Lughnasadh/Lammas and Imbolc

I call this festival Lughnasadh but many call it Lammas. Either way, it is almost upon us. Today is Lughnasadh Eve,, tomorrow (1st Aug), is Lughnasadh or Lammas. In the Southern Hemisphere it is Imbolc, one of my favourite festivals. I do hope they get snowdrops south of the equator because to me that is the ultimate symbol of Imbolc!!

Lughnasadh is a wonderful time of year. It is fecund, bountiful and celebratory. It is the mid-point between Mid Summer and the Autumn Equinox. It is the start of the harvest time and so was when people would have more to eat than any other time of the year. This is a corn festival, a time of grain and gold/sunshine yellow and bronze, bread making and games, of weaving corn dollies. It is also a time of the waning moon.

Deities at this time include Lugh, Demeter, Ceres, Tailtiu. It is a time of the mother deity, of the fullness of life, and knowing when to celebrate. To stop and take in the joys life has to offer. It is the time of reaping the rewards of a year of hard work.

We are still in the last stages of the Holly moon, so we are still working with our passions and self confidence. The next Celtic Tree is the Hazel, which will begin on Monday, 5th August. This is where communication and knowledge come in, as the power of the sun starts to dwindle a little.

At this time of year I like to burn a fire - clear out the rubbish from my body and renew good health. If you don't have access to somewhere that you can start a small, controlled fire, pass a candle all around yourself, or get someone to do it for you - over your whole body. As you jump over the fire/have the candle pass over you, think about bringing in the positive energy that can heal and letting out all toxins and negative energies.

Getting out is essential at Lughnasadh - even if its just a five minute walk/stroll. Any kind of physical activity is good, especially outside. Feel the sun on your skin (or if its cloudy, imagine it). Enjoy this last couple of months of light before we a plunged into the short, cold days of winter.

I like to bake for this festival - cornbread is best but to be honest, this is a grain festival, so any grain will do, including wholemeal, which is much easier to make.

BB and have a wonderful Lughnasadh!

On another note, my second book, The Island of the Mist, is now available on both Kindle and paperback formats:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-Kingslayer-Series-ebook/dp/B0092TUS7U/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346945410&sr=1-2

And paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346506656&sr=1-2

and in the US: http://www.amazon.com/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346946271&sr=1-2&keywords=the+island+of+the+mist

My first book, The Stone in the Sword, is now reduced in price: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3

Holly Month in Celtic Tree Calendar

We are now into the month of Holly on the Celtic Tree Calendar. Holly is a wonderful tree, and a fire tree. It is masculine and is sacred to the summer and winter solstices.

As this tree comes immediately after the Summer Solstice/oak tree, it is all about the harvest, and any magic relating to that should be carried out now. This month covers a plethora of subjects you can cover magically, from sex magic to travel, healing to protection, material gain and good luck, to death and rebirth.

We have also just entered the Month of the Salmon, which brings self confidence and passion, and a need to find our life goals.

On Tuesday, 23rd, we enter the festival of Neptunalia, a Roman festival to the God Neptune. This is a water festival and a time of games. This theme carries through the rest of the month and ends with Lughnasadh, the Celtic festival of Lugh, in which games took place.

This is very much a time of being open to new things, of getting out and accomplishing goals.

Stay cool in this heat!!

On another note, my second book, The Island of the Mist, is now available on both Kindle and paperback formats:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-Kingslayer-Series-ebook/dp/B0092TUS7U/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346945410&sr=1-2

And paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346506656&sr=1-2

and in the US: http://www.amazon.com/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346946271&sr=1-2&keywords=the+island+of+the+mist

My first book, The Stone in the Sword, is now reduced in price: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3

July into August

This is a doing time of year. We want to be outside, moving aout, feeling the sun on our skin and smelling the breeze from the ocean. On the 21st of July we crossed from the Month of the Woodpecker to that of the Salmon. Salmon start their trip from the sea back to the rivers for spawning around this time. It is all about action. What do you need to do? What actions are needing to be carried out in your life at the moment?

We have also entered into the Holly tree from the oak tree. This occurred at the start of July,. the 8th. I always think of the Holly tree asa winter tree, so this surprises me every year!

Today (26th) is also the first quarter of the moon. So this is very much a doing time. If you want to do something, now is a very good chance.

As we approach August and the temperatures rise (or fall in the Southern hem), we come closer to the harvest that is Lughnasadh, or Lammas to many. In the Southern hem this is the time of Imbolc, of new beginnings, of brining Bride back into the home. For us in the north, it is a time of preparing for the winter ahead. We approach, slow and steady, like a galleon on open seas, the darker, colder days and try to make as ready as we can everything we will need to face that.

Lughnasah is about the feast. It is a time of games, of doing, competing and sharing. We need to gather for the coming time of less.

I've already seen chanterelle muchrooms in the woods! Quite early, as are the masses of rwan berries on the trees, a sign that winter will arrive earlier than usual. Many of the berries were already red and abundant, which is, I was always told as a child, a sign of a harsh winter ahead. it's a sign that the trees are trying to send out as many berries as possible to ensure some take and grow.

Bit of a babble this blog! Making things for Lughnasah, from pies and cakes, to stews and breads, cooking is part of the festival of light that is Lughnasadh. If you have children, play games and get them involved, if not, find games you can play yourself!

Enjoy the harvest!

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin