Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh is just around the corner on August 1st. This Sabbatt is especially meaningful for me as it completes a full turn of the wheel in my journey as a Wiccan. I've come so far and learned so much and am looking forward to continuing my journey with the turn of the wheel for the coming year.

Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest festivals. It is a time to celebrate the fertility of the Earth and the abundance she provides. It is a time to honor the Sun God in all his glory as he starts now to make his decline.

I spent a considerable amount of time putting together my altar. As I took down my Midsummer altar and put things away, I gave thanks for all the blessings that have come during this time. I spent time contemplating each item I placed on my Lughnasadh altar making it a spiritual journey into the meaning of Lughnasadh and what it means to me personally. Listening to my intuition yielded some great additions, like the Vanadinite crystal I've been working with.

I enjoyed taking the time to set up my altar for Lughnasadh and I'm looking forward to celebrating the Sabbatt with fires blazing!

Have a Blessed Lughnasadh!

Becoming Vegetarian . . .

I've been giving it a great deal of thought over the last few months about becoming a vegetarian. This is not a decision to be made lightly as it involves quite a lifestyle change, but one that I feel at this juncture in my life I'm ready for.

This change comes about as part of my spirituality which involves Wicca and Reiki and also because my body is telling me that it's time to make a change. I've never really been a big fan of meat, especially red meat, although truth be told I have enjoyed a few good steaks in my time. But I always pay the price in the way my body reacts to red meat. It's not pretty.

In doing research about vegetarianism, I've come across some very eye-opening information regarding the meat, dairy and poultry industries. It's maddening on so many levels and just plain sad on others. I won't go into details as it's something that I believe everyone must come to in their own time - this is my time.

Part of my research involved reading a book called 'The Kind Diet' by Alicia Silverstone. Her down-to-earth approach made this book an easy read and I'm looking forward to delving into some of the suggested recipes.

So today is the first day of the rest of my life - so to speak. I'm giving up red meat, chicken, turkey, fish - if it's meat it's gone. Instead I'll be fueling up on grains, beans, and vegetables. Gone too are the processed foods and sugar.

I'll be posting here and there about my journey, the ups, the downs and the inbetweens. It's going to be an interesting ride . . .