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Lughnasadh/Lammas

Writer's picture: Britany HillBritany Hill
Jul 26, 20195 min read


Imagine the sight of golden wheat stalks swaying gently in the August breeze while the smell of freshly baked bread wafts through the air, invoking a sense of bounty, coziness, and connection to both the hearth and land. This is just a brief glimpse into the powerful yet subtle essence of Lughnasadh--also known as Lammas though this is the Christianized term for this Pagan sabbat. This image above evokes a very earthy energy with a hint of fire behind it--perfect for this season. I invite you to come along with me as I explain a little more about this festival and my own personal journey from emptiness and indifference to excitement and love for it.


When I first started on my path as a Wiccan, I didn't connect with Lughnasadh at all. Just like Imbolc, I didn't really understand it, didn't connect with it, and just honestly didn't feel the need to celebrate it. What was the point? I still learned what I could about it since it was another spoke on the Wheel of the Year but I never once celebrated it. For five or so years, I would just skip right over it, almost as if nothing existed between Litha and Mabon. However, especially in the beginning, I think we should celebrate each sabbat as it is only through time and experience that we gain deeper insight and connection to each festival. Yes, I didn't celebrate it for a while but I do believe I missed out on some valuable lessons and experiences because of it. The truth is that some things come with time and there is a reason it is a part of this path. Celebrate it and do your best. It can be hard to connect with when many of us aren't living off the land but instead can swing by the supermarket to pick up food...


Anyways, about two years ago I became whole-heartedly called to celebrate it which left me bewildered (as honestly it was a very random urge!) but I took it as a sign of progress on my journey. I didn't just celebrate it though. Oh no! I went head-first into it! I not only created my first sabbat incense and oil but also made corn dollies, baked bread, and decorated everything I could in splashes of yellow, brown, and orange. I called upon Lugh, who I will discuss in a bit, and felt His energy with such intensity and clarity that I have never before experienced before! It was such a profound and beautiful ritual that Lughnasadh is now etched deeply into my heart, forcing a sense of giddiness that can only be likened to a child on Christmas Eve.


This is why I find it an immense pleasure to introduce this sabbat to y'all and my hope is that you will find yourself called to celebrate this harvest festival and be likewise touched with a profound and deep sense of connection, warmth, gratitude, and light.


This sabbat is typically celebrated on the 1st of August though it astrologically falls on the day when the sun is in 15 degrees of Leo. This happens on 7 August 2019. I personally prefer to always celebrate it on the 1st since it lends a sense of continuity to it. While I do celebrate the solstices and equinoxes on different days annually, I try to keep the cross-quarters rather fixed. (The other cross-quarters being Imbolc, Beltane, and Samhain.) As I may have already stated, this is the first of the three harvest festivals (the other two being Mabon and Samhain) and deals specifically with the grain harvest--which would include field corn. Above all of this, this sabbat honors the Celtic Sun God, Lugh, hence the name Lughnasadh as it commenced the funeral games of Lugh in honor of His mother.


The planetary ruler is the sun, the ruling planet of Leo. If you allow yourself to become aware of this energy, you will find pleasure in basking in the warmth as we still thrive in summer though there is a hint of sorrow as we know the darker months are approaching. It's obvious that fall is on its way and not just because stores are having "Back-To-School" sales either. We can notice the ever subtle decline in the sunlight as the God's power wanes. Remember, He was at His peak at Litha!


So, we know that Lugh is traditionally associated with Lughnasadh but that doesn't mean He is the only Deity that can be honored and worked with at this time. This is the time of the sacrificial God who gives His life so that we may have a bountiful harvest, thereby ensuring our survival throughout the winter. He dies and descends into the Underworld where He lives and rules until being reborn at Yule. How did this explanation come forward? I read somewhere that its because the sun's golden rays soaked into the wheat and corn, infusing them with His essence. Therefore, when it's harvested and cut, He is slain. This ties into the themes of birth, death, and rebirth. There's even a poem you can read about John Barleycorn that explains all of this but remember not to take it literally! Click here to read it!


This is why Dying and Resurrected Gods are appropriate for this festival. So are Multi-Skilled Deities as Lugh was talented in many areas. A greek example of a Multi-Skilled Deity would be Athena. The Goddess is the Mother though She could be seen as slowly transitioning towards the Crone. This is why I choose to work with Cerridwen as She is both a Mother and Crone Goddess. In addition, any Earth or Grain Deity will be just as suitable, such as Gaia, Pachamama, Geb, or Demeter.


Now that we know WHY to celebrate, let us look at HOW.

Below is a list of Correspondences as well as some activities you can do. ^_^


Correspondences*

  • Traditional Symbols: Blade, Corn Dolly, and Sheaf of Wheat

  • Colors: Brown, Gold, Green, Orange, Red, and Yellow

  • Herbs: Acacia, Grains, Grapes, Myrtle, Oak Leaves, Pears, Rose Hips, and Sunflowers

  • Crystals: Amber, Aventurine, Carnelian, Citrine, Moss Agate, Peridot, Ruby, and Tiger's Eye

  • Incense**:Allspice, Frankincense, Rosemary, and Sandalwood

  • Tarot Card: Strength


Activities

  • Bake Bread

  • Bake and Cook in General

  • Bless Food

  • Make a Corn Dolly

  • Watch the Sunrise and Set

  • Drink Beer

  • Spend Time Outside

  • Take Stock of Your Life

  • Lammas Bread Protection Spell***

  • Magick for Courage

  • Invoke Warrior Energy

  • Make Incense and Oil

  • Play Games

  • Have a celebratory dinner

  • Practice Food Magick

  • Create/Reinforce Protection Charms and Wards for houses

  • Bake some blackberry cornmeal muffins (recipe found in the resource video section below)

  • Meditate on the Sun--bask in His energy but understand His strength is beginning to weaken

  • Stock Magickal Cabinet

  • Have a picnic


I wish the brightest of Lughnasadh blessings for each and every single one of you reading this.


Blesséd Lughnasadh!

The Autumn Witch



 

***NOTES***


*Correspondences are nowhere near comprehensive but what I associate with this sabbat. I implore you to further research this topic.

**The incense and oil recipe I use can be found in the video below as well as in M. Flora Peterson's Book

***Lammas Bread Protection Spell found in the book by Anne Franklin below.


 

Resources

I am in no way sponsored by any of these books or videos. I simply feel it is honorable to share my sources. Links to the books will direct you to Amazon whereas links in the videos will naturally lead you to the videos on Youtube.


Books


Videos




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