Before the Harvest

Lammas, the first of the three Harvest Sabbats, is celebrated on August 1 and marks the halfway point between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Autumnal Equinox (Mabon). Traditionally, this celebration focuses around wheat and grain as the bounty of the first harvest of the year.

So how do we relate to agrarian festivals when we live in urban/suburban areas? Well, one of the other focuses of Lammas is that of sacrifice, particularly through the symbol of the Breadman.

Sacrifice. The connotation of that word is heavy, but the nuance of it is broad. Generally speaking, to sacrifice something is to give it up willingly. It’s easy to think about big, hard sacrifices, but if we think about the fruits of the harvest, it takes a different kind of sacrifice to make it happen, through hard work and giving time to the effort.

The same holds true to our non-agrarian lives.  When we have earned something it is very often the case that we actually gave something up to obtain it, be it opportunities, choices, or even—and especially—time.

As we move into the Harvest season, take time to reflect on what sacrifices you have had to make in order to get to where you are today.