The Green Spiral

Welcome to The Green Spiral, Green Women Gathering's Newsletter!

Hello, beautiful community!

As the seasons shift and new energy flows in, we’re thrilled to bring you the latest updates, inspirations, and opportunities from Green Women Gathering. This newsletter is your space to reconnect with the heart of our mission - to foster a community of strong and supportive women, honor the Earth, and empower one another on our journeys of growth and discovery.

Inside this issue, you’ll find exciting announcements, upcoming events, and ways to get involved. Whether you’ve been part of GWG for years or are just finding your way to us, we’re so grateful to have you here.

Let’s continue to grow, gather, and ground together.

What We’re Up To

Things are moving right along behind the scenes, and we're getting more excited by the day!

Fall Retreat registration closes on August 23! If you've been thinking about joining us, now is the time. We have only 10 cabin spaces remaining, so don't wait too long to reserve your spot before they're gone.

Workshop proposals are still being accepted! We'd love to feature the talents, knowledge, and passions within our community. If you've been considering leading a workshop, please submit your proposal as soon as possible so we can finalize our schedule.

Planning weekend ahead! Our coordinators will be gathering this coming weekend to continue planning and putting the finishing touches on what promises to be an incredible retreat. We can't wait to share more details with you as everything comes together!

We're expanding our community! Green Women Gathering is now on Substack and Pinterest! Follow us on Substack for guided meditations, self-care inspiration, seasonal reflections, and community updates. On Pinterest, you'll find beautiful pins featuring our blog posts, retreat inspiration, journaling prompts, and more. We'd love for you to join us there and help our community continue to grow!

Seasonal Musings

In Harvest

By Sophie Jewett

Mown meadows skirt the standing wheat;

I linger, for the hay is sweet,

New-cut and curing in the sun.

Like furrows, straight, the windrows run,

Fallen, gallant ranks that tossed and bent

When, yesterday, the west wind went

A-rioting through grass and grain.

To-day no least breath stirs the plain;

Only the hot air, quivering, yields

Illusive motion to the fields

Where not the slenderest tassel swings.

Across the wheat flash sky-blue wings;

A goldfinch dangles from a tall,

Full-flowered yellow mullein; all

The world seems turning blue and gold.

Unstartled, since, even from of old,

Beauty has brought keen sense of her,

I feel the withering grasses stir;

Along the edges of the wheat,

I hear the rustle of her feet:

And yet I know the whole sea lies,

And half the earth, between our eyes.

Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh, also known as Lammas, is a traditional Gaelic festival celebrated on August 1. It marks the start of the harvest season, the ripening of early crops, and the midpoint between the summer solstice and autumn equinox. The holiday is named after the Celtic deity Lugh, a skilled god of light, craftsmanship, and the sun.

Historically, communities gathered for fairs, games, horse races, music, matchmaking, and trade while giving thanks for the first harvest of grain. For many modern witches and pagans, Lughnasadh is a time to honor both the Earth and our own efforts. It is a powerful Sabbat for baking bread, creating corn dollies, gathering herbs, making offerings of seasonal fruits and grains, lighting candles or bonfires, and working spells centered on abundance, gratitude, prosperity, and manifestation. Take time to reflect on what you've cultivated this year, celebrate the harvests already unfolding in your life, and release what no longer serves you as the days slowly begin their journey toward autumn.

Easy, No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

Ingredients Needed

3 cups flour
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tsp salt
1.5 cups water

Instructions

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add water and mix until you have an even consistency.
Cover the bowl and rest on the counter for 3 hours.
Place a large Dutch oven in the oven and pre heat to 450°F.
Dust flour on your work surface and scrape the dough from the bowl onto the surface. Dust more flour on top of the dough. Fold in the edges and work the dough into a rough ball shape.
Place the ball of dough onto parchment paper. Place the dough, along with the parchment paper, inside the Dutch oven. Cover. Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake for another 20 minutes, until the bread has a nice golden color.
Set the bread on a rack and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Wild Berry Harvest Mocktail

Ingredients:

4 oz mixed wild berries (blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries)
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 oz fresh lime juice
4 oz sparkling water or ginger beer

Muddle the berries with honey and lime juice in the bottom of a glass. Fill with ice, top with sparkling water or ginger beer, and stir well

Lughnasadh Flower Crown Ritual

What You'll Need

Fresh or dried flowers (wildflowers, sunflowers, goldenrod, daisies, lavender, or any blooms that call to you)
Floral wire or flexible grapevine
Floral tape or twine
Scissors (optional)

Creating Your Flower Crown

Measure the floral wire or grapevine around your head, leaving about an inch of overlap. Twist the ends together to form a circle.
Gather your flowers into small bundles of 2–3 stems.
Starting at one point on the crown, place your first bundle against the base and secure it with floral tape or twine.
Continue adding bundles, slightly overlapping each one so the stems are hidden, until the entire crown is covered.
As you work, take your time. Let each flower become a reminder of something you are grateful for or a lesson you've learned through this growing season.

Lughnasadh Blessing

As you weave your crown, say:

"Flower by flower, stem by stem,
I honor the gifts the Earth has given.
I celebrate the first harvest,
The beauty born from love, labor, and sacrifice.
May these blooms remind me
That every season of growth asks something of us,
And every sacrifice made with love
Can blossom into abundance.
With grateful hands I weave this crown,
With an open heart I receive the harvest.
So may it be."

When your crown is complete, place it gently upon your head. Take a slow breath and reflect on the season.

Ask yourself:

What seeds have I tended that are now beginning to bloom?
What sacrifices have shaped the person I am becoming?
What gifts, lessons, and blessings am I harvesting in this season of my life?

Wear your flower crown during your Lughnasadh celebration, around a bonfire, while sharing a meal, or simply while walking outdoors. When its beauty begins to fade, return the flowers to the earth with gratitude, knowing that every ending nourishes a new beginning.