#Lammas procession

[maypoleman1]

14th July

Exeter Lammas Fair

The Lammas Glove. Source: DevonLive website

On or about 14th July, the unusual Lammas Fair takes place in Exeter, in Devon. It is unusual because it does not take place on Lammas, which falls on 1st August. It is doubly curious because it is not actually a fair at all, but a procession through the streets of Exeter, led by a citizen holding a pole topped with a stuffed glove emerging from a ball of summer flowers. At the conclusion of the procession, the Mayor reads out the Lammas Fair Proclamation. Apparently there was a fair in Exeter centuries ago and for some reason even though the fair ceased to exist, its proclamation continued. The stuffed glove is supposed to represent the King’s protection of the event.

On this day in 1669, a winged dragon descended on Henham in Essex. It was reputed to be nine feet in length. The dragon seems to have caused no damage or harm and simply lay in the sun for an hour or two before flying off. Its visit was commemorated in a pamphlet and a local ale was brewed in the dragon’s honour, called Snakebite.

[irlangelsdiary]

✿ A list of most (if not all) wicca holidays

✮ Lammas (Lughnasadh) – Pagan/Wiccan Aug 1st

Lammas, also known as Loafmas or Lughnasadh, commemorates the harvest of the first grains, primarily for breadmaking. Lughnasadh itself is named after Lugh, a Celtic deity associated with grain. Lammas celebrations include feasting, crafting corn dollies, and participating in games and contests as a way to honor Lugh and the bounty of the season.

✮ Mabon (Fall Equinox) – Pagan/Wiccan Sept 21st

Mabon, celebrated at the fall equinox, marks the transition to the approaching darkness of the coming winter months. Mabon celebrations involve giving thanks for the harvest, making offerings of fruits and vegetables, and performing ceremonies to honor the equinox’s change from the light half of the year to the dark. Decorations made of corn, squash, vines and pumpkins are common.

✮ Samhain (All Hallows Eve) – Pagan/Wiccan Oct 31st

Samhain today marks the end of the harvest, the start of the Pagan/Wiccan New Year, and the honoring of our ancestors and the dead. Samhain celebrations include lighting candles, setting up altars, and modern activities like costume parties, trick-or-treating, and jack-o’-lanterns.

✮ Yule (Winter Solstice) – Pagan/Wiccan Dec 21st

Yule, celebrated at the winter solstice, marks the day on which the “sun is reborn.” Yule celebrations include the burning of the Yule log, kissing under the mistletoe, decorating homes with holly and evergreen branches, and performing rituals to welcome the return of the sun’s warmth and light to the world.

✮Imbolc (Candlemas) – Pagan/Wiccan Feb 2nd

Imbolc heralds the first signs of spring and is dedicated to Brigid, a Celtic goddess of poetry and fire who was later canonized by the Catholic Church. Imbolc celebrations include candlelit processions, the lighting of a hearth fires, and sending blessings to the fields and farm animals.

✮Ostara (Spring Equinox) – Pagan/Wiccan May 21st

Ostara, celebrated at the spring equinox, marks the beginning of the light half of the year and the arrival of spring. Ostara is celebrated by the coloring and decorating of eggs, planting of seeds, and performing rituals that honor the balance of light and dark.

✮Beltane (May Day) – Pagan/Wiccan May 1st

Beltane is a joyful fertility festival that welcomes the height of spring and celebrates the divine feminine and masculine coming together in fruitful union. Beltane celebrations include dancing around the Maypole, wearing wreaths or crowns of flowers, the crowning of a May Queen, and the lighting of bonfires.

Litha/Midsummer (Summer Solstice) – Pagan/Wiccan June 21st

Litha, celebrated at the summer solstice, marks when the sun is at its maximum power and the longest day of the year. Litha celebrations include lighting bonfires, outdoor feasts, and rituals that honor the warmth and light of the sun and the season’s abundance.

[talonabraxas]

Wiccan Calendar Lammas/Lughnasadh - August 1st Illustration - Maenhir

Lughnasadh is celebrated roughly at the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox.

Summer continues for now, but the days are steadily growing shorter and there is work to be done. Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest festivals, and the central crop in this case is grain. Traditionally the first sheaf of grain is cut, winnowed, ground, and baked into ceremonial bread – the delicious result of months of labor. In the process the seeds for next year’s grain are carefully saved, and the wheel keeps turning. Blessed Lammas!

[coinandcandle]

Lammas

Learn about the holiday of Lammas!

What is Lammas?

Lammas, Lammas Day, Loaf Mass, Loaf Mass Day—however you’d like to call it—is a holiday celebrated originally by Christian Anglo-Saxons. Lammas is also called “the feast of first fruits” and is a harvest festival taking place on August 1st in the northern hemisphere (February 1st in the southern hemisphere).

Some neopagan religions, namely Wicca, would later add this holiday to their sabbats (see: Wheel of the Year). Due to various reasons, the holiday Lughnasadh—a festival historically celebrated in Ireland—became conflated with Lammas, and the two are often used interchangeably. For a short explanation as to why this is an issue, please see this post.

Etymology

Lammas comes from the Old English hlāfmæsse, or “Loaf mass”. This most likely references the tradition of making a loaf of bread with the crop harvested on Lammastide.

History

In the past, it was customary to bring a loaf of bread to one’s local church to be blessed or to have a procession from the church to a bakery wherein those who are working will be blessed. The blessed bread may also be used for the Eucharist.

Throughout Britain in the Middle Ages fairs would be celebrated, feasts would be had, rent would be paid, and local elections held.

Note: Lammas may have pre-Christian influences but the festivities we know of and its name come from a distinctly English and Christina era. It was not “stolen” from pagans.

Modern Day Lammas

These are simply suggestions, anything that can be seen as traditional will be marked with a (T).

Correspondences

Deities

The Christian God (T), Lugh, Demeter, Freyr, Osiris, and many of the harvest/agricultural deities.

Rocks, Crystals, Minerals, Etc

Sunstone, amber, gold, iron

Herbs and Plants

Wheat, cereals, corn (T), blackberries, blueberries, bilberries

Activities

Bake bread (T)

Hold a bonfire

Harvest crops (T) or tend to houseplants

Practice divination

Create or cast spells involving equity and justice

Visit a bakery (and tip your bakers if possible!)

Pray for blessings

Feast (T)

Offerings

Beer

Bread or other baked goods (T)

Any of the herbs or rocks mentioned above

Support local farmers

Dance or sing

Honor your ancestors, gods, or spirits with an altar or a space at your feast

References and Resources

Lammas - Britannica

A Little History of Lammas - A Clerk of Oxford

Lammas - Wikipedia

Stations of the Sun - Ronald Hutton

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[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Investigation: Hong Kong’s role in illegal deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil

If major import markets, such as China and Hong Kong, were to restrict trade to slaughterhouses with more transparent supply chains, industry experts believe it could have a major impact on the sustainability of the Brazilian meat sector. 

At first glance, there is little to link a handful of featureless Hong Kong office spaces to the world’s largest tropical rainforest. But supply chain data – obtained by non-profit organisation Repórter Brasil and shared with HKFP – reveals that at least four businesses in the city have imported beef products farmed by a man whom Brazilian police have called “the greatest devastator of the Amazon.”

Cattle farming is “the number one culprit of deforestation in virtually every Amazon country,” according to environmental NGO the World Wide Fund for Nature. Roughly 17 per cent of the Amazon rainforest has already been lost to habitat conversion, with trees felled to make way for cattle pastures and the dusty roads that transport Brazilian beef from the forest to the global marketplace.

Among those profiting from the degradation of the Amazon is rancher Bruno Heller, whose family owns farms that have been fined US$5 million for illegal deforestation, and who has been accused by Brazilian federal police of clearing 6,500 hectares of forest – an area almost five times the size of Lamma Island.

Through a process known as “cattle laundering,” where cows raised at illicit locations are transported to those with a clean record, Repórter Brasil tracked cattle from Heller’s family farms to a slaughterhouse, 163 Beef Industria & Comercio De Carnes Ltda, and traced beef products from that slaughterhouse to Hong Kong.

Continue reading.

[haggishlyhagging]

The Neolithic farming communities had a nonlinear sense of time, believing that time began anew with each new year. The pregnant Mountain Mother gave birth in August when the seeds, spring-planted in her womb, had grown large. At that time the entire community came to be with her: the divine birth is the harvest of the wheat, and the first fruits were offered to the Goddess. Similar mysteries were enacted in Eleusis around Demeter, the Grain Mother. In Britain she was known as Bride, Ana, or Danu, and she was celebrated on her womb/mounds in August as late as the seventeenth century A.D. Great assemblies of witches traditionally gathered on Lammas Eve (August 1), the people believing that their welfare in the coming year depended on the performance of these sacred rites of the Corn Mother, or Harvest Queen. (The Christian church throughout Britain finally took drastic action against this "pagan cult worship." The Christian priesthood preaches linear, not cyclic time, hoping to separate "man" from the Goddess of Nature, and "God" from the great cosmic rhythms of creation. As many wise people have observed, the way to control human life is to control the rhythm of life. Pagan life was ruled by natural cyclic rhythms. The church opposed these female rhythms with linear-historic ones, thus trying to change human rhythm from natural to mechanical—which serves the industrial process but leaves human life and labor, including agricultural life and labor, quite alienated.)

-Monica Sjöö and Barbara Mor. The Great Cosmic Mother: Rediscovering The Religion of the Earth.

[sovaghoul]

Definition

This is a basic outline of my personal guidelines for what constitutes a Wiccan path/system. Others’ definitions certainly vary, and these criteria do not necessarily apply to non-Wiccan Pagans/Witches/other Occultists. Most of the concepts addressed here will be investigated more in depth with future posts.

🕯🌒🌕🌘🕯

🔮 Section A: Belief. It is my assertion that belief, first and foremost, makes the Wiccan. What one does is important to discerning Tradition (or absence thereof), but is secondary to the broader collective of Wiccan religious paths.

Reverence of Goddess AND God, together and equally. Wiccan worship and practice focus on a God and a Goddess, seeing them as manifestations of masculine and feminine divinity (among other equal, opposite, and complimentary pairs of forces and concepts. They are but one type of symbolic division).

Belief that the Gods can be directly contacted, whether through channeling, meditation, or other means. Also, It’s important to realize that one doesn’t need an intermediary, but will sometimes need a teacher or guide for the contact to be safe and successful.

Having a reciprocal relationship with the Gods. We give to Them, so They may give to us.

Belief in the effectiveness of Magick. Having confidence that your rituals and spells will work as they should is just as important as performing those works.

🕯🌒🌕🌘🕯

🔮 Section B: Practice. While I put belief first in my own determinations, there are certain applications of those beliefs that I see as essential to practicing Wicca.

God forms/names are European in origin, exceptions to this being Egypt and the Middle East. This is because I see Wicca as the continuation/revival of Pre-Christian Native European Shamanism, and contact with Egypt and Arabia (Mesopotamia, Babylon, Sumer, etc.) is well-established throughout history, and there is much cross-cultural influence between these groups. Also, there are mythological themes these regions have in common, that are not as present in, say, Asia and other parts of Africa. Additionally, many other Indigenous cultures and beliefs around the world are closed systems.

Celebrating the Sabbats with an understanding of their symbolism and story. There are eight Sabbats, or holidays, in the Wiccan calendar, also sometimes referred to as the Wheel of the Year. The dates given below are those traditionally observed in the Northern Hemisphere.

Casting a Circle wherein the ritual will be held. The Circle denotes sacred space for sacred acts, and is consecrated to the Gods.

General ritual format includes calling the Quarters, invoking and contacting the Gods, a section for the ritual purpose (celebrate the Sabbat or Esbat, work Magick, etc.), Cakes and Wine (including a libation to the Gods), and then banishing the Quarters at closing.

The Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Law are given some measure of importance. These ethical codes should not only advise on Magickal acts, but on the mundane actions of a Wiccan as well.

Sabbats:

🎃 Samhain – Oct. 31

🎄 Yule – on or about Dec. 21

🕯 Imbolc – Feb. 2

🥚 Eostar – on or about Mar. 21

❤ Beltane – May 1

☀️ Midsummer – on or about Jun. 21

🌾 Lammas – Aug. 1

🍁 Fall Equinox – on or about Sep. 21

🕯🌒🌕🌘🕯

🔮 Section C: Characteristics. These are descriptors, qualities that I feel are essential to the full knowledge and experience of Wicca.

Wicca is a fertility religion. Wiccans rejoice in and celebrate fertility in all its forms, sexual and otherwise (new growth, ideas, ventures, etc.).

Wicca is a nature religion. All of nature is seen as sacred and integral and interrelated. Humans are a part of nature, as are the Gods and the processes of Magick.

Wicca is an agricultural system. The Sabbats are aligned to the planting and harvest seasons, symbolically if not literally.

Wicca is a cyclical system. All the cycles of nature and the world are revered, including those of the Sun, Moon, Earth, planets/stars, seasons, and the life of all creatures, human and otherwise.

Wicca is a religion of balance. Just as life is a fact of existence, so is death. Just as Summer comes each year, so does Winter. Day and night, light and dark, each coin has a flip side, and all sides are important to Wiccan belief and practice.

Wicca is non-dualistic. Since each pairing listed above comes together to make something greater than the sum of its parts, the true nature of the reverence is for the whole, not simply the pieces. Wicca doesn’t view things as “either/or,” but “both/and.”

Wicca is a shamanic religion. A shaman is one who forms a personal relationship with the Gods and Spirits for the betterment of their tribe/family/people/etc., and has the ability to then travel the astral and communicate with the Gods and Spirits through various means, and also to provide healing. These goals are shared by Wicca, the skills to communicate, travel, and heal greatly encouraged and fostered by its teachings. Also integral to a shamanic system is the death-and-rebirth cycle, as shamanic initiations in tribal societies (which usually occur on the astral and are performed by Gods or Spirits) are said to involve being killed (often violently) and then reborn into a new knowledge and understanding. This symbolism is used in some Traditional Initiation ceremonies, but can be seen in all of Wicca in the God’s story as He traverses the Wheel of the Year.

Wicca is a priesthood. There are no lay people; even in ritual, it is important that everyone participate by lending their energy and intent to the rite at hand, even if the Priest/ess is the only one performing a physical action. Every Wiccan has the capacity to be a Priest/ess, and needs no intermediary between them and the Gods.

Wicca is an experiential religion. A lot of the theory and how-to and basic knowledge can be learned from books/websites, but to truly understand the fullness of the religion, one must actually practice it. There are also some aspects that simply cannot be learned or understood without actually going through them.

Wicca is a mystery religion. Those aspects that must be experienced are what I call the Greater Mysteries. The ways to achieve those Divine experiences are called the Lesser Mysteries. The Greater Mysteries are for all willing to seek them, the Lesser Mysteries are only Mysteries until one learns to properly perform and make use of them. In the case of Initiatory Oathbound Traditions, they are Mysteries to the uninitiated. In other words, the knowledge and experience you gain are Greater Mysteries, and the rituals and other acts that lead you to them are the Lesser Mysteries.

Next post: Categories

[postmodernpagan]

Demon holidays:

Imbolc Eve: Festival of Cheese. Curdling, acid cooking, denaturing proteins. Caseation, conglomeration, congealing. Spoiling, mold, and aging. A time to prepare and begin aging cheese. A time to fuck with Brighid? Something about the Morrigan being the dark side of Brigid. A time to spoil plans and predictions and disrupt carefully planned power structures.

Walpurgisnacht: Power trip night. Feel powerful by doing evil. Spoil crops, do a sadism-masochism. Ego-destroying sex, love through destruction and allowing you to rest and not think. Festival of Lilith. Trampling is key--trample on seeds, ruin seed stock, no more babies. Last night of the Wild Hunt before the Faerie take it over on Beltane.

(Fae and elves are Western European, and sheydim are from a particular area in the ancient Levant. The differences between them are largely cultural, however; they're mostly all environmentally generated land spirits originally, with the occasional dead human who adapted in and is slowly forgetting their previous life over the centuries. Djinn are similar, but are largely elemental beings of fire and air, given their desert environment and lack of consistent life energy to feed from.)

June 21st: meh, bleh, underground, dark and rainy, remembering trauma, hot and icky sweat. The rainy season. Festival of Persephone. We lament her leaving and hope she misses us, cry for her to come back where she's safe.

Lammas Eve: Festival of Beer. Fermentation, yeast, fungi, rot, mold and ergot. Festival of Bast the Drunken. Celebrates the work of women specifically because of association with brewing and the hearth and grain -- tea and bread is a good combination if beer is not an option. Why grain? It's a joke about processing seeds into something useful (babies, delicious carbohydrate food for yeast).

September 21st: The Clerical New Year. Sheydim adopted the ancient Hebrew practice of celebrating the New Year in the fall, but use the solar calendar instead of the lunar calendar for agricultural reasons. A time to clean house, get affairs in order, and set intentions for the coming year. Also time to start preparing for the Wild Hunt.

October 31st: SAMHAINOWEEN BABY! HARVEST PARTY HARVEST SOULS. First night of the Wild Hunt, although places like Detroit increasingly push the date back with early festivities, which is fine with the demons.

December 20th-25th: Odin's birthday. Yeah, five days in labor, he had a really big head. (Which is always cue for someone to shout, "Still does!") Feast of the Caught Game. Not the last day of the Wild Hunt, but the last day of the sport hunting; after this, hunting only out of necessity is encouraged, but only informally enforced (cops won't stop you, your neighbor will).

[littlerabbittarot]

Working with ‘Tarot of the Witch’s Garden’ for a Week + Deck Review

As a new deck in my collection, ‘Tarot of the Witch’s Garden’ is a beautiful deck with gorgeous imagery and symbolism. I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to dive deeply with it specifically, and spend one week exploring with it and the messages it has to share. (I debated a month, but that seemed like it’d make for a long post! Let me know if you’d like a month long deep dive in the future though, haha. Maybe I’ll make a video for it instead.)

As this post is more about my personal exploration and being honest and vulnerable, please be kind in the comments. I am not seeking outside advice, just discussing my experience with this deck.

Note that this post was inspired by Katey Flowers’ series on YouTube “Keep or Cull”, which you can watch here.

Day 1

Starting off with a one-card gratitude pull, I thought it could be a nice gentle way to get into this deck. What is something I can be grateful for? ‘The Five of Wands’ was an interesting pull, I must say.

It took me a moment of sitting with this imagery, and not just thinking in terms of the basic meanings of the card. Little birds fighting over breakfast at the break of dawn, with the worms squirming to wiggle free. This is definitely reminiscent to how I’ve viewed things in the past with my online life. All a fight for attention, a competition for success. Over the many years of being online, making friends, and the various experiences I’ve had in life, I’ve grown more appreciative of the collaborative process of society. Friendly competition is all fun and games, but when it becomes a fight for survival, that’s a step too far. I certainly had bitter attitudes towards my peers who I viewed as my rivals. It was an unhealthy mental state to be in, and the toxicity did not aid me in life, nor make me feel any better about myself. The negativity I had was palpable in the people around me, which made the relationships around me suffer. Gradually turning in a more positive direction echoed in those around me, and I began to become an image of inspiration to others, and be seen in a more fruitful light.

The ‘little’ (certainly an understatement, the book is quite big, haha) white book that came with this deck discusses this card thusly: “The Five of Wands indicates the moment a crowd is whipped up in frenzy. Drama is unfolding. Will it draw you in and distract intended focus or point you in a new direction? Are others feeding personal energy in a positive way? […] Current energy has the potential to distract or inspire. Make choices accordingly. It is possible to participate or walk away.”

I liked the use of the word ‘feeding’ with one’s personal energy, as the birds are feasting on the worms. What aspect of our lives are we growing by giving our time and energy toward it, and is it worth it?

I suppose as a summary: I am grateful for the mental progress I have made to look at my peers and friends as inspiration, rather than eyeing them down with envy. It was a long and arduous process, and not a straight path. I veered off course many times. I’m not perfect, of course, but I’ve made big strides in focusing more on myself, my goals, and how I can work together with others, rather than against. I can root for those who find their share, or give some of my winnings to others. I found it made things much easier to enjoy the ride of life than wallow in the self-pity of my lack of success. 

Day 3

I wasn’t quite sure what spread to use for today, but I had come across someone discussing their results of using owlandbonestarot’s recently shared ‘Tarot Spread for Lammas’. I had only just recently heard of this holiday, and loved the idea of it. As the seasons change, you take a moment to celebrate the profit from what you’ve harvested. (‘Profit’ historically meaning grain, but of course, nowadays can apply to much more.)

Source: owlandbonestarot Instagram

I thought it was fitting with my previous gratitude single card pull, which was what made me pick it.

What is ready to harvest? — Four of Swords

I felt this instantly. I have been taking things slow and resting a lot this year, and I have felt my energy building up because of it. Taking breaks and pauses in life and activities can be normal and healthy, but I’ve definitely reached a point where I’m ready to dive back in to my hobbies and passions, but now with a well rested mind and new life experiences to bring to the table.

How can I show gratitude? — Six of Pentacles

Certainly fitting! I can express my gratitude and focus my energy in helping others. Getting more involved with those around me, and sharing my newly rested and refreshed energy to those who may need it. As the saying goes, you cannot pour from an empty cup, and after refilling some of mine, I am more than ready to give some drink to others.

How can I celebrate community? — Two of Swords

I had to take a pause with this unexpected pull here, a more darker feeling card in an odd position, but my initial thoughts were how the character here reflected how I have been feeling. Isolated, closed off, wanting to stow away and hide from the world. More so in needing my space than being forced into a corner. Blindfolded by choice. The character here has their back to the wall in a quiet place, alone, which felt reminiscent to my ‘Four of Swords’ state, going into my cocoon until I felt safe and recovered. My thoughts turned to knowing that I have support, and that I am more open now to getting that support from others. That I don’t have to feel trapped or alone, that I can branch out my wings.

Looking up in the guidebook, this card states: “The witch holds two swords in a protective stance over her heart. The secret of this card is how to raise protective shields. She will not wound anyone who wishes to aid her, yet her decision must be alone. The Two of Swords marks the private contemplation of the self.” 

Which is an interesting interpretation I had not heard of or considered before. I suppose my form of celebration comes in feeling able to put down the swords, take off the blindfold, and be more open to those around me. While also being aware that there are those around me in various stages of this closed off and indecisive state, and be respectful of that. My experiences give me opportunities for growth and understanding other people, which can hopefully help them feel heard, less alone, and more able to heal.

I suppose all-in-all, this spread is about me coming more out of my shell, and exploring and embracing the people in my life, and those I come across.

Day 7

For this last day of exploring this deck, I thought it’d be fun to use one of the spreads listed in the guidebook. (Of which there are quite a few!) To go along with the running theme of change and growth, I picked the ‘Life Transitions Spread’ which states: To empower the self amidst transitional life moments.

1. What is the transition at hand? — Ace of Pentacles

New opportunities and potential for growth, is what hit me first. I thought of this venture with tarot, my blog and brand I’ve been building. Focusing more of my energy here may be fruitful for me, at the very least, for my health. Having a calmer state of mind with less stress can do wonders for the body. (And I do enjoy having all these decks and charms and what-not, adding to the vibe of my environment. :P)

As this is a witch themed deck, relating this to my tarot business just seems fitting.

2. How can I stay present? — The Moon

This one took me a second to grasp. I know this is a popular card to struggle with, and I’m no exception to that, haha. But my initial thoughts were of meditation and mindfulness — quite literally practices to keep you grounded in the present. Seeing the figure there in such a calm and quiet place, completely bare, vulnerable, but open, it feels relaxing.

The book reads: “With clarity a new possibility springs from the subconscious, as reflected in the pool. The image of the card offers dual dimensionality because the moon is a reflection of sunlight. It shows us what is possible through the subtle, the subconscious. The Moon allows us to embrace the sticky, prickly, fearful unknown leading to greater understanding. Once we become familiar with what terrifies us, we can integrate it into our life.”

Letting more of my subconscious come to the surface may be another key aspect here. Being still, letting the ripples settle, and observe what images appear.

3. How do I practice self-care? — The Sun

Literally the first word that popped into my head: Joyfully. With child-like enthusiasm. If something relaxes, helps, or makes me happy, embrace it. Don’t let shame stop me from taking advantage of the positives I get out of something. You love what you love, so enjoy it.

4. What must be accepted? — Three of Swords

This card is just so beautiful to me. I’ve seen criticism of how this artwork depicts this card, but I for one, LOVE the drama. It’s so over the top, but it’s also so accurate to how this can feel!

But yes, there will be hardships that I’ll inevitably face. Things may not go as planned, there will be lessons to learn. That’s all just a part of the process. (And if I want to be a drama-queen about it, I may! Haha.)

5. What must I release? — The Chariot

The reigns! So wild to get this card here, it’s been stalking me lately. Definitely a sign for me to just let go and see where the horses (life) will take me. Learning to go with the flow, letting be what will be, and allowing myself to ease my grip on control and just be fluid.

Interesting how I did a charm reading the other day, and the results were almost exactly the same. Quite a bit for me to think about ;)

In Summary

Wow, what a deck. Overall, the biggest reason why I got this deck in the first place was the artwork — and it delivers. I loved the fresh feeling of the artwork, the vibrant but balanced colors, the amount of details and little touches, and uniqueness of several cards that had me viewing the original meanings in a whole new light. (This may be one of my favorite ‘Hermit’ cards I’ve seen!) Every new deck can make you feel like you learn so much more about tarot, and this one was no exception.

While I haven’t yet read the entire guidebook, what I did read, I loved! The author did a fantastic job tying in so much extra meaning and depth to the imagery. And the full color larger images lets you see more closely and helps you catch details that you otherwise might’ve missed. (As an artist myself too, the larger images were very appreciated, just so I can admire them even more, haha.) The paper too is glossy, slick, and nice quality, the text and images are very crisp.

The back of the book also contains several spells and spreads, which I thought was a fun addition! I didn’t love the courts being separated from their suits and put in their own section, but that’s not a big deal. For those new to tarot, the book has a lot of info for getting you started, I do think it’s a very beginner/first-timer friendly deck and resource.

I do have a nit-pick about the box, which for the most part is great quality and I love the magnetic closure, but the depth of the slot the cards sit in is not deep enough, and not all the cards fit flat inside and can slide about. This is my first linen card deck, which is a nice texture, but does have a bit of a bend to it, which was disappointing for a brand new deck. (I’m not sure if the card slot not being deep enough is related to the cards warping?) My particular copy is a first edition printing, which comes with the mis-print of the Justice and World cards being switched, but that’s not a big deal.

Thus far though, it’s been an amazing experience. This is such a kind feeling deck to me, one that encourages, amazes, and inspires, and I’m looking forward to what all I can learn from it next.

I hope you enjoyed my little adventure with this deck! No doubt you’ll see these cards pop up again in future posts. ;)

Have you used this deck before? How do you feel about it?

— 

Thank you for reading! I hope to continue to blog about tarot, mental health, and similar topics. Feel free to follow, or support me on Ko-Fi.

-LR🐇

[stardust-in-my-mind-blog]

Lughnasadh, or Lammas, the first of the three harvest festivals, occurs during Leo season, and farmer’s markets are bursting with ripe cherries, luscious blackberries and juicy peaches.

It is fitting that Lughnasdh is also a traditional time for handfastings and weddings, given the fertility and abundance of the natural world.

Echoing the glorious fecundity of the season, Leo’s purpose is to shine. It is no coincidence that the Sun is Leo’s ruling planet. The Sun in astrology is connected to one’s unique sense of self.

The Sun symbolizes growth, creativity, illumination, life force, vitality, the divine spark, and the ability to create life. It also corresponds with royalty, nobility and leadership: all qualities that resonate through the archetype of Leo.

Ultimately, the Sun is symbolic of that mysterious process we call individuation – becoming wholly oneself, and standing fully and gracefully in one’s power. This is Leo’s quest.

Leo embodies both the archetype of the Queen (and King) as well the Divine Child, and tends to view life as a romantic quest, with her as the protagonist of her own story’.

Leo Season reflections

What are you celebrating?

What are you thankful for?

What are you beginning to harvest that was once just a seed?

What are you proud of?

Excerpt from ‘The Twelve Faces of the Goddess’ by Danielle Blackwood. Llewellyn 2018.

[doc-avalon]

Holidays and items of note for August 1, 2023

Lammas Day

Lughnasadh

Scout Scarf Day (Boy Scouts) celebrated on August 1, honors scouts worldwide by encouraging them to step out of the house with their scouts' scarf on.

Tu B’Av (Jewish)

Rawgust (???) In 2010 a campaign was started to encourage people to eat less processed food and eat more in their most basic form or raw. They decided Rawgust was just the name to do this with and emphasized it by making the first of August, Rawgust.

Homemade Pie Day (U.S.) Or you could just put all the ingredients in a bowl and eat them raw in honor of the item above.

Spider-Man Day (Pop Culture)

I hope you also got yourself some raw veggies to go with that pie at the Lammas Festival Spidey!

World Wide Web Day

And when the words world wide web day was put into Midjourney this is what came back.

Oooookay?

[talonabraxas]

Illustration - Maenhir

Wiccan Calendar by Ste Pickford

Lammas/Lughnasadh - August 1st

Lughnasadh is celebrated roughly at the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox.

Summer continues for now, but the days are steadily growing shorter and there is work to be done. Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest festivals, and the central crop in this case is grain. Traditionally the first sheaf of grain is cut, winnowed, ground, and baked into ceremonial bread – the delicious result of months of labor. In the process the seeds for next year’s grain are carefully saved, and the wheel keeps turning. Blessed Lammas!

[thebowynntradition]

Aelles Ky'Tarna

Blessinsgs and Abundance to all on this wonderful Ky'Tarna holiday!

Kytarna (July 31-August 2nd) is the Bowynn version of the Wiccan and Keltic holidays Lammas and Lughnassad. It is the celebration of the middle of the Summer. The name Kytarna means “Mid-Summer”, named after the goddess of the summer Tarna. Besides celebrating the mid-summer mark, the holiday celebrates several other aspects: The first harvest, the grain & corn harvest. Its is also The divine wedding of Tarna to Saphon (South Wind) and revering the goddess Io (Home) and god Hyu (Baking) and the gods Deanna (Harvest) and Amaetheon (Abundance). So there is lots of celebrating to be had for these 3 days. As with all the circular holidays of the year, the first day is devoted to preparing and decorating. The second day devoted to prayers and the divine. The third day is devoted to celebration and revelry.

Lammas is a time to enjoy the last rays of Summer, Take in the golden sunlight, to appreciate the harvest and to be grateful for the abundance we have. Wheat, Grains, Honey and Bread are high symbols of abundance in the Bowynn tradition. It's given as gifts at this time of year along with other baked goods. Garlands and ornaments of grass and husks of foods, adorn homes. And iconic woven images of Tarna and Saphon are carried in procession to the ceremonial altar.

The sacred stories to this holiday start with the first harvest of the Bowynn people in their newfound homeland. After coming to Europe on The Great Migration and settling, the gods Deanna and Amaetheon showed the good people what to forage, plant and harvest. This included honey from bee hives and milk from the wild goats and cattle. At the same time the goddess Io showed them how to build their first hearths and tend to them and Hyu taught them how to bake. So grateful were the first tribes, that they declared this day sacred to the gods. At the same time, it was also the same day when the goddess of Summer, Tarna, wed her beloved god of the south, Saphon. All the people of the first 7 tribes were witnessed to the blessed event.

Traditional Foods for the holiday are Corn, Grains, seeds, wheat, Barley, Breads, Pies, Pasta, Milk, Honey, Butter and Berries.  The most common and well-placed herbs and incenses found at Kytarna celebrations are Cedar, Alder, Cinnamon, Fenugreek, Ginger, Poppies, Cornflowers and Sunflowers. The prominent colors for the holiday are Gold, Yellow and, Copper Orange. Green can also be found here and there but not considered one of the sacred colors of the holiday. Sacred symbols found all about during Kytarna are: Corn Dollies (Representing Tarna and Saphon) Baskets and images of Bees, Hedgehog, Cows and/or Goats. Wicker items of all sorts & other straw-woven items, Wheat bundles, Bread, Cakes, Hearth broom, Corn and Corn stalks. There is also the sacred “Tarna Kaeb,” (Summer Board) which is a sacred and decorated breadboard hung on doors. And there is the ever present “Kytarna Draed” (Mid-Summer Bread) which is a special holy traditional offering and meal. Wheat wreathes, Sunflower garlands and wreaths are the norm for homes and town to be decorated in.

Special Activities during the 3-day holiday include families hanging the Tarna Kaeb on their doors, along with other decorations, Baking and making corn dollies. Commonly there is a lot of making of crafts in the theme of wicker, such as fans, hats, dollies, goats and headdresses. Back in the kitchen this is also a time for making butters of all sorts, creams and cheese. This is a famed time to gather and jar honey.

How ever you celebrate the holiday and what ever you may call it, have a great celebration, and may the gods embrace you and keep you safe and happy.

[recoveringpsychotic]

The Inner Wheel Spread 7.30.23

Self-Exploration During Change

Significator: Knight of Wands - Knows how to escalate a plan & has great ideas

Yule | What are You Ready to Let Go of in Your Life?

4 of Wands | Fire - Fun / Creativity / Control - 4 walls of house/room. The family members falling apart. Ambiguity of loss.

Imbolc | Where is Your Energy Best Dedicated?

The Emperor - Well spent as a parent. Protect yourself, take charge, force change. Stubbornness is not always the answer.

Ostara | How Do You Find Balance In Your Process of Change?

4 of Pentacles | Earth - Stressing about money, want help. Give up a little control. Need money to get out. Create support, be a little stingy and stay in.

Beltane | What is the Fire that Drives Your Expansion?

King of Wands [R] | Fire - Skills & abilities

Litha | The Turning Point

Knight of Swords | Air - Passion, self-assured, lacking compassion, avoid recklessness.

Lammas | What do You Need to Begin Harvesting - Literally or Metaphorically?

8 of Wands | Fire - Take action & stop wasting time. Follow intuition wholeheartedly, right timing.

Mabon | How Will Your Change Feed Back into Those Around You?

8 of Cups | Water - Whatever you've been pouring in its not working. It will be difficult, learn its wisdom.

Samhain | Guidance from Your Ancestors

10 of Swords | Air - You're going through something soul crushing. The pain will end & you will come out stronger having survived.

[miniaturemoonheart]

Every Witch reveres and honors every element and season through the wheel of the year, but there is always one season in time that resonates and gives us added power. And it isn’t something that you will recognize if you are new to the practice of the craft. It will take time to see how you ebb and flow, like the moon, like the ever-changing wheel – and through the wisdom gained through practicing the craft; to fully understand what that means. This doesn’t mean that you aren’t as powerful, what I mean is that, as you know and grow with your witchiness/powers, you will be learning so much and it will take time; not only for you to choose, but for IT to choose you.

For those who do know what I speak of, you know that your power is heightened at this time because it is the “Season of the Witch,” but not every Witch shares the same feelings for every season. What is your season? We must take into consideration that the Wheel of the year is different for both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. Simply outlined:

Northern Hemisphere:

Yule: December 19-23

Imbolc: February 1-2

Ostara: March 19-23

Beltane: April 30 – May 1

Litha/Midsummer: June 19-23

Lughnasadh: August 1-2

Mabon: September 20-24

Samhain: October 31 – November 1

Southern Hemisphere:

Lughnasadh/Lammas: February 1

Mabon /Autumnal Equinox: March 21

Samhain: April 30-May 1

Yule/Winter Solstice: June 21-22

Imbolc: August 1

Ostara/Spring Equinox: September 21

Beltane: October 31

In association with the Tarot and timing:

Fall / Earth / Pentacles

Winter / Air / Swords

Spring / Fire / Wands

Summer / Water / Cups

The All / Spirit / Major Arcana

In the Northern hemisphere, we are celebrating Mabon and soon, Samhain, and for those who live in the Southern hemisphere, you are celebrating Ostara and Beltane! Today, we honor our Fall Witches. And since I live in the Northern hemisphere, I will be discussing those energies. If you feel that Fall is your time, your season and that your power is most heightened currently – then this is for you. The magickal associations with Fall can assist you in doing magick that best suits the energies.

The Autumn equinox is the balancing of the light and dark, and as a Witch, this will give you the ability to work gray magick…if you don’t already. We need to be clear that not all black magick is bad – again the color black gets a bad rep here and it's ridiculous. Let me just share another perspective. Look at black magick this way, especially if you are a Witch who chooses not to manipulate others or harm anyone (which I am); working with black magick can be the following:

Shadow work: Delving into the subconscious and hidden sides of our inner selves to reveal and heal what has been repressed to heal and progress spiritually.

Ancestors: Connecting with our ancestral lineage and learning more about our current ancestry background. However, this doesn’t mean that if you have a connection to another type of Ancestral line, blood or not, that you cannot do the same. Asking and calling on our Ancestors for help.

Past lives: Through meditation, astral travel, or assistance with a medium – learning about your past lives that are affecting your current can be very good work, healing and transformative.

Protection: I don’t care what you must do. When it comes to protecting you and yours from harm – you do what it takes!!! Spell work regarding protection can be done without karmic retribution.

And more:

Kitchen Witch

Garden Witch

Earth and Air Magick

Dark moon magick

Divination & learning divination tools

Healing / Releasing

Psychic abilities

Crone magick

Dark totem animals

Spirit communication

Writing and building up your Book of Shadows

The list goes on!

Fall is a season of transition. It brings change with the dying of the old self, old patterns, and old situations. The energy flows towards resurrection and renewal. Fall witches love this process. This is a time to harvest only what gives you energy and give thanks for the blessings and lessons learned. Since Fall represents maturity and adulthood, there is always wisdom to be gained.

Fall may seemingly represent death, but in truth, it reflects the death of what no longer serves. The colors change showing you how beautiful the process of change can be. The fallen leaves represent letting what doesn’t work go creating a new beginning, a clean slate. Totems that show such resurrection or metamorphosis resonate with the Fall season and may be of interest to you, such as butterflies, moths, and snakes. Do your research or call on your guides to lead you to this totem so that you can work and learn from it.

We also need to take note of the Carrion - as in the crow and raven, or the black cat, the wolf, spider, and bat. All creatures of the night and day! Look up the meaning of these totems as well. They deal with the mystery, magick, wisdom, alpha, and omega, transitioning, death, and rebirth – resurrection!!

Regarding the Angelic realm, fall souls tend to make a covenant with the Carrion Angels. They oversee guiding lost souls or souls that have just left the earthly realms to cross over. Consider yourself a bridge in calling on them to assist in these endeavors. And if that is the case you are most definitely a psychic medium, witch, or able to understand necromancy.

Other symbolism regarding Fall: bonfires, foraging for pinecones, acorns, feathers, leaves, herbs, and flowers to dry, river rocks, broken twigs from different trees, such as birch, and root vegetables.

Colors are black, emerald, green, crimson red, gold, yellow, carnelian, orange, rust, copper, indigo, royal blue, purple, brown, and rose beige. Look for these colors in all your magickal workings, with gemstones, candle colors, objects in nature, clothes that you wear, etc. Also, pay close attention to the root, sacral, solar plexus, and heart chakras – this season will aid in showing where imbalances need to be repaired or healed.

There is so much more for me to share with you on this topic, but this is a good start. For my Fall witches, you are the ones who delve deep within the mysteries, seekers of knowledge and answers, researchers, self-taught, teachers of others – keeper of secrets, and dark magick woman and men of the macabre. I am too. This is OUR time to shine. Blessed be and keep shining those lights.

[askthefuturegleeks]

Thank you for joining the campaign to bring the arts to future generations, ALARA COHEN-CHANG AND MELODIE STERLING, we’re happy to have you! If you want a refresher on what to do next, feel free to look at the WELCOME CHECKLIST. Please send your account in within the next 48 hours so that you can get started.

ooc information

SHIPS: chemistry

ANTI-SHIPS: no chemistry

basic ic information NAME: alara cohen-chang

BIRTHDAY/ZODIAC: march 20/pisces

CURRENT OCCUPATION: owner @ tarot & lace metaphysical shop

CURRENT LOCATION: NYC

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: divorced

FC: aslihan malbora

twitter post @seekingspiritalara: (As we quickly approach Lammas, Tarot&Lace will be holding a store-wide 50% off sale to bring in the new season.) #SALE #SUPPORTLOCALBUSINESS #SUPPORTSMALLBUSINESS

in character questions Answer these in character, and feel free to add gifs into your answers.

1.) What did you want to do with your life when you were younger? What would the child version of yourself think about the path you paved for yourself?

for most of my life i honestly had very little clue about what i actually wanted to do. i went back and forth between a lot of different career options, and doing things that would keep me happy for a couple of months, and then i would burn out. i finally realized that probably meant i should do something that i could control, which is why i went into business for myself. so, i think my younger self would really just be happy that i'm happy.

2.) What is your proudest accomplishment? Don’t be afraid to talk about what it took to achieve it and how you feel about it as well.

opening my shop, hands down. it took so long for me to realize that's what i wanted, and then once i did it was nothing but saving and research, research and saving for what felt like an eternity. of course once everything came together it was totally worth it, and i'm grateful that the process was so much and so stressful.

3.) If you could do anything you wanted for one whole day, what would it be and why?

for one whole day? gosh that's a big ask. uh. maybe go to an amusement park or a fair of some sort? just that feeling of freedom and giddiness...i think it would do me some good.

where are they now? alara was adopted by the cohen-changs at the age of 9 after being in the system since she was only a few months old. her father split from her mother the moment he learned of her pregnancy, and alara's young mother felt nothing but bitterness towards her daughter for 'driving her boyfriend away'. the system wasn't kind to alara, but she found a different life with the cohen-changs. growing up she was obedient, intelligent, and helpful, and she truly got along well with and loved her siblings and family. she is still close with them today, and would do anything for any of them.

---------------------------------------------

ooc information

SHIPS: chemistry

ANTI-SHIPS: no chemistry

basic ic information

NAME: melodie sterling

BIRTHDAY/ZODIAC: september 19/virgo

CURRENT OCCUPATION: er nurse

CURRENT LOCATION: nyc

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: single

FC: Katherine Newton

twitter post @nursemel: (got into a deeply philosophical debate about the true function of a rubber duck with a patient .) #NURSELIFE #STORIESFROMTHEER

in character questions Answer these in character, and feel free to add gifs into your answers.

1.) What did you want to do with your life when you were younger? What would the child version of yourself think about the path you paved for yourself?

i've always known i wanted to work in the medical field in some capacity. well, if you don't count the couple of years convinced i would become the queen of america. there were times where i considered going to med school, or becoming a physical therapist, or something like that but i really think my past self would be really happy with where i ended up. i think i'd be even more proud of myself to know that i'm continuing my education and working to better myself in NP school.

2.) What is your proudest accomplishment? Don’t be afraid to talk about what it took to achieve it and how you feel about it as well.

probably actually being able to buy my apartment. nyc is a tough place to be financially and especially for anyone who actually wants to own something. but i started saving young, and made it happen.

3.) If you could do anything you wanted for one whole day, what would it be and why?

sleep. hands down, sleep.

where are they now? having grown up in the super close and tight-knit sterling family as the only female meant that melodie was well protected and well looked after. she loved every minute of her childhood and her younger-years in relation to her family. she has always been very studious and was often called an old soul. she loves reading, movies, and talking about the deeper meanings in life. she left westerville directly after graduating high school and moved to la for college, graduating from uc berkeley. however, after working and living in la for a couple of years she decided to move to nyc for a change of scenery, fell in love, and has been there ever since.