Lammas, 2008

Hi everyone,

Well, I’m a few days late for Lammas, but have been very busy sorting out the fruits of my labours – so very Lammas-like activity. Hope you are doing the same!

Calling the circle
As we contemplate Lammas, we summon the spirits of the East, spirits of Springtime, new beginnings, new starts. Element of air, first breath, cool dawn. The power of life, springing forth. We call the spirits of the East and ask them to join our circle.

We call now to the spirits of the South, the spirits of our summer season, spirits of strength, power, warmth, clarity, motivation, energy, movement. Element of fire, bright fires lit at midday. The power of light, illuminating us. The fire that is our passion, burning deeply within is always. We call the spirits of the South and ask them to join our circle.

And we call to the Spirits of the West. Spirits that are getting closer as we enter August.. the spirits of our deepest feelings, our strongest emotions, our truest love. A sunset over a calm ocean, a still lake reflecting back the sky, the still waters that run deep, deep within. Element of water, emanating the power of love. We call to the spirits of the West and ask them to join our circle.

Now we call the spirits of the North, spirits of midnight, dark moonless skies in winter, places where truths are told. Element of earth, grounding us. Power of law, karma, ancestral wisdom, we call to the spirits of the North and we ask them to join our circle.

And we call to those spirits above us, the moon in her many faces, angels, stars, heavens, light beings everywhere, those souls not yet incarnate. Children of our children. We call the spirits above and ask them to join us.

And we call to the spirits below us, to the earth that grounds us and keeps us steady, the green kingdom with its deep roots and to the lava beneath the crust that impassions us. We call the spirits below and ask them to join us.

Finally, we call to the spirits of the center, where all the directions meet and merge and where they meet and merge in each one of us. The central flame. The sacred spirit. This circle is closed, a safe and sacred circle where everyone is welcome and free to express themselves.

Lammas thoughts/Talking stick
I am probably boring everyone to tears with my garden this summer, but I can’t help it. It’s such a perfect metaphor for my life (sorry Nicholas – I have to indulge in metaphors.) I’ve got this one plant that pops out a courgette every day or so (a zucchini for you non-Brits) and it is so beautiful; it just grows along happily. I have literally done nothing for it all summer except make sure it was watered. I have these kale plants and broccolis that have grown so well, but now they’ve been attacked by worms and caterpillars and I’m struggling to keep them going. I have a greenhouse full of tomatoes that will ripen soon and peppers yet to grow – they are only now flowering. And somehow it all seems to fit into this symmetry of input, revision, output, revision – and continual growth and change. I know that life is a lot more emotionally charged and high stakes than a garden. But these rhythms do seem to map to my own, if I were able to be that distant from them.

At any rate, at this Lammas time I really want to give thanks for just the overwhelming amount of life I feel and see and witness around me.


Meditation
Imagine yourself lying on soft ground, on a hill, in the middle of a lush field, under a starry, windless sky. The moon is just rising, and it is warm and light, as you breathe in and out. Then allow yourself to imagine that you are getting smaller – smaller and smaller until you are so small that you can stand up and walk right into a small crevice in the hill. Walking into the ground, looking down, you can see a staircase, made of the earth itself. Imagine then stepping onto the 13th step, the step of transformation, then spiraling down and around and inward to the 12th step, then down and around to the 11th and the 10th, spiraling down and around and inward to the 9th, then the 8th, then around and inward to the 7th and the 6th step. Then, pausing on the sixth step, note that as you look up you can no longer see the top, and looking down, that you can no longer see the bottom. You are standing in the middle of the spiral, in a perfect moment in time. If there is anything that you are carrying that you don’t want to take with you on your journey, you can leave it on this step. Continuing then to the 5th step and the 4th, spiraling around to the 3rd and the 2nd and then finally the 1st step, then stepping into a clearing with four doorways, each pointing in one of the four directions. Imagine yourself walking down the pathway that heads south.

When you step through the doorway, you see a path in front of you, very clearly leading up a hill in the distance. It is afternoon the sun still strong in the sky. You can see people spiraling around the hill, each carrying a basket. At your feet is a basket for you, which you pick up. You wind your way to the top, around the hill, slowly, until you finally arrive.

You make your way into the ceremonial circle at the top and find a place in the circle. You are joined by those you love, your friends, family, ancestors, guides, each carrying a basket as well. One by one, those present carry their basket to the centre, where your wise woman is standing. When you look down at your basket, it has filled with those things that you have harvested this year, to present as an offering. It is filled with objects that represent all that you have to be thankful for. You move to the centre of the circle and present your basket to your wise woman. She takes it from you and puts it with the others.

Stepping back into the circle you stand together silently, feeling the power build. Your wise woman stands in the centre of the offerings and as the energy increases so does the offering – the bounty in the centre of the circle growing and growing until it overflows from the circle and is sent outward to circle the entire world. In that moment, you know that your abundance is everyone’s abundance and you focus your energy on increasing that abundance for yourself and for the world. You send whatever energy you believe the world needs out into the world and feeling it multiplied tenfold as it is received and passed on.

When the blessing is complete, you look at the centre of the circle and it has turned into a beautiful feast, filled with all kinds of food and drink, and those in your circle join you in celebration. You can converse freely with them here.

When the meal is finished and it is time to go, you step back into the circle one more time, joined by everyone present. It is a time of pure love, pure gratitude. When you are finished, you leave your circle, walking back to the path. Your wise woman accompanies you and then gives you a hug goodbye. She hands you one object to take back with you, to remind you of your harvest.

You walk back down the path into the twilight of summer. The path leads you back to the doorway where you began. You give one last look then walk through the door.

Stepping back up onto the first step, spiraling upward and outward to the second step and the third, and upward and outward to the third step and the fourth. Then spiraling around to the fifth and the sixth step, and pausing now on the sixth step, retrieving anything that you left behind before, or just leaving it behind in that perfect moment in infinity. Climbing now to the seventh and upward to the eighth, upward and outward to the ninth, then the tenth, and around to the eleventh and the twelfth and then finally to the thirteenth step, the step of transformation, then out of the ground and back onto the hill where you are laying. Then feeling your consciousness return to the space you are in, and, when ready, opening your eyes.

Prayers for our circle
I want to send out a prayer tonight for a friend struggling through a painful breakup, that he is able to connect to the abundance of love that he has to give as his gift this Lammas.

All my love and many blessings,

Tara