I first learned about Lughanasadh in college studying theater and reading plays. Dancing at Lughnasaby Brian Friel blew me away. It’s a play about sisters trying to survive and thrive in a world that seems oppressive, lonely, baron and the festival of Lughnasadh that challenges them to thrive, dance and speak their truth. It’s on my bucket list of plays that someday I hope to perform in or direct. But this play also connected me to an ancient tradition. One I was not aware of. That’s the magic of theater because as I read the play- there was a knowing somewhere out there in space and time in past lives or parallel lives I celebrate this festival, and from that day go now 20 + years. I honor tge wheel of time and especially Lughnasadh all because of an electrical moment reading a play that connected me wcross time and space. There are so many reasons why I love theater- this is one of them. This theater experience brought to life something in my heart that taught me more about who I was, who I am and who I am becoming. It is because of this play that I started to discover the wheel of time and connect to my Druid self & learn about pagan gods, goddesses and festivals and what they meant and how they honor our lives and our milestones and the passing of time.  Lughnasadh hss enriched my life esch season since. I take time out to journal, to vision, to meditate to PAUSE and reflect im gratitude and appreciate the beingness of where my now moment and how far I have come along the way. I learned that on the eve of Lughnasadh, each member of the community carries a small, glowing ember from their hearth to the sacred site to remind us to keep our light here and share our light. While I dont have a community per sea I do have a home and family and I use this time from its eve day on to pause and reflect and honor Lughnasadh in my own way. It is a time for expressing gratitude for nature’s abundance and the nurturing spirit of the land. Embracing Change and Sacrifice- it is a festival marking the transition from summer to autumn. Lughnasadh reminds us of the cyclical nature of life and as part of the Wheel of the Year, Lughnasadh is associated with symbols of mid and late summer. Sunflowers, sheaves of grain, and harvest tools such as scythes are all symbolize Lughnasadh. Colors associated with Lughnasadh are drawn largely from nature, including bold shades of yellow, bright greens and Many Pagan paths celebrate this festival by welcoming in the first harvests of fruit and wheat, with bread making featuring high within practices to be able to imbue our energy into it for peace and prosperity, and we like to make the bread interesting shapes, such as plaits and cottage loaves or “dollies”. And like the play- we dance!!!! There is a folk prayer from Wales: Good luck to the hoof and horn/Good luck to the flock and fleece/Good luck to the growers of corn/with blessings of Lughnasadh. August 1 is usually when celebrate  but up to August 12 the energy holds… and during this time I set intentions, speak gratitude and DANCE. Lughnasadh is also called “The Festival of Gathering In,” because itinvites us to celebrate together through activities like baking bread, sharing a meal, or gathering around a bonfire. So for me especially as I grow spiritually I seethe overlapping with Lions gate and am humbled on how our ancestors  continue to teach us and encourage us to remember be it through dance, art, storytelling, festivals or celebration-  we can see and feel and recognize what the sacred times are. When the veil is thin. When we can connect….and dance, live, love, laugh, play just a little as the wheel of life turns on and on

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