LAMMAS 2020
Celebrated on August 1, Lammas, or Lughnasa, celebrates the reaping of the first harvest. All the hard work of the year comes to fruition at this time, and the earth is heavy with bounty. The season celebrates the union of the God and Goddess, resulting in the great fertility of the land. These symbols also stand for the inner fertility of creativity, fruitfulness, and harvest within the individual. This time of year should be celebrated with family and coven members, and is a time to give thanks for the bounty and warmth of summer.
At Lammas, we recognize and celebrate the God in his prime; strong, fertile, and honorable. The god in these aspects are Lugh, Ares, Adonis, Odin, Osiris. Historically, we know that in Lughnasa translates roughly to “the games of Lugh”, and there is evidence that games and festivals were held throughout the ancient Celtic lands in the beginning of August. The games included all kinds of athletic contests, including many challenges of horsemanship. Though there is some debate as to the origins of the god, Lugh, he is often described as an ancient sun god, a warrior, and a god of oaths. Generally speaking, today we see Lugh as the God at his strength in summer; the sun riding high in the sky, and the summer rains, all of which help to increase the fertility of the great earth mother.
At Lammas, we recognize and celebrate the Goddess in her aspects of Ceres, Cerridwen, Demeter, Isis, and Inanna, all Goddesses of the Grain.
Crops that were planted in the spring go to seed, and it’s recognized as the time to start gathering seed for the next years’ planting. This is also the time to start the harvest for putting food by for the winter; canning, jarring, and drying. This is the ideal time to make fresh medicines, and dry herbs to replenish dried stores. Last year’s herbs can be tossed in the Lammas ritual fire as offerings to the Goddess, with thanks for the bounty of the new.
Traditionally, people baked bread made from the freshly harvested wheat, and these edible works of art are placed on the altar. Bread combines the elements, flour and salt from Earth, Water, yeast (air) and fire to bake. Berries are at their peak during this time, and a dish of homemade jam can accompany the bread.
In ancient times, people would travel to flowing water to toss in offerings of herbs, hoping to earn good bounty for the next year. It was considered good luck to cross or submerge yourself in flowing water, either on a horse, or alone. August is the sacred month of water dowsers, and is sacred to any divination art using water.
Horses were celebrated at Lammas, as was Epona, the Goddess of Horses.
Altar decorations can be made from cut wheat and grasses, making bouquets, pentacles, or wreaths. Corn dollies can be made from the fresh husks of corn used for the ritual feast. These corn dolly’s can be burned at Spring Equinox.
Lammas Correspondences:
Themes: Fertility, Harvest, Warrior Magic, Animal Magic, Horse Magic
Goddesses: Anat, Ceres, Cerridwen, Demeter, Isis
God – Lugh, Adonis, Odin, Loki. Zeus, Ares
Colors- Orange, gold, yellow
Candle Colors- golden yellow, orange, green, brown
Animals – Horse, roosters
Mythical Creatures – Phoenix, griffins, centaurs, Pegasus
Plants – corn, rice, wheat
Herbs – calendula, cornstalks, cyclamen, frankincense, heather, hollyhock, myrtle, oak leaves, sunflower, vervain, rose hips, rosemary, chamomile, sandalwood
Foods – bread, corn, potatoes, berries, apples,
Apricot Wine: 1 pound Dried Apricots 4 quarts Warm Water 6 1/2 cups Sugar 2 1/4 cups Brown Sugar 1 1/2 cups Raisins 1 Tablespoon Ginger, minced 2 each Lemons, thinly sliced 2 each Oranges, thinly sliced 1/2 cup Yeast
Wash the apricots in several batches of water and then dry them and cut in halves. Place in a large crock and pour on the warm water, reserving 1/2 cup of it in which to dissolve the yeast cake. Stir in the sugars, fruit, raisins and ginger. Then add the dissolved yeast and mix well. Cover with top of the crock and let stand for thirty days, stirring the mixture every other day. After thirty days strain the mixture and bottle
Lammas Incense
3 parts frankincense
2 parts red sandalwood
1 part pine needles
1 part dragonsblood
1 part Heather
1 part rosemary
Few drops pine oil
Few drops oak moss oil
Few drops cedar oil
½ part sunflower/calendula petals
Some Lammas Activities
- Make Corn Dollies, or other human shapes out of natural materials to be placed on the altar and burned at the next Spring Equinox
- Bake bread – make it in the shape of a person and give it a name.
- Make jam - especially with seasonal fruit like peaches and chokecherries
- Go to the river and make an offering of herbs, watching as the river washes you clean and takes your troubles away.
- Honor horses: ride or make corn horses or horses out of natural materials.
- Rowan Goddess Eyes
LAMMAS RITUAL
Written by Sara and Lily 2011
Altar:
Harvest gold cloth
Bouquet of sunflowers, grain and wheat, preferably gathered by hand and tied with a green ribbon
Candles – golden yellow or pea green
Corn dollies –(can be made in advance or as a ritual activity)
Lammas Incense – (recipe below)
Lammas Oil – (Recipe below)
Fresh loaf of bread, preferably handmade
Tigers Eye, Rowan branches (2 per person), red ribbons – to make protection Goddess Eyes
Ritual Tools: Quarter representatives: censor, red candle, chalice of water, bowl of salt
Lammas celebrates the reapings of the first harvest. It was known as the time where the crops that were planted in the spring go to seed, and is recognized as the time to start gathering seed for the next years’ planting.
Open the circle using the Wiccan way of calling each of the elements:
East - “Great guardians of the eastern quarter of the universe, you who govern the realm of AIR, we invite and welcome you to our circle. Join us with your fresh breezes of inspiration, clarity, and imagination as we celebrate this great sabbat of Lammas. With the winds that you command, please blow away all impurities and negativity both within and without us.
South – “Great guardians of the southern quarter of the universe, you who govern the realm of FIRE, we invite and welcome you to our circle. Join us with your warm spark of passion, and your fires of will and strength. With the flames that you command, please burn away all impurities and negativity both within and without us.
West – “Great guardians of the western quarter of the universe, you who govern the realm of water, we invite and welcome you to our circle. Join us with your soothing streams and deep wells of intuition and emotion With your waters that you command, please wash away all impurities and negativity both within and without us.
North – “Great guardians of the northern quarter of the universe, you who govern the realm of EARTH, we invite you and welcome you to our circle. Join us with your rich fertile soil and the strength and solidity of the great mountains. With your fertile soil and earthly salt, cleanse us of all impurities and negativity, both within and without us.
Invoke the Goddess
"Come to us Moist Mother Earth. Come to us and take your ease. You have labored long and hard to bring forth your bounty, so that we your children may survive.
Come and relax, for well have you earned your rest. Eat and drink your fill, sing, dance, and be merry, for you have done well, and there is plenty for all. We shout your praises, for you are the essence of fulfillment, love, and joy. You are the most beautiful, and beyond measure is your grandeur and greatness. May we never forget that we are a part of your Sacred Body, and may we work to preserve it in all of its myriad forms. All hail the Great Mother!"