Community Altar for August 2018: Jord
This month’s Community Altar celebrates Jord, the Earth Goddess, as we celebrate the traditional first harvest. Living in California, there’s always something to harvest (avocados are in season all year, and that alone makes being a California resident A Good Thing!), so “first harvest” doesn’t have quite the same connotation as it does in the Nordic countries, with their limited growing season.
Community Altar August 2018 – Jord; Photo by Joey Ivansco.
In the center of the altar is an image I used for Jord, which is actually a topiary sculpture from the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Even though it’s not specified as being Jord, the image spoke to me strongly of Jord’s energies of nurturing, growth, and groundedness.
I used this site from the California U-Pick Farms Group to figure out what the August harvest in California is, and assembled the altar based on what was available at Dan’s Fresh Produce (my local purveyor of organic produce). The fruit offerings are a pear, a peach, and fresh almonds from Dan’s. I made the two rounds of Viking Bread, and harvested the lavender and yarrow from my own yard.
I wrote this prayer to make the offerings.
Hail, Jord!
Earthy Mother,
Luxurious with harvest,
Abundant and fecund!
Fields of soft grasses
Beckon us to your warm embrace
As Sunna sails the skies.
Season after season,
Year upon year,
You bless us with abundance,
You grace us with goodness
Of field and forest,
Providing amply, fully, and freely.
We offer abundant thanks, fully and freely.
We offer gifts of grateful hearts
And contented souls
In thanks for your unending gifts.
May your harvest be abundant and joyous!
