Lugnasadh or Lammas

For Pagans living in rural areas, Lughnasadh celebrations are likely to center around agriculture. Many rural Pagans have their own gardens or crops to tend, and their own first harvest to pull in, come Lughnasadh. There's something magickal about growing a plant from seed to full maturity: you see the culmination of effort and energy expended by yourself, the sun, the earth, the elements, and the plant itself; you witness first-hand the great mystery of sacrifice for the sake of life. Rural gardening Pagans have a definite advantage here in connecting to the ebb and flow of the Lughnasadh season.

This festival is about celebrating the God and all male energy. When we celebrated Imbolc last February, we honored the Goddess and all female energy. Now is time for the God and the Hunter and Warrior inu s all. Today at Lammas the God sacrifices himself. He has grown old during the Harvest year, and he is ready to be reborn. In the winter he will be reborn to the Goddess as a young God again, but today he is growing weaker as our grain ic cut and baked into bread.

At this time when crops are traditionally fully grown and ready for harvesting, it's a good time to step back count your blessings and give a bit of thanks for the prosperity your family bas. If you aren't feeling very blessed, try to spend some time volunteering with those loss fortunate. Sometimes we're more prosperons than we realize.

Items Needed:

A gold, red, or orange candle
A lighter or matches
A piece of whole grain bread
A yeasty beer or glass of apple juice

Set aside a few minutes for yourself. Begin by centering yourself. Take a few deep breaths, and light your candle as you say:

This candle I light to honor Lammas and this time of harvest and abundance. I give thanks for the plenty of my family and ask for continued blessings for my family and for all living things upon this earth. So mote it be!

Drink and eat while you sount your blessings.