A Solitary Ritual for Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh is the first harvest festival and most rituals all focus on the abundance of the harvest.  No one ever seems to speculate what the ritual would look like in a poor year year.  Is it exactly the same?  Part of acknowledging the turning of the wheel is realizing that years are different, some years are years of plenty and others are lean years where we are thankful that we still have our seed corn, so to speak. 

Remember that when each tree dies
a new acorn has already been planted
and will soon begin to sprout through to the Sun

Remember that we harvest
the tears as well as the laughter,
the pain along with the joy

Remember that in the end we harvest more, sometimes,
from our supposed losses
than we do from what we once thought gains

Remember that our lives on this plane
are like flames
each flame flickers in its cycles

Remember that whatever this life throws our way
we should be humble enough to know our weaknesses,
but not so humble that we forget our strengths,

Remember to rejoice
For it is only here on this earthly plane that
our fire burns brightly enough to warm the heart of another.

 

Poem by Ashley Ravenwood, with revisions