In August we dance beneath hazy sunsets and harvest moons. We still embrace the fullness of the summer season, but we feel the subtle shift from expansion to an ever so gentle sort of stillness. There is no longer a focus on continual growing, but more so revering in the growth that has unfolded since the emergence of spring seedings. We now can find ourselves instead in a moment of reverie, able to admire the fruit that has been produced and now sits quietly on vines ready to be gently ripened each day by the sun.

In the summer, we also honor the alignment of the solar plexus. As the sun burns brightly in the peak of the sky, we too are invited to explore and honor the fire that burns brightly within ourselves. As nature stands brightly in the fullest version of self, we too are invited to explore whether or not we are standing in our fullest sense of self, and in our full authentic power. We are invited to reflect on the seeds we planted in the early spring, and explore what we have tended to and how we have nurtured our growth, taking a gentle pause to observe the fruits that have come from this labor and nourishment.

We too, are the sun.

We too, burn brightly.

As we step over the threshold of August, we also enter the portal of Lughnasa. While this holiday marks the beginning of three fire and harvest festivals celebrated by Celtic tradition, this is the time of year in which many cultures of the northern hemisphere begin to observe and honor the initiation of the sacred harvest. We witness the transition of green tomatoes to bright, juicy, and delicious red, and the transformation of tender green wheat fields into golden stands. The world bursts forth with abundance, gifts to feed our body and soul in return for receiving deep tending and presence.

And it is also with this transition that we can explore the unique relationship between the harvest, abundance, and the solar plexus.

When in balance, the solar plexus resembles an internal summer. When our solar plexus is blocked, we may experience stagnation, physically and emotionally. We experience sluggish digestion, feel a lack of energy, and find ourselves struggling to engage our passions. When functioning properly, we burn bright and radiantly, just like the sun. Like the proud and confident sunflower, we stand strongly in ourselves, holding faith in our strong roots, and find ourselves illuminated by the light of our own being.

Additionally, when our solar plexus is in balance, we embrace, versus shying away from, the concept of abundance. We know that we ARE abundance, for all that is ever needed is already within us. We know that we are worthy of all that we desire, and that fruit is produced from ourselves in reciprocity for tending to our internal flame of our deepest truth and passions. We know that we are uniquely ourselves and all that we have to offer to the world is also unique. We stand in the power that is “I am.”

In this way, we too can honor our internal harvest. We bring forth and into the world from the deepest part of ourselves that which lights us up, and in this way we join the dance of feeding the flame around us.

Practices to Honor the Harvest and the Solar Plexus

1. Burn a Sacred Bonfire. This is an ancient act that honors the flame. If it is safe to do so and accessible on your own property, this can be a time to build the fire in a sacred and intentional way. Perhaps take time to clear away plant material that may be dried and dead from your garden or field. As you clear these materials, thank them for all they did to nourish the soil or produce fruit. Reflect on what these may symbolize for your own sense of clearing so that your inner flame may burn bright. As you light the fire, express gratitude for what you are harvesting in your life, and honor the fire itself as a symbol of your internal fire.

2. Indulge Your Passions. What is it that lights you up? Take some time to get really clear on what stokes your inner flame, and what it is that makes you feel most authentically yourself. This can be as simple of a practice as wearing clothing that feels most like you, or it can be something as large as sparking change in your local community. Honor this by taking steps toward this passion and feeding it in your own unique way.

3. Nourish Your Solar Plexus. By nourishing this sacred space, we can help to ensure it remains in balance, and our internal fire continues to burn brightly. We can call upon the support of the plant allies, many of which show their affinity for the solar plexus by their bright yellow or red flowers, such as St. John​´​s Wort, Marigold, Damiana, or Dandelion. Allow yourself to bask in the sunshine, feeling its warmth on your skin. Practice radical self love and self care, indulging in body oiling, sacred baths, or choosing rest when it’s needed.

4. Tend to the Inner Flame. Our internal flame applies to our passion, our sense of self, but in a more physical sense, it also applies to our digestive system. When our digestive system is functioning properly, we are able to absorb nutrients, and we also are fully energized. Explore the effects of herbal bitters before a meal to help stimulate our digestive juices prior to consuming food. Eat slowly and mindfully, taking time to be present with your meal and truly indulge in the gift of the harvest on your table. Express gratitude not only to the plants that produced the fruit but the hands that also brought them to you. Alchemize with digestive tonic herbs such as Lemon Balm, Mint, Mugwort, and Fennel to help give the digestive system a boost following a meal.

You can also read our previous blog posts that touch on these topics:

• The Energetics of Autumn
• 8 Methods to Welcome the Autumnal Equinox
• Elemental Herbalism: Fire & Air
• Working With The Solar Plexus Chakra

And above all else, honor you. The solar plexus says, “I am.” You are unique, you are precious, and that is worth celebrating each and every day.