Sacred Earth
Exploring Nature and Culture
Nature Notes:
Welcome to the Sacred Earth website!
Hi there! Thanks for stopping by! My name is Kat Morgenstern, and I am delighted that you have found your way here!
I have created the Sacred Earth website as a forum for nature lovers of all stripes. Come and join me on a journey down the garden path, and off into the virtual woods, where we will explore, learn and discover all about the intertwining roots of nature and culture.
Celebrating the Autumn Equinox
Celebrating the Autumn Equinox
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Celebrating the Autumn Equinox!
On the Autumn Equinox, day and night are approximately equal. Light and dark stand in balance for a brief moment before the darkness begins to gain the upper hand. The Equinox marks the turning point. The summer is over and although winter is still a long way away, the days are getting noticeably shorter and cooler.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the life-force of nature begins its slow withdrawal. We are still harvesting, and preserving, and gathering the seeds for next year’s planting as we celebrate the gifts of the Earth and give thanks for the abundance that has sustained us. But ancient myths remind us that Persephone is preparing for her descent into the subterranean realm to join her dark husband Hades in the underworld.
The light has changed, becoming softer and more golden, and the first misty mornings greet us while many of our feathered friends are preparing for their long journey south. The end of summer is often intensely busy. While apples, pears and pumpkins are ready for the picking, there are also nuts to gather, berries to pick and mushrooms to search for. We preserve, pickle, dry, ferment and store the gifts of the Earth, filling our larders with the food that will sustain us through the coming winter.
Mabon
In Neo-Pagan traditions, the Autumn Equinox is often celebrated as Mabon, one of the eight festivals of the Wheel of the Year. Mabon is a relatively recent name and tradition rather than the name of an ancient Celtic festival, although it draws on older European harvest customs, mythology and seasonal practices. The festival takes its name from Mabon ap Modron, a figure from Welsh mythology, whose story concerns the divine youth Mabon, stolen from his Goddess-mother and imprisoned until he is eventually rescued. Modern Pagan interpretations have associated his story with the descent into darkness and the seasonal turning of the year.
No matter which way we look at it, the Autumn Equinox is a time of balance, harvest and transition, Nature itself iteache us the way.
The plants of the Autumn Equinox
Some plants are particularly prominent at the time of the Autumn Equinox.
Hazel (Corylus avellana L.)
Hazel is perhaps the quintessential tree of this season. The nuts are ripening in the hedgerows and woodlands, offering a concentrated little package of nourishment just when the abundance of summer is beginning to disappear. Hazel has long been associated with wisdom, knowledge and protection, and there is something wonderfully appropriate about this at the Equinox. We are gathering not only food, but also the resources and knowledge we will need for the darker months ahead.
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.)
Rowan brings a flash of brilliant colour to the changing landscape. Its clusters of scarlet berries stand out against the first gold and russet leaves, providing food for birds when many other summer fruits have disappeared. Rowan has a long history of protective folklore, and its presence at this turning of the year reminds us that the hedgerows and woodlands are still giving generously — not only to us, but to the wild creatures with whom we share the landscape.
Rosehips (Rosa spp.)
The rosehip tells a different story. The beautiful flowers of summer have vanished, but their legacy remains in the glowing red fruits. Here we can see the seasonal cycle condensed into a single plant: flowering becomes fruit, beauty becomes nourishment, and the energy of summer is transformed into something that can endure into winter.
Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis L)
The tall, lanky stalk with the large, somewhat ghostly, pale yellow flowers, is a familiar sight. But its ephemeral beauty is revealed only at night when the flowers open fully and their subtle scent perfumes the air. Although not a native to Europe, it has become ubiquitous and is very prominent at the end of summer.
Blackberries (Rubus fructicosus L.)
The last blackberries are another sign that summer is finally letting go. There is something particularly pleasurable about finding a handful of ripe berries tucked among the brambles when the air has already begun to feel distinctly autumnal. They are the last sweetness of summer, reminding us to enjoy what remains rather than rushing ahead into the next season.
The spiritual meaning of Autumn Equinox – A time of balance and preparation
At this turning point, we too begin to change our rhythms. The long days of summer invite us outdoors to play and explore. As the days shorten, our attention naturally begins to turn inwards. We return to work and concentrate on our projects and goals. We gather our materials, organise our homes and prepare for the months ahead.
There is wisdom in this seasonal ebb and flow. Nothing continues to grow forever. Some things need to be completed, harvested and put away. Nature needs to rest.
But the Autumn Equinox is not only about preparation for winter. It is also a moment to pause and appreciate what is here, now and to acknowledge all that we have achieved thus far. Experience this moment consciously.
Take a walk through the woods and notice the hazelnuts beneath your feet. Look for rowan berries glowing among the leaves. Sample the last blackberries and gage the readiness of the rosehips. Watch the changing light, notice the silhouettes of departing birds and listen to the increasing quietness of the landscape.
The world is changing, but it is not dying. It is transforming.
As we gather the harvest, we can also gather the memories, experiences and lessons of the summer. We can give thanks for what has flourished, acknowledge what did not, and decide what is worth carrying with us into the darker season.
Then, when our work is done, it is time celebrate.
Autumn has its own pleasures: a warm kitchen, good food, relief from the intense heat of summer, the return of rain, the smell of fallen leaves, walks through golden woods and the wonderful feeling of coming home from the cold. The darkness is coming, but it is not something to fear. It is part of the great rhythm of the Earth.
A personal reflection
This summer has been fierce. Lugh has thrown a temper tantrum in many places, setting fields and forests on fire and leaving the earth scorched. The harvest is not as plentiful as usual.
There isn’t much we can do to change the weather, but it certainly reminds us that we cannot take the gifts of the Earth for granted. The simple rhythm of planting, tending, harvesting and preserving the fruits of our labour for the lean months of winter is one of the foundations of human existence.
Even those of us who do not grow our own food are dependent upon this ancient cycle. The food on our tables, the fruit in our shops and the grain in our bread all begin in the soil, the rain and the hands of those who work the land.
The Autumn Equinox is therefore a good time to pause and remember just how much we depend upon the living Earth — and how little of that abundance is actually within our control.
A prayer for the Autumn Equinox
Although we toil and turn the earth,
it is the Lord and Lady who bring forth growth.
Gratitude to Mother Earth,
who receives the seed
and brings forth the green mantle of nature.
Gratitude to the rain,
that quickens the earth
and swells the fruit.
Gratitude to the Sun,
that brings light into the world.
Gratitude to Nature,
who provides for all our needs.
The rhythm of the seasons hangs in balance —
a space to hold
this moment,
this pause of reflection,
this moment of gratitude,
and the grace of the gods
that gives life to all.
Current issue
Foraging Hazelnuts
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This year I did not have to go ‘nutting’ – the nuts came after me. When I went out the door the other day I was pelted by clusters of hazelnuts – talk about truth hitting home! The summer had passed me by and September is upon us! Time to go nuts – hazel, walnuts and sweet chestnuts are all getting ready.
Hazel Diversity
The hazelnut that knocked me out was a most interesting creature – a large, tightly packed fuzzy ball with several nuts hiding in frizzy sheaths almost resembling sweet chestnuts. I had never encountered hazelnuts like that before.
I know and love the common hedge and garden variety (Corylus avellana), whose nuts are forever eluding me – either the squirrels get them first, or the worm does. But this year, I am spending the autumn in the city and that is where I made my first acquaintance with a hazel-tree (Corylus colurna) – quite an elegant tree it is!
The ones guarding my street (occasionally bombarding hapless passers-by) are about 8 – 10 meters high. The nuts are still greenish and I should wait for a couple more weeks. I will know they are ready when I see the squirrels making a run for them.
Regular Hazel (Corylus avellana) is never planted as a street tree, but has its place in the hedge, or as an undergrowth tree of woodlands.
There are many more species and varieties since hazel is extremely prone to hybridisation. Its pollen, scattered by the wind, mixes and mingles easily.
The Hazel Explosion: How Hazel Spread Across Europe
During the mid-Holocene, when the climate became warmer and wetter following the last glacial period, hazel became one of the most prominent trees of northern and central Europe. In fact, some scientists studying plant genetics speak of an ‘hazel explosion’.
For Neolithic people at that ime It was an important source of sustenance and they may well have played a significant role in spreading them. Archaeologists have found large caches of ancient hazelnut shells from Scotland and Belgium to areas around the Black Sea, giving us some measure of our ancestors’ appetite for hazelnuts.
Ancient Hazel Lore
Throughout Britain and Europe hazel has long been revered, not just as a source of food, but also for its magical properties. According to ancient plant lore, hazel was one of the preferred woods used to craft magical staffs or wands and was said to be an excellent conductor of energy. Even today it is used to fashion dowsing rods to detect hidden sources of water, energy lines, and even hidden objects. But we are drifting off the subject.
Of Hazel, Mice and Men
In Britain, hazel is a preferred hedge plant. The bendy rods are easy to lay, helping to stabilise the soil. A densely laid hedge also makes a welcome habitat for small birds and rodents with a handy food supply built in.
But not only mice, squirrels and birds appreciate the nuts. Lucky the forager who catches them at just the right moment. Hazelnuts are nutritionally rich, providing protein, minerals, vitamin E and predominantly monounsaturated fats.
Hazelnuts have long been deemed an aphrodisiac food. Whether that is due to their vitamin E content or their highly suggestive shape, especially while they are still tucked into their protective sheathing – who knows. Perhaps that association arose at a time when ‘nutting’ was a community activity, offering some happy opportunities for sneaking off behind the bushes with a sweetheart. Be that as it may, the reputation is persistent and many still swear by hazelnut’s seductive powers.
The Nuts and Bolts of Hazelnut Processing
Hazelnuts are very versatile. Once mature, they can be eaten right off the bush, although cracking the shells is a bit tedious. It is best to collect a bunch and to let them dry for a few days until they can be freed from their sheathing more easily. They still have to be cracked – an activity best done in company.
Hazelnut Cuisine
The nuts are excellent raw and even better when lightly toasted, which also makes it easy to remove the inner skin. This skin is not harmful but slightly bitter and astringent. Once completely dry, they can be ground and used almost like flour, adding a beautiful nutty taste and texture to breads and cookies.
Hazelnuts are available in many different forms: whole, shelled, ground, sliced, crumbled and even as a very tasty and healthy oil. The lovely nutty flavour makes the oil a delicious choice for salad dressings or even just a flavouring oil.
Cosmetic Uses
Its relatively light texture and astringent properties also make it useful in some homemade cosmetic preparations.
Caution:
Beware though – some people are allergic to nuts. Those afflicted should avoid hazelnuts in all forms, whether as a cosmetic oil, condiment, or cake.
Conclusion:
What I love best about foraging these cheeky nuts is how it connects me with prehistoric times – hazelnuts as a bridge across the eons, linking me to the ancestors through the simple act of gathering food.
Plant Profile:
Lughnasadh
Celebrating Lughnasadh
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The time of the grain harvest
The Sun has now moved well past its zenith, yet its radiance and heat still beat relentlessly upon fields and forests, rivers shrink and the scent of dry grasses hangs in the air.
Lughnasadh, celebrated at the beginning of August. It marks the first harvest festival of the Celtic year – it’s time to gather the fruits after months of patient labour, to celebrate abundance and to remember that every harvest is both a blessing and a responsibility.
The grain has turned heavy, golden and ripe, orchards begin to bend beneath the weight of apples and pears, vineyards promise sweet grapes, and vegetable gardens overflow with beans, tomatoes, courgettes and herbs. Nature has entered a season of generosity.
For gardeners, farmers and foragers, this is one of the busiest times of the year. The work of spring is now transformed. The fruits of our labour not only provide for the season of plenty now, but need to be preserved for the coming winter. Canning, drying, fermenting and storing become as important as harvesting itself. The abundance surrounding us reminds us that every loaf of bread, every basket of fruit and every jar of herbs represents months—even years—of care, patience and the blessing of nature. One heavy thunderstorm and hail, or even just a bit too much or too little sun and rain all can ruin the harvest. Success is never been guaranteed.
The months between spring and late summer are filled with promise and uncertainty. Today, the effects of climate change have made these risks increasingly common. Lughnasadh reminds us that our prosperity ultimately depends upon nature – healthy ecosystems, fertile soils and a stable climate.
Perhaps no festival speaks more clearly of our dependence upon the living Earth.
From Lughnasadh to Lammas
The festival takes its name from the Celtic god Lugh, one of the great deities of Irish mythology. Lugh was renowned as a master of many arts—a warrior, craftsman, poet, musician and king—whose gifts brought prosperity to the land. According to tradition, he established the festival in honour of his foster mother Tailtiu, who died after clearing the forests to create fertile farmland for her people.
The festival therefore honours not only the harvest itself, but also the labour, sacrifice and stewardship that make abundance possible.
When Christianity spread across Britain and Ireland, many older seasonal customs were woven into the Christian calendar. Lughnasadh gradually became known as Lammas, derived from the Old English hlāfmæsse, meaning “Loaf Mass.” The first loaf baked from the newly harvested grain was blessed in church as a symbol of gratitude for God’s provision.
Bread and wine became central symbols of the Eucharist. Wheat—the staff of life—represent the body of Christ, while wine symbolises his blood. Although the religious traditions differ, both festivals share the same underlying message: gratitude for the harvest and recognition that life depends upon the gifts of a divine source and not just our own labour.
The Eternal Cycle of Seed and Harvest
Harvest is never an ending.
It is one moment within an endless cycle of growth, death and renewal. Some of the grain becomes flour. Some nourishes livestock. Some feeds wildlife. And some is carefully set aside as seed for the following year.
What we harvest today becomes tomorrow’s potential.
The old saying, “We reap what we sow,” carries more wisdom than it first appears. Our actions shape the future, both personally and collectively. The choices we make today—how we cultivate the land, how we treat our communities and how we care for the natural world—become the seeds from which future harvests will grow.
Lughnasadh invites us to celebrate abundance while remembering our responsibility towards those who will inherit the Earth once we have gone.
Plants of Lughnasadh
Several plants are particularly associated with the harvest season:.
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
No plant symbolises Lughnasadh more completely than wheat. For thousands of years it has sustained human civilisation and shaped cultures across Europe and beyond. The golden fields of ripening grain have become an enduring symbol of prosperity, nourishment and the rewards of patient labour.
Grapes (Vitis vinifera L.)
Heavy clusters of ripening grapes have long symbolised abundance, celebration and transformation. Their sweet juice becomes wine, one of humanity’s oldest and most powerful ritual drinks. In the ancient Mediterranean world, grapes belonged to Dionysos, the god of wine, ecstasy, theatre and divine madness.
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)
Few flowers embody the joy of high summer as completely as the sunflower. Standing tall beneath the August sun, it reflects vitality, warmth and generosity. Its seeds provide food for people, birds and countless other animals, making it a fitting symbol of shared abundance.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)
Yarrow often flowers throughout the summer and has long been valued as one of Europe’s great medicinal herbs. Traditionally associated with healing, protection and courage, it reminds us that harvest is not only about gathering food, but also about collecting the medicines that will sustain us through winter. It was also one of the many herbs once used for flavouring ale.
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria (L.) Maxim.)
Revered since ancient times, Meadowsweet was one of the most cherished herbs of Europe, valued both for its medicinal properties and its beauty. In Celtic tradition, meadowsweet is often counted among the sacred herbs, associated with joy, hospitality and celebration and the flowers were used to sweeten the mead.
The Spiritual Meaning of Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh is a festival of gratitude.
Take a moment to look back over the year so far. What seeds did you plant—in your garden, your work, your relationships or your own personal growth? Which projects have begun to bear fruit? Which still require patience? What are you harvesting right now, and what represents the seed potential for the next growing season?
Not every seed germinates. Not every effort succeeds. Yet every season teaches us something valuable.
The harvest reminds us that success is never entirely our own achievement. However hard we work, much remains beyond our control. Health, favourable weather, supportive communities and unexpected opportunities all play their part.
Gratitude therefore sits at the heart of Lughnasadh—not passive gratitude, but an active appreciation that inspires generosity, stewardship and care for the world that nourishes us.
A Personal Reflection
This year, riding the tide of time feels rather like navigating uncertain ocean currents. The sun has already passed its highest point in the sky. Almost imperceptibly, the days are shortening, and the Wheel of the Year continues its steady turning towards autumn.
I often think of the Greek myth of Phaethon, the son of Helios, the sun god. Eager to prove himself, he persuaded his father to let him drive the solar chariot across the heavens for a single day. But the horses proved too powerful. The chariot veered wildly across the sky, scorching the Earth beneath until at the very last minute the other gods intervened to prevent total catastrophe.
Today, the story feels less like an ancient myth and more like a timeless warning. Humanity has inherited extraordinary power, yet wisdom has not always kept pace with our abilities. The consequences of our actions are becoming increasingly tangible and visible in the landscapes around us.
And yet Lughnasadh is not a festival of despair.
Standing in a field of ripe grain, we witness one of nature’s oldest paradoxes. At the very moment when the grain is at its fullest, the reaper arrives to cut it down. Death becomes the condition for nourishment. The harvested seed feeds us through winter, and another portion is returned to the soil, where new life quietly waits for spring.
The same cycle embraces us all. We are sustained by the lives that came before us, and in time our own lives will nourish those who follow. Remembering this can inspire both humility and hope.
As we gather the gifts of this first harvest, may we do so with grateful hearts, mindful hands and a renewed commitment to care for the living world that continues, despite everything, to sustain us.
For every seed,
For every harvest,
For every gift the Earth bestows—
May gratitude guide our hands,
Wisdom shape our choices,
And love sustain the living world.
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