This edition of the seasonal timings explores a celebration with rich history in both Celtic and Anglo-Saxon cultural traditions. Lughnasadh (pronounced loo NAS ah) occurs at the midpoint between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox. This holiday is traditionally celebrated on the eve of July 31st and into the next day, August 1st while the sun is in the sign of Leo. This is the cross-quarter point between summer solstice and the autumnal equinox. This year’s astronomical Lammas is August 7th when the sun is at the exact midpoint of Leo. In the northern hemisphere, this is a time to express gratitude for the season’s early harvest. It can also be a time to reflect on the first fruits of our labors in various areas of life. Let’s dive in!
- Lughnasadh was a celebration of the first grain harvest in Ireland. It is so named for the Celtic god, Lugh, a craftsman, wheel maker, and blacksmith. The ancients harvested grains like oats, wheat, barley, and corn in the early morning hours and baked them into loaves of bread to be shared with the community during an evening celebration of feasting, dancing, and storytelling. Lammas comes from the Old English term Hlaf Maesse (Loaf Mass). As the early Christian church established itself in Celtic lands, Lughnasadh, like many ancient earth-based celebrations, intertwined with Lammas, a Christian holiday celebrating first fruits of the fields. Loaves of bread were baked from the first harvest flour and brought to church to be blessed during mass. This is one of the oldest points of contact between the agrarian world and the church.
- Honoring the Day: Taken together, Lughnasadh and Lammas are reminders that magical summer is coming to an end, the harvest season is beginning, and the fruits of our labor deserve attention. The longer days of summer are growing shorter and now is the time to consider how the seeds planted earlier in the year have matured and grown. What is ready to harvest and what needs more time? This applies to both literal seeds like flowers, fruit, grain, and herbs, and ontological “seeds” like dreams, goals, objectives, and intentions. In modern times we can honor these ancient traditions in new or familiar ways.
- Being fully present to any moment encourages a deeper breath and a calm countenance. On August 1st take a few moments using all your senses to experience this special summer day. Feel a warm breeze. Watch the sunrise. Listen to birdsong. Savor your favorite summer salad. Deeply inhale a spray of lavender or a rose. Colors to wear or use as decoration for home or garden include bright green, yellow, gold, and orange. Flowers for the holiday are hollyhocks, sunflowers, and heather. Enjoy summer berries, apples, grain dishes and breads, grapes, wine, and mead. For those who love to bake, Lammas is the day for kneading your favorite grains into a delicious loaf of bread to enjoy and share with friends or neighbors. Here’s a fun, delicious bread recipe (vegan and GF). If it’s too hot to bake (or baking is not your forte), layer blackberries, blueberries, vegan yogurt, crushed pecans, and shredded coconut into a tall glass. Top that with a fresh mint sprig and enjoy a first fruit parfait to celebrate the day.
- Create a time to ponder and celebrate your own personal first harvest bounty. What has been accomplished this year? What needs more time to mature? Are there steps needed to ensure the later harvest is successful? Are there people to thank or acknowledge for a bountiful first harvest? How do you celebrate personal accomplishments coming to fruition? Do you need quiet, introspective time today, or to share the day with family, friends, or community?
Care Notes for the End-of-Summer Blues
Ah, summer, how can you leave us so soon? During summertime, visits with grandkids, friends, or neighbors, family picnics, baseball games, beach time, and other activities offer needed camaraderie and stimulation that tend to wane when school and work routines are back in play. Even though cooler fall days are a welcome respite from summer’s sizzle, sadness or nostalgic feelings can arise as autumn comes calling.
One reason for the end-of-summer blues is a sense that summer fun is coming to an end. Certainly, fun can be had in other seasons. However, due to childhood memories that highlight being free from school and homework, we grownups tend to see summer as the season of the most fun and we don’t want it to end! Sometimes summer’s great expectations or plans don’t come to fruition due to lack of time, illness, or another unexpected obstacle. That can give way to disappointment or frustration. These feelings are not reserved for seniors but can affect people of all ages from kids to elders, and from caregivers to care recipients. Remember that the end of summer doesn’t have to be a bummer! Here are some ways to cope with end-of-summer blues:
- Reflect and celebrate summer highlights – make a list of favorite experiences or insights gleaned during the summer season and ask friends, family, or care recipients to do the same. Carve out time to share these reflections and compare notes while sipping lemonade in the shade. Be sure to weave a vision for next summer’s fun into your little celebration.
- Don’t ignore sad feelings ~ The late summer sun’s increasing slant is a gentle reminder that autumn’s arrival is imminent; and autumn is a time when many things in the natural world wither and die. It is human nature to experience grief-related feelings when faced with an ending. If the end-of-summer blues do come calling, it can be useful to have an authentic conversation with a friend. Chances are, they may have similar thoughts and feelings. Sharing grief heart to heart can be healing and uplifting. When caring for someone who is medically vulnerable, elderly, or in final days, be aware that these feelings may be heightened during any seasonal change, but especially as autumn and the eventual winter months approach. Experiencing ongoing sadness, hopelessness, or loss of interest in life are signs of depression that can benefit from medical and mental health care. Please seek assistance if this is the case.
- Create an observance, ritual, or tradition ~ Write a haiku, poem, or short story about summer adventures. Build a sand sculpture, use fabric, clay, colored pencils, watercolors, or other media to create an art piece about summer’s end. These activities can be done solo or with summer friends or family members. Gathering with others to celebrate the season’s end creates a positive memory and can even inspire a new tradition. An end-of-summer gathering at a bonfire, music festival, porch party, or picnic can be a delightful way to end the season. If you care for a medically vulnerable person, remember to take Covid precautions (mask, test, social distance, proper airflow, awareness of local infection level).
- Look forward to fall ~ Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for and/or that bring you joy in autumn. What are the fall colors, foods, scents, sounds, special days, clothing, and activities that spark joy? List any events, festivals, or rituals that inspire an autumnal attitude of gratitude. Refer to your list if end of summer blues sneak up on you. Care givers may want to take time for a conversation with care recipients about these topics. Listen carefully as they express things they are grateful for or happy about. There may be clues in their sharing that will help you to arrange a special fall activity, experience, or meal.
- Practice self-care ~ In addition to the usual recommendations (exercise, time in nature, healthy eating, breathing, and sleep habits), commit to learning or trying something new. Seek entertainment, companionship, and conversations that are uplifting. Give yourself permission to be a little lazy! Read a beach novel. Sit in the garden. Take an afternoon nap. Meditate. Do something just for fun! Enjoy the lingering warmth of this turning season.
On the Blog: The Long Covid Series is my personal account of living with LC. Recent entries include: Radical Acceptance, The Trigger Event, and Better, Not Normal. The ABC’s for Living Well now features “X” is for Xing (Crossing) Parts 1, 2, and 3. Past newsletters are also available on the blog.
Quotes for Season: Summer ends, and Autumn comes, and he who would have it otherwise would have high tide always and a full moon every night.” ~ Hal Borland, Author, Poet. “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” ~ Lao Tzu, Philosopher