Buđenje unutarnje snage za Lughnasadh

Potaknuta jučerašnjim tarot čitanjem, odlučila sam napisati ovaj post jer mi se jedna karta naprosto nametnula kao ključna. U pitanju je karta Čuvara Šume (eng. Woodward) iz seta Wildwood Tarot. Ona je jedanaesta karta Velike arkane i kao takva se poistovjećuje s kartom Snage iz mnogo učestalijeg, reklo bi se čak i "klasičnog" Rider-Waite tarota (iako Snaga ovisno o izdanju može biti 8. ili 11. karta Velike arkane).

Paralele su jasno vidljive jer je ikonografska osnova karte Snage žena koja kontrolira lava, ali ne fizičkom snagom već svojom mentalnom staloženošću. Njezin muški pandan u Wilwood tarotu jednako mirno gospodari nad svojim teritorijem i životinjama koje ga okružuju (što je očigledno prema risu koji mu leži pod nogama i glavi planinskog lava koju nosi kao simbol svog lovačkog uspjeha, junaštva i snage).

Jučer sam zapravo radila čitanje baš za Lughnasadh da vidim što mi ovaj blagdan donosi, odnosno što me čeka u narednih nekoliko mjeseci. Čuvar šume me dočekao kao posljednja i zaključna karta koju sam izvukla i tako na mene ostavio prilično snažan dojam. Da bi stvari bile još zanimljivije, autori Wildwood tarota su napravili Kolo godine po kojemu su poredali sve karte Velike arkane tako da su po svom značenju usklađene s godišnjim ciklusom. Pogodite na kojoj se točci Kola godine nalazi Čuvar šume? Upravo na blagdanu Lughnasadh/Lammas.

Jedna od poveznice karte s ovim blagdanom je brdo koje se nalazi u pozadini. Ono je poznato kao Silbury Hill i nalazi se južno od mjesta Avebury u Engleskoj. Ono je za sad najveće brdo (tj. humak) napravljeno ljudskom rukom u povijesti čovječanstva. Arheolozi su ustanovili da je nasipanje počelo oko 2 660. g. pr. n. e. i to upravo početkom kolovoza, odnosno nakon prve žetve. Neka tumačenja brda ističu da je bio simbol ovog perioda kraja prve žetve jer ga se od obližnjeg Aveburya moglo vidjeti na horizontu tek nakon što bi se požnjelo svo visoko žito koje je zaklanjalo pogled.

Svakako, poruka koju sam dobila u čitanju se direktno tiče unutarnje snage i ravnoteže koje su potrebne u ovom periodu. Zato bih podijelila svoja razmišljanja o ovome s vama u nadi da ću vas potaknuti na daljnja osvajanja u narednim mjesecima.

Prvo mi dozvolite da pojasnim izgled karte. Centralna muška figura predstavlja arhetip čuvara; snažnog muškarca sa svim obilježjima muževnosti (brada, brkovi, ratna odjeća, oružje i k tome krvavo) koji gospodari nad teritorijem oko sebe. Međutim, u prizoru je neobično što ovaj čovjek zapravo nije u stavu pozora, ili pak napada, već stoji kao da se odmara - podigao je jednu nogu na uzvišenje i pije vino iz prilično fine čaše koju autori seta opisuju kao kalež "davanja, intoksikacije i suosjećanja". Iako će Mabon tek doći u rujnu, vino i na ovoj karti igra bitnu ulogu kao simbol dijeljenja i slavlja sakupljenog uroda za Lammas. Ali najbitniji je zapravo njegov opušteni, gotovo kraljevski stav zbog kojeg jednostavno zrači unutarnjom snagom.

Originalna simbolika karte Snage nas upozorava da ćemo mnogo više toga postići strpljenjem i ako smo uravnoteženi i ispunjeni ljubavlju nego ako se prepustimo osjećajima bijesa i mržnje.

Svi naiđemo na prepreke u životu. U Kolu godine, nadolazeći zimski mjeseci su prepreka, a u drevnim vremenima je samo upornost, uravnoteženost i umjerenost (npr. u konzumiranju hrane tijekom tih mjeseci), pomno planiranje zaliha i strpljivo, marljivo skupljanje uroda u kasno ljeto i ranu jesen moglo održati ljude na životu tijekom tih hladnih mjeseci. Unutarnja snaga je i ustrajnost su ono što nas tjera da idemo dalje i da ne posustanemo pred svakom preprekom. Ovdje bih citirala autore Wildwoot tarota koji opisuju ovu kartu sljedećim riječima:

"The Woodward, an ancient guardian of the Wildwood, symbolizes the inner power that comes from facing fear and understanding the nature of darkness. The inner strength that comes from this awareness gives the individual the emotional body language and the humility that says: 'I am not a victim. Treat me with respect. Do not mistake my passivity for wakness'." 

(Prijevod: Čuvar šume, drevni zaštitnik Divlje šume simbolizira unutarnju moć koja proizlazi iz suočavanja sa strahom i razumijevanja naravi tame. Unutarnja snage koja proizlazi iz ove osviještenosti daje pojedincu emocionalni govor tijela i poniznost da kaže: 'Ja nisam žrtva. Postupajte prema meni s poštovanjem. Nemojte zamijeniti moju pasivnost za slabost'.)

Obično se dogodi da ljudi žive u uvjerenju da su snažni, da mogu sve (ili pak da ne mogu ništa i da su užasno slabi), ali stvari postanu jasne tek kad smo suočeni s kriznim trenutkom. Tek tad zapravo upoznajemo svoje mogućnosti i svoju pravu snagu. Ali surova snaga nam ne može biti jedini fokus. Moram ponovno citirati autore Wildwood tarota koji zaista pjesnički opisuju ovu kartu:

"The strength of the Woodward is both a balance and a dichotomy between te energy of the hunter or the guardian, and the grounded inspiration found within the ecstasy of drumming and war dancing. These energies honor the qualities that provide protection and inspiration." 

(Prijevod:  Snage Čuvara šume je ujedno ravnoteža između dihotomije energije lovca, ili čuvara te uzemljene inspiracije koju se može naći u ekstazi bubnjanja i ratnom plesu. Ove energije odlikuju kvalitete koje pružaju zaštitu i inspiraciju.)

Bilo da je riječ o kriznoj situaciji, o neminovnoj istini, privatnom/poslovnom problemu, Čuvar šume poručuje da je sve moguće preživjeti uz dovoljno ustrajnosti i unutarnje snage.

Da se vratim na Kolo godine, zamislite poljoprivrednika koji cijelu godinu sije, pa njeguje svoje žito. To je ustrajnost. I onda dođe prva žetva pa nakon tog silnog rada u prethodnim mjesecima još mora izvući snage niotkud kako bi sakupio sve plodove svog rada. Nema izbora; on to mora napraviti usprkos tome što je na izmaku snaga, što mu nestaje strpljenja i što posustaje pod užeglim ljetnim suncem. O tome ovisi hoće li on i njegova obitelj preživjeti zimu. Za ovo posljednje je potrebna unutarnja snaga.

Od Lughnasadha počinje vrijeme ubiranja plodova našeg rada. Ponekad se ti plodovi manifestiraju kao nagrade za uložen trud i ispravne odluke, a ponekad kao posljedice krivih oduka. No, moramo znati prihvatiti oboje i učiti iz iskustva.

S ovim vam svima želim sretan i blagoslovljen Lughnasadh! Neka vam prva žetva bude uspješna.
Vaša Witch's Cat

Awakening Our Inner Strength at Lughnasadh

Provoked by my yesterday's tarot reading, I decided to write this post since one card simply imposed itself on my as the key card. The card in question is the Woodward card from the Wildwood Tarot set. It is the eleventh card of the Major Arcana and, as such, is connected to the Strength card of the much more common, one one even say "classical" Rider-Waite Tarot (although Strength can be the eighth or eleventh card of the Major Arcana depending on the edition).

Parallels between these cards are clearly visible since the iconographic basis of the Strength card is a woman controlling a lion, but with her mental composure rather than through sheer physical strength. Her male equivalent in the Wildwood Tarot equally calmly reigns over his territory and the animals around him (which is made obvious by the lynx lying at his feet and the mountain lion head he wears as a symbol of his hunting success, prowess and strength).

Yesterday, I actually did a reading especially for Lughnasadh to see what this Sabbat brings me, or rather what awaits me in the following months. I picked out the Woodward as the final and definitive card of the reading, which had quite a strong impact on me. To make things even more interesting, the authors of the Wildwood Tarot made a Wheel of the Year on which they placed all of the Major Arcana cards so that their meaning correspond to a particular part of the yearly cycle. And guess which point of the Wheel of the Year the Woodward is on? Precisely on Lughnasadh/Lammas.

One of the connections between this card and the Sabbat is the hill you can see in the background. It's known as Silbury Hill and is located just south of Avebury, England. It is the largest man-made mound found to this day. Archaeologists have found that its creation began at about 2 660 BCE, most likely at the beginning of August (i.e. after the first harvest). Some interpretations of the mound claim that it was a symbol of this time of the end of the first harvest since the hill was visible on the horizon from Avebury only after all the wheat from the surrounding fields had been harvested (as the wheat was too tall and obstructed the view).

Be that as it may, the message I got from this reading has to do with inner strength and balance which are necessary during this time of year. So, I would like to share my musings with you in hopes that I will encourage you into further conquests during the following months.

First, allow me to explain the make-up of the card. The central male figure represents the archetypal guardian; a strong man with all the markers of masculinity (a beard, mustache, war clothes, a weapon that is still bloody to make it even more pronounced) who governs over the surrounding territory. However, what is unusual in this depiction is that the man has not taken a stance of attention, or perhaps offense. Rather, he stands as if he is resting - he has lifted one leg on a sort of tump and is drinking wine from quite a fine cup which the authors of the set describe as the chalice of "giving, intoxication and compassion". Although Mabon is yet to come in September, wine plays an important role in this card as a symbol of sharing and celebration of the collected harvest at Lammas. However, what is most important in this card is the man's relaxed, even kingly posture due to which he simply radiates his inner strength.

The original symbolism of the Strength card warns us that we will achieve much more with patience, if we are balanced and filled with love than if we succumb to feelings of anger and hate.

We all come across obstacles in life. In the Wheel of the Year, the following winter months are that obstacle which could, in ancient times, only be crossed with persistence, balance, moderation (e.g. in the consumption of food during these months), careful planning of supplies and patient, diligent collecting of the fruits of one's labor in late summer and early autumn. This enabled people to sustain life during the winter months. Inner strength and persistence are what make us go on and not lose hope when we encounter every obstacle. I find the following description of this card from the authors of the Wildwood Tarot quite fitting at this moment:

"The Woodward, an ancient guardian of the Wildwood, symbolizes the inner power that comes from facing fear and understanding the nature of darkness. The inner strength that comes from this awareness gives the individual the emotional body language and the humility that says: 'I am not a victim. Treat me with respect. Do not mistake my passivity for wakness'." 

What usually happens is that people live in the belief that they are strong and that they can do anything, or perhaps that they cannot do anything and are too weak. But things become clear only when we are faced with a moment of crisis. Only then do we truly get to know our capabilities and true strength. However, crude strength cannot be our only focus. I must once again quote the authors of the Wildwood Tarot who really very poetically describe this card:

"The strength of the Woodward is both a balance and a dichotomy between te energy of the hunter or the guardian, and the grounded inspiration found within the ecstasy of drumming and war dancing. These energies honor the qualities that provide protection and inspiration." 

Whether we are dealing with a situation of crisis, facing the unavoidable truth, a private or professional problem, the Woodward tells us that we can survive it all with enough persistence and inner strength.

To return to the Wheel of the Year, imagine a farmer who works hard the whole year round planting and taking care of his wheat fields. And then comes the first harvest when he is expected to collect all of this wheat. He is exhausted from all the previous months of hard work and now he has to draw strength out of nowhere to finish the job. He has no choice; he has to do this despite the fact that he is at the end of his tether, that he is lacking patience and is wavering under the scorching summer sun. This harvest is what he and his family depend on for survival. To continue, he needs his inner strength.

Lughnasadh marks the beginning of the harvest when we collect the fruits of our labor. Sometimes these fruits manifest in the shape of rewards for all our effort and right decisions, but sometimes as the consequences of our wrong decision. However, we must know how to accept both and learn from experience.

With this, I wish you all a happy and blessed Lughnasadh! May your first harvest be plentiful!

Yours,

Witch's Cat

Voćni muffini

Lughnasadh kao dan u sred ljeta i početak prve žetve je idealan za slavlje uz obilje plodova. Iako je ovo tradicionalno vrijeme žetve žita, nadam se da će se većina složiti sa mnom kad kažem da nam se u sred ljeta radije jede osvježavajuće voće, a malo manje teške domaće kruhove. Stoga vam dajem recept za sočne, osvježavajuće voćne muffin i želim vam svima sretan Lughnasadh!

Potrebno je:

Napomena: koristila sam za mjerenje čašu od 250 ml.

Za tijesto:

• 1/2 čaše kristal šećera
• 1 vanilin šećer
• 2 jaja
• 1/2 čaše jogurta (ja sam koristila grčki jogurt)
• 1/2 omekšalog maslaca
• prstohvat soli
• 1 čaša glatkog brašna
• 1 prašak za pecivo
• 2 breskve
• nekoliko marelica
• 1 zrela banana

Za nadjev:

• 1/3 čaše glatkog brašna
• 1/4 čaše kristal šećera
• 1/4 omekšalog maslaca
• prstohvat soli
• 1 čajna žličica cimeta

Priprema:

1. Zagrijte pećnicu na 175°C i pripremite lim/kalup za muffine (obložite ga košaricama za muffine).
2. Pripremite hrskavi nadjev tako da izmiješate šećer, maslac, sol, cimet i brašno viljuškom dok ne dobijete grudastu smjesu. Odložite je sa strane.
3. Isjeckajte voće.
4. U velikoj zdjeli izmiješajte brašno, prašak za pecivo i sol. U brašno dodajte sjeckanu bananu i pola količine sjeckanih breskvi i marelica. Polovicu ostavite sa strane za stavljanje na vrh muffina (korak 8). Lagano žlicom izmiješajte voće tako da bude dobro prekriveno brašnom.
5. U drugoj zdjeli električnim mikserom izmiješajte šećer i maslac. Dodajte jedno po jedno jaje i miješajte. Potom dodajte jogurt i vanilin šećer i dobro izmiješajte.
6. Ubacite smjesu s jogurtom u smjesu brašna i voća te sve izmiješajte žlicom dok se ne stvori kompaktna, kremasta smjesa.
7. Žlicom punite košarice za muffine (samo 2/3 košarica s obzirom da će se muffini dignuti u pečenju). 
8. Na vrh svakog muffina nabacajte nekoliko komadića sjeckane breskve/marelice i povrh toga žličicom pospite hrskavi nadjev.
9. Pecite 20-25 minuta.

Fruit Muffins

As a midpoint of summer and the beginning of the first harvest, Lughnasadh is ideal for celebrating the abundance of fruits. Although this is traditionally the wheat harvest, I hope most of you will agree with me when I say that we would much rather each refreshing fruits in the middle of summer than heavy, homemade bread. So I wish you all a very happy Lughnasadh with this refreshing fruit muffin recipe!

You Will Need:

Note: I used a 250 ml cup for taking measures.

For the Dough;

• 1/2 cup plain white sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup yogurt (I prefer Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 stick softened butter (ca. 120 g)
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup plain white flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 peaches
• a few apricots
• 1 ripe banana

For the Crumble Topping:

• 1/3 cup plain white flour
• 1/4 plain white sugar
• 1/4 stick softened butter
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

How To Prepare:

1. Heat your oven to 175°C and prepare your muffin tin (place the muffin cups in the tin).
2. Make the crumble topping by combining the sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon and flour and mixing it with a fork until you get a very crumbly, chunky mixture. Leave it aside for now.
3. Cut up the fruit.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the entire banana and about a half of the rest of the fruit (it will be thrown on top of the muffins in step 8).With a spoon, gently mix the fruit so that it's all covered in flour.
5. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, mix together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs one by one and mix. Finally and the yogurt and vanilla sugar and combine well.
6. Pour the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture and combine using a spoon until you get a compact, creamy dough.
7. Using a spoon, fill the muffin cups 2/3 (two thirds) of the way up (since they will rise in the oven).
8. Place a few pieces of the remaining diced fruit on top of each muffin and sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the fruit.
9. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Lemon and Strawberry Slices

Refreshing cakes are just the kind of sweets we need in the middle of summer and the combination of lemons and strawberries in this cake not only give it a certain tartness but they also represent the wonderful, vibrant colors of the sun which governs over the sky this time of year. 

With this post, I would also like to wish you all a happy and blessed Litha, albeit with delay. I hope you celebrated this sabbat as you wanted to and that this recipe will be useful to you sooner or later and enrich your celebration.

You Will Need:

For the crumbly base:

• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup (brown) sugar*
• 2 cups (whole-wheat) flour*
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the filling:

• 1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (ca. 3 large lemons)
• 2 tsp lemon zest (ca. 2 lemons)
• 1 cup roughly chopped strawberries
• 3/4 cup (brown) sugar*
• 2-3 tbsp agave syrup
• 4 eggs
• 1 (to 1 1/2) cup (whole-wheat) flour*
• 1 packet baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

• powdered sugar for sprinkling

Note: You can substitute the ingredients that have a star (*) next to them if you want the cake to be lighter in color. The lighter version is, in my opinion, aesthetically much more pleasing, although this version is slightly healthier. So you can use plain wheat flour instead of whole-wheat and normal granulated sugar instead of brown sugar. With the light version of the cake, the base will be very light (almost white) and the strawberries and lemon will color the filling a pinkish color. But it's all up to you.

How To Prepare:

The base:

1. Heat the oven to 175°C.
2. Cover a deeper baking pan with baking paper approximately 22 x 38 cm in size.
3. Mix the butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Add the flour and salt and mix until you get a crumbly mixture.
4. Pat the mixture into the baking pan so you evenly cover the whole surface. And make sure it's well-packed (i.e. firm, with no holes, etc.) otherwise the base will be too crumbly and won't hold.
5. Bake for 15 minutes.

The filling:

1. Grate and squeeze the lemons and chop up the strawberries.
2. Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, strawberries  and sugar together. Add the eggs and mix. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until combined.
3. Pour the mixture onto the base while it's still hot.
4. Return in the over for another 25 minutes.
5. Leave it to cool and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.