LAMMAS: HARVEST FESTIVAL

The New Moon in Leo arrives just two days before the August 1st "Quarter Day" known as Lammas - one of the four seasonal festivals that fall midway between the Equinox and Solstice. An agricultural "first fruits" holiday, Lammas was celebrated on the eve of harvest as the late summer sun blazed overhead before beginning its descent from the midsummer heights. The Celts' celebration of Lammas, for instance, was called Lughanasdh, after Lugh, the god of light. Connected as they were to the cycles of growth, our ancestors honored the vital energy that flows down to us from the sun - without which there would be no life. Thus with both the sun and moon in the creative fire sign of Leo, it is a time to contemplate the solar mysteries and the sacred element of fire.

THE ARTIST-SUN HERO

A few days ago my friend Harriet, an organic farmer, stopped by my house with some ruby-red tomatoes and giant green zuchinis. As we sat and admired the bounty from her summer garden, I shared with her insights from an article I was just finishing up after months of work. Together, my friend and I were doing just what our long-ago ancestors did in a ritual way: pausing to admire the "first fruits" of our creative labor. 

Farmers, of course, were among the first artists: they worked tirelessly over a long time with little to show when suddenly, out of the dark canvas of the earth, plants began to blossom forth. Both artists and farmers share in the myth of the quintessential Leonine solar hero, Hercules, who is typically clothed in a lion skin. Hercules achieved immortality through his legendary 12 labors, which are said to symbolize the sun's passage through the 12 houses of the zodiac. What we learn from Hercules is that any act of creation is the combination of both heroic vision and human labor. Of all the signs in the Zodiac, Leo represents the archetype of the creative artist - royal, sunlike pride in one's accomplishments; passionate commitment to the process; and the strength to sustain one's work as a labor of love. 

MEDITATION: Lammas, therefore, is a time for artists to pause and meditate upon the solar-powered mystery of creation. If you have an altar, perhaps you would like to begin your meditation by lighting a candle, then observing its flame for a few minutes. Next, place beside the candle the "first fruits" of whatever work it is you have been involved in over the past year: the page of a book, an article of clothing representing a child, a flower from a garden, a business ledger, musical instrument, or even a tool representing a computer. Then, think back over the last year: like the solar hero Hercules, what were the labors that you endured? What stormy weather in the form of dark days of doubt or disbeliefs did you suffer through? As you contemplate your heroic labors, you may begin to see the ways in which your efforts are beginning to bear fruit. If you are a parent, you may see a subtle maturing in your child; as a writer, you may see how an abstract idea took root to become a fully-formed project; or, if you are a businessperson you may notice how your company is beginning to prosper. 

After reflecting on your creative "labors," you may wish to contemplate the sun that shines overhead, as well as the inner sun that lights your creative process. For a few moments, let yourself be like the innocent sunflower, emblem of the sun on earth, basking in the steady, nurturing warmth of the sun. Feel it's heat on your skin; it's light burning your eyes; it's energy empowering your soul. Feel the solar glory of this force of nature, without which life would end. Then bless the sun, bless the light, and bless the work of the creative hero who works magic through your life. 

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