Lughnassad

Lughnassad, or Lammas is one of the 'cross-quarter' days, one of the four High Holidays or Greater Sabbats of Wicca, and occuring 1/4 of a year after Beltane. Tradition has set Lughnassad at August 1st, and that is when it is typically celebrated. However, it's true astrological point is 15 degrees Leo, which can happen as late as August 6th, which gives those of us on 'Pagan Standard Time' a little leeway, and shows that the power of Lughnassad is not limited to one specific day. This holiday marks the beginning of the end of summer (in spite of the hot midwest days here in USA). The days are visibly shorter, and this is a time of first harvests. We begin to see the fruits of our labors of spring and summer at this time. This date has long been considered a 'power point' of the zodiac. It's symbol is the Lion, which has universal meanings throughout the world's religions.

Lammas was the medieval Christian name for the holiday, which means 'loaf-mass', as this was the day on which loaves of bread were baked from the first grains of harvest and laid on altars as offerings. It was (and still is) a day representative of 'first fruits' and early harvest. The Irish refer to the holiday as 'Lugnasadh', a feast to commemorate the funeral games of the Irish sun-god Lugh. According to Mike Nichols in his article "Lammas: The First Harvest":

Although at first glance, it may seem that we are celebrating the death of the Lugh, the god of light does not really die (mythically) until the autumnal equinox. And indeed, if we read the Irish myths closer, we discover that it is not Lugh's death that is being celebrated, but the funeral games which Lugh hosted to commemorate the death of his foster- mother, Taillte. That is why the Lugnasadh celebrations in Ireland are often called the 'Tailltean Games'.

This word, 'Tailltean' appears to be the source of our wiccan tradition of 'Telltown marraiges'. These marraiges, performed at Lammas, were an informal marraige which only lasted for a year and a day, till next Lammas. At that time the couple could renew their marraige, or choose to end it. These marraiges are related to the wiccan 'handfasting', and were common into the 1500's. Other traditions included festivals, craft 'shows', feasting, dancing and ritual harvesting.

In Our Lady of the Prairie coven, we recognize the first harvest by celebrating those finished projects we'd begun earlier in the year. We feast on the harvests of our gardens (and farmer's market and supermarket). Another custom which many traditions of Wicca participate in, is the 'sacrifice' of the Wicker Man. Built of whatever wood, sticks or wicker is handy, and vaguely man-shaped, he represents the ancient belief of the priest-king's annual sacrifice to ensure the prosperity of the land, and to be a reflection of the dying of Lugh, a sun God, as His light wanes into winter. The Wicker Man is cast into a bonfire, often along with bits of paper on which are written those things we want to 'sacrifice' in our lives: bad habits, illnesses, whatever. We often include wishes and blessings that we want to call into our lives during the remaining harvests of the season. And of course we dance and sing around the bonfire!

Some ways you may wish to comemmorate Lughnassad by:

Decorating your altar with yellow cloth and candles, as well as corn and sheaves of grain

Baking and sharing a special "Lammas-Loaf" with family and coveners

Making a Sun-God image of corn and roasting it in the ritual fire, then feasting on corn and wine

Doing magick to help you finish long-standing projects by the fall

Ritually sacrificing negative emotions, outworn habits, etc.