Lughnasadh

An Elemental Celebration—Tracing Tahoma’s Waters

The mountains at lower elevations are still frost-free, the sea is open, and the meadows are bright green mats teeming with colorful fragrance, winking at the coming harvest.

The many festivals connected to Lughnasadh can be traced to ancient times. We explore the lore alongside local history as we trace the waters from trickle to tributary, from river and rapids to waterfalls. 

Tahoma—Mother of Waters.

For thousands of years the peoples of this region have depended on these waters. Walking beside them, we listen, revering the snowy peaks of Tahoma (Mount Rainier) that give life to the Pacific Northwest.

How do frequencies change based on the type of rock over which water flows? Does andesite or dacite lava encourage a higher pitch?

Beginning at ~7,000 feet elevation, we follow the glacier-fed waters as they tumble down the mountain’s southern flank, nurturing tributaries and creating rivers. We pause at rainbow-filled falls like Narada. We listen for variances based on flora density, and marvel at the resonance. We acquiesce to a new timbre as gravity takes hold and stone foundations shift. Wind is always a factor in this soundscape, and the chorus of our voices adds another layer. 

Lughnasadh is a time of immense beauty as harvest begins. It is a time of gratitude, a celebration of Earth's gifts. Listening to the flowing waters we ponder transformation ... what will this harvest be?