Athena's Attic of Secrets

Background Image by gpointstudio on Freepik.com Lammas, also known as Lughnasadh, is a seasonal pagan holiday and one of the eight sabbats on the Wheel of the Year. Celebrated around August 1st, it marks the first harvest festival of late summer. Rooted in Celtic and agricultural traditions, Lammas invites us to reflect on gratitude, growth, and spiritual transformation. In this post, we’ll explore what Lammas means and how you can celebrate it in meaningful, personal ways. The name "Lammas" comes from “Loaf Mass,” an old English tradition of baking bread from the first grains of the season. The Celtic festival of Lughnasadh (pronounced loo-nah-sah) honors the god Lugh, known for his skills, leadership, and the death of his foster mother Tailtiu, who died preparing the land for crops. Together, these roots give Lammas a unique energy: a mix of celebration, mourning, and transformation. Ways to Celebrate Lammas There’s no single way to honor this sabbat. It can be personal, si...

Part Four of Seven in the Divine Archetypes Series. Click here to read from the beginning. The Crone Goddess is the third face of the Triple Goddess archetype, representing sacred endings, wisdom, transformation, and inner knowing. As an expression of the divine feminine, the Crone archetype embodies the final stage of life’s cycle; a time of reflection, surrender, and deep truth. Where the Maiden symbolizes beginnings and the Mother represents fruition, the Crone is the soul’s return to source. She teaches us to trust our intuition, honor what must be released, and walk bravely into the mysteries of darkness and rebirth. If you missed Part Two, you can explore the  Maiden Archetype by clicking here . If you missed Part Three, you can explore the  Mother Archetype by clicking here . Quick Summary of the Crone Archetype Role: Wisdom, endings, transformation, and truth Symbols: Waning/Dark Moon, Winter, Saturn, Pluto, Third Eye/Crown Chakra Light Side: Inner knowing, sacred stil...

Blame. It’s one of those words we all know but rarely acknowledge, especially in spiritual healing. Blame is the act of holding someone else responsible for something that caused harm, pain, or a mistake, whether it's deserved or not. Blame shows up in three main forms: we blame others, others blame us, and sometimes, we blame ourselves (self-blame). While these categories are commonly discussed in psychological and spiritual literature (see Psychology Today’s articles on self-blame and external blame ), this framework is a way to understand the role blame plays in emotional responsibility and our healing journey. Blame is a survival response. Blame is also a common emotional response that shows up in spiritual journeys and the healing process. It’s often rooted in past trauma, emotional wounds, and the unconscious desire to protect ourselves from feeling powerless. But let’s be real—blame doesn’t just go in one direction. It’s a mirror. When you blame someone, what are you actual...

Part Three of Seven in the Divine Archetypes Series. Click  here to read from the beginning. Image by freepik on Freepik.com The Mother archetype is the second face of the Triple Goddess aspect , symbolizing fertility, fruition, nurturing energy, and sacred growth . She represents the stage of life where creative ideas, spiritual efforts, and relationships begin to blossom. In the Divine Archetypes framework , the Mother embodies the fullness of life’s middle chapters—a time of abundance, maturity, and care. Where the Maiden archetype represents beginnings and potential, the Mother is the garden in bloom—the moment when seeds planted in the past bear fruit. Working with the Mother Goddess archetype invites us to explore nurturing practices, personal transformation, and emotional fulfillment in both literal and symbolic ways. If you missed Part Two, you can explore the Maiden Archetype here . Quick Summary of the Mother Archetype: Role: Nurturing, growth, and abundance S...