Today is Lammas, which is known as the First Harvest of the year. This day marks the transition into the harvest season of August, September, and October (of which there is a Second Harvest and Last Harvest that correspond to these months).
This holiday is often referred to as Lammas, Lughnasadh, or Lugh, although I usually just refer to it as the First Harvest. On my path, it celebrates the beginning of Summer’s decline and ramping up of the busy season where we begin to reap in the abundance that the bounty of summer’s energies has encouraged to grow and flourish. It is a time filled with a combination of abundance, hard work, and gratitude.
Like with new moons and full moons, I usually do a spread to check in with myself and give myself some direction for the next couple of months for each solstice, equinox, and other Sabbats. Unfortunately, I was unable to do my normal Sabbat reading this month, so I am combining the harvest spreads from this month’s Discord Tarot Challenge instead.
Seeds Sown – What seeds for my physical health & growth planted in the Spring have flourished and grown strong?
Welcoming the Harvest – You have gotten back on track with your eating schedule, ensuring no hypoglycemic episodes and helping in staying off the irrational scarcity feelings that start to crop up in all areas of life when you start trying to cut back on food intake.
The Chaff – What seeds for my physical health & growth have not flourished and need to be let go to encourage healthy growth in other areas?
Harvest Basket – You are still struggling to carry too much on your shoulders. In order to continue with healthy physical progress in areas where you are thriving, you need to work on letting go of taking on too much on your own.
The Harvest – How can I best prepare now to reap the benefits of a positive healthy harvest for my physical health & growth in the Fall?
Craftsmanship – Work on honing your craft and toughening up your hands and forearms for the overwork that will come as the holiday season comes into focus. Build up that strength and endurance now so you won’t be injured later.
Seeds Sown – What seeds for my mental health & growth planted in the Spring have flourished and grown strong?
Fennel – You have been working on fretting less and trusting that you will get through obstacles instead of decimated by them. With your emotions in play (as you try not to bury them and ignore them), it’s difficult to not be affected more intensely by setbacks and hurdles. You are doing well at learning how to not let your anxiety spiral in these instances, and instead focusing on solution based thoughts and plans.
The Chaff – What seeds for my mental health & growth have not flourished and need to be let go to encourage healthy growth in other areas?
Coneflower – You don’t need any more independence than you already have. Quit trying to scrape up more. You need to instead focus on allowing others in and asking for help, even in times when you feel you don’t need to.
The Harvest – How can I best prepare now to reap the benefits of a positive healthy harvest for my mental health & growth in the Fall?
Rooster and Hens – Get out in nature and enjoy time outside among the trees, exploring new trails and old alike. Revisit the joy that noticing natures little changes from one day to the next gives you. These excursions help create clarity of mind, and revitalize you both in mind and body.
Seeds Sown – What seeds for my emotional health & growth planted in the Spring have flourished and grown strong?
Citrine – The confidence you have gained over the past few months is of the gentle and uplifting sort. You are discovering that confidence in others and your connection to them is just as important as independence and having confidence in yourself.
The Chaff – What seeds for my emotional health & growth have not flourished and need to be let go to encourage healthy growth in other areas?
Garden Tools – You are not on your own and (yet again in this reading) you are being reminded that independence doesn’t mean you have to cut yourself off from others. That right there is the line where independence becomes unhealthy.
The Harvest – How can I best prepare now to reap the benefits of a positive healthy harvest for my emotional health & growth in the Fall?
Vegetable Garden – Touch base with yourself and your progress. Make sure that those seeds that need to flourish are doing so and thriving, and that the weeds of unhealthy thoughts and old habits that could choke them out are being pulled and discarded.
Twisting the Leaf 