The time period, between Oct. 31^st and Nov. 2^nd is one of the most widely celebrated ancient traditions honoring our ongoing connection to loved ones who have passed. Samhain heralds the thinning of the veil between the seen and unseen worlds; the Day of the Dead is a major festival in Mexico. Honoring our ancestors with love and gratitude has always been the theme of this time. Given all the precarious events, culminating in a contentious presidential election, just one day after the Day of the Dead, we need our beloved guides’ help more than ever.

This is the time of going within and diving deeper into your soul. The ancient wisdom is that we do not lose our connection with our loved ones who have crossed over.

The Fall Equinox is the second of the three major harvest festivals. The Celtic name is Mabon: the season of storing food and preserving nature’s bounty for the coming winter months. This year it will be on September 22nd at 9:37 am Pacific Time as the sun enters Libra, the sign of the balancing scales. Equinox refers to balance, with day and night roughly equal. The theme of transition is also associated with this time.

The other theme of the Equinox is CHANGE. The Autumnal Equinox is a major transition from summer to fall. It is time to prepare for winter. In current times we are going through a major transition, which will likely result in a whole new paradigm for us all.

Celebrate the First Harvest my friends,

August 2^nd is Lammas; the first of three festivals celebrating Mother Earth’s bounty. Baking loaves from the first grains and offering them at a communal meal has always been central to these gatherings, going back to thousands of years before the common era. Traditionally, the first sheaves of grain would be ceremonially cut at dawn, winnowed, ground and baked into the Harvest Bread that was then shared by the community in gratitude. Most hand- fastings were celebrated at the Lammas Fairs where country people gathered. The custom was single folks would choose a companion for the next year and when Lammas Fair came again they wed or separated.

The Celts called this time Lughnasadh (pronounced loo-na-sa), Native Americans called it the Green Corn Festival and in Slavic Regions it is called the feast of the Big Glad Woman.

Greetings for the Summer Solstice my friends,

June 20^th is the Summer Solstice in the Northern Latitudes. Also known as Midsummer, this Solstice (meaning ‘Sun stands still’) is when the Sun is at its peak; the longest day of the year. Midsummer’s Eve is one of the three important spirit nights of the year. It is considered a spirit night because the veils are thinnest, facilitating communication with spirit.

Given the serious issues we now face, connecting with the ancestors, spirit guides, source, or whatever you name it, will benefit us all. Communicating with those unseen forces for help and guidance to find health, stability, and most importantly connection is essential. Offering love to our communities, friends and family reduces isolation.