Enmeshed in the blazing heat of summer, it can at times feel a bit foreign to turn our thoughts to things such as ripe fields of wheat, harvesting crops, and preparing for the colder half of the year.

Yet that is precisely part of what the Pagan sabbat of Lughnasadh/Lammas invites us to do.

Lammas is, in the Western Hemisphere, the first of three exciting harvest season sabbats that transpire each year. The other two are Mabon, which is often observed on or right around the Fall Equinox, and Samhain, which many celebrate on or around October 31^st/November 1^st.

Like each of the eight sabbats that encompass the modern-day Wheel of the Year, Lammas, or Lughnasadh as it is also commonly known, can be observed whenever one desires.

(Technically, the two names refer to similar early harvest season celebrations that transpired in Gaelic areas and in England, respectively, however, these days both names are often used interchangeably.)

That said, many opt to do on August 1^st or thereabouts. Another option is to observe Lammas a few days later into the month, on the actual midway date between the Litha (the Summer Solstice) and Mabon (the Fall Equinox).

Falling between these two important points in the calendar, Lughnasadh earns itself the distinction of being a cross-quarter day. Sharing this honour with three of its fellow Pagan sabbats (Imbolc, Beltane, and Samhain).

Lammas/Lughnasadh is seeped in the sights, sounds, happenings, and loveliness of summertime. Beneath its sun-drenched heart though, fall is beginning to stir.

This sabbat ushers in the last full month of summer. In roughly seven week’s time, autumn – that most enchantingly gorgeous and magickal of seasons – will commence.

Many witches, Wiccans, Pagans, and others opt to view Lammas as the unofficial start of fall time – no matter how sky-high the mercury may be at the moment.

Falling squarely into this camp myself, Lughnasadh has a special place in my heart, soul, witchy workings, and daily life alike.

As someone who absolutely lives for fall, that season cannot begin soon enough in my books.

Likewise though, as I’m the type who cherishes, adores, respects, and sees the value inherent in each season, I am not looking to show summer to the door quite yet.

Though if it wants to cool down just a touch, I certainly won’t complain!

My husband and I are fortunate to live in a really neat little town nestled at the tippy-top of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

This area includes some of the desert elements that call the lower portions of the valley home. It is also rife with both woodland and farmland.

Adoring each of these types of settings, I am constantly in awe and appreciation of the diversity, gifts, and beauty that surrounds us here daily.

One of my favourite things to do as July boldly marches into August is to spend time observing the local cornfields.

Some can easily be reached on foot from our home, others require a very brief jaunt in the car. Either way, they don’t take long to reach and are a marvellous sight to behold.

Corn, much like wheat, oats, and barley, is a crop that is often harvested in the second half of summer and/or the early fall.

At this stage, the local corn is nearly ready to be plucked. Very few ears are harvest by hand here anymore. Machines have long replaced that once commonplace task, however that doesn’t detract from the significance and importance of the harvest season in the slightest.

To the ancients, the annual crop harvest was a time to gather and preserve food for the long, cold months ahead. The golden grains, delicious ears of corn, and myriad other produce (and animal) items that were gathered at this point in the year could literally make the difference between life or death in some cases.

We continue, as a species, to be highly dependant on agriculture and will likely always do so, unless something cataclysmic occus that causes us to collectively revert to a traditional hunter-gather type of society.

It was while gazing dreamily at some of our local cornfields recently that the idea for this year’s Lammas blog post suddenly popped into my head.

Before I proceed, I should mention that if you’d like to learn more about the meaning and history of Lammas, be sure to visit my post from last year, 15 Wonderful Animal Correspondences to Connect to and Work at Lammas.

As a lover of art, particularly (though not exclusively) classic art, I’ve long taken note of how the harvest season was a common and much appreciated theme amongst various artists who opted to depict scenes of daily life.

Up until remarkably recently in human history, the summer and fall harvest was, as touched on above, done by hand. Hardworking animals such as horses or oxen may have been involved, as were some hand and early mechanical tools, but the process was a far cry different from the scenes of huge pieces of farm equipment lumbering across golden fields that we often see today.

Regardless of if a person was, themselves, directly involved in the harvest process, many people lived (and still live, for that matter) in close proximity to fields that were/are being harvested.

This sight was a welcome, happy one in general and an exciting time of the year to boot. Summer was beginning to wind down, the promise of cooler weather danced in the breeze, and, in plenty of areas, communal celebrations of the harvest season would transpire.

For these and various other reasons (including the breathtaking beauty of ripe fields bathed in golden summer light), it is perfectly natural that artists would opt to depict something as important to life as the harvest season in their art.

I do not have a degree in art history, I am not an art dealer, and I certainly don’t profess to be a leading expert on art. However, I love and appreciate art with all of my heart and have been studying it since early childhood.

Today I’d like to tap into that passion and share with you a selection of 17 pieces of classic art that celebrate the spirit and beauty of Lammas.

That isn’t to say that these works of art were created with a traditional or Neopagan approach to the year’s first harvest season in mind. Objectively, I doubt that few if any of them were.

However, the earnest depiction of hardworking farmers and farmhands coupled with the endearing beauty of late summer and early fall is something that is apt to appeal to both fellow Pagans/witches and non-Pagans/witches alike.

And I would venture to guess that many of my fellow paper crafters find immense inspiration in pastoral scenes such as this, too.

So, without further ado, allow me to present seventeen captivatingly lovely classical paintings that suit Lughnasadh superbly.

17 pieces of classic art that celebrate the spirit and beauty of Lammas

1. In The Orchard by František Dvořák. Created in 1912, this painting is perhaps my all-time favourite autumn scene that depicts a person. Or, as I like to think of the beguillingly beautiful figure seen here with her arms overlaiden with harvest season fruit, of a goddess.

2. Corn Harvest in Provence by Vincent van Gogh. I highly suspect that van Gogh was a great fan of late summer and early fall, as he chose to paint a variety of images that brilliantly showcase this chapter of the year.

As such, I was hard-pressed to narrow down my selection of his wonderful harvest season scenes to just one. Ultimately, I selected “Corn Harvest”, which he painted in 1888, as it instantly makes me think of the spacious local fields here that are bursting at the seams with ripe ears of sweet, delicious corn.

3. The Seine and the Eiffel Tower in the Sunset by Henri Rousseau. As much as Lammas involves an emphasis on agrarian happenings and imagery, it is also important to remember, seek out, and celebrate the shifting seasons in whatever landscape we happen to call home.

In this absolutely lovely 1910 painting by one of France’s most famous Post-Impressionist painters, we are treated to a tranquil sunset scene over the Seine River, which captures the warm colours of late summer and early autumn magnificently.

4. Autumn, The Grape Harvest by Fransisco Goya. A jovial, peaceful scene, this 1786 painting by one of Spain’s most famous artists leaps out at the viewer not only for its beauty, but also because of the primarily soft, elegant colour palette and wonderfully charming scene showcased here.

5. The Veteran in a New Field by Winslow Homer. This stirring painting was created in 1865, in the wake of the American Civil War and shows a lone man industriously harvesting wheat.

It is a poignant image the unabashedly hints at the return to a calmer life that awaited some of those souls who were lucky enough to pull this horrific multi-year battle (while also symbolizing, including via the man’s scythe, the huge number of lives that were cut down in their prime during the Civil War).

6. Still Life with Apple and Round Bread by Zinaida Serebriakova. Painted in 1948, this Lammas perfect image is the most recent to make it onto this list. The scene it depicts is, however, abundantly classic, highlighting both apples and rustic loaves of bread. Each of which is a poignant symbol of the harvest season.

(While not specific to this time of the year, I would be remiss if I brought up Serebriakova’s work and did not mention her gorgeous painting, At the Dressing Table, Self Portrait, which is likely my favourite of her many works.)

7. Village Holiday (Autumn Holiday in the Village) by Boris Kustodiev. In this delightful slice-of-life image painted in 1914, we see a jovial group of Russians enthusiastically celebrating the fall harvest season, complete with golden fields in the background and saffron-hued fall leaves throughout.

As someone with Russian ancestors who were themselves hardworking farmers, I like to imagine my relatives on that branch of the family tree engaged in similar scenes back in the day.

8. Bouquet of Sunflowers by Claude Monet. While it is often van Gogh whose work we tend to associate (and rightfully so) with sunflowers, he was by no means the only painter to capture this joyful summertime bloom on canvas. Artists have been painting sunflowers for centuries now and will no doubt continue to do so for ages to come.

In this 1880 iteration by an equally famous artist, we see a cheerful arrangement of sunflowers in vase (or tall piece of crockery) situated on a tablecloth in colours that are instantly evocative of late summer and fall. This peaceful, gorgeous impressionist painting epitomizes timelessness and is one that is sure to appeal to sunflower fans the world over.

9. Autumn by Henri Fantin-Latour. Not unlike the Dvořák piece that kicked off this list, in this enchanting 19th-century painting (I couldn’t track down a precise date for its creation) we see a singular female figure clad in classical Grecian or Roman style garb.

She could be a mortal or just as easily, a goddess. That decision is left up to the viewer, as is, in this case, what her face would look like. By forgoing her face, this figure takes on a deeper symbolic quality, as her unknown age could be youthful like summer or more mature and thus represent autumn time to an even greater extent.

10. Three Little Girls Picking Blackberries by Hans Andersen Brendekilde. Like countless youngsters throughout the course of human history, each summer and early autumn, part of my time was spent gathering ripe fruit to bring home for our family’s meals. Plenty was savoured in the moment, though the bulk of it was usually turned into jam, (otherwise) canned, or frozen for future enjoyment.

While I didn’t pick many blackberries (as these children are doing in this endearing c. 1885 painting), I did pluck a ton of raspberries, along with cherries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, grapes, plums, pears, and apples. My mouth waters at those lovely memories!

(And speaking of harvest season produce, be sure to check out my look at 25 Magickal Ways to Use Summertime Stone Fruits.)

11. A Cottage in the Cornfield by John Constable. You didn’t think I was only going to include one corn harvest-related image did you?

In this idyllic farm life scene from 1817 (old school #cottagecore if ever there was), we see a charming cottage surrounded by tall stalks of corn that are ready to be harvested.

It is a pastoral landscape painting and one that does a splendid job of capturing the warmth, shifting agrarian tides, and golden beauty inherent to late summertime.

12. Autumn Leaves by John Everett Millais. This immediately captivating fall scene is another favourite for me. In it we see four girls of varying ages engaged in the classic act of raking and piling up leaves. One, the youngest, is enjoying an apple (itself emblematic of late summer and fall) as the older girls continue their diligent work.

I adore this painting from c. 1855, which, without fail, makes me think each time I see it of how if you added a cauldron to the mix, this image could take on a decidedly witchy theme.

13. Apples and a Dog-Keeper by Pyotr Konchalovsky. In this sweet, welcoming scene (which was painted in 1939) we see a bevy of recently harvested apples on display – a sure sign that summer is winding down.

This scrumptious harvest is overseen by a watchful dog, whose stoic expression is one of both professionalism and, I cannot help but wonder, perhaps a longing to sample some of that lovely fruit firsthand.

14. Autumn in Bavaria by Wassily Kandinsky. A kaleidoscope of colours leaps out at the viewer as they take in this appealing vivid expressionist landscape that was painted in 1908. I adore how one side of the painting is seeped in summer’s palette, the other in fall’s. If there was an apt painting, colour wise, for the “in-between” nature of Lammas, surely this beauty is it.

15. The Grape Harvest by Léon Augustin Lhermitte. Not to be confused with the Goya painting above of a nearly identical name, this captivating late Victorian image from 1884 embraces the same theme, but depicts it considerably differently.

Gone are darling rococo era vibes, in their place we instead see an emphasis on realism and the family effort that often went into ensuring a successful harvest was possible. (For another captivating harvest season painting by Lhermitte, see his well-known work, The Gleaners.)

16. Four Trees by Egon Schiele. There are some works of art that stop you square in your tracks. For me, this stunning late Edwardian era (1917) interpretation in paint of a fall sunset is one of them.

Admittedly more autumnal than early August usually looks, this scene embodies the warm, earthy colour palette of Lammas and serves to excite us all the more about the wonderful season that lies ahead.

17. A portrait of a Young Peasant Girl by Jeanne Bôle. A symphony of late summer/early autumn hues greets the viewer as they take in this captivating 19th-century piece by a French artist whose work and life are not nearly as well known as that of many of his contemporaries at the time.

In “A Portrait of a Young Peasant Girl”, the harvest season comes to life with wondrous vividness and timeless beauty (and helps to remind us that the growing season began with the archetype of the goddess as a maiden and wraps up just as she is embarking from motherhood to becoming a revered crone).

Which of these awesome Lammas season classic paintings is your personal favourite?

Make hay while the sun shines

This classic harvest season-derived expression invites us to be industrious and utilize opportunities as they come our way.

From a spiritual perspective, Lammas/Lughnasadh welcomes us to do the same. To embrace these warm, fantastic days that fill the second half of summer and use them as a means to be productive, to relish the fruits of our labour, and to plan ahead for the dark half of the year that looms in the not-too-distant future.

In the paintings above, I am struck by certain repeating themes. For one, appreciatively, we often see women depicted in the fields or otherwise bringing in the harvest. As well, a sense of community and camaraderie is frequently depicted. Only the smallest of farms could likely have been harvested singlehandedly, so the harvest season was often a group effort that often involved multiple generations, neighbours, and/or hired workers.

There is so much skill, creativity, heart, and passion in the brushstrokes of these classic paintings. The images they convey may be from centuries past, but the universal act of harvesting and preparing for the colder half of the year is timeless.

Far less harvesting may be done by hand these days and many of us no longer farmers ourselves. We may not live in close proximity to fields teeming with grains, corn, other vegetables, or late summer fruit, but a lot of us still appreciate and value the incredibly important role of the harvest season in terms of supporting life on this planet.

This weekend, I will be observing Lammas in a multitude of ways. This day is sacred to my spiritual practice and life in general, as is the whole of the harvest season + autumn.

Magickal workings, seasonal eats, and a walk to our nearest cornfield will all be on the agenda. As will be giving the deepest of heartfelt thanks for the life-sustaining gifts of sunlight, farmable soil, and the delicious crops that are plucked from the earth each harvest season.

Lughnasadh is a joyous period of the year. We have worked hard to get here and while it may not be time to hibernate quite yet, the start of August serves to remind us just how incredible the overlapping elements of summer and autumn are.

My dear friends, I wholeheartedly look forward to sharing many new posts, both seasonally related and otherwise, here with you during the harvest season.

It is my steadfast hope that summer’s warmth and life-fuelling qualities, as well as fall’s magic(k) and many blessings are yours straight on until winter returns.

Happiest Lammas wishes to one and all! May we bask in the light of summer and experience all the wonders, natural offerings, and beauty that fall has to offer as well.

And to those in the Southern Hemisphere, may you have a tranquil, joyful, safe, and wholly blessed Imbolc!

The post 17 Classic Art Paintings that Capture the Beauty and Spirit of Lughnasadh to a Tee appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

On the Pagan front, you could create it to give for any of the fall harvest season sabbats. Be it Lammas, Mabon, or Samhain.

In a more secular sense, it works fabulously from the Fall Equinox, Canadian Thanksgiving, American Thanksgiving, and even Halloween – particularly if your recipient favours sweet to spooky.

Of course, one of the best and most meaningful reasons to give a card is “just because”. This festively hued and themed card would be a gorgeous way to let anyone know that they’re in your thoughts this fall.

A message that holds all the more importance and meaning given the way 2020 has unfolded and the continued self-isolation and/or social distancing that many of us are adhering to this season.

As well, you could easily keep the design, but swap out (or add to) the sentiment and make this a really charming birthday, retirement, congratulations, anniversary, encouragement, or fall wedding card.

Blessed harvest season card for any fall time event

Autumn is my favourite and most cherished chapter of the year. I love to celebrate that lifelong passion with my papercrafts, often reach for classic colour palettes and choices of imagery when creating fall time makes.

This card goes to town on that front! All it needs now is a ride in a vintage pickup truck to the nearest pumpkin patch, corn maze, or apple orchard!

As I didn’t create this card with one specific person or fall event in mind, I left its design fairly wide open. This helps to ensure that I can give it for a number of possible events or reasons, as touched on above.

One thing it instantly made me think of is the awesome produce stands, spilling over with pumpkins, squash, ears of corn, apples, pears, and other seasonal delights that my family visited when I was growing up.

I still try to get out to at least one or two each year myself, though currently live over three hours north of the region’s epicenter for produce stands, so that can prove a little trickier some years.

Thankfully though, there are some smaller ones closer to home and we love to brake for them all season long.

Putting this festive autumn card together

To create this elegant harvest season card, I began with a base of timeless kraft cardstock. This was topped with a piece of darker brown card cardstock, which I used a border punch on the north and south sides of.

They might not see as much paper crafting play as they did a number of years back, but paper punches – be they border or shape – remain some of my favourite and most frequently used paper crafting supplies to this day.

Next, I inked the edges of a neutral coloured patterned paper, which I topped with a fairly wide piece of natural burlap and a die cut gold metallic paper frame. This was then topped by a band of fall coloured plaid ribbon towards the bottom of the card, and the central design elements in the middle.

A jaunty bow made from the same red, orange and gold plaid ribbon adds visual interest to the top of the card design, as to the coppery-gold hued sequins sprinkled throughout the design.

For the central panel, I used pre-platted dark chocolate brown coloured ribbon, but you could certainly pleat your own ribbon, paper, vellum, burlap, or other material for a similar effect.

A die cut oval shaped wreath of leaves in kraft and die cut sheaves of wheat in both flax-y light brown and metallic gold cardstock join the wreath to help emphasis the fall harvest message of this greeting.

As does the lovely golden wheat print paper used behind the sentiment.

The Simple Stories Fall Farmhouse collection die cuts with their wonderfully pretty pumpkins, leaves, and sheaves of wheat all sing with the spirit of the fall harvest season as well.

The sentiment is comprised of two different word stickers (which I lightly inked the edges of with dark brown ink) and a cute little heart sticker – a nod both to my passion for fall and the love this card transmits to its future recipient.

This card is sweet and sophisticated, undeniably autumnal and oodles of fun at the same time. You could give it to most anyone, or, if so desired, use it as a piece of handmade seasonal décor in your own home.

Card making tips and ideas from this project

–Kraft cardstock is one of the most versatile products any paper crafter can have in their stash. I reach for it year-round, but tend to lean on it all the more come fall.

The neutral base that kraft cardstock provides means that it will usually work awesomely with a wide range of other colours – especially, but not limited to, those in the both the earthy and rich jewel toned palettes of autumn.

Consider using kraft in one or more of your fall cards, layouts, mini albums, tags, or other paper crafting projects this season. (It also looks fantastic with colours such as black, white, orange, and lime green for Halloween or Samhain.)

-When creating fall time makes, bring rustic elements of the season into your designs. Materials such burlap (aka, hessian), raffia, cork, rough or nubby textured fabrics, felt, acorns, and real or artificial dried leaves, seed pods, flowers, and straw can all work wonders in this capacity.

-Symmetrical designs are a winning classic. While the two haves of this card are not an exact mirror image of each other, they’re certainly close. The subtle variation between each side catches the eye, while the cohesive symmetry gives the design a timeless quality.

-Drive home themes, be they seasonal or otherwise, with subtle uses of printed papers that are in keeping with said theme. In this case, the wheat sheaf print paper behind the sentiment helps to do just that.

Other printed (or stamped, etc) papers that could have worked nicely here as well include leaf, pumpkin, corn, and wildflower designs.

-Wreaths are a beloved décor staple the whole year through. Like many folks, I tend to utilize them all the more come fall and winter, though, and was thinking about autumn wreaths when designing this card.

Why not create a wreath or take a design cue from one when putting together a fall time card of your own?

-If you don’t have pre-pleated ribbon on hand, you can make your own by sewing, stapling (mini staples often work better than standard sizes ones), or gluing ribbon, trim, burlap, felt, paper, or cardstock in the desired pleated design of your choice.

I recommending testing out any glues or adhesives on a scrap piece of the same material first, to see if they A) hold the pleat in place and B) if they bleed through the paper/cardstock/fabric or not. If they do, reduce the amount used or try a different adhesive instead.

Products used to create this lovely fall card

-Kraft, dark brown, and light flax/taupe brown coloured cardstock

-Gold metallic cardstock – Special Bright Gold Metallic Cardstock from Kodamaa

-Wheat sheaf print paper – Gracious Bundle 8×8 Inch Collection from Authentique

-Earthy cream and brown printed paper

-Ornate/fancy frame metal die (used here with the gold metallic cardstock)

-Scrolling edge border punch – Upper Crest Border Punch from Fiskars

-Dark brown ink – Dew Drop Rich Cocoa Brown Ink from Memento

-Dark yellow ink – Street Light Surface Ink from Pink & Main

-Fall themed die cuts – Fall Farmhouse Bits & Pieces from Simple Stories

-Word and heart stickers – Fall Farmhouse Mini Sticker Tablet from Simple Stories

-Natural brown burlap – Burlap Mat Stack from DCWV

-Dark brown pleated ribbon

-Orange, red and gold plaid ribbon (this one is from Michael’s Celebrate It line, purchased a year or two ago)

-Coppery gold coloured sequins

-Dimensional foam, pop dots, or similar to elevate some of your layers

-Adhesive, such as a tape runner, of your choice (I often use my Scotch Tape Glider)

Looking ahead to the second and third months of autumn

As hard as it may be to believe, we’ve experienced more than a full month of fall at this point. How quickly the soulful, gorgeous days of this beloved season tumble by like crisp leaves waltzing on a nippy autumn breeze.

The local farms that call our rural community home have brought in their harvests for the year or will soon wrap up doing so. Countless ears of corn and bushels of hay will now go out into the world for all manner of purposes.

With the meaningful day that is Canadian Thanksgiving having transpired again two Mondays ago, it’s safe to say that my thoughts are squarely focused on Halloween/Samhain at this point.

Come November, I plan to post at least one more fall/harvest season project before we start to transition into other paper crafting themes – including winter/Yule/Christmas related makes.

The second half of October is such an enchanting, magickal and poignant chapter of the year. Each day fills my heart with glee and leads my soul to feel all the more aligned and connected to the universe.

Personally, I see these days as part of the larger celebration that is Halloween and Samhain. They’ll be gone faster than the beating of a bat’s wings and while I actively keep the spirit of Halloween going strong in my life all year through, there’s nothing quite like the highly charged magnificence of late October itself.

May this be a time of joy and meaning, abundant fall blessings, cherished nostalgia and wonderful new memories alike – no matter how or what this Halloween/Samhain season looks like for you in 2020.  

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Pin the image below – or any other in this post – to Pinterest, pop it into your Instagram Stories, post in on Twitter or Facebook, or share it anywhere else you wish to help yourself find it again and to inspire others at the same time.

If you make a project based on or inspired by this card – or want to share any of your other handmade crafts with me – please use the hashtags #WitchcraftedLife and #WitchcraftedLifeMakes on social media so that I see can your beautiful creations.

The post Blessed Harvest Season Card for Lammas, Mabon, Samhain, Thanksgiving, or any fall event! appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

However, as those who follow me on social media (by which, let’s be frank, I mean Instagram ) may have noticed, I’ve scare been online so far this month.

July saw an unplanned hiatus (of about 1.5 weeks) at one point from the good ol’ interwebs as well. Neither was intended and both have left me reeling to catch up.

I accept that, for the sake of my time/energy/well-being/mental health, I won’t be able to do so to the degree that I might fully like. I know that I will have to simply cut my losses, so to speak, and pick up afresh again on some digital fronts.

That’s okay. It’s happens to even the best of us sometimes.

This summer has been an interesting one for sure – not least because of the extraordinary issues, from the pandemic to matters of racial and societal equality that are presently at the fore in our world.

Closer to home, we’ve been slogging our way through a heatwave which really knocked the wind out of our sails there for a while. The temps are slatted to skyrocket again in the coming week, but I suspect that they won’t stay this roasty-toasty for too much longer.

I was quite drained by the heat (we don’t have central air/AC in our house and the internal temps can climb above 45C at times). As a result, my productivity in various areas, including online, came to a bit of a screeching halt for a little while.

This is not the first time over the years that I’ve experienced the heat hampering my output during the dog days of summer.

Indeed, with the last blog that I ran prior to this site, I used to say sometimes, only half-joking, that if I could, I would pen a year’s worth of blog content during the winter months.

Then, as now, that isn’t feasible or realistic for me. Nor would I want to write everything out that far in advance. You just never know what views or opinions might change, what you’ll learn that could benefit a post, what photos you may take, and so forth that will help enrich a post in the moment.

So far this blog has been the one out of the various websites I’ve run over the years that has seen the least amount of “far in advance” content written for it.

Many entries are created mere hours or days before they go live, though some are certainly written further ahead than that. The perpetual Girl Guide in me does greatly enjoy being prepared, after all.

My energy isn’t at full capacity again yet, but it’s inching back and I highly suspect that autumn’s glorious return will help it to perk up all the more.

Recent weeks have seen me and my husband burning the midnight oil in regards to a number of different areas of our lives, from the mundane to the dream fuelled, that need our attention.

The time and focus required for these things is also a sizable part of the reason why I’ve not been online lately as much as I usually am.

Another reason is that this year I’ve been dealing with some of my chronic health issues being anything but happy (I won’t go into much detail about such things here today though, fear not ).

At the same time, I’ve been working hard to try to a promise that I made to myself last year when I turned 35 regarding continuing to find ways to ideally improve some of my medical issues further. Particularly those that severely impact my gastrointestinal system.

As a whole, I am on a continual mission to improve my health, and by extension quality of life, in ever greater and more impactful ways.

This journey began nearly as soon as my health feel to pieces eighteen years ago, and has been at the fore of my life ever since.

Now in my mid-thirties and having wholeheartedly embraced the archetypal “Mother” age of the Maiden/Mother/Crone trifecta that some witches and Pagans choose to identify with, I see with deeper clarity the need to try my darnedest to do everything I can to make the coming years of my life the best and healthiest that they can possibly be.

This is a tall order, no two ways about it. Let me assure you that I’m wildly realistic. One doesn’t battle multiple severe chronic illnesses for quite literally half of their life without becoming passionately entwined with the power that reality holds over our lives.

In particular, I’ve very recently made further medically driven changes to my diet. By and large, I’m pleased with the results that I’ve seen thus far.

I am finding, though, that rather surprisingly, these changes, while helping some aspects of my health, have caused one of my most serious (non-GI based) chronic medical conditions to currently flare-up fairly intensely.

This is not something I saw coming. I’m now actively working to find measures to help temper its present furry, as I believe in my heart of hearts that these new dietary changes stand to be extremely beneficial for my health as a whole in the long run.

When possible, we have continued to take nature walks in secluded, low foot traffic areas this season. The stifling heat has often meant doing so late at night or at the break of dawn.

Both suit this night owl witch to a tee, and I’ve delighted in the breathtaking beauty of summer’s bountifully lush, life-filled landscape to a degree that I can honestly say I don’t think I have since I was a child.

As I have continued to focus on my health and wellness heavily this year, certain ideas and prospects have sprung to life in relation to these areas that, even just a few short months ago, I would never have guessed I’d now be thinking about.

I feel like I’m in a state of possibility. At the same time though, again, my feet are firmly planted in reality and I know that some of the ideas I’m entertaining may simply not be feasible at this point in my life.

Just as I know that not everything I’m doing to try and further improve my health and life may pan out.

That might not be ideal, but it’s the honest truth, and an important aspect of existence that we’re all well served by accepting. Not everything we imagine, try, or dream about is going to unfold favourably – if at all.

Hopefully, though, along the way, we continue to learn and grow, and to find a deeper sense of certainty about what it is we want out of life.

I often find that the time between Lammas and Samhain is one of new beginnings. As well as parting ways with the old, and being brutally honest with myself about where my life (and health, for that matter) are at, what I want out of the coming year, and what elements of my world need to change or be revamped.

I know that I’m not alone in this respect and that, with the more lighthearted days of spring and early summer starting to gradually wind down, many of you may be experiencing similar thoughts or otherwise seeking to part any clouds of uncertainty that you may be living with these days.

To that end, allow me to present you with a lovely, easy and, I personally find, very effective spell that you can use when you’re in need of some clarity about the future.

Cloud Divination Spell for Clarity About the Future

This spell taps into the ancient method of divination called aeromancy, which involves using cues and signs from the sky, clouds, atmospheric conditions, and cosmological happenings to help provide needed information in the here and now.

As well as that of nephelomancy, which puts the focus particularly on reading and intercepting clouds through aerial focused scrying.

For this spell, it’s clouds we’re after, so – especially when summertime is still underway – you may need to wait for an overcast day to perform this working.

Plenty of sunny days house clouds, too, of course. Particularly, I find during the hours of early morning and as dusk settles for the evening.

What you’ll need to do for this clarity spell

-A safe space outdoors where you can stand, sit, or lay down and gaze up at the clouds (be sure to wear sunglasses, if the weather calls for it) or a suitable window through which to do so.

-If needed, a chair, towel, blanket or other comfy surface to sit or lay on while outside.

-A coin or other similar object with two distinctly different images or colours on each side. (You could always paint a small, flat rock ahead of time to use for this purpose, if so desired.)

How to perform this spell for clarity about the future

Go – or look – outside and gaze up at the clouds. As you to so, clear your mind as best as you realistically can. (I like to turn off my phone beforehand, so that I’m less apt to be interrupted by the many pings and notifications that tend to fill our 21^st century world these days.)

Breath in and out mindfully, center your energy, and if you wish, ground yourself.

This is not a formal or overly intense spell, so I do not personally cast a circle, use ritual tools, call the quarters, or (generally) evoke spirit allies or deities when performing it.

If you want to do any or all or those things, by all means, have at it. One of the most vital aspects of effective spellwork is that we personalize and work within the ways that feel most true to our own spiritual paths.

When your mind is clear, your breathing aligned with your energy, and the sky overhead peppered with clouds, you’re ready to begin.

Focus intently on two different aspects of something important in future that you’re unsure about.

For example, two you might wish to think about two different career paths you’re debating, two suitors you’re interested in, two towns you’re considering moving to, or two very opposite directions that you could take your life as you head forward from today.

Look at your coin or other two-sided object and assign one possible choice to one side of the coin and the other option to the opposite side.

Without looking at it as you do so, rotate the coin (or stone, etc) in your hands multiple times until you’re certain you do no know which side is pointing towards skywards.

At this stage, do not look at the coin/object again. Keep it concealed in your hands. We’ll return to it shortly.

With those two possible options in mind, gaze up at the sky and really study what you see. You do not have to rush yourself here. Please, take your time, and allow images in the clouds to appear organically to you.

Also be aware of any inner messages (institution), environmental cues or signs, colours in the sky/clouds, energies you feel, or thoughts that leap out at you that you may receive while doing this working. Sometimes they’ll tell you just as much, if not more so, than the clouds themselves.

Does anything you see trigger a pull towards one of the two options you’re contemplating? For example, if you debating whether to move to either Maine or Texas, seeing a cloud that looks like a cactus or a head of cattle might indicate that Texas is where your heart most desires to go.

If after a few minutes of sky gazing, nothing leaps out at you, that’s okay. Take stock of how you’re feeling and what images or thoughts might have appeared in your mind as you were scrying the sky.

Listen to your heart. What is it telling you? Often, though not always, we already know deep down inside what we want or need to do.

As one option begins to stand out to you more than the others, take your eyes from the clouds and look down at the coin or two-sided object in your hands.

Does the side that’s now facing you align with the choice you are leaning towards? In my experience, more often than not, the two do indeed jive.

If they don’t, however, please do not worry. It may mean that you truly are not sure yet, that there are so many possible options at hand that a clear answer won’t be forthcoming unto you narrow them down further, or perhaps that the universe is trying to guide you down another path entirely.

Should there be three or more possible options available to you, you can repeat this process multiple times on the same day (or different days), pairing them off in twos, until you’ve reached the point of a final selection.

Clarity, I’ve long found, cannot be rushed or faked. It is often within us already and methods such as mindful cloud scrying and allowing the universe to help guide your decision via the coin/object can be powerful aids in bringing our innermost desires to the foreground of our minds.

This spell can be performed at any point in the year where clouds are available and you’re in need of clarity about a certain aspect of your future.

I particularly enjoy carrying it out during the summer and early fall, when some of the biggest, most creatively shaped clouds are apt to fill the sky.

If you’re keen to try additional magickal workings on this area, I recommend that you check out the relevant guest post, Ostara Candle Spell for Clarity and Renewal, that I shared in 2019 over at the Witch of Lupine Hollow.

Ready and rearing to go for the future!

As I began this post by saying, it might not have been the one I had initially planned for the midway point in August. However, is the one that feels most aligned with my present life and that automatically ensured its appearance here today.

I’m going to do my absolute best, health and other circumstances permitting, to be online more again from this coming week onward. Generally speaking, I am not the type to just go MIA and try hard to avoid doing so whenever possible.

And while there can certainly be perks to taking breathers from the web (no two ways about it!), I vastly prefer to take intentional and typically announced internet breaks rather than having them crop up organically.

When they do occur, I remind myself to try not to stress too much and to just pick up again like usual when doing so is possible. Easier said than done though, I know.!

Thankfully though, the web isn’t going anywhere, and neither, I sincerely hope, am I.

With any luck, my life will be long and the measures I take, coupled with the clarity that I cultivate, now will help to ensure a brighter, healthier, and more fulfilled tomorrow. However that may look both for myself and the world at large.

Now over to you

Are there areas of your life that currently need some clarification? Have you ever used the clouds for magickal/spiritual purposes?

The post Mid-August Life Update and a Spell for Clarity About the Future appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Lammas, which is also known by such names as Lughnasadh, Lugnasad, Lughnasa, Lúnasa, Lama-fada, Lammas Day, Lammastide, First Harvest, and Loaf Day (though this is a Christian name for Lammas and little-used within the Pagan community), is a Gaelic festival that celebrates and honours the gradual decline of summer and the beginning of the harvest filled autumn months ahead.

In particular, this sabbat emphasizes the importance and rich cultural significance of the grain harvest. It is also a time to give thanks, to allow the vibrant golden sunlight of August to help illuminate our lives and futures, and to delight in the nature centred gifts of both summer and early fall.

As with each of the Pagan sabbats, Lammas has many different associations, from various gods and goddesses to many delicious foods, assorted seasonal colours to luminous bonfires.

Signs and elements of the harvest season are a terrific way to deepen your connection to Lammas/Lughnasadh.

Some of the most common and well suited of these include the following (note, this is not an exhaustive list of all the various Lammas correspondences):

• Sheaves of wheat
• Oats, barley, and rye
• Corn dolls
• Ears of corn (including gorgeously multi-hued Indian corn)
• Cornhusks
• Bales of straw and hay
• Straw braids
• Baskets
• Heather
• Sage
• Thyme
• Rosemary
• Cinnamon
• Saffron
• Yarrow
• Goldenrod
• Meadowsweet
• Sunflowers
• Acorns
• Leaves that are in season
• Grapevines
• Apples
• Pears
• Plums
• Blackberries
• Honey and honeycomb
• Loaves of bread and similar baked goods (I cannot overstate, though, how much these foods can be purely symbolic or, if desired, made from whatever ingredients are right for you, if you do or cannot eat wheat and/or any other grains)
• Beeswax candles
• Harvest related hand tools such as sickles
• The metal iron (and various yellow/orange/gold coloured metals, such as brass, bronze, gold, and copper)
• The sun
• Sun and harvest coloured crystals and stones such as carnelian, sunstone, agate, peridot, citrine, jasper, amber, desert rose, and pyrite
• The god Lugh (from whose name the word Lughnasadh is derived)
• Numerous different animals

It is the latter of these meaningful spiritually and magickally connected correspondences that we are going to explore in this post.

When is Lammas/Lughnasadh celebrated?

As with each of the eight neo-Pagan sabbats that some witches, Wiccans and Pagans choose to observe, the precise date for Lammas/Lughnasadh is somewhat flexible and open to personal interpretation.

Broadly speaking, in the Western Hemisphere, Lammas is generally observed between July 31st and August 7^th.

August 1^st and August 2^nd are two of the most common days on which many people choose to observe Lammas/Lughnasadh.

You can opt to celebrate Lammas for a single day, two days, or for as many days as feels right to you and your practice each year.

Technically speaking, Lammas “officially” falls annually on the date that is precisely halfway between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Fall Equinox (Mabon).

Why it’s important to celebrate and honour the animals of Lammas

Each sabbat brings certain animals to the fore in various ways. It may be their mating or birthing season, the time when they’re most active, or even when (especially historically) they were slaughtered.

Depending on your personal beliefs, this last point may not come into direct play in your own Lammas celebrations.

It is not a central part of this post and the information provided herein applies every bit as much to meat-eaters as it does to vegans, vegetarians, and others who forgo consuming animal products.

Channelling, calling upon, honouring, celebrating, and learning more about the animals that are associated with Lughnasadh is a poignant way to deepen your connection both with this sabbat and with nature itself.

You may find that you feel particularly drawn to one or more animals and/or their archetypal energy. Lean into that connection and try to incorporate the energy, symbolism, or other aspects of said creature into your Lammas workings.

The following fifteen animals are ones that have longstanding historic ties to this chapter of the year, and in some instances, directly with Lammas itself.

By acknowledging and celebrating the animal kingdom at Lammas, we involve that natural world in our practice all the more.

Please note: While any one of these fifteen critters could be a person’s own spiritual animal guide/ally (aka, totem animal or power animal), this post does not directly focus on that aspect of working with animal energies or archetypes.

15 animal correspondences to work with at Lammas

Bats: While highly associated with Halloween/Samhain and the month of October, summertime is often one of the easiest times to spot or hear these beautiful winged creatures. Many bats hibernate for the winter, but they’re often out in full force during the sunniest months of the year, when their food sources are typically most abundant.

Historically, part of the reason that bats were associated with the harvest season is because they were attracted to the bonfires and burn piles that were part and parcel with late summer and fall time. To this day, these classic activities still attract bugs and the bats that happily feed on them in various parts of the world.

Many is the warm summer night when I’ve spotted or heard the telltale sound of bats overhead, including those who fly over and hunt in crop-rich fields of local farms.

For those who love to start their autumn celebrations with the return of Lammas, bats can be a perfect animal to work with as bridge and transitionary energy between summer and fall time.

Magickal correspondences for bats: Across the globe, bats have long been closely associated with many beliefs, religions, legends and folklore. So much so, that it’s likely a whole book could be penned on the subject. Many modern witches feel a strong connection to this nocturnal creature and may opt to work with bat energies/imagery throughout the year or just during the harvest season.

Bats symbolize intuition a wide range of thing, some of which include messages from your subconscious mind, psychic abilities and visions, past lives, being highly sensitive/empathic, transition, rebirth, change, new beginnings, powerful omens, astral travel, shape-shifting, illusion, dreams, visions, journeying, darkness, the night, moon magick, invisibility, rising above challenges, vampires, death, grief, darkness, letting go of fear, and freedom.

Bears: Equal parts cute, strong, and furious, bears are one of the most powerful and highly revered animals of the forest. While they’re famous for hibernating through the snowy winter months, bears also well known for being active, feasting on available food sources such as fish and berries, and being more likely to be encountered during the summer and early fall.

Bears help to remind us of the importance of thinking ahead and preparing for the darkness and challenges that come with the colder half of the year.

Magickal correspondences for bears: A widely respected and beloved animal, bears and bear energy/bear spirits have held an importance place in many cultures since time immemorial.

Today, some of the spiritual correspondences and associations that are most closely connected with bears include courage, strength, fortitude, confidence, fearlessness, standing up for yourself or others, leadership, stability, grounding, solitude, fertility, Gaia, the environment, family ties, healing, serenity, rest, regeneration, planning ahead, resourcefulness, shamanism, the harvest (including ties to the goddesses Diana and Artemis), and the need to tackle fears and issues head on.

Bees: While a sizable percentage of the world’s food production is now done on a commercial scale and the hand of humankind has (for better or worse, depending on your viewpoint) shaped the way we grow, harvest, and even eat the earth’s bounty, the collective agricultural process would not be fully possible without the help of this incredibly industrious little creature.

The ways in which bees are vital to the earth are myriad. These hardworking little creatures put in overtime during the summer months as they gather pollen and produce the delicious honey enjoyed by many the world over.

Honey is amongst the foods most often associated with, and feasted upon, during the Lammas season. It’s vibrant golden colour symbols the sun and warmth of late summer, it’s sweetness stands for the goodness and bounty of life at this time of the year, and honey’s nourishing qualities remind us of us restorative and revitalizing qualities of summer months. Both for ourselves and the earth in general.

If you do not, or cannot for whatever reason, eat real honey, be sure to check out the vegan honey section of the Dairy Alternatives for Imbolc post that I shared here earlier this year. It may provide you just the handy honey alternative you’ve been looking for.

Magickal correspondences for bees: Tiny though they are, honeybees have a sizable list of spiritual associations and correspondence, which, as with many other entries on this list, are often rooted far back in the annals of history.

Bees can be a powerful representation and reminder of everyday blessings and miracles, of the cyclical nature of the seasons, teamwork, community, ambition, determination, hard work, tenacity, time management, accomplishment, energy, the sun and sunlight, good news, love, sweetness, protection, support, personal relationships, stick-to-itness, pollinating new ideas or goals, both life and death, traditions, enjoying the fruits of your labours, insight, and intuition.

Calves (and cattle in general): Many calves are born in the spring or early summer, which means that Lammas often sees them experiencing their first August and harvest season.

Calves and cows have long been an important food and material source, as well as a key player at many an agricultural and country fair the world over.

In some cultures, including the ancient Celts, cattle were (and still are in various parts of the world) a strong social indicator of an individual or family’s wealth and standing in the community.

Throughout time, cattle have been used primarily as a source of milk and meat, wealth, and as a trading or bartering commodity.

This has often meant that the act of slaughtering a cow – which may have been done prior to winter – for consumption was truly a special event that was generally reserved for highly important times of the year.

As well, historically, if calves were old enough, they frequently weaned around the time of Lammas, which deepened their connection to the later weeks of the summer and early autumn all the more.

Magickal correspondences for calves: Most of the spiritual associations and correspondences for calves are those shared with adult cows, however a few such as honouring one’s inner child and being young at heart may resonate all the more though the energy/spirit of calves.

Like cows, the symbolism of calves includes such things as thoughtfulness, abundance, patience, achieving your goals, happiness, positive attitudes, serenity, good luck, wealth, agriculture, effective management of resources, family and community ties, fertility, parenting, stability, strength, and living life to the full.

Hedgehogs: In the 21^st century, it can be easy to think of hedgehogs as pets first and foremost. However, long before they were brought into our homes – and to this day in various parts of the world – hedgehogs roamed wild and free.

Hedgehogs – a member of the shrew family – are predominately nocturnal creatures. This point, much as with bats, lends them a natural association with the coming darkness of autumn.

Adorable, spikey little hedgehogs are often spotted in nature during the summer and fall, and many a gorgeous photo has been captured over the years of them atop or interspersed amongst vibrant fall foliage that has tumbled to the forest or even backyard floor.

Interestingly, like bees, hedgehogs are linked to the hunting goddess Artemis, and thus, by extension may represent the hunting season itself (which, for some hunters, transpires in the late summer on into the fall).

This might go without saying, but of course, one does not need or want to hunt to feel a strong tie with hedgehog energy. Not in the slightest!

Magickal correspondences for hedgehogs: Small though they may be, hedgehogs are another example of a pint sized critter with abundant and widespread cultural significance.

They were written about by no less famous names as Pliny and Plutarch, held strong ties to the Mother Goddess, Ishtar, of the Sumerians, and have been included in the folklore, superstitions, beliefs, and even magickal workings of various cultures around the globe.

Spiritually, hedgehogs are closely associated with curiosity, intelligence, perception, intuition, stability, strength, gentleness, defense, protection, marching to the beat of your own drum, ignoring naysayers, the need for personal space, self-care, embracing your natural gifts and talents, not taking things too personally, exploration, weather patterns, weather magick, gardening, nature, and resourcefulness.

Horses: As with many other animals, both domesticated and wild, horses commonly give birth to their young in the spring or early summer. This alone helps to ensure horses a place on a list of Lammas animals, but it far from the only reason why they appear here.

Horses were, and sometimes still are, often invaluable to the agricultural process. They helped to pull machinery, transport goods to market, were shown at agricultural fairs, and much more.

Traditionally, in Ireland, Lughnasadh was celebrated with games of skill and prowess, including horse races. This point ties horses to the First Harvest all the more.

Genetic research shows that horses were domesticated about 6,000 years ago in areas that are today comprised of the Ukraine, plus parts of Kazakhstan and Russia.

However, early cave art dating back to 25,000+ years depicts wild horses and clearly indicates the significance that these majestic animals already had – be it as a food source, spiritually, aesthetically, or otherwise – for our ancestors.

As humanity began shifting towards communal living and an agrarian lifestyle, and arguably all the more so once horses began to be domesticated, the importance of this mighty powerhouse of an animal only deepened across many cultures.

Magickal correspondences for horses: These days, as a collective whole, humanity no longer relies on horses to the extent that it once did. Thankfully though, these incredible creatures are still beloved by many and it’s safe to say that horses continue to hold an esteemed place in today’s high tech, automobile filled world.

Scores of magickal and spiritual correspondences, symbolism, and associations are linked to horses. Some of the key ones of which include such things as awareness, stability, strength, clairvoyance, endurance, freedom, hope, travel, agility, bravery, friendship, close bonds and ties, family, astral travel, freedom, new opportunities, life, protection and guardianship, stamina, warnings, cooperation, farming, history, ancestry, balance, athleticism, freedom, and being free-spirited.  

As a fascinating side note regarding horses and the season of Lammas, the month of August derives its name from the Roman August Caesar, the first emperor of Rome. Caesar’s family is known to have been involved heavily with horsemanship. And, as a whole, the Roman people held the horse in high esteem, linking it closely with Mars, their god of war.

Also linking horses to this time of the year, is the Celtic zodiac, for which the horse is the animal symbol most closely associated with the period of July 8^th to August 4^th.

After which, the salmon – which we’ll dive into (pun intended) later in this post is in the Celtic zodiac spotlight from August 5^th until September 1^st.

Lions: Lions may not be an everyday sight or physical presence for many of us and they are not as involved with or connected to the harvest season as, say cows and horses. However, the fact that the lion is the animal symbol for the Leo zodiac sign – which encompasses the date range for Lammas – ensures it a place on this list.

Lions are incredibly strong, resilient, brave, skilled, incredible animals. They have long been revered and worshiped by various cultures, from ancient Egyptians to the Chinese, and remain a popular symbol throughout society to this day.

Magickal correspondences for lions: With their golden manes and fur, lions look as though they could have been painted with the very colours of the grain harvest season itself.

Lions have a rich and varied list of spiritual associations and correspondences, amongst which one finds such attributes and connections as divination, spiritual alignment, fire, the sun, extroversion, power, bravery, justice, dignity, strength, self-confidence, patience and timing, protection, teamwork, leadership, charisma, regality, survival, letting your inner voice self shine and your voice be heard, manifestation, confidence, independence, creativity, and, unquestionably, loyalty.

Mice: It’s fair to say that mice might not be the first animal everyone would want to see – at least not in their own homes (save for pet mice, of course!). Yet the fact that this cute little critter falls under the header of vermin doesn’t mean it isn’t a wonderful, valuable, and relevant animal.

Mice are all of those things and more. They are a hugely important part of the ecosystem and animal food chain worldwide.

Though farmers are rarely happy about this point, mice love to nibble on the offerings in ripe fields and grain stores. They, like all animals, are just doing what comes instinctually to them and filling up on as much food as they can before the lean months of winter return.

While a fear of mice is understandable, it might help to know that these sweet little creatures are intelligent, friendly, happy, and hardworking. Not to mention, IMO, downright adorable.

My husband and I often spot mice when taking evening walks in our (corn farm filled) neighbourhood. Far from fearing them, we delight in watching these darling rodents skittering around in the moonlight.

Magickal correspondences for mice: Frequently, mice are on the go. Their sense of productivity and stamina are but two of the attributes, correspondences, and associations linked to the humble mouse.

Additional symbolism and meanings connected to mice include thinking outside of the box, thriftiness, heling others, endurance, creativity, attention to detail, shyness, introversion, discovery, quietness, modesty, cleanliness, awareness, serenity, resourcefulness, grounding, teaching, quietness, cleanliness, stealth, home life, and a connection to the god Apollo.

Pigs: One of the first animals to have been domesticated, pigs have lived alongside humans since approximately 8500 BCE, and are now believed based on mitochondrial DNA studies to have been present in parts of Europe since at least 4500 BCE.

As such, pigs are closely woven to the food and agricultural landscapes of humanity.

Some groups of people have long eschewed the consumption of pork products (often on religious or ethical grounds). Yet, for many others, the pig has been an extremely valuable food source throughout history and remains one of the most popular dietary sources of meat to this day.

Traditionally, and again still to this day in some parts of the world, pigs that were to be consumed were generally slaughtered during the fall. The meat they provided was then generally promptly preserved (smoking, drying, brining, salting, freezing, etc) and consumed until fresh meat was readily and realistically obtainable again in the coming year.

Magickal correspondences for pigs: An interesting array of attributes and correspondences are linked to pigs. Some traits reflect their real-life characters, others are more symbolic.

Pigs are associated with such areas as intelligence, tenacity, ambition, fertility, a hearty or rugged disposition, laziness, farm life, traditions, good luck, success, opportunity, prosperity, renewal, regeneration, contentment, fertility, family, close bonds, as an omen of positive things to come, happiness, and allowing yourself to kick back and enjoy life.

Ravens: Much like bears, horses, snakes and some of the other entries in this post, ravens have long been held in high esteem and connected to the deities and spiritual beliefs of many different cultures (including Odin from the Norse pantheon, who is believed to have two loyal ravens, Huginn and Muninn – whose names mean “thought” and “memory” – that traverse the world to bring important information back to him).

In the case of Lughnasadh, one reason why ravens come into play is because of the connection between the god Lugh – from whose name, as touched on above, the word Lughnasadh itself derives – and these intelligent birds.

The Goddess Morrigan (aka, The Morrigan) is another deity from Northern Europe who is closely associated with Ravens, and who it makes a lot of sense to connect with/honour/reflect upon as we gradually begin our descent into the darker half of the year.

Magickal correspondences for ravens: The symbolism and connections that ravens hold are legion.

Some of the many associations that are tied to ravens include loyalty (ravens themselves often mate for life), fidelity, courage, knowledge, wisdom, introspection, privacy, divination, sexuality, cronehood, ancestry, magic/magick, playfulness, creativity, darkness, renewal, traversing the veil, changes in consciousness, messages and omens, awareness, warnings, synchronicity, the dark moon, death and the afterlife, mysteries, introspection, rebirth, self-awareness and self-reflection, transformation, secrets, shape-shifting, travel, new paths, hope, integrity, eloquence, remembrance, communication, determination, fall and winter (many ravens mate in or around January), fields ready for the harvest, forests, and forging.

Roosters: Another bird that is connected to the sabbat of Lammas is the rooster. These charismatic and boisterous birds are a centuries-old symbol of farm life and agriculture. Their telltale call has woken countless souls up over the course of time – whether they wanted this feathered alarm clock to do so or not.

Come the harvest season, rising early and putting in long days was often a must to help ensure that the crops were brought in on time and ample food stored and/or readied to be traded and sold for other necessary foodstuffs in preparation for the lengthy winter months ahead.

Chickens and roosters were amongst the earliest domesticated animals. They have long been a staple food source for many cultures, and have also been used in spiritual, religious and ceremonial contexts (including, in some instances, as sacrificial animals) for many thousands of years.

Fascinatingly, new research indicates that in Ancient Britain, chickens (as well as hares) may have been highly revered spiritually before they were used as food sources (or perhaps, I cannot help but wonder, in tandem with such).

Another point that links Lammas time to roosters is the colour palette shared between the two. Reds, oranges, caramel browns, dusty whites, and flaxen yellows are all hues that we begin to see a greater degree of in the shifting seasons come to this point in the summer.

Few areas are decked out in full-on fall time finery quite yet, but many are laced in stunning golds, straws, orangey reds, sun-bleached creams, and other shades that speak to the gradual shift towards autumn time.

Magickal correspondences for roosters: Many of the symbolisms and associations for chickens hold true for roosters as well.

That said, roosters are not without their own specific spiritual and historical correspondences, amongst which you find such things as divination, protection, safety, alertness, warnings, awareness, boldness, realizations, personal growth and development, discovery, fertility, watchfulness, farming, hearth and home, speaking up, patience, getting the root of issues or concerns, becoming or staying grounded, community, being social, determination, balance, nourishment (be it in terms of food, spiritual or emotional well-being, etc), enthusiasm, optimism, rebirth, sacrifice, potential, and the sun/solar energy.

. Salmon: In the Canadian province where I live, British Columbia, a truly awe-inspiring event transpires care of the extraordinary salmon runs that happen once every four years.

Though I have not yet witnessed one in person myself, I know others who have and the reverence with which they speak of these marvels of nature has more than helped me to add witnessing a fall time salmon run to my proverbial bucket list.

In general, throughout the western hemisphere, salmon are frequently associated with summer and fall time.

It is during these sun-kissed months that salmon are often plentiful, fishing is abundant, and various animals, including bears, are loading up on delicious salmon to help see them through the lean winter months that lay ahead.

Salmon are powerful, determined animals who help to remind us of how important it is to work, and even fight, for those areas of our lives that matter most to our survival and well-being, as well as our inner sense of happiness and contentment.

Magickal correspondences for salmon: Strong, feisty, and incredibly driven, salmon hold deep spiritual connections for various cultures around the world (including many indigenous and First Nations Peoples).

They are really are an inspiring fish and one with many different associated spiritual, magickal, and meaningful correspondences.

These include connections such as perseverance, determination, steadfastness, staying the course, being goal-oriented, intuition, hope, self-confidence, strength, travel, change, overcoming barriers, being highly sensitive/empathic, insight, psychic abilities, spiritually, traditions, ancestry and genealogy, family, creativity, art, courage, hard work, passion, knowledge, instinct, transformation, and returning to one’s roots.

Snakes: If ever there was a warmth-loving animal, snakes are it! Sure, both cats and lizards are renowned for basking in the sunlight, too, but snakes and summer just seem to go hand-in-hand.

Granted, the fact that I’ve often lived in areas where snakes – be they harmless garters, hefty rubber boas (the most northerly of all boas), or dangerous rattlesnakes – reside may play a part in why I personally link snakes with summer and early fall.

Yet, my own associations aside, snakes and this chapter of the year are a truly ancient combo and one that warrants connecting with come Lammas season.

Snakes are resourceful, clever, patient, territorial, and beautiful. Their importance to the spirituality and beliefs of countless cultures throughout time is legendary.

Like many animals, snakes will try to bulk up for the chilly winter months. Though they do not technically go into full-blown hibernation, in colder climates, most wild snakes will enter a similar state of being, which is called brumation.

This process differs from the hibernation that some mammals experience in various ways One is that, periodically, some snakes will wake and seek out water and food to help sustain them throughout the chilliest chapter of the year. The fact that snakes are using less energy means that they are able to go for longer stretches than usual between feedings when in a state of brumation.

It is interesting to reflect on, and compare, some of the things that we may do less (or, conversely more) of during the icy months to help us survive and thrive.

At Lammas, think upon this subject and look for ways that you can realistically help to ensure that you have a smoother, more enjoyable and well-prepared autumn, winter, and early spring this time around.

Magickal correspondences for snakes: Scores upon scores of spiritual, magickal, mythical, and otherwise meaningful associations and correspondences (not to mention ties to various deities) have been ascribed to snakes for countless generations.

From the past and the present alike, some of the most powerful symbolism and correspondences for snakes include transformation, regeneration, rebirth, new beginnings, transmutation, secrecy, self-defence, balance, acceptance, dreaming, fluidity, serenity, divination, wisdom, creativity, the arts, both life and death, order, health, healing, medicine, fertility, protection, good luck, bonds and connections, cycles, sexuality, passion, warmth, temperament, witchcraft, folk magick, and standing your ground.

Squirrels: Much like chipmunks, squirrels have a tendency to appear more often during the later weeks of summer and into the early fall, as they quite literally “squirrel” away (so hence the term) caches of food for the approaching winter months.

Sweet and playful, shy and yet also inquisitive at times, squirrels are one of the smaller critters on this list of Lughnasadh animals, but don’t let their diminutive stature fool you.

Spiritually, squirrels are powerhouses of meaning, connection, animal energy, and inspiring resourcefulness alike.

Magickal correspondences for squirrels: These adorable little creatures are here to remind us to have fun and savour life – which includes the beauty and blessings of the early harvest season.

Spiritually, historically, and magickally, there are numerous correspondences for squirrels, amongst which one finds alertness, preparation, resourcefulness, manifestation, socializing, planning, goals, an omen of good luck or a windfall, success, acceptance, awareness, gathering, comfort, home life, grounding, Mother Earth/Gaia, balance, kindness and benevolence, being active, contentment, sweetness, happiness, having a zeal for life, and the foliage, nuts, seeds, and produce of the harvest season.

Stages (and deer in general): Last, but certainly not least on this list of Lammas animal correspondences, we come to the powerful and incredibly majestic stag.

Deer in general share a connection with summer and fall. Those who’ve given birth to young often have fawns with them at this time of the year and it is not uncommon to spot mothers and babies or juveniles together.

Our backyard encompasses (and backs onto an even larger) swath of woodland. Deer – at times as many as ten or more at once – are a near-daily occurrence on our property. Their presence is comforting, meaningful, and extraordinarily beautiful.

I have a strong, far-reaching spiritual connection with deer and have worked this caring, sweet, strong and special creature as one of my primary animal allies/guides for many years now.

I am far from alone in having formed a spiritual connection with deer. This mainstay of many a forest, and in more recent times, some urban settings as well, has been revered, worshiped, and celebrated by scores of cultures across the ages.

Come the tail end of summer and straight on into the fall, it is not uncommon to spot deer, including stags with their breathtaking racks of antlers. If you’re extra lucky, you might even see one surrounded by the radiant foliage of autumn.

Stags are strong, independent, and commanding. Amongst many things, stags can help to remind us of how much we’ve (hopefully) grown and developed at this point in the year, to engage with the wild world beyond our front door, and that standing tall and having self-confidence can often take us far in life.

Magickal correspondences for stags: Not surprisingly, stags share many of the same associations with deer. Swirled into the mix, however, are a few things that are all the more the domain of bucks and stags.

Some of the strongest spiritual and magickal associations for deer and bucks include guidance, watchfulness, courage, strength, fertility, wisdom, creativity, kindness to ourselves and others, serenity, children, family ties, innocence, being sweet-natured, leadership, confidence, stamina, compassion, generosity, grace, having a sharp eye and seeing what others may miss, safety, comfort, alertness, regrowth, spirituality, vision, clarity, honesty, and standing up for your principles/beliefs, as well as what is right and just.

Ways to work with animal correspondences at Lammas

There are scores of ways to involve animals in your Lammas celebrations. The following are some of the many different ideas on this front that may resonate with you.

Let your intuition, what you have available or can make, and the spirit of the sabbat guide you in how you opt to work with animals during Lughnasadh.

-Take or print (royalty-free/public domain/purchased stock) photos of the animals you’re working with this Lammas. Put them up around your altar, home, use one as your screensaver or home screen image, create a craft project with them, use them in spell work, etc..

-Call upon the spirit/energy of your chosen animal(s) when working spells or performing certain rituals throughout the Lammas season.

-Create a piece of art or a craft project of any you desire that features the animal(s) of your choosing.

-Place figurines, toys, or carved or sculpted animals on your altar or elsewhere in your home.

-Create sigils from either the name or shape of the animal.

-Work with a deity that is associated with the Lammas animal of your choosing.

-Paint rocks, shells, pieces of found wood or other ethically sourced natural surfaces to depict the animal you wish. Charge this/these creation in the radiant light of the Lammas sunshine, to imbue them all the more with the energy of the year’s first harvest season sabbat.

-Talk/pray to the spirit or energy of a given animal. You can also reflect on/call upon them when meditating.

-Wear a piece of jewelry or clothing that depicts one of the animals that you’re focusing on throughout Lammas. Cleanse and bless it before wearing. Pay attention to how you feel and any impressions or powerful/sudden thoughts or feelings you get while wearing it.  

-If you are personally comfortable working with actual animal products and can ethically source body parts (hair, fur, feathers, bones, shed skin, etc) from the animal of your choosing, the sky is the limit as to the variety of magical applications you can use these kinds of items for them.

If you prefer not to use actual animal products, you could make or buy faux versions or visual representations of them, such as clay, wood, paper, or ceramic iterations.

While artificial animal body parts may not retain the same energy and life essence as those obtained from actual animals, the symbolism, intention and general representation will generally all hold true and remain valuable, potent components in your magickal workings.

-Cook, bake or decorate Lammas foods, such as breads or cookies, in the shape of your desired animal.

-Create a journal, BOS, or grimoire entry about the Lammas animal(s) that resonate with you most this year. Discuss why they strike a chord with you and take note of any ways that you work with or honour these animals during the Lammas season.

-Reflect on what a given animal’s telltale strengths and weaknesses are and how they may be presenting to you as a message, confirmation or awakening to some aspect of your own life at present.

-If you have (or wish to make) a tarot or oracle card that depicts the animal you’re focusing on, place it in a spot where you’ll connect with it often, such as your altar or a nightstand.

Doing so will help you to reflect on and connect with the energy of the animal all the more, while also potentially helping you to grow closer in your relationship with this particular creature and what it may trying to impart to you.

-Donate to a charity or rescue organization that works with the animal of your choosing.

-Volunteer your time to work with animals of any sort in some helpful capacity.

-Should it be possible and safe to do so, view a Lammas animal in the wild or in an enclosed setting, such as a petting zoo or animal sanctuary. If you are able to, again, safely, touch, feed, ride, etc that animal during Lammas season, all the more wonderful! But if not, just being in the general physical vicinity of that animal can have awesome personal and spiritual effects.

-Keep an eye out for any animals – be they included in this post or not – that appear to you immediately before and during the Lammas season.

While some animal sightings and encounters are run-of-the-mill, others hold deeper personal meaning and significance.

If you feel that animal has presented itself to you in person, while meditating, hedgeriding, or in a dream and has a message or deeper meaning that it is trying to convey, ask the spirit energy of that animal to clarify what it is saying, research associated meanings of that animal in books or online. Or, alternatively, assign your own personally relevant meaning to the presence of this animal in your life right now.

-Take note of the number of times that a given animal presents itself to you in any form (real life, dreams, brought up by others to you in conversation, repeated spotted in the media or books, etc) and consider if that number itself holds as significance.

If you feel that it does, apply numerological or angel number meanings to the number of times that you saw that particular animal. Sometimes the number of sightings itself matters just as much as the animal who helped to deliver it to you.

-Thank the animals, both the living ones that exist in the world and the spirit/energy of said creatures, for their part in your Lughnasadh activities and your life in general.

And do keep in mind that while this post is focused on Lammas, you can certainly apply the suggestions above the whole year through when working spiritually/magickally with animals.

May you have a bright, blessed Lammas season!

Lammas ushers in the beginning of the harvest season and in turn, of fall itself. While the calendar tells us that we still have more than six weeks left to go until the Autumn Equinox returns, deep in the earth, nature is stirring and preparing to glide from one season to the next.

One of the loveliest ways to celebrate Lughnasadh, or any sabbat for that matter, is by connecting with the animals that are especially associated with, or most common, during this chapter of the year.

This act is an ancient one, as animals have played roles both practical and spiritual in the lives of humans for untold millennia.

Before the advent of mechanized farming methods, the harvest was done by human and animal power. It was – and often still is – hard, labour intensive work that was vital to help ensure the well-being and survival our species.

As well, some of the animals discussed in this post provided meat, fur, feathers or other organic materials that were invaluable in the lives of those who came before us.

Today, making animals a part of our Lammas happenings is both fun and meaningful. It reminds us of those who came before, while also helping to ground us to the present, including the state of the ecological sphere, our own spiritual journey, and the members of the animal kingdom that cross our paths or which we opt to purposely focus on.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish you a radiant, meaningful, and deeply blessed Lammas season, sweet friends.

Now, over to you: What animals do you most associate with Lammas? Would you be interested in seeing this post idea become a series, with separate entries for different animals that correspond with each of the eight sabbats?

The post 15 Wonderful Animal Correspondences to Connect to and Work With at Lammas appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

There may be berries aplenty, lush and juicy watermelon, perhaps citrus or tropical fruits, and, I’d venture to guess, at least a couple of stone fruits.

From the alluring dark blush of cherries to the nearly criminally delicious taste of a perfectly sun-ripened peach, summertime is awash with stone fruits in many parts of the world.

Those areas where stone fruits do not grow locally often import them in during the summer months – if not year-round. And many of us have access to various types of stone fruits in either fresh, frozen, juice, syrup, tinned, canned or otherwise preserved form regardless of the season.

During the sizzling hot days of summer, stone fruits are one of nature’s most delectably appealing culinary treasures.

Not only are they highly nutritious, relatively low in calories, and bursting with various vitamins and minerals (such as vitamins A and C), they’re magickal powerhouses as well!

I’ve spent what collectively amounts to a large chunk of my life living in different parts of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

This arid, lake-filled corner of Western Canada is famous the world over for its fruit growing climate, which orchardists, farmers, and vintners have been availing of for well over a century now.

A wide array of fresh produce – and some truly spectacular wines – are grown and produced in this part of the world, with few being more beloved or abundant than the area’s stone fruits.

My childhood summers weren’t just chock-a-block with eating stone fruits, I also picked my fair share, helped my mom and paternal grandma can enough peaches and assorted stone fruit jams to feed a small army, and learned to appreciate both the culinary – and as I grew older – magickal properties of these wonderful fruits.

Depending on where you live in the world stone fruit season can start as early as May. In other spots, the growing season kicks off in June, July or even August, just depending on the particular type(s) of fruit at hand and the local climate.

In our area, June tends to start the season, which can run as far into the year as September.

It’s currently mid-July and multiple varieties of locally grown stone fruit are now readily available. Thus, today seemed like a great time to shine the witchy spotlight on these summertime staple fruits.

We’re going to be doing so by taking a look at 25 magickal ways to use summertime stone fruits in your witchcraft.

But first…

What are stone fruits?

No fruit produces an actual stone in the sense of a rock or pebble. In this instance, the word “stone” refers to the pit that grows inside of a piece of fruit.

Some of the most common stone fruits – and the ones that this post is going to focus on – are cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, and stone fruit hybrids such as plumcots, apriums, peacharines, and peacotums (each of which is created by successfully crossing two or more different stone fruits together).

These are not the only stone fruits out there, however. Others such as dates, mangos, lychees, and green almonds all fall under this header.

However, for the sake of this post, we’re going to focus on the stone fruits that are most associated with summer in North America and various other parts of the world.

And while not at the heart of this post either (seasonally applicable as they are), you might be fascinated to know that raspberries, blackberries, and mulberries are technically stone fruits, too.

They are classified as such because they are comprised of clusters of jewel-like drupelets, each of which has a tiny stone (seed/pit) inside of it. Pretty cool, no?

How to use stone fruits in witchcraft

As with a lot of different types of foods, the clear blue summer sky is the limit when it comes to ways to use stone fruits in your witchcraft.

Whether you intend to eat or work with the food magickally (or both), remember to properly wash and dry your stone fruit before using it.

You may wish to utilize a charged water when cleaning your stone fruit – just make sure it’s safe for human consumption if you plan to eat the fruit yourself or serve it others.

Look through your fruit and remove any that are clearly rotten, have been chomped on by wee critters, or which are oozing juices.

If stone fruits require ripening, do so in a warm, but not excessively hot, location, such as a kitchen table or counter. If they are already ripe and you wish to prolong their life a little bit, store them in the fridge or a very cool spot, such as a cold cellar.

When working with stone fruits – or food of any kind – try to be thankful for the edible blessing that is in your hands. You may wish to give thanks aloud or in your heart or mind, perhaps even saying a prayer of thanksgiving for this summertime bounty.

Stone fruits can be used magickally on their own or combined to create all manner of delicious dishes and magickal spells and workings.

Select fruits with harmonious or complementary properties or whose energies resonate with you and your intended purposes.

When preparing your stone fruit, mindfully think about the purpose it will be used for, the desired outcome you’re seeking to manifest, and what spiritual allies or forces, if applicable, you will be calling upon to aid you in your magickal workings.

I find stone fruit magick to be especially effective when carried out in direct summer sunlight (though have also found, that cherries have a fondness for the night and apricots delight in the early morning hours).

This is certainly not essential though. Just an additional way to imbue your workings with summertime energy and correspondence, if and when such is possible.

While this is also not mandatory, you may wish to have a designated cutting board and knife, and possibly a vegetable peeler, too, that you use specifically for food that you’ll be using in a witchy capacity.

By only using these kitchen tools for magickal workings, you will direct and concentrate your own personal energy, as well as that of the foods that come in contact with them, into these items.

Think of this concept a bit like the way a cast-iron skillet that has been expertly seasoned and maintained is able to perform at its best each time, so long as the person using it knows what they’re doing and takes care to maintain the integrity of that skillet.

Magickal properties of summer stone fruits

The following is a list of some of the magickal properties and correspondences that are ascribed to the most common types of summertime stone fruits.

They will apply regardless of if a given fruit is eaten/used in its fresh, frozen, canned, etc form. That said, if you’re able to procure fresh stone fruit when it is in season, all the better and more charged with the energy of the present growing season it will be.

–Apricots: Warmth, soothing anxiety, hopefulness, peace, sunshine, healing, positive health, well-being, longevity, beauty, elegance, love, positivity, carefreeness, beauty, travel, relaxation, wisdom, learning, morning and afternoon, and sunshine.

–Cherries: Divination, love, sex, fertility, youth, sweetness, femininity, emotions, water, air, spirituality, blood, friendship, dreams, beauty, healing, relationships,

In addition, black cherries are particularly tied to repelling negativity, banishing, protection, strength, masculinity, dark moon magick, death and the afterlife.

And sour cherries are beneficial when you wish to focus on riding negativity or gossip, hexes, ending relationships, and aligning order or fairness (balancing sweet and sour).

–Nectarines: Stability, strength, love, warmth, sweetness, hope, moving and new homes, heightening psychic abilities, sunshine, positivity, memories, dreams, and nurturing.

–Peaches: Joy, sweetness, fun, creativity, wisdom, femininity, fertility, longevity, protection, warding, banishing, finding missing or lost items, banishing, motivation, personal expression, ancestry, summer, afternoon and early evening.

(New World Witchery has a wonderfully informative post packed with peach folklore, which you may also enjoy.)

–Plums: Dreams, sleep, love, lust, prosperity, transition, resilience, beauty, writing, art, regality, grace, sophistication, dusk and evening.

–Hybrids, such as pluouts/plumcots and apriums, will generally embody the magickal properties of each fruit that contributed to their genetic makeup. The higher the percentage of a given fruit in the hybrid, the more it stands to channel the properties and correspondences of that fruit.

25 magickal uses for stone fruits

Stone fruits are one of summer’s greatest and most versatile offerings.

They’re an excellent way to inject kitchen and cottage witchery into your sunny weather workings, but are equally open to a wide array of magickal purposes.

Without further ado, here are twenty-five wonderful ways to use stone fruits in your witchcraft.

1. Create a jam spell by making homemade jam (canned, fresh, or freezer) with the stone fruit or fruits of your choice. Mindfully stir your intentions into the jam, set them with the gelling action of the jam, and use the end product for sweetness, abundance, positivity, and a wide range of other magickal purposes.

2. Whip up a magickal fruit salad, sunny sangria, or another dish that includes two or more stone fruits. Enjoy it in the summer sun, indoors or out, eating mindfully and allowing each bite to deliver both physical and spiritual nourishment to your body this season.

3. Use dried flowers, leaves, stems, pits, and (ethically sourced) bark from trees in spells, spell and mojo bags, spell bottles, potpourri mixes, elixirs, offerings, altar decorations, and so forth.

4. Place leaves (or the fruits themselves, though they may attract unwanted insect and animal visitors) around your property for protection, calling on the spirits of the trees they came from to help guard your home.

5. (Carefully!) carve sigils, runes signs, planetary or astrological signs, or other magickal symbols into pits and stones. This is generally best (and more easily) done when the pit or stone has been allowed to dry out first.

6. Work with a wand made from the wood of one of these trees (handmade or made by a source that you trust).

7. Essential oils in the flavours and scents of these fruits can be utilized in a plethora of different ways. Use them as is, as part of spell jars or pillows, to anoint candles, to draw signs and sigils on suitable materials, to aid in sleep and relaxation, as part of ritual baths and showers, and worn on the body, to name but a few possible uses.

8. Use cherry juice in place of blood (and cheery flesh instead of meat or animal flesh) in rituals, spells, offerings and other magickal workings where blood (or meat) may be called for or needed.

This is an ideal substation for those who follow vegetarian, vegan and plant-based diets or who may otherwise prefer not to work with animal products in their witchcraft.

9. Make besoms or other types/sizes of brooms with small branches from stone fruit trees. Bless and concrete your besom or broom with juice from the type of fruit that the tree(s) you sourced your branches from produces.

If you can gather the branches and fruit on a sabbat, such as Beltane, Litha or Lammas, or under the light of a full moon, it may be all the more magickally charged, but this is by no means essential to create a highly effective besom or broom.

You can also extend this DIY witchy tool making method to other types of fruits, nuts, olives, and some very woody herbs that grow on trees or bushes with suitable branches.

It is wise to ask for and receive permission (your own inner voice will usually let you know what the answer is) from the tree before taking anything from a plant/tree/flower/similar, give direct thanks to the plant, and leave an offering or say a blessing aloud for its health and longevity.

10. Cast worries away by focusing one concern per stone or pit and flinging it away from your body into a running body of water (ensure that doing so will not hurt the natural ecosystem of the river or creek you’re working with).

11. Research if the deity(ies) you currently work with have any known connections to stone fruits or the months when they’re most commonly in season. If so, consider leaving an offering of this fruit or otherwise including it in some of the workings you do with this deity.

Cherries, for example, are linked to such gods and goddesses as Artemis, Mars, Herne, (the) Morrigan, Thor, Vertumnus, and Pan. Whereas peaches are connected to such deities as Hathor, Freya, Venus, and Aphrodite, to name but a few.

12. Peach sticks have a longstanding tradition, particularly in traditional American folk magick, of being used as dowsing rods. If dowsing appeals to you and you have access to a peach tree from which a suitable branch can safely be removed, why not give it a go and see where a bit of peach wood dowsing leads you?

13. Split a suitable sized stone fruit partially open, carefully remove the pit, and place a written spell or intention inside of it. Close the fruit over the paper and bury the fruit, thus allow the mighty earth below to help bring your desired outcome into being. This type of stone fruit working lends itself especially nicely to spells pertaining to success, prosperity and the desire to have something blossom abundantly in your life.

14. Gather stone fruit by hand yourself. Research local stone fruit growers in your area and see if any of them allow the public to come and pick their own fruit.

Alternatively, harvest fruit from your own garden, or with permission, from a neighbour, friend, or relative’s yard. Or, if you’re extra lucky and have edible varieties of stone fruit growing wild in your area, forge some when it is in season.

By directly picking, handling, and bringing home the fruit yourself, you are preserving even more of the source-to-working (or simply eating) energy and magick that is inherent in the fruit tree itself.

15. Work with cherries in your spells or other magickal purposes on Fridays. The last day before the weekend is connected with Venus, as are cherries, so you get double the energy and connection one of earth’s nearest planetary neighbours.

16. Dried peach pits can be carved and/or drilled to create a hole and then strung on a cord, chain, or suitable jump ring and used a protective amulet if you’re in need of some extra safety when it comes to your well being, health, or state of mind.

You could also create several such peach pits and make a belt or sash, a pair of anklets, earrings, hair accessories (glue them to a barrette or place one pit on the each end of a pair or hair sticks, for example), or embellishments for a hand drum.

17. Stone fruits have long been associated with love, lust, passion, and sex, and therefore are considered to have aphrodisiacal properties. One has only to look at the sloping curves and mounds of a ripe peach, nectarine or plum to see why this is the case!

If you’re in need of some extra oomph or wish to spice things up in this area of your life, work with stone fruit spells and enjoy a hearty helping of them with your special someone to help get your own juices flowing all the more. (Always bearing in mind the importance of not interfering with another person’s free will.)

18. Use stone fruit juice – darker varieties such as cherries tend to work best, though peaches and other paler hued fruits can be used as well – to dye fabric for use in magickal applications, such as spell and amulet bags, spell pillows and sachets, altar clothes (how fabulous would a stone fruit dyed altar cloth be for Litha or Lammas?), to line forging or gardening baskets, to make tarot or oracle deck bags, for sabbat table linens, or any other suitable purpose you think of.

You’ll most likely want to ensure the colourfastness of your hand dyed fabric by setting it with a natural fixative, such as a vinegar or salt fixative.

Once dried, and colourfastness has been established, use your naturally dyed fabric for the purposes mentioned above or scores of others, from poppet making to sewing magick.

19. Utilize stone fruit tree wood or leaves in summertime bonfires, particularly those held on sabbats and esbats. If you can’t obtain suitably dry stone fruit tree wood or branches, use leaves instead. If leaves aren’t possible, consider adding a few pieces of the actual fruit or fruit peels to your summertime blaze.

20. Use stone fruit to help you connect with the Elements during the summer months. While many stone fruits are primarily associated with water and earth, they are also directly linked to the air (in which they grow, that blows through their leaves, etc) and fire via the roasty-toasty summer sunshine that facilitates their growth and ripening.

21. Cherry wood is said to have many wonderful properties and magickal uses. These include such things as helping one to focus and stabilize, deepening intuition, helping with (or being used in) divination, working with the animal kingdom, unifying couples or groups, for protection and shielding, and when working with the planet Venus.

As well, cherry wood magickal tools such as wands (or can be handmade), altar tables and tarot card boxes are available for sale from various online and offline sources.

22. Obtain enough of one or more types of stone fruits to use some fresh as part of a spell and then to make homemade fruit leather with the remaining fruit.

Charge the fruit leather with the intention and desired outcome of the spell and eat it a piece of it on a regular (e.g., daily or weekly) basis to help strengthen and manifest your working.

23. Utilize summertime stone fruits in colour magick. The beautiful hues of peaches, cherries, apricots, plums, nectarines and stone fruit hybrids makes them ideal food sources to use in color magick workings. The leaves, bark, branches, and blossoms (both fresh and dried) of stone fruit trees can be used in colour magick as well.

24. On Litha or Lammas, make pancakes to represent the glowing, life-giving and harvest facilitating sunshine of summer. Top them with the stone fruit, jam, preserved or fresh stone fruit of your choice.

Pancakes are also excellent representations for the full moon at esbats and can be used in the same way for these special, highly spiritually charged days as well.

25. Use cherry juice to write magickal spells. Cherry juice use can be used instead of dragon’s blood ink, actual blood (as discussed above), and most dark inks.

Cherry juice starts off paler than many actual red and black inks, fades to an even lighter shade over time, and may not be as archivally long-lasting as some other inks.

However, it is a wonderful material to utilize in written spells, incantations, journal entries, and when writing love letters where a red or brown ink, or an ink derived straight from nature, is the order of the day.

Turn to cherry juice ink for love, sex, fertility, stamina, strength, divination, grief, healing, death, and afterlife related spellwork in particular.

Stone fruits for kitchen witchery and much more!

The magickal uses for peaches, cherries, apricots, nectarines, plums and the like are abundant. I find these fruits to be wonderfully enjoyable to work with. Most tend to have a sunny disposition and energy, borne of the season that helped bring them to maturity.

In addition to the many possible ways to use stone fruits that we just discussed, you may wish to gather a small amount of dirt from around the base of stone fruit trees.

Use this earth in spells and other workings involving dirt for which the magickal properties of the tree(s) that grew in the soil you collected would be beneficial to your desired outcome.

Likewise – though it may take some patience – gathering dew or rainwater from the leaves of fruit trees is also a great form of charmed/magickally imbued water. A quicker approach is to place a bucket or other waterproof receptacle under the branches of a stone fruit tree and gather the water that runs through the leaves.

You can also utilize stone fruit scented products such as candles and incense – all the better if they contain at least a small amount of some portion (for example, the juice or dried fruit) of the actual fruit itself, not merely a synthetic version.

And, if you’re looking for a longer-lasting version of stone fruits to use as part of your magickal workings, consider those rendered in everything from crochet to ceramic, crystal to beadwork. These kinds of fruit shaped items can be awesome additions to altars, sabbat table décor, as a stand-in for the real deal in some types of spells and rituals, and many other uses.

If you have a chance to work some stone fruit magick this summer, I highly encourage you to give it go and hope that the results you achieve will be as sweet and wonderful as the taste of these delectable warm weather treats themselves.

The post 25 magickal ways to use summertime stone fruits appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.