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Pronounced Loo-nas-ah. Also known as Lammas. (I find no consistency between whether people call it Lughnasadh or Lammas, I'd say it's about a 50-50 split between Wiccans. Lughnasadh comes from Lugh in Irish Celtic mythology, whereas Lammas is an Anglo-Saxon word. I prefer Lughnasadh for some unknown reason *shrug* it's up to you).
It is now high summer and the union of Sun and Earth, of God and Goddess, has produced the First Harvest.Lammas is the celebration of this first, Grain Harvest, a time for gathering in and giving thanks for abundance. We work with the cycle that Mabon or the Autumn Equinox is the Second Harvest of Fruit, and Samhain is the third and Final Harvest of Nuts and Berries.
The word 'Lammas' is derived from 'loaf mass' and is indicative of how central and honoured is the first grain and the first loaf of the harvesting cycle.
It is also the great festival of Lugh, or Lug, the great Celtic Sun King and God of Light. August is His sacred month when He initiated great festivities in honour of His mother, Tailtiu. Feasting, market fairs, games and bonfire celebrations were the order of the day. Circle dancing, reflecting the movement of the sun in sympathetic magic, was popular, as were all community gatherings. August was considered an auspicious month for handfastings and weddings.
But underlying this is the knowledge that the bounty and energy of Lugh, of the Sun, is now beginning to wane. It is a time of change and shift. Active growth is slowing down and the darker days of winter and reflection are beckoning...
Source: www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/lammas
At Lammas, sometimes called Lughnasadh, it's time to celebrate the first harvest of the year, and recognise that the hot summer days will soon come to an end. The plants of spring wither and drop seeds to ensure future crops. Grains are ready to be harvested and the fruits are ripe for picking. We can give thanks for the food on our tables.
Lughnasadh means "the funeral games of Lugh" (pronounced Loo), referring to Lugh, the sun god. However, the funeral is not his own, but the funeral games he hosts in honor of his foster-mother Tailte. For that reason, the traditional Tailtean craft fairs and Tailtean marriages (which last for a year and a day) are also celebrated at this time.
As autumn begins, the Celtic Sun God enters his old age, but is not yet dead. The God symbolically loses some of his strength as the Sun rises farther in the South each day and the nights grow longer.
The Christian religion adopted this theme and called it 'Lammas ', meaning 'loaf-mass ', a time when newly baked loaves of bread are placed on the altar. An alternative date around August 5 (Old Lammas), when the sun reaches 15 degrees Leo, is sometimes employed by Covens.
Decorate your altar Use colours like still green, with every shade of sun and harvest, from gold and yellow to deepest orange. Decorate with wheat and all grains, corn dolly, bread, sunflowers and calendulas (pot marigolds).
Cook food with traditional ingredients Apples, Grains, Breads, Berries, All Grains, Grapes, Heather, Blackberries, Sloe, Crab Apples, Pears.
Make a feast Pagans celebrate this time to remember its warmth and bounty in a celebrated feast shared with family or Coven members. Save and plant the seeds from the fruits consumed during the feast or ritual. If they sprout, grow the plant or tree with love and as a symbol of your connection with the Lord and Lady.
Go for a walk Walk through the fields and orchards or spend time along springs, creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes reflecting on the bounty and love of the Lord and Lady.
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