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Lugnasadh (or Lammas) is the traditional time of year when we see the first fruits of the Goddess' union with the God. In other words, Mother earth is fruitful, the boughs of the trees are heavy, corn sways in the fields, and we celebrate the successful procreation of summer. The date of this festival falls around August the second, and many Pagans worldwide celebrate by filling their altars with fruit, seeing in the near future the waning of the sun, the gathering of the harvest, and the death of the year.

But this is not a sad time; for as the sun God begins to wane and the Goddess bears his fruit, so the God will wax again to return and father the fruits next year. This is a good time to assess your productivity through the year, and consider whether changes need to be made before the nights draw in and winter comes. In this meditation we shall draw closer to the Earth, from whence we came, and look within to see ourselves and any changes we must make to enhance our lives as the year moves into the Autumn.

Blessed Be!

I am lying on the ground, the warm sun shining on my upturned face. I lay awhile, with my eyes closed, feeling the warmth on my skin and smelling the warm scent of the earth and grass around me. Nearby, I can hear the birds singing, and there is a running stream just within earshot. Can you hear it? Listen carefully. Can you hear the running water? Can you hear the birdsong? Can you feel and smell the good Earth under your body, the warm sun upon your face? Lie very still and breathe slowly and deeply. I would like to take you on a walk with me this summer's day…

Slowly, open you eyes and stand up. You are in a meadow, near to a hawthorn hedge. Not long ago that hedge was filled with blossoms, now there are berries forming on the spiky twigs and the birds will soon enjoy a feast! Look closely at the berries, green at first, then slowly changing before your eyes into black. The first fruits of High Summer.

Your feet are bare; you can feel the grass underneath them, cropped short by numerous mouths. You can scent the warmth of the grass, the dark earth, the dung of the sheep, the richness of the foliage in the hedge. Slowly you begin to walk alongside the hedgerow, gently uphill, and you can hear the tinkling of a stream not far away. You are still aware of the beautiful warm sun on your skin as you walk slowly forward. As you reach the top of the incline a lovely vista opens up before you. An endless meadow, green grass spotted with daisies and clover, and to your left a copse of trees, with a stream flowing in front of it. The sun is shining, all is quiet except for the birdsong and the stream, you feel good today, you feel good being here.

Walk slowly over to the stream and look into it. The running water is clear and you can see shining pebbles on the bottom, the occasional minnow whipping its tail between the rocks. Sit down, it is warm enough, you can dabble your toes in the stream. At first it is icy cold, and in a moment your toes are numb. Concentrate on the warm sun on your back, you will not get cold here. Breathe deeply of Mother Earth's goodness. The ground is solid under you, the water running free around your toes, the air clean and warm as you deeply breathe it in. Slowly, lie back onto the earth, with your toes still in the waters. Breathe deeply.

What have you done this year? What things have you started or tried to start? What do you feel has been a success? Smile, congratulate yourself, you have done well. Things you have worked hard for have borne fruit. Focus on the warmth of the bright sun as it shines down upon you now.

Feel the cold water between your toes. Tell yourself honestly which things have not really worked out. What are you putting lots of energy into, only to find it unworthy and constantly tiring? What things should you have done differently this year? The cold on your toes is the cold reality of things which must be faced, and you are too important to waste your energy on things which are not working out. Breathe deeply for a moment.

Sit up slowly, and gaze into the stream, always moving, ever-changing, just like life is. You can build on your successes and throw out the failures, to let something new grow. Reach down into the water and pick up a small pebble. Look at it carefully, noting every change in colour, how the light shines upon it, how it looks as it begins to dry. Put it in your pocket; it is there to remind you of your strengths and weaknesses, so that when you awake from this dream you can remember them and act.

Take your feet from the cooling waters and stand up slowly. The music of the water is so delicate, like a melody, and the sunshine feels good upon your skin. You can feel your feet drying as you stand there now. Walk slowly over to the nearest clump of daisies in the meadow and sit down slowly. Pick a few daisies, giving thanks to Mother Earth as you do so. She won't mind that you have picked them; from their stems you will weave your ideas for tomorrow. Begin to weave the stalks together, make a daisy chain, or just intertwine them. Think what has been a success for you, and what you will do next to bring more good fortune. Keep weaving the stalks together. Think what has not worked out, and what you must do to put it right, even if it might be difficult. There is plenty of time, things will come right in the end. Breathe deeply and look at your daisies as you weave them. Feel the warm sun on your back as you weave your ideas for the future.

Gather up your woven daisies and put those in your other pocket. When you get home from this dream they will remind you of the way forward. Stand up slowly, for it is time to go back. You can feel the warm sun shining upon you, and there is a gentle warm breeze, full of the rich smells of summer. Walk slowly back over to the hawthorn hedge. Look into the mass of twigs; you can see the green berries, soon to be black. Food for the birds and hedgerow animals, the first fruits of summer. You can feel the dry, warm grass under your feet.

Walk slowly back along the hedgerow, down the slope until you can only just hear the tinkling of the cool stream. Sit down, then stretch yourself out until you are lying fully on your back. You can smell the earth and the grass, feel the warm sun on your body. Listen - you can hear birdsong and, far off, the lilting song of the stream. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and listen. You know you can come back to this beautiful place any time. Today you have learned something about yourself and the fruits of your life, and you can be happy with this knowledge. Breathe slowly and deeply, and you can gradually begin to hear the sounds around you in this world.

Slowly open your eyes. Welcome back!

 

There were two books I found helpful when writing this, especially when I was looking at customs and pagan ideas of Lammas:

Diana Ferguson, The Magickal Year, Labyrinth Publishing UK, 1996.

Rae Beth, Hedge Witch, Robert Hale Limited, 1995.

Music is very important to me when I meditate, I can recommend any work by Jana Runnalls, and also the Hilliard Ensemble, Mnemosyne.

Enjoy! Christina.