The Magick of late Summer: Lughnasadh
It's February. We're in the second half of Summer.
Here in Brisbane, the weather is heavy with humidity and you can see the lawn grow if you stand still long enough. I watch afternoon storms rolling from the west, and my yard is thick with the scent of frangipani. The days are long and golden. But even now, you can start to feel a shift. My photographers eye sees a softness in the light at sunset. The morning air holds a promise of relief from summer’s heat.
That shift in the air isn’t just the weather. We feel it too. The world around us moves through its cycles, and we’re part of that rhythm. I can’t help but think we need more ways to work with it, rather than constantly pushing against it.
A more regenerative way to work
When I created the Seasons to Grow framework for myself, it was because I wanted to approach my yearly goal setting and tracking differently. I have been increasingly aware of the ways that we are conditioned to work. Get bigger, expand, get more... always more. Its a recipe for burn out.
But that's not the way that nature works. It's cyclical. Birth, growth, expand, retract, death, and start again. The end of one thing is the opportunity to start another. It's a steady, measured process. There's never a push for more than what the natural resources can sustain. It is... regenerative and sustainable.
I wanted to manage my goals, my projects… the very activities that I do on a day-to-day basis in a more cyclical way.
But I didn’t stop there. I have been learning about the Wheel of the Year in my exploration of paganism. Based in ancient Celtic and European traditions, the Wheel of the Year is a seasonal calendar. It tracks the natural cycles of the Earth and is marked by eight Pagan festivals (Sabbats). These festivals celebrate the shifting energies of the seasons and represent different phases of growth, harvest, rest, and renewal.
By overlaying the annual business and project management cycles with the Wheel of the Year, we can work and live in greater connection with the energy and environment around us.
Lughnasadh
On the Wheel of the Year we are in the season of Lughnasadh. This point on the wheel marks the transition from the height of summer as it moves towards Autumn. The date is based on the midpoint between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Autumn Equinox (Mabon).
In nature, late summer is a time of both fullness and surrender. Late Summer in Brisbane buzzes with life, but the seasonal change is in the air. It's the moment when the heat and humidity has been brewing all day, the electricity of the storm is static around you and then the storm breaks. Along with the rain you know the cooler air is coming.
In Pagan times, Lughnasadh was a festival that honoured the abundance of the harvest. Folks would celebrate the beginning of harvest, and the work that went into growing the crops. Remembering, this was what would feed communities in the Winter ahead. Celebrating these milestones was important to life itself.
Now, I don't know about you, but I haven't exactly been out tilling the land recently. But that doesn't mean I can't still take pause and ‘harvest’ what I have achieved. As I reflect back at my Summer so far I see the frantic early-December work deliverables. Supporting kids through sitting exams and wrapping up the school year. The social buzz of the Christmas period. The juggle (and joy) of work and school holidays. It's high-energy. It's a lot.
This is why it’s the perfect time to stop, take a breath and lean into the energy of the season.
How can you work with the Lughnasadh energy?
This is where the Seasons to Grow process really shines. Using this approach and tools gives you a unique and more regenerative way to plan and execute your work. Here are four practical ways you can can embrace the Lughnasadh energy in your work and life.
Reflect on your harvest
Take time to see and acknowledge what you’ve been cultivating. Ask yourself:
What have I accomplished in the past few months?
What creative or professional seeds have grown into something tangible?
What unexpected blessings have emerged?
Deeper magick: Create a "my harvest list". Use this as a place to acknowledge external wins (projects completed, clients gained) and internal growth (new insights, creative breakthroughs). These are the things that you've created. It's okay to be proud of them.
Savor the fruits
Lughnasadh (as all of the sabbats on the Wheel of the Year) teaches us that celebration is an essential part of the cycle. Too often, we rush from one milestone to the next without pausing to enjoy what we’ve created. Now is the time to:
Take a break and enjoy a personal or professional success.
Share your work. It might be sharing a new idea, publishing something on social media, or showcasing a project. The greatest meals are shared.
Speaking of meals. Indulge in sensory pleasures. Enjoy fresh foods, time in nature, or fun creative practices.
Deeper magick: Bake bread or cook a meal from fresh ingredients. As you cook be intentional in all that you do. Reflect on the effort, patience, and magic that transforms simple ingredients into something special.
Release and refine
Not everything planted in early summer will make it to the final harvest. Sometimes farmers have to cull crops that didn't thrive. We also can prune our projects. Remove the activities, commitments, and habits that need to go so that you can focus on what truly matters.
Ask yourself:
What is flourishing in my work? What is draining my energy?
Which projects or ideas should I carry forward into the next season?
What can I release to create space for something new?
Deeper magick: Sometimes we also need to cull the mindsets and thinking patterns that don't help us. Consider a cord-cutting ritual. Or write down the unwanted mindset on a piece of paper and set it alight (in a safe environment). As you watch the paper burn picture yourself moving stepping forward, fresh and lighter after letting go of those old patterns.
Be part of the community
Lughnasadh was a festival of gathering. A time when people came together to share food, trade skills, and celebrate abundance. Bring this energy to your work by focussing on collaboration, generosity and connection.
Ways to integrate this:
Offer guidance, mentorship, or support to someone in your field.
Gather with like-minded peers to reflect, celebrate, and set intentions for the season ahead.
Express appreciation for those who have contributed to your growth.
Deeper magick: How have collaborators, clients, or team members supported you in your journey? Connect with the energy of gratitude and appreciation within you, and then share it. Write a thank you note, give a testimonial or share a post to visibly express your thanks.
The next turn of the Wheel: the shift to Autumn
Lughnasadh is a transition point. We have reached the top of the stairs and appreciated the view. We've looked back at how high we've climbed and we are proud of what we've achieved. But now it's time to start the descent into Autumn. With the cooler months comes the phase of consolidation and reflection.
This is an excellent time to:
Assess long-term goals and adjust timelines.
Create a plan for the coming season, balancing action with rest.
Recommit to a personal or creative practice that will sustain you through the next phase.
This could also be a great time to consider my membership program Cultivate. Cultivate is your monthly reset. A space to get intentional and accountable about what you’re working on, and where you’re headed. We go deeper into seasonal energies, magick and the ways we can use this to reach our goals. It also includes the super practical stuff. The project management plans, accountability processes and the support to keep you on track. Learn more about Cultivate at www.promoteher.au/cultivate
Embrace the season
I encourage you to use this pause to really bask in your accomplishments. Acknowledge how much you've grown. Intentionally plan yout path ahead. When you align with the energy of abundance, reflection and transition, you are ready to walk into the next season powerfully.
