Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh or Lammas Feast of Bread belonged to the god Lugh and was celebrated on August 1: it coincides with the beginning of the harvest and signifies the death of Bel, the Corn King. This festival honors the God Lugh, a Celtic God of Light and Fire and God of crafts and skills. His Welsh form is Llew Law Gyffes, and in the Mabinogion story of Blodeuwidd and Llew, the theme of Llew as the sacrificed God can be seen (we need of course to consider the pre-Christian origins of the story), and may also have some association with the Roman Moon Goddess, Luna. Lugh was King of the Tuatha De Danaan and the consort of Dana, the first Great Mother Goddess of Ireland. Dana, as Lugh's Queen and Mother Goddess, is also honored on this Sabbat. Lugh's sacrificial death and rebirth as a sheaf of grain at Lughnasadh is often re-enacted on Lammas, symbolizing that even a God must eventually bow down to his Goddess through whose benevolence he is reborn. Other rituals on this Sabbat contain enactments of growth, birth, honor, and thanks to the Goddess from whose womb they grew, and thanks to Lugh in his aspect as Sun God for blessing and impregnating the womb with heat and light.
The main themes of Lammas may therefore be seen as thanksgiving to the Goddess for Her bountiful harvest, stating our hopes for what we wish to harvest (for Lammas is the very beginning of the harvest), sacrifice, transformation, and a sharing of the energy of the Corn King.
History: In Ireland, Lugh also is referred to as Lugh of the Long Hand, prince of the Sun. Circular Harvest Dances were held where the chieftains of the tribe wore horned headpieces--this was to honor the god Lugh, who loved games and competitive sports to keep up the physical vigor of his worshippers. Corncakes were made in the shape of the Corn King's body, and a special ale produced from the first harvested ears of corn--these were consumed in a ceremony to honor the King who gave his life so that the people could have food--a prehistoric Communion rite.
Decoration: grapevines, roses, nuts or seeds, apple branches and apples.
Foods: apples, seeds and bread.
Herbs: carnation, grape, blackberry, all grains and sandalwood.
Colors: brown, yellow, white and blue.
Stones: yellow diamond, peridot and citrine.
Taboos: not sharing food.
Activities: baking bread, gathering fruits and astrology.
Other things to try: Make a wreath of grain to honor harvest. Have children go out and do a scavenger hunt, then use the items for a simple healing/ prosperity spell.
Recipes
Cornbread
3/4 c flour 1 T sugar
3 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c milk 2 T melted butter
1 egg 1 1/2 c yellow corn meal
mix, put into a 9x9 greased pan
and bake at 425 for 20 minutes.
