Lùnasdal was not forgotten!
Of all the festivals, Lùnasdal is the one I have the least connection with. I have a hard time ‘feeling’ it, and I think it’s probably mostly to do with the fact that I’ve never really felt much of a connection with Lugh…So I was quite surprised that I really did feel a connection this year - not just with Lugh, but with the energy of the day, so to speak.
My celebrations started off as usual with the blessed bannocks - although I cheated this time and did some ‘blessed pancakes’ so Mr Seren and Tom could be included in eating them (they don’t like oatcakes so much). I’d intended to do some bannocks for my dinner on Lùnasdal Eve so I could make some extra for offerings, but time got away from me with Tom deciding to be Mr Manic and Rosie deciding to be Mrs Clingy…
The day started off dull and overcast, so with rain threatening I didn’t take the kids and the dog for the nature walk I’d been planning to help me get in tune with it all. Instead, with the evening turning out to be gloriously sunny, I took Eddie off for a walk after Tom had gone to bed and I’d dumped Rosie on Mr Seren. We went to the vantage point overlooking the Forth and I meditated for a while before leaving an offering of blackberries to Lugh and Tailtiu. This turned out to be a better plan, really, because this way I didn’t have the distraction of the kids. I continued my walk around my usual route for walking the dog, sending some vibes to the houses that I’d Really Quite Like to Live In and then on the way back saw that the farmers had started harvesting the crops on the hills.
When I got back, once Rosie was asleep I lit some candles on the sideboard (that’s currently my unofficial, low key altar) in memory of Tailtiu, for Lugh (some coffee candles that Mr Seren bought me for our wedding anniversary - the only candles in the house which Tom later got hold of and dropped one on my head leaving a bruise on my temple. Make of that what you will…He got me a trio of cow statues as well which are officially the best anniversary present ever - Mr Seren’s preamble as I unwrapped them was “Thank God you’re obsessed with cows!”, but I digress…).
Later on I went outside and made a libation of whisky (Laphroaig, which I really don’t like, but it’s all there was since Mr Seren put the good stuff in the hip flask I got for his birthday) and sat under the stars for a while until the moon rose above the houses and I gave it a greeting. The night was warm and still, and it was very peaceful. I made my libation to the gods, rather than anyone specific because I didn’t want to leave out the gods to whom I am dedicated, or in the process of building a relationship with, and it seemed appropriate. And a libation for the spirits of the place and my ancestors. The stillness of the night made it feel like I was really being listened to.
The next day, since the weather was much nicer, we went on our nature walk, through the woods where we encountered the Scary Cows previously. A lot of CRs say it’s ‘traditional’ to pick blackberries at this time of year, which I’ve always thought was a bit too early, and although I came across plenty of brambles none of them were anywhere near ripe. It’s not been much of a summer this year, so no doubt that hasn’t helped. The ones I’d offered the day before came from the supermarket…
I took a different route in the woods this time and discovered a stream and a very tranquil-looking, but slightly sinister feeling pool. Whether it was sinister because I didn’t have an offering to give to it, or because it’s the perfect place to dump your spare dead bodies without being noticed is anyone’s guess…But we went back up the way along by where the Scary Cows had been, but weren’t this time. There are some stones along the way in a field that look prehistoric to me, but they don’t seem to be recorded on Canmore, so probably not. Hey ho.
Still and all, I was pleased with the way my celebrations went this year. Last year I was too distracted and lacking in energy to really get anything from it, and for the past few weeks, since concentrating on building a relationship with the Badb and maintaining the ones I already have with my other patrons, I’ve been feeling very in tune with things anyway. I’ve been feeling it’s important to make sure I ‘do’ rather than ‘think’ about doing recently, so that’s helped - I felt like I had a momentum going by the time Lunasdal came round, although I’m trying to keep it balanced and not do overkill. And in focusing on building a relationship with the Badb and trying to be receptive to Her, I’ve been getting an idea of where I should go with all this…I don’t think I’m ready to articulate those thoughts, I’m still pondering, but for once I feel like I’m making genuine progress with walking the walk instead of talking the talk. Suffice it to say, I feel the need to concentrate on what is mystical, not intellectual. But I haven’t quite figured out the best place to start from a CR perspective yet.