Thursday 30 July 2020

Lammas Thoughts: Looking Back on our Achievements


Lammas or Lughnasadh on August 1 is the festival at the start of the harvest. Although we might not have grain to gather, it can be a time to look back at what seeds we might have sown in a metaphorical sense, and what we are reaping from our work over the year so far. Here is what Jane Mortimer wrote:

Looking back over lockdown, I realise I dwelled an awful lot on what we weren't able to do, without seeing what we were able to. Comparing my journalling activity I found I'd made about 60 entries in my Book of Shadows - that's whole and double pages of pasted in text and photos - since the start of lockdown, against only about 10 for the same period last year.

The entries are a general mix of events happening currently and formative reminiscences going back through to early childhood. It just goes to show that no amount of lockdown restriction can keep us witches from finding ways to practise our craft, and I think journals are probably one of our most important tools to look back on, learn from and be inspired by. I've been taking photos of my books and a couple are here.

I think Jane's Book of Shadows puts mine to shame, as I just have a collection of papers in rather plain files and a stack of notebooks that aren't nearly as attractive as those in the pictures! 

Previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/07/pagan-eye-scrying-by-water-and-lantern.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2020/07/spells-making-peace-dust-from-foraged.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/04/candle-magic-doreen-valientes-candle.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2019/01/books-of-shadows-and-magical-art-of.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/08/review-witchcrafted-printable-book-of.html

3 comments:

Jane said...

Don't be hard on yourself, my friend! I didn't start putting these books together till after Samhain 2018. They were compiled from an accumulation of ring-binders, notebooks and odd bits of paper going back 21 years, none of which I was happy with (I hate my handwriting). It didn't fall into volumes of journal till I found the right books to put it all in, and even then it took a few months to start getting it right. Jason Mankey's book 'The Witch's Book of Shadows' was my salvation, especially the bit about cutting out every third page of a cut'n'paste BoS to stop it puffing out - too late for the purple one that's done up tightly with a thong, and the fat brown shiny one that was so nice and flat when I bought it!

Pretty Core said...

I feel like I spent a lot of time during lockdown doing nothing, but then I decided to start a new business as the time to me felt right. Although I regret that time wasted, in the end it was worth it.

PathansA said...

I almost waisted Three months of my lockdown time until i start blogging.
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