The First Harvest.- July 2023
Lughnasadh/Lammas Simple Ritual, Meditation, Upcoming Course, Writing Update, & so much more!
Good afternoon!
Huge thank you! Over the past few weeks, the number of subscribers to my newsletter has exploded. Bless you for recommending my newsletter to your friends! Deep gratitude to fellow Substack writers and artists who have recommended me: Trackless Wild, Maggie's Substack, Art Studio Sketchbook, The Flowers Are Speaking, and The Rhizosphere I am so grateful for our connection!
Speaking of gratitude, we’re moving toward Lughnasadh on August 1 in the Northern Hemisphere. Lughnasadh is the first of the three Celtic holidays when we offer thanks for a bountiful harvest. In the Southern Hemisphere, Lughnasadh occurs on February 1. Keep reading to see ideas for a simple, lovely gratitude altar and ritual.
Lughnasadh, also called Lammas (“loaf mass”), honors the harvest of grains – wheat, barley, corn – and other early crops. I am so grateful for the bounty of fresh vegetables and fruits right now at my house. I also am thankful for the people who work to grow and gather this food and deliver it to us, wherever we live.
As I meditate on this holiday, I’m reminded that every day we harvest what we’ve sown, not only on special days but metaphorically as well. I’ve written lots in recent newsletters about spinning circles in my life. Harvest time makes me think of the wheel of the year, spinning from one season to the next, which, in turn, reminds me to pay attention to the connection between planting and harvesting. For example, the tomato vines planted in spring have grown steadily in many gardens, and now I’m eating beautiful fruit from those vines.
Speaking of tomatoes, for the sixtieth time, last week I read Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Every summer since I was 12, I’ve read that book while eating a sandwich made with the first local tomato of the season and drinking homemade lemonade. This ritual is far more meaningful to me than simply reading good literature and eating homegrown food. It honors a time and events that dramatically influenced my life, and created within me a set of values to which I continue to ascribe all these years later. I was privileged to portray Maudie Atkinson in a local production of the play a few years ago, and I was honored to speak her words about justice and our connection to all people.
Meditation Thoughts
Click on the link below for your FREE monthly meditation recording, “The First Harvest.” I’m so happy to connect with you and I’m grateful that you have taken a course with me and subscribe to this newsletter!
If you missed my last newsletter, you can read it here.
Around Again Spins the Circle-June 2023
Deeper Mysteries of Tarot: Your Journey Continues
Three-Session Course Taught via Zoom
Tuesdays, August 1, 8, & 15, 2023
2:00-3:30 PM EASTERN US Section OR
8:00-9:30 PM EASTERN US Section
Prerequisite: Completion of “Unlocking the Mysteries of Tarot”
This course is not only a continuation of “Unlocking the Mysteries of Tarot,” but offers more depth to your working knowledge of Tarot. There are two sections of this course – one in the afternoon and one in the evening (Eastern US time), so be sure to enroll in the section that best fits your schedule!
In this course you’ll learn how to:
1. strengthen your intuitive skills in working with the keys
2. incorporate other psychic tools into your work (crystals, pendulums…)
3. use the keys for prompts in writing, story-telling, and more
4. work with the keys in meditation and more!
5. examine legends and myths associated with Tarot that are still relevant today
Register NOW for Deeper Mysteries of Tarot. Course section enrollment has both a minimum and a maximum enrollment requirement, so register early!
Afternoon Section
https://debbowen.com/product/deeper-mysteries-of-tarot-in-august-afternoon-section/
Evening Section:
https://debbowen.com/product/deeper-mysteries-of-tarot-in-august-evening-section/
A Simple Holiday Altar and Ritual: Recommended Reading
You already have shrines and altars around your home, although you may not think of them that way. If you have photos of a beloved ancestor, you have a shrine. If you have a grouping of objects or even a lone candle set up for a particular intent, you have an altar. For eons, humans have created sacred space, and you can too.
There are many altars in my home. There are standing altars that remain the same all year. Others change with the seasons. Still others are created as the need arises and are removed when the need has been met. Give me a flat surface, and I’ll build an altar!
As Lughnasadh approaches, you might create a space in your home that you designate as a place of gratitude. An altar can be as simple or elaborate as you like. A lovely simple altar could be to set a candle on a table and light it every day for a while as a reminder to offer gratitude. For a more elaborate altar, you could place a yellow or gold cloth on a table (to represent late summer and the colors of grains and corn). Put a candle in the center in a fire-proof container (to represent the elements of Fire and Air). Place corn husks, grains, and even a small bowl of flour, to represent the harvest (to represent the element of Earth). Add a small dish of water to represent life at its beginning (to represent the element of Water). Add any other objects that resonate for you as you meditate on gratitude, and on harvesting what you need in your life.
On Lughnasadh, spend time with your altar, eat some great bread, and give thanks for the spinning Wheel of the Year!
Below is a wonderful book by Denise Linn with many more details and suggestions for altar creations and how to use them. I highly recommend this book to you.
Writing Update
I’m excited about the works I have in progress, some of which I anticipate being published soon. In the meantime, you can view links to my published work on my website:
https://debbowen.com/author/
You also can click here to read my most recent creative nonfiction works, “Mending Nets” in Salvation South:
https://www.salvationsouth.com/mending-nets-north-carolina-barrier-island/?mc_cid=c4bb217ffc&mc_eid=fae2a9a622
And “A Talisman for Poseidon,” also in Salvation South:
https://www.salvationsouth.com/a-talisman-from-poseidon-hurricane-donna-1960/
Podcast
Deb’s Facebook Pages
Another way you and I can connect is through my Facebook pages. I’d be honored if you’d follow my pages. They are a great way to see up-to-the-minute news! I so hope you’ll LIKE and FOLLOW and feel free to comment and share posts!
Deb Bowen, Author
PsychicTeachers
Witches of the Shore
Just One More Thing Before You Go
“I bear witness to the beauty of the fragile ecosystem of my home when I see hope around me. When I see organizations cleaning manmade debris from the water, or hear of a political victory that supports the coast, or saves turtles, or a fish species, or nesting shore birds, I rejoice.”
Excerpt from A Talisman from Poseidon Published in Salvation South
Thank you!
Deb…Grateful for the thoughtful sharing you offer to us….Bright Blessings as you continue your daily & monthly writings that touch our Hearts….