In the Celtic Calendar of the Year, August 1st marks the cross-quarterly holiday of Lughnasa, the gateway to Autumn.
“No,” you say, “this is summer at its peak!”
Ah, yes, that is what it may feel like, but look at nature. See what is happening. The sun is now setting before 9:00 pm here in Washington state making the days shorter, inching closer to the Fall Equinox. The garden is ripening and it’s time to start bringing in some of the harvest. Even some of the leaves are starting to turn—not many, but if you look closely, you’ll see them.
This is why I love using the Celtic Calendar as a way to witness, not only the cycle of nature, but the cycle of my inner world.
When we look to nature for guidance, something we’ve all sorely lost in our technologically dominated world, we observe the subtle, sublime, and silent mentorship of the Earth. She gracefully cycles through the seasons, inviting us to embody these cycles as we spiral around the year.
So here we stand on the threshold of Autumn, a liminal time between seasons when the whisper of change is in the air.
You might not feel like anything is ripening in your life, but don’t be fooled. This is the way the seasons work with us, whether we’re away of it or not.
From here on, each day we will step further and further into the darkness and the cold. This isn’t a time to dread, rather a time to celebrate the fruits of our own labors and honor our achievements.
An invitation . . .
Get out your journal and ask yourself:
What is ripening for me right now?
Looking back over the past eight months, what have I achieved?
How can I celebrate?