August Offering
Look up!
This is a great month for star gazing. There's lots to look out for this month. The nights are very slowly drawing in and there's that late summer dampness in the air at dusk and dawn.
Catch the Perseid meteor shower
July and August will see the Perseid meteor shower, caused by the debris stream from the comet Swift-Tuttle.
It’s a highlight of many meteor lovers’ calendars due to its high hourly rate and bright meteors.
In 2024 the Perseid meteor shower peaks 12-13 August. The shower will radiate between the constellations Perseus and Camelopardalis, so find a dark spot and look there for the best chance of seeing some Perseid meteors.
Lammas
The cross quarter festival of Lammas is celebrated on 1st August and marks the peak of summer and the beginning of the harvest season.
Lammas is the celebration of this first Grain Harvest, a time for gathering in and giving thanks for abundance.
The word 'Lammas' is derived from 'loaf mass' and demonstrates how honoured the first grain and the first loaf of the harvesting cycle.
There are two celebrations going on: one of the Celtic Sun King, Lugh, God of Light. Festivities were tempered with the knowledge that that the bounty and energy of Lugh, of the Sun, is now beginning to wane. It is a time of change and shift. Active growth is slowing down and the darker days of winter and reflection are beckoning... The second is the honouring of the Grain Mother. At Lammas the Goddess is honoured as Harvest Queen, Earth Mother, Ceres and Demeter.
Demeter, represents the ripe corn of this year's harvest and Her daughter Persephone represents the grain - the seed which drops back deep into the dark earth, hidden throughout the winter, and re-appears in the spring as new growth. This is the deep core meaning of Lammas and comes in different guises. The fullness and fulfilment of the present harvest already holds at its very heart the seed of all future harvest. (It is a fact that a pregnant woman carrying her as yet unborn daughter is also already carrying the ovary containing all the eggs her daughter will ever release - she is already both mother, grandmother and beyond.)
So as the grain harvest is gathered in, there is food to feed the community through the winter and within that harvest is the seed of next year's rebirth, regeneration and harvest.
Lammas - Bumble Bee Breath
Lammas calls us to slow down and savour the last of summers' warmth. Nature is alive and abundant all around, and yet this crossover is going to bring the feeling of ‘drawing in’ as we step closer towards autumn.
Bumble Bee breath (also known as brahmari, a Sanskrit word that means “bee.”) is a lovely way take a pause and soothe the senses.
The practice is named for the humming sound that bees make. The sound is calming for a spinning mind, and the practice lengthens the exhalation without excessive strain.
Bumble Bee breath be used as a regular daily practice to encourage relaxation or as an on-the-spot remedy – as long as you don’t feel weird doing it in public!
To practice this breathing technique…
sit comfortably, with the back tall and shoulders relaxed. Start by taking a few natural breaths, and close your eyes if you like.
Then, keeping the lips lightly sealed, inhale through the nostrils. Exhaling, make the sound of the letter M, essentially a humming sound. Sustain the sound until you need to inhale. Then repeat.
Inhale through the nose, then hum like a buzzing bee as you exhale. Continue by inhaling as needed and exhaling with this sound for several minutes.
You can practice as long as it feels good.
The longer you sustain the humming exhalation, the more relaxing the Bee Breath is likely to be—but forcing the breath beyond your capacity can have the reverse effect, causing even more stress. So don’t force yourself to maintain any particular speed. Inhale whenever necessary, and let the buzzing sound last as long as it is comfortable. Finally, spend a few breaths sitting quietly and noticing whether there are any changes in your breath or mood.
Liz and Susanna's Summer read
A stunningly evocative book written by Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins. I kept being called to this book and yet had to hold off somewhat in order to savour it. It explores the relationship of a grandmother and granddaughter and their summer on a tiny island in the gulf of Finland. It is full of whimsical mischief, fierce defiance and tender moments. Written in a clear, unsentimental style, full of brusque humour, and wisdom, The Summer Book is a profoundly life-affirming story. I loved it!
With love,
Liz & Susanna
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