Happy Lammas!
Lammas marks the transition from Summer to Autumn, and the transition from Fire to Water on the Medicine wheel.
It’s a time of moving from action to perservering and reflecting, and a transition point.
A TRANSITION POINT
In shamanism and animism, there is a particular interest in transitions, in the “betwixt and between” places, the cracks between the worlds. This is where the really interesting stuff can happen, where the veil between the physical and non-physical realms is at its thinnest.
LAMMAS’ QUALITIES:
DIRECTION: from South to West
SEASON: from Summer to Autumn
TIME OF DAY: from mid-day towards afternoon (3pm)
TIMELINE: from being in the present to being in the past
CHAKRAS: from solar-plexus/umbilical chakra to sacral chakra
PLANT CYCLE: from leaves and flowers to fruits
ANIMALS: from hunters to water animals
SENSES: from sight to taste
STAGES OF LIFE: from adolescence to adulthood
HUMAN: from will-power to emotions
CHALLENGING EMOTIONS: from anger to resentments/regrets
ACTION: from action & doing to to perserverance & reflection
LEARNING CYCLES: from experience to reflection
Lammas teaches us about perservering
even when the initial passion of Fire burns out.
HONORING LAMMAS
CONNECTING TO THE TIME OF YEAR
With summer at its peak, the natural world comes alive with the bountiful offerings of the first harvest. The warmth lingers, and nature continues to flourish. The days might start to feel slightly shorter, but the vibrant energy persists. The trees and plants are still in their full glory, embracing the sun’s rays with an abundance of greenery and blooming flowers. The air carries the lingering fragrances of summer blossoms, filled with the delightful aroma of ripe fruits hanging from branches.
There’s still plenty of opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities. Whether it’s hiking or simply lounging in the shade, the summer spirit invites us to savor the moments. Birds continue their joyful songs, and butterflies and bees remain busy as ever, making the most of the remaining nectar-filled flowers. By connecting with nature and acknowledging its gifts, we can find inspiration and strength to keep moving forward with purpose and gratitude.
FROM FLAME TO FLOW: THE JOURNEY TO PERSERVERANCE
The Cycle of Elements
Everything that comes into being has to go through the cycle of the elements if it actually ends up manifesting and this includes all our processes as well. First comes the airy phase, where we think, consider ideas, and have thoughts. Then, there’s the fiery stage where decisions are made, and action is taken. Finally, we encounter the watery aspect of perseverance and reflection, until Earth helps us to let things go and finish, so a new cycle can begin. Each stage contributes to the manifestation and growth of everything that comes into being.
Fire burns out, water helps you keep going
The thing about fire is that it can make people feel restless and easily bored. They often crave moving on to the next exciting thing without fully seeing tasks through to the end. And that’s where the quality of perseverance, represented by water, becomes crucial.
Perseverance is like water; it keeps going, even when faced with challenges. Take, for instance, building a house: Air would involve envisioning and contemplating different plans and possibilities. Fire steps in when we make the decision to start and take the necessary actions to build. But the true test lies in the arduous work, the brick-by-brick construction, and that’s where the unyielding nature of water is needed. Fiery individuals tend to lose interest at this stage and move on to their next venture. However, water’s unrelenting perseverance can slowly erode even the hardest of rocks, just drip by drip.
Reflection plays a vital role in this whole process. It’s what connects us to the past, both the immediate and distant. Air is about forming plans, fire is about putting them into action, and water is about looking back to assess the outcomes and the lessons learned from the experience. That reflective quality is inherently watery.
STAYING THE COURSE
Revisit the goal-setting exercise we did at the Spring Equinox and honestly look for any parts of you that feel restless, probably even bored. Any part that craves moving on to the next exciting thing without fully seeing tasks through to the end. Then, do shamanic journeys to ask for help – for help with your goals, and equally importantly, for help in healing any wounded parts of you that would otherwise get in the way.
You might draw from the focus of Falcon or Heron, the courage of Lion, the industry of Bee, the steadfastness of Wolf, the cleverness of Fox or Raven, the perspective of Eagle, or so on. Or be healed by the abbundance of Summer Fruits, or the persistence of River in finding a way to the Sea. The healing and teaching is all there, if you just seek it out, ask, and learn from it.
Remember: It’s crucial to remember that healthy goals should not be a burden or source of stress. Rather, they should provide motivation and a sense of purpose. If we allow ourselves to go with the flow without any direction, we may feel aimless and unfulfilled.
SHAMANIC JOURNEYING
Although Lammas marks a transition to Autumn, it’s still Summer! Summer is connected to Fire element, so those familiar with shamanic journeys can still significantly benefit from burning journeys. Also, go and be Summer in a journey – be Plants and trees reach their fullness, showcasing lush foliage and blooming flowers, be Bee pollinating, be Bird, being busy building nests and raising their fledglings, be Frog croaking in the pond. Remember, from an animist perspective, Nature is our greatest teacher and healer. Do all you can shamanically to immerse yourself in it.
Learn how to do a shamanic journey through our online training course here.
Blessings,
Paul Francis
Upcoming courses:
THE FIRST-STEPS INTRODUCTORY COURSE – September – October 2023
The essential introductory course for anyone wishing to explore this approach.
Dates: September 30 to October 28, 2023.
Course Structure. The course is delivered via:
- Three live modules on September 30th, October 14th, and October 28th. These live meetings start at 2pm (UK time). All are recorded, for anyone who is not able to attend them live.
- Five pre-recorded modules, delivered by video and accompanying learning materials. These are released at intervals as the course progresses.
- A website discussion forum and (an optional) Signal group, where students can ask questions, discuss topics, share experiences and additional resources, and get support, encouragement, and a sense of community.
- A bonus video, answering students’ questions and offering additional teaching.
AFTER THE FIRST-STEPS – LEARN SHAMANISM AND ANIMISM IN MORE DEPTH
November to December 2023. FINDING YOUR WILD SOUL. A Next-Steps course. Discover practices to connect to your authentic, fully alive, wild and free Lower-World Soul. Learn how to come back to “right-relationship” with your true self, with other humans, and with the Other-Than-Human too. More details here.
January – February 2024: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
March – April 2024: EXPLORING THE LOWER-WORLD
Go deeper still into the practice of Hollowing-Out. Find a truly Lower-World Human Guide, and maybe your Lower-World Human Tribe too. Discover the healing power of the Elemental Transformational Practices, of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.
August – September 2024: DEEPER EXPLORATIONS IN THE LOWER-WORLD
Learn more vital shamanic techniques and practices. This includes an in-depth exploration of shamanic Extractions, De-possessions, Disentanglings, Expansions and Just-Being practices.
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