Lughnasadah (Lammas) (August 1st)

We reap the soil;
Great Lugh's eternal promise,
We offer our toil;
to eat of Lugh's harvest.

The Irish God Lugh - the Bright or Shining one - associated with the harvest and the Sun. The celebration is symbolic with the death of Lugh's foster mom who perished in preparation from preparing Irelands lands for planting.

The harvest is representative of nearly all religious practices around the world. The life- from-grain celebration is evident in all cultures, past and present. Lughnasadh (loo-na-saa) is a celebration of that harvest - the first harvest on the Wheel of the Year. The aspects of grain from seed is representative of the Great Mother and the death-in-life, life-in-death manner.

It is at this time that the God aspect is waning. His life force begins to fade as the days grow shorter.

 

Preparing for Celebration

Prepare you altar with a cloth of white and/or gold. If possible prepare the ritual outside. Bring in baskets of harvest such as corn, fruits, nuts, vegetables and fresh baked bread (the best part!). Adorn your altar and line the circle with fresh sunflowers or any other flowers representative of this time of year.

Candles should be one white, one gold to represent the Sun, and assorted other candles in all the colors of the rainbow. Oils can be used for dressing - oil of Cerridwen, Taliesin, and Lugh. Most any of the sacred woods can be used also - Rowan, Oak, Ash, Birch, etc.

Also prepare your cauldron filled with water and float some hazelnuts in it. Apples, bread and other fruit can be used for the simple feast.

Since the God Lugh is also the God of skills, the ancient peoples would make 'Corn Dolly' from the chaffe of wheat or grain (you can also use corn silk and husks even though corn is not native to Ireland). These can be crafted to look like a doll which will represent the Corn Mother and is kept in a sacred corner for protection and bounty. At Imbolc, the Corn Mother Dolly represents the Corn Bride and can be used for ritual.

Wreaths of corn husks and grain stalks can be crafted and hung about the house in celebration of Lughnasadh as well as necklaces made from grain and corn kernels to wear in ritual.

At this time, since eroticism abounds (when doesn't it?), now would be a good time to settle old disputes and renew marriage vows.

 

Charge to Lugh

When lighting the Lugh candle (yellow) dress it with the Lugh oil and say:

Lugh, Great God of the Golden Spear and the harvest;
You are many skilled. Bring your golden light to share with us,
cast your light upon the Tara.

Light the candle and add any other speech or tribute to Lugh, the Goddess and the God that you wish.

 

Lugh Oil 1 piece of gold (jewelry, rings etc.) 1 dram heliotrope oil 1 dram sunflower oil 1 stone	Taliesin Oil 2 drams hazelnut oil 1 pebble Pinch of bee pollen 1 small feather 1 dram blackthorn oil	Cerridwen oil 1 dram hazelnut oil 1 dram fir oil 1 dram elder oil
Simple feast Corn bread, wheat bread or seven grain bread	Rose Petal wine or regular wine. (Apple juice makes a great substitute!)	Berries and cream (strawberries are my favorite!)