Wesaþ ġē hale!

It has been a little while now since my last update. Midsumor has come and gone and we are now well into Þriliða with Mōna reaching his height in just a few days time whereupon I will celebrate Hærfest by breaking bread and offering the first fruits of the season. This celebration is for the start of the Harvest season which will run through until the first Winter full moon (Winterfylleð) in October. Many celebrate Hærfest on the 1^st of August but for me, that makes little sense as the luni-solar calendar doesn’t allow for this, therefore I am content to make my offerings and celebrate on the full moon of Þriliða this year, being the first full moon after the start of August. All of my ritual practice follows the full moon with the obvious exceptions of Yule and Midsumor. Next year, the Hærfest full moon will be on 26^th August and falls within the month of Weodmōnað and therefore my personal ritual and celebration will be aligned to that date accordingly.

The offering will be made to Bēowa, the God of the agrarian cycle and who has long been associated with farming from the start to the very end of the cycle. He is held dear by many associated with brewing and farming for obvious reasons. I myself have wanted to brew my own mead for some time but have yet to be afforded the time for the pursuit. I am now a father of two and my responsibilities to home and hearth outweigh my personal desire to tinker and experiment with homebrewing! I certainly will look into attempting such in the future, however. For now, I must content myself with acquiring my mead from the local supermarket and pray that the Gods see no slight in this when it is offered to them.

Bēowa will be offered bread, beer and seasonal fruits by me. Whilst the physical fruits of the season should be presented in gratitude, it is also a time to reflect on the fruits of our labours in other pursuits. In this modern world, productivity is no longer measured in simply what is grown from the soil, but also what is grown within our hearts and hearths. I will take a moment in ritual to reflect upon my achievements this year, I.E. the sowing of the seeds I have planted in a very literal sense. I have become a father again and I have also achieved an examination pass which will allow me to pursue promotion in the coming years, both things for which I am extremely grateful. I will be taking the time to thank Ingui for blessing me with virility, Frīg for the health and wellbeing of my children and hearth, Wōden for the inspiration to expand my knowledge and wisdom in achieving my exam pass, Nerþum for keeping me grounded and grateful, and Tīw for inspiring me to fight against injustice and chaos within my societal Innangeard.

The year ahead will also be considered as my options and opportunities reveal themselves slowly but surely. Frīg will therefore also be consulted as the all-knowing Wyrdwebbe (Wyrd Weaver) as I make my desire known and state my intention clearly before the Gods. Wyrd favours the bold and the mead will clearly be in full flow for this Hærfest celebration!

May you keep frið within your own hearths this Hærfest and give thanks for all you have achieved and continued to achieve.