Mid-Summer: Resting in Abundance
We find ourselves at the beginning of harvest season, when the first fruits of our efforts are ready to be enjoyed. I am overwhelmed with squash in my garden and it reminds me of why August in the northern hemisphere is universally celebrated for its abundance. Lughnasadh or Lammas is celebrated on August 1st as the halfway point between summer solstice and fall equinox. The original gaelic word for the holiday was Bron Trogain, translated as “bringing forth from the ground” and can be correlated to the pain of giving birth. This theme of reaping and sowing offers us the opportunity to witness the mystery of life and creation in all its glory. It also offers us the opportunity to reflect on the sacrifice and pain it takes for us to manifest. What kind of work have you put in and what have you sacrificed to get where you are today? How has the earth and other beings supported you in this growth?
“It is then the earth sorrows under [the weight of] its fruit.”
I have been blessed to spend the last week at an ecotherapy immersion run by the Earthbody Institute. Together, in a small group at the Sevenoaks Retreat Center in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, we marveled at the mystery of life. During an authentic movement exercise, I noticed myself being followed. I was sweaty under the humid summer heat. A curious bug kept landing on my skin. At first, I felt annoyed. I was really enjoying my authentic movement on my own. But, the sweat bug reminded me that nothing we do is on our own. The sweat that I created doing my work was food for this bug. And this bug had important work to do. As a pollinator, its role is essential in generating the abundance that supports us. This bug had a very important message for me: how do I receive the support of other beings on my journey? How can I best give and be of service to the ecosystem I’m a part of?
The next day, we were tasked with finding a non-human being to connect to, move like, and speak for. I came upon a bee sleeping in a flower. All of the other bees were hard at work and this beautiful little bee was taking a break. “Rest in the sweetness” it spoke to me. “Do the hard work in the world, and then rest in the sweetness that surrounds you.” To me, this is the essence of August. There is so much life and beauty that surrounds us. We have worked so hard to get here and there is so much work yet to be done. Now is the time to rest in what we’ve created and in how we’ve been supported by the earth.
“Try to soak up a sense of achievement, letting it swell your heart together with the warm rays of the sun. In remembering to give back to the earth, and to life, as much as we receive - sowing and reaping in equal balance, we too can live in honour and come into true power.””
A few days later, we visited a nearby river and made mandalas from found materials on river rocks. Guess who joined me? A sweat bug. Although, this time it wasn’t feeding on my sweat. It was feeding on the flowers at the center of my mandala. I had made this very beautiful nest for it to rest and nourish itself in and it showed up! In that moment, I felt so much pride in being of service. In creating beauty, in connecting to the more than human world, I really felt a part of something greater than myself. And that is the essence of nature connection work.
“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.”
Reflection: Abundance
What fruits are ripening in your life? What are you proud of? How have you been supported?
Meditation: Ally
Spend some time outside. Notice what non-human being you are drawn to. Ask it if you can spend some time connecting with it. Notice all of the details of how it looks. Ask permission to touch it and notice how it feels. Perhaps notice if it has a scent. See if you can hear it speak to you. Spend some time deeply listening to its wisdom. Notice how it relates to other beings. Ask what it might need from you. When you are done, deeply thank it for its wisdom.
Practice: Mandala
Find a quiet place outside. Make a mandala that represents how you feel. Perhaps it is a representation of power, abundance, or being of service. Gather any materials you find and arrange them symbolically. Spend some time reflecting on what you’ve created. You may leave it, dismantle it and return the materials, or find another way to transform it.