Lammas - First Harvest
   The Parable of the Spiritual Garden

On this day of the First Harvest, we recall the seeds we planted at Imbolc, which have now ripened and begin to bear fruit. Summer has reached its peak, and now we rapidly begin to pass into autumn. Although our attention is still directed outward, we begin to sense that the time for turning inward is approaching.

Now is the time for examining the progress we have made in our lives. We have blessed our seeds at Imbolc, planted the seedlings at Ostara, witnessed their blossoming at Beltane, and marveled at their growth at the Summer Solstice. Now we begin to harvest what we have sown.

As we examine our lives, we naturally find that the things that have grown are those things that we have planted. Have we nourished the growth of our chosen seeds, and carefully pruned the weeds? Or have we neglected our gardens and allowed weeds to choke out that which will nourish us? In the hectic heyday of summer, now is the time to carefully evaluate our progress of growth. The height of summer is upon us. We may still take in an abundant harvest if we carefully tend our crops.

Now is a time of decisions. What has ripened in our lives? What needs to be pruned? What can we gather from our gardens that will nourish us and further our growth?

Summon your energy: The time for abundant harvest is upon us!

~Flame RavenHawk
   August 1, 1999