Lammas, Eve of Dark Moon

Lammas is a time of Highland Games and other acts of prowess and power of the Sun before it starts to show its waning. For this double event of the Sabbat and the Dark Moon, I like to honor the WARRIOR!

Lammas is a time of grain harvest and bread baking. Also, corn roasts. Twice a year I like to do Celtic Blessing Bread. This is one of those times. I would like to share the recipe I have.

So easy, versatile, and delicious! This is a perfect addition to any Lammas Sabbat celebration.

In honor of the Warrior (such as the Morrighan and Scathach, Lugh and many many others), The Dark Moon ritual will be a time to infuse our weapons of choice with the energy of the Dark Moon: powerful, introspective, honorable, thoughtful, and clear-cutting.

Burnout

Pagan elders and leaders, event and ritual organizers often suffer and are rushing downhill to this thing called BURNOUT that no one wants to look at or believe can happen, to the self or to others. There are not many leaders of anything and fewer willing to help or be fully prepared to step up to the plate and do for a leader who needs a break. So, leaders dare not take a break or go through tremendous feelings of guilt when they do.

But what IS burnout and what happens to someone suffering it?

BURNOUT: physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress, a state of chronic stress that leads to a number of symptoms (listed below)

Burnout causes a number of things, variable from person to person.

• tiredness / unending exhaustion / chronic fatigue
• irritability
• frequent illness
• feeling overwhelmed by even small things
• odd bodily reactions
• rashes
• frequent illnesses
• shutting people out
• ranting and "overly dramatic reactions"
• taking things far too personally
• lashing out unexpectedly
• forgetfulness
• callousness / lack of emotional connection
• insomnia
• impaired concentration and attention
• loss of appetite / overeating
• dizziness, fainting, headaches
• shortness of breath or heart palpitations
• anxiety
• depression
• irrational anger
• poor performance on various levels

 That is a whole lot of scary stuff. It is good to have someone you trust who can be frank with you, and accept your moods without being easily hurt; someone who can watch for if you start to show signs of burning out and can address the issue with you. Ideally, this person can do this BEFORE you have burned bridges in the friend department or the professional world and BEFORE you ruin your own reputation.

You are a human BEing... not a human DOing.

An excellent website that discusses burnout and how to cope is: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/preventing-burnout.htm

Here are some tips for survival:

• have some OTHER things to do that you enjoy
• give yourself "grace moments" or find a personal day weekly.
• go learn something (as it is receiving and not giving)
• set limits for yourself and say NO sometimes
• don't take responsibility for other peoples hurt/upset feelings; not everyone is going to like everything
• delegate (in parts to wean people onto a team); teach your successor
• plan around your schedule (KNOW your schedule and do not double/triple book yourself)
• let go, let negativity roll off
• do personal internal work regularly
• stay calm
• meditate, with a group
• you don't have to LIKE everyone (but be mature enough to be able to work with them and accept that you do not like them)
• give yourself permission to have/do nice things once in a while
• have a safe person to vent with
• have an outlet
• ask for help (and show appreciation for it)
• reduce the stuff on your plate (especially cut away the things that are not beneficial to your life)
• have a sense of humor
• pat yourself on the back for your achievements
• pace yourself
• get some SLEEP
• identify the strengths of others and nurture them 
• create a manual for the future
• have a clear vision (for the group, event, yourself)
• Have someone look out for you (assign someone to be your keeper, especially during big events)
• don't hang out with people who effect you negatively
• do what you love / love what you do

 On this last note, here is a video:

Creating Sacred Space

LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT
WIDDERSHINS, WIDDERSHINS, DEOSIL
LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT

When creating a personal sanctuary, a space that feels sacred for your spiritual or magical work, you should always start with the  self. All magic begins with YOU. You are divine. Your body is your temple, your first tool, the home of your sacred soul.

Sacred Self:
Cleanse the self with a sacred bath or simply a shower.
Purify yourself with a smudging incense of your choice.
Bless yourself with holy water, anointing oil, or the five-fold kiss.

Five-fold Kiss:
Blessed be my feet (touch your feet)
     that walk the sacred path
Blessed be my knees (touch your knees)
     that kneel at the sacred altar
Blessed be my loins (place hands over phallus or womb)
     from which springs forth pleasure and life
Blessed be my breast (place hands over your heart)
     formed in beauty and in strength
Blessed be my lips (kiss your fingertips)
     that utter the sacred words
Blessed be all of me (brush your hands over yourself from crown to toes)

Now you are ready to create sacred space...

LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT
WIDDERSHINS, WIDDERSHINS, DEOSIL
LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT

Creating Sacred Space:
Start by choosing the place you want to use as sacred space.
Cleansing is to physically clean it and set it up for how you wish it to look or be used.
Cleaning the space should be done in the direction of banishing.
LEFT / WIDDERSHINS / COUNTER-CLOCKWISE
Purify the space by removing any negative energy. There are lots of ways to do this.
You can smudge the space, energetically sweep it with a besom, use rattles or chimes.
Purifying the space should be done in the direction of banishing.
LEFT / WIDDERSHINS / COUNTER-CLOCKWISE
Blessing is the third step in creating sacred space.
Blessing the space is to bring positive energy into it, or to fill the space with the energy for its purpose or use.
You can bless the space with holy water, a sacred incense, the 4 elements, a lit candle.
There are many ways to bless a space. Even bringing in something fresh and new works (flowers).
Blessing a space should be done in the direction of creative energy.
RIGHT / DEOSIL / CLOCKWISE

Now the space is fit for use for any spiritual activity.

Dark Moon Ritual for All

Purify yourself and your space with an incense of your choice.

Bless yourself and your space with Holy Water.

Create Sacred Space by lighting a candle in the center of the altar.

Cast circle.

Dark moons are times for banishing, letting go, and introspection.

Quarters and deities or totems could be called, but not necessarily  as this is a very personal ritual. This is time for you to be with YOU.

Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Just breathe and relax in the silence. Allow the chaos of the month, the week, the day, to fall away. Just breathe.

Let go of whatever weighs you down this month.

Listen to your inner self for what you need in your life right now and how to go about achieving that goal or necessity.

Thank yourself.

SUGGESTIONS:

Incense - sandalwood, benzoin, myrrh, vanilla,  or rose (or herbal resin for the Dark Moon)

Holy Water - 3 cups of spring water with three pinches of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of orange blossom water

Candle - white, black, blue, or violet

RECOMMENDATION:

Drink a comforting tea afterwards. A good tea would be Monk's Blend.