for balance in your life. I am noticing where things are out of balance, and how that depletes my energy and resources. As I get older, I am learning to balance the quiet time I need with the demands of active care-giving and spiritual work. I am noticing that I spend more time indoors these days and look forward to the respite of cooler temperatures that make time spent in nature more comfortable. 

Balance is not stagnant. Like a wellspring, it is both still and moving. Balance is about energetic flow. Let’s ask ourselves what actions we might take in order to support positive flow. What changes need to be made so that we are walking in balance on the Gaia, the Mother of Us All? 

As the first color tips the leaves of the deciduous trees of my area, I’d like to share an inspiring poem with you that celebrates this time of year. The poem shows how harvests in the past offer us a pathway to our ancestors and to renewal. The images are beautiful. 

Feel free to read it aloud! 

                                                                           Autumn
                                                                    by Bliss Carman
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                                               Now when the time of fruit and grain is come
                                                 When apples hang above the orchard wall,
                                                And from the tangle by the roadside stream
                                                    A scent of wild grapes fills the racy air,
                                                 Comes Autumn with her sunburnt caravan,
                                                  Like a long gypsy train with trappings gay
                                                        And tattered colors of the Orient,
                                               Moving slow-footed through the dreamy hills.

                                                The woods of Wilton at her coming wear
                                                    Tints of Bokhara and of Samarcand;
                                               The maples glow with their Pompeian red,
                                                 The hickories with burnt Etruscan gold;
                                               And while the crickets fife along her march,
                                                Behind her banners burns the crimson sun.

Are You Ready for More Guidance? Turn to the Elements for Creation Insights

If you have done a reading with me in the past, chances are I’ve introduced you to the Elemental Forces of Creation Oracle. It is an excellent resource for balanced working during the days leading up to Autumn Equinox.

Want a deck or to do a reading? Let’s talk.

When the elemental Oracle is part of your practice, it’s possible to get additional guidance from each element. 

Begin by pulling a single card daily. This can be a way to add a level of insight to your daily practice or to your regular divination deck. 

Then, consciously tune into each element at Equinox, expressing gratitude, and asking for guidance regarding ways to cultivate balance in your life and work.

This ritual is simple, and anyone can try it. Call in sacred space and light a candle or candles on your altar. Start by giving thanks to each respective element. Then ask the question.

Give thanks to Earth and ask, “What is my message of balance for my creations?”

Give thanks to Water and ask, “What is my message of balance for my creations?”

Give thanks to Air and ask, “What is my message of balance for my creations?”

Give thanks to Fire and ask, “What is my message of balance for my creations?”

Give thanks to Spirit and ask, “What is my message of balance for my creations?”

Want to go deeper? Let’s talk.
Love,
Susan

As we approach Lughnasadh/Lammas, is it possible that you’re feeling… exhausted? 

For those of us who are on a spiritual path, exhaustion usually has a purpose to reveal. This year, we look to the harvest season for meaning. This challenge to our wellness asks us to think deeply about the Lughnasadh sacrifice of an ancient Irish goddess named Tailtu.

How do we get so exhausted, spiritually, mentally, and physically?
Maybe it’s that we’ve taken on too much, or more than our body, mind and spirit can handle. Sometimes, we are bombarded with chaotic new downloads of information. At others, we are asked to make a number of rapid shifts in mindset or perception. It could be grief or loss taking a toll. Some of us have shown up in service where needed, only to find ourselves as care-takers in need of care-taking.

Lughnasadh/Lammas: Deep Gratitude For An Early Harvest
When we celebrate Lammas and Lughnasadh, it is always with deep gratitude. We gratefully receive the ripening fruits and vegetables, the bounty of the first harvest. 

Those of us in the deep South who grew up in farming communities may remember going from house to house to help bring in the crops. The pea pickin’s and cane grindings and corn shuckings of our childhoods have their roots in our Irish, Scottish and Welsh ancestors’ communities. It goes against our grain to leave food on the vine!

Lammas/Lughnasadh lies halfway between summer solstice and fall equinox. It closes the door on the light, and marks the point that the sun begins its descent, giving way to shorter days. 

It is a time to call in sacred space, with an altar of fruit and vegetables, grain, candles, sun symbols, flowers, and anything we’ve harvested. 

It’s a good time to bake Irish soda bread (Lammas means “loaf mass”). In the old way, it may be ritually divided into quadrants. To do this, bless the bread, then place each of the four parts at the boundaries of the land or place you call home. Express gratitude, and ask for protection from harm. 

But this year, I’m dialing back my Lammas/Lughnasadh expectations. I’m being kind to myself as I continue to recover from a year that has dipped deeply into my energetic reserves. 

A Lughnasadh Nod to Tailtu: The Goddess Who Gave Us Her All
From this place of deep knowing, I feel it is time to reclaim the real story behind the importance of this time on the wheel of the year. I want to share the real story of how this harvest festival came to be. 

In ancient Ireland, there was a strong and committed ancient Goddess fertility goddess named Tailtu. By all accounts, Tailtu was a loving and giving Goddess who understood many things. 

She understood the important relationship between man and nature. 

She understood that sometimes there is a need to care for others more than ourselves.

She understood unconditional love, taking it upon herself to rear a headstrong foster son. His name was Lu, and he is better known as the Sun God, or he who brings the light. 

Tailtu also understood that mankind would need to change in order to survive on a changing planet. But no-one else seemed to notice. Maybe they were too busy with the bright, shiny, new Roman gods to respect her sovereignty.

With a mother’s intuition, she knew that food security would be an issue in the millenia ahead. Large tracts of forested land would need to give way to farms. Men would need to grow crops to be tended, and land to graze cattle or sheep.

I bet she got tired just thinking about it. 

Yes, the job was a big one. So Tailtu did what few exalted beings do. 

She showed up to do the work. 

One by one, she cleared the trees from the plains of Ireland and prepared the land for sowing of the grain.

This year, I only had to clear one tree that fell on my house, and from that experience I can say that she surely had her work cut out for her!

When that was all done, another big job awaited, then another. So Tailtu walked the fields, dipping her hands deep into her pockets. She sowed the seeds, casting them upon the land. When she had emptied her stores, she watered the earth with her tears. For she also understood that she would never see them grow. 

Finally, Tailtu dropped dead of exhaustion. 

Let that sink in. This harvest festival is actually the funeral of a Goddess who worked herself to death for others. 

Lughnasadh is the celebration of her sacrifice - only after her work bore fruit - and it doesn’t even carry her name.

Her foster son, Lu, a favorite of the Romans, lent his name to the festival and Olympic-style games and feats. However, this first harvest festival of the season should have been named for Tailtu,the mother. 

Her body, like straw, was turned into the land to lie fallow with the harvest. 

Why do we not revere this ancient Irish Goddess of sovereignty and well-being - who quite literally worked herself into the ground?

Those of us who sacrifice for others will get the irony. 

Celebrating Tailtu’s Sacrifice While Remembering Our Own Mortality

Tailtu’s story is a cautionary tale. For if this level of exhaustion could be too much for a Goddess, how on Earth do we not understand that sometimes what is asked of us is simply too much for an ordinary mortal woman? 

This Lammas/Lughnasadh, let’s celebrate Tailtu’s sacrifice while remembering our own mortality. If we protect our energetic stores, we won’t deplete all our resources. If we tend our well-being, we can continue to help others. If we tell Tailtu’s story, and encourage one another seek balance over burnout, then the blessing of her sacrifice won’t have been in vain. 

Happily, a wee bit of Tailtu’s story does remain in the legacy of the Corn Dolly tradition. It is a tradition that gives us hope. 

In the British Isles, corn dollies refer to “kerns,” or shafts of wheat. In the Americas, corn refers to a mezo-American plant that we roast on the cob. However, as traditions blended over time and distance, the corn dolly of our ancestors became a harvest tradition throughout many parts of the world. 

Creating a corn dolly honors Tailtu and returns balance to the relationship between humans and nature. For women, it marks cycles of renewal and rest. The corn dolly tradition asks us to make the link between the depletion of over-work and the creative spring of wellbeing. 

Let’s work with the corn dolly to cultivate well-being, abundance, and balance in the year ahead.

Here is an uplifting video on making a corn dolly in the American tradition:
​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOLk4KK1qE4&ab_channel=MagicalCrafting

Here is a lightly humorous video on making a corn dolly in the Celtic tradition: https://youtu.be/03kVmQrkVDs

If you choose to make a corn dolly to keep in a warm, happy place this year, I’d love to see your creation! 

Love,
Susan