Merry Meet!

It’s also the time to celebrate the symbol that is the god Lugh.  Lugh is the god of crafts and skills.  Now is the time you begin to see craft fairs where skilled craftsman brought their wares to be sold.  In earlier times, guilds would set up their workers in booths around castle grounds and tie brightly color ribbons on the tents.

Lugh is also considered by some to be a patron of bards and magicians.  This is a good time to begin a new skill, learn or get better at a musical instrument, write a story or poem, and maybe try canning vegetables or fruits.

This is the season when our agrarian ancestors began to prepare for winter.  Preserving the foods and baking breads for the coming famine of winter.  A farmer would not harvest any of his grain until Lammas.  On that day, they would gather the grain into sheaves and that evening the women would bake the first loaves of bread.  Early Christians would have the loaves blessed to keep their family from starving

Today, many still bake bread and muffins, can vegetables and fruits, and prepare themselves for the coming winter not just physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.   The loaves are still blessed.

Many celebrate the day by playing games or participating in sports events to celebrate the strength and good health the abundant harvest brings.  Grain gods and goddesses figure in the celebrations as well.  It’s also a time to “Harvest” any workings you’ve sent out over the year, especially more complicated ones such as revealing your spirituality to friends and family.

Throughout the year, you’ve hinted at who you are, maybe told a few trusted friends and family, and perhaps even dared to reveal it to a stranger.  Whether you’ve realized it or not, those are workings you’ve sent out.  You’ve informed the universe with thought and deed, what type of life you want.

Now you need to consider if the time is right to walk out of the broom closet.

Depending on how your conversations have gone with others, now is the time to decide whether or not you will live your faith fully.  Beltane, a time when many relationships are begun, will be back around again.  So the seeds you planted earlier this year are most likely beginning to bear fruit.  Those you’ve told have had time to analyze their feelings and will either stand by you or not.  That is something no one knows until it actually happens, until it ripens.

As you can tell, I’m using a lot of farming and harvest imagery.  It’s appropriate for this time of year and will help you with your next exercise.

If the reactions have been positive, congratulations!  The energy of the universe, of the creator(s), shows you are on the right track.  Use this time to harvest those new aspects of your relationships.  Think about how it makes you feel not to hide who you are and take note of what you did to achieve this.  That way you’ll be able to plan for a bumper crop next year.

Bright blessings and merry part ‘til merry we meet again!

Asha