Welcome to the depth of my heart - project me day 399

Lighting of the Alter candles to symbolise the start of the festivities

Last night marks the turning point in a part of my life that has been long treasured but maybe too hidden for so many reasons. If it were any other year and if there were no realisations lived through 'project me', last night would have been a private moment instead of one shared with the most precious of people.
I know that is true because although 'project me' was alive and kicking last year, I downplayed these precious moments so much that I hardly even celebrated them, let alone shared them with you.

Pagan is the broadest brush to define myself and you know I keep calling myself this free spirited girl because labels are so difficult and boxing me is impossible. I do, however, honour the Pagan festivals and although many of my followers are in the Northern Hemisphere ... here in the South it was my time to celebrate Lammas or Lughnasadh.

I must admit that is was not as scary as I thought it would be, but I did have a fake sore throat for long enough to think I might have to cancel. I think the greatest part of it all was putting out the alter. I have had an alter in my home for many years but I have to confess that most of the time the door was closed when I had visitors and not many people ever got to see something so sacred and cherished to me.

It becomes different when a group of friends enter your life and you have full permission to be exactly as you are. I know that it has more to do with the choice to live that truth that the people who are there to witness it. It just so happens that I have been doing more than enough work on myself to know that I like me and all my traditions and they are so worth living shamelessly.

Alter out for the world to see and it was time for the festivities to begin. I planned an evening that was as traditional as possible and had all the friends bring food filled with grains, corn and fruits. I have to pause and say that everyone's excitement carried me through and I went one step further and threw some Medieval traditions in too. Like no serving spoons ... yes, everyone arrived to a place, knife, fork, spoon and cup. There was no starters, mains and desserts because everything is on the table at one time.

Besides the first odd looks and ensuring that no one was too germ phobic everyone seemed to love the tradition of it all.

I wore my little witchy hat, shared some traditions and even had everyone join in on the simplest of rituals.
The festival is about moving out of the summer and preparing for the winter. I celebrates the first swipe of the sickle for the harvest to begin and for us, it signifies a time to reflect on all the we have sown to see what good we can reap in our way forward and into a time of deep reflection.

I am building up to having a little moonlight dance with these precious friends of mine and I am even more tempted to see if they will eventually grasp the essence of it all and learn the joys of ritualistic baths, arriving with offering without being reminded and maybe even emailing me to see when the next festival is!

The gingerbread man who signifies John Barleycorn. I even did the little rhyme and got everyone to bite off his head!

It was also the time of Handfasting and so we played a few games of popping gloves filled with sparkles and sweets

And it all ended with ...

Circle open, never to be broken,
May the Lord and Lady bless your heart,
Merry meet and merry part,
and merry meet again!