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Lammas - Flowers and Hecate


Lammas, also known as Lughnasadh, is a pagan holiday celebrating the first harvest. It is a time to give thanks for the abundance of crops and to honor the gods and goddesses of agriculture.

The name Lammas comes from the Old English word hlāfmæsse, which means "loaf-mass." This is because it was customary for people to bring a loaf of bread made from the new grain to church on this day. The priest then blessed the bread, and the people would share it with each other.

Lammas is also a time for festivals and games. In some cultures, people would build bonfires and dance around them. There would also be competitions to see who could reap the most grain in time.

Today, Lammas is still celebrated by some pagans and Wiccans. However, it is also a popular time for people of all faiths to celebrate the harvest. Many festivals and events are held on Lammas, and people often enjoy traditional foods such as bread, pastries, and fruit.


Symbols of Lammas


There are many symbols associated with Lammas, including:

Wheat: Wheat is the most important symbol of Lammas, as it is the first crop to be harvested. It represents abundance, fertility, and prosperity.

Corn dollies: Corn dollies are small figures made from the last sheaves of corn that are cut. They are believed to represent the corn's spirit and are often decorated with ribbons and flowers.

Sun: The sun is also a symbol of Lammas, as it is at its height during this time of year. It represents life, growth, and warmth.

Fire: Fire is another important symbol of Lammas. It is often used in rituals and ceremonies to represent the sun's power and the harvest's warmth.





Lammas Traditions

There are many traditional practices associated with Lammas, including:

Baking bread: Baking bread is a popular tradition on Lammas. The bread is made from the new grain and is often decorated with harvest symbols.

Making corn dollies: Corn dollies are another popular tradition on Lammas. They are made from the last sheaves of corn that are cut, and they are often decorated with ribbons and flowers.

Building bonfires: Building bonfires is a traditional way to celebrate Lammas. The bonfires are often lit at night, and people would dance around them.

Celebrating with festivals: There are many festivals held on Lammas. These festivals often feature traditional foods, music, and dance.


   

Celebrating Lammas Today

Lammas is a time to celebrate the abundance of the harvest and to give thanks for the gifts of the earth. It is also a time to reflect on the cycle of life and to appreciate the warmth of the sun.

There are many ways to celebrate Lammas today. You can bake bread, make corn dollies, build a bonfire, or attend a festival. You can also simply spend time outdoors enjoying the beauty of the harvest season.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, Lammas is a time to come together with family and friends to give thanks for the gifts of the earth.




Using Summer Flowers for Lammas

Summer is a time of abundance, and the flowers that bloom during this season are a beautiful way to celebrate Lammas. Here are some ideas on how to use summer flowers in your Lammas celebrations:

Decorate your home with flowers. Summer flowers are a beautiful way to decorate your home for Lammas. 
  • You can add them to vases, wreaths, or centerpieces.
  • Make a flower crown. A flower crown is a simple and elegant way to celebrate Lammas. You can make your own flower crown using summer flowers or purchase one from a local florist.
  • Bake bread or pastries with flowers. Adding flowers to bread or pastries is a delicious way to celebrate Lammas. You can use any type of summer flower, but some popular choices include lavender, chamomile, and rose.
  • Make a flower altar. A flower altar is a beautiful way to honor the gods and goddesses of agriculture. You can create your own flower altar using a table, a bookshelf, or even a windowsill.
  • Have a bonfire. Building a bonfire is a traditional way to celebrate Lammas. You can decorate the bonfire with flowers, and you can even roast marshmallows over the fire.



Here are some specific summer flowers that are associated with Lammas:

  • Sunflowers: Sunflowers are a symbol of abundance and prosperity. They are also associated with the sun, which is at its height during the Lammas season.
  • Cornflowers: Cornflowers are a symbol of the harvest. They are often used in corn dollies, which are small figures made from the last sheaves of corn that are cut.
  • Marigolds: Marigolds are a symbol of protection and good luck. They are also associated with the Celtic goddess Brigid, who is the patron saint of spring and agriculture.
  • Lavender: Lavender is a symbol of peace and tranquility. It is also associated with the element of air, which is believed to be at its strongest during the Lammas season.
  • Gladiolus: Gladiolus is a symbol of strength and courage. They are also associated with the Roman god Mars, who is the god of war.
No matter which flowers you choose, using summer flowers in your Lammas celebrations is a beautiful way to connect with the natural world and to celebrate the abundance of the harvest.

I choose not to pull the flowers but enjoy them right where they grow. Here are a few photos from my yard. 

Calling on Hecate for Lammas


Materials:

A basket or bowl
A handful of summer flowers
A black candle
A piece of paper
A pen
Instructions:

  • Go outside and find a spot where you can sit comfortably.
  • Gather a handful of summer flowers. You can choose any flowers that you like, but some good options include sunflowers, cornflowers, marigolds, lavender, or gladiolus.
  • Place the flowers in the basket or bowl.
  • Light the black candle.
  • Take a piece of paper and pen and write down your intentions for the Lammas season. What are you grateful for? What do you hope to achieve?
  • Sit quietly for a few minutes and contemplate your intentions.
  • Close your eyes and breathe deeply.
  • Visualize the flowers in the basket or bowl as a symbol of abundance and prosperity.
  • Open your eyes and call upon Hecate, the goddess of the crossroads, the moon, and magic.
  • Ask Hecate to help you manifest your intentions for the Lammas season. (invocation below)
  • Thank Hecate for her guidance and protection.
  • Blow out the candle.
  • Take the flowers inside and place them in a vase.

This ritual is a way to connect with the divine feminine and celebrate the harvest's abundance. By calling upon Hecate, you are asking for her help to manifest your intentions and to protect you on your journey. You also create a beautiful and meaningful way to honor the Lammas season.

Here are some additional tips for this ritual:

You can do this ritual in a garden, a park, or backyard.
If you are doing this ritual with children, you can have them help you gather the flowers.
You can also add other elements to the ritual, such as singing, dancing, or drumming.
After the ritual, you can use the flowers to decorate your home or to make a flower crown.

Rite of Lamma with Hecate

Hecate, triple goddess of the crossroads,
Moon of the night,
Guardian of the underworld,
I call upon you.

Come to me tonight,
On this night of Lammas,
The first harvest.

Bless my intentions,
And help me manifest my dreams.
Protect me on my journey,
And guide me through the darkness.

I honor you, Hecate,
And I thank you for your presence.





Remember, stay present and mindful.
Rev. Renee Sosanna Olson
Keybearer to the CoH🗝
Founder of the Sanctuary of Hecate Brimo.🔥
🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️







Revisiting Old Habits

 Sometimes old habits are good.  We forget how much we enjoy things and slowly the grind of life puts those wonderful old things aside.  This is what happened to me and my photography. A few years ago I got a great camera. I learned about it and took photos of everything. I even got some pretty great photos of the moon.

I have a grouping of some of my photos on Fine Art America

Here are a few of my favorites.











I forgot how much I enjoyed it. I began using my skills to take photos of my jewelry and items for sale. It became a tool for me to get a job done instead of the actual job. I've decided to pick up my bag, dust it off and begin taking photos again. I look forward to sharing my new works with you.  I hope you're ready to join me.


If it doesn't bring you joy.....

Renee

A Witch's View - Fine Art America

Earlier this year I made the leap to put my photography out on a public site.  I had several requests to put my photography in coffee table books and digital frames so that they could enjoy my work.

I decided to post a few of my photos here and you can head over and check them out in my shop on FAA.

Knobs by Renee Sosanna Olson
Down to Earth by Renee Sosanna Olson
Sleepy Creek by Renee Sosanna Olson

Overgrown By Renee Sosanna Olson

Traveling for Business - A Witch's View

One of the things I dread most is traveling for work.  Each time I went on a plane, I would have to ask for the seat belt extension. The flights were crowded and the seats small. No one really wants to sit next to the "fat girl".

At the time of this writing I'm prepping for a trip to my companies home office.  I have worked for the same company for nearly 15 years and work remotely.  Over the years I have traveled to the office for special occasions, training sessions and product launches with the occasional visit for symposium.

Here are a few photos from those past visits.



This was one of my first trips with my company.  I went to Vegas.  Got an award.  :P This photo was taken in 2005.




This photo was taken just after a trip to Orlando in 2009.  I went down to work on site to help with an event my company was hosting.  My cell phone was stolen while I was there on day 1 of a 5 day trip. I was grump.  :P 




This trip I needed to go out and buy all new clothes for the trip. Needless to say I'm still completely terrified about getting lost, showing up for work naked (ok not really) and/or spilling coffee on the boss.  But at least that seat belt extension will be a fear that I can tuck away and never worry about again.


Here's the photo - Trip to Connecticut 2017.



Photo Credit - Elijah Olson



This year after getting myself healthy I've been struggling with the whole Eff your Body Standards campaigns. While I get that we want to be happy and healthy in the skin we're in, we also don't want to be promoting unhealthy behaviors or celebrating a disease that is killing us. A few years ago I had my DNA tested and it revealed that I was prone to obesity. My DNA makes it harder for me to lose weight, maintain a healthy weight and with that opened up the door for a lot of weight related illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. I started at 250. Now this isn't the largest I have been. Before I had a gastric bypass surgery I was up to 305lbs.   Today I'm at 175lbs with a total weight loss (this round of weight struggle) of 75lbs.



Hubby found Dr. Furhman. We have changed the way we work with food and it is really helping me this time.


So what should I weight?  Dr. Furhman says the following:

Women: 95 lbs for the first five feet of height and four pounds for every inch there after.
Men: 105 lbs for the first first five feet of height and five pounds for every inch there after.

These are only rough guides since we all have different body types and bone structures - source

Currently I'm still obese according to the BMI at 33.1.  I will be here for a bit.  But then I didn't get fat overnight so why would I lose the weight overnight?

Screenshot-  https://bmicalculator.mes.fm
According to Dr. Furhman's calculations I need to weigh around 99lbs.  Should be interesting to see if I keep the negative foods out of my diet how close I get to that number.

Ultimately, you'll be able to tell where you should be based on how your body feels when you do day to day basis. Such as traveling for business.  Is it hard to get in the airline seat? (Yes, I know they are really small but just give me a second.)  Is it easier to board?  How about putting your luggage in the overhead?  How about buckling that belt?

Let me state clearly, you can be a full figured person and be healthy.  You can be a skinny person and be unhealthy. Only you and your doctor can make that decision. The only thing I can share with you is my experience and what I have seen in my weight loss journey.  And if I were given a degree for the years of study (or struggle) I have on this subject I would be walking around with a doctorate.

This post is not intended to body shame anyone. Take a moment and do a self assessment. Take what helps you from this post and leave the rest behind.


Memories - A Witch's View

I put an old memory card in my tablet from years and years ago today. It had a lot of old pictures on it that brought back so many memories.  Since I use this space - A Witch's View - to show you the world thought my eyes, I thought it would be fun to go through my old memory card photos and share those with you. There were hundreds of photos on this card.  Here are a few that struck me.

November 14, 2015 we were vending.  It was SOOOOOO cold.  It was also pretty Christian. I felt so out of place.

Photo Credit - Elijah Olson



December 25, 2015 - We had a Christmas Frog in the house.  Hubby grabbed it and set it free. It was warm for December. But yea, we had frogs.



December 30, 2015 - Apparently I was being a troll doll!  LOL

Photo Credit Elijah Olson


February 22, 2016, hubby was practicing his drawing.  He has mad skills.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Artist - Elijah Olson



March 21, 2016 Pandora playing with her "Sock-o-Monkey Bunny".

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson




March 26, 2016, I made Eggs Benedict. We were not vegan at this point. No hollandaise, just eggs, muffin and sausage.






April 8, 2016, we had marshmallows.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson


April 16, 2016, before a pee from Hurricane Matthew Eli and I were hunting for an RV.  We were thinking about moving from our house into a travel trailer. I found this photo on the memory card.

Photo Credit - Elijah Olson 2016

I remember walking around the trailer lots and my hips hurting so bad. No wonder. Thinking back to that time I don't feel like a new person. I honestly didn't realize how fat I was. You can see the pain on my face. I'm so glad that I took the steps to improve my life.  Today. Life is good.


In October of 2016 Hurricane Matthew.  We had upwards of 36 inches of water on our property.  This photo was taken when we were finally able to get back to the property after the water receded.

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson
We set the yard stick up next to the back fence.  You can see the waterline on the bushes. Pretty scary stuff.

Finding old memory cards are always exciting. Sometimes memories can be painful. Pandora left us later that year; her seizures finally getting the best of her. The house survived the flood and we're still here today.  At the time of this writing we're expecting another hurricane to come through. I'm on travel and will be worried the entire time. Eggs Benedict and Marshmallows are no longer a part of my diet. Time goes by and changes so quickly. Always take a moment to stop and appreciate where you are in life. There may not be a memory card that you can whip out to see these actual images but they all live in your CPU.  Dig in there and see what you can find.





A Witch's View - SPACE

Lately hubby and I have been working on some new products. We have been playing with resin. Along with the cold casting, we have been creating pendants with images inside them. I found some really nice public domain images from the Hubble telescope. I wanted to share those with you.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson


And here's a video.  








I am really pleased with how these turned out.  You can find them for sale on my website.  



A Witch's View - Flowers II

Took another trip to Lowe's and wanted to share some of my flowers with you.

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson

Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson