August 2024: Lughnasadh
celebrating & commemorating:
Why celebrate and honor this time of year?
August 1st or the new moon closest to it (depending on your vantage point) is a traditional Celtic celebration that honors the God Lugh, who represents justice, skill, craftmanship, hard work, sacrifice, gathering, etc.
It's a time of quite literally harvesting the fruits of the Earth but also the ripeness of the skill and hardwork you have exerted in your own life since Winter Solstice.
Tuning in with these natural rhythms not only conscioulsy connects us with nature but also that of our inner world; our soul nature.
We are a microcosm of the macrocosm according to any authentic holistic tradition.
And in Ayurveda, one of the oldest approaches (5000+ years old) to holistic well-being and living, the prevention of dis-ease, maintenance of health, and healing of dis-ease cannot fully take place without the embodiment of rhythms.
So this rhythm before us, as the sun wanes, invites us to harvest the ripeness of our lives, to task stock of our achievements and accomplishments ('mistakes' and 'failures' included as they are a part of the becoming), to let our hearts and bellies swell with pride and the sweetness of our fruits.
This moment to reflect and feel delight in ourselves is, a) one way we can give back for all we have received, b) fuel ourselves for the seasons to come c) receive insight and realization from where we've been.
In Celtic folklore, the God Lugh was asked by his foster mother, the Goddess Tailtiu, to honour her every August at this time for her hard work of clearing the plains so people could grow crops. She prophesized that as long as the bounty was celebrated, there would be more to come.
I think the underlying message here points to some of the strife of our modern time- we rarely take the time to savor and relish in what we have, to let it be enough, and so we're always hungry for the next best thing, never fully satisfied, never fully complete, always partially longing for something just out of reach.
Whatever you have done today, this month, this season, in the last 7 months, IT IS ENOUGH <3. Give ourself time, space, permission, and support to relish in it.
If you're not sure how, may I share a simple practice with you?!
Grab a pen and paper
Light a candle, burn incense, play a song you love, take a deep breath, or do something that signals to your mind-body-soul that it's okay or at least 2% more okay
Reflect on your achievements and accomplishments (remember 'mistakes' and 'failures' are achievements) since late December 2023
Write yourself a letter starting with, I AM PROUD OF YOU FOR...
Take a moment to let your heart swell with pride for your becoming, your journey, your love, your hurt, your living, your dance, YOU! And pleaseeeeee, let it be enough <3