Lughnasadh: An Introduction
Lughnasadh (pronounced Loo-NAS-ah), or Lammas, occurs on August 1, halfway between the summer solstice (Litha) and the fall equinox (Mabon). This holiday celebrates the grain harvest and honors the God of craftsmanship, Lugh. The word Lammas derives from an Old English term meaning loaf mass. In early Christian times, the Church blessed the first loaves of the season.
Ancient Traditions
In early civilization, grain held great importance to the communities. The crop's success could mean the difference between surviving the winter and starvation.
In early Ireland, it wasn't good to harvest grain before Lughnasadh. If the harvest was early, the previous year's harvest ran out before the next crop was ready, and farmers would have failed to provide for their community. Farmers would harvest the first sheaves of grain on Lughnasadh, and the first loaves of bread would be baked by nightfall.
People celebrated the cutting of the final sheaf of grain by making corn dolls, which represented the spirit of the grain. Sometimes these dolls were full-sized, made of the last stalks of corn to be harvested, and decorated with ribbons, streamers, and clothing.
In some traditions, this day honors the Celtic God, Lugh. Lugh is the God of craftsmanship; and is skilled in many things, blacksmithing, wheel making, and fighting. In honor of Lugh, competitions and contests are held; artisans offer their finest work, mock battles, and fighting games. There is some disagreement as to why Lugh is honored on this day.
Deities of the Season
Adonis (Assyrian)
In Greek legend, the grain god was Adonis. Two goddesses, Aphrodite and Persephone, battled for his love. To end the fighting, Zeus ordered Adonis to spend six months with Persephone in the Underworld and the remaining six months of the year with Aphrodite.
Ceres (Roman)
Ceres was the Roman goddess of the harvest and grain. She was the one who taught humankind how to preserve and prepare corn and grain once it was ready.
Demeter (Greek)
Demeter is associated with the changing seasons. When Hades abducted Persephone, Demeter's grief caused the earth to die until Persephone's return.
Mercury (Roman)
Mercury was a messenger of the gods and is associated with the trade of grain. He was responsible for letting everyone know it was time to bring in the harvest.
Pomona (Roman)
This Roman goddess is the keeper of orchards and fruit trees. Pomona appears in many classical art forms despite being a relatively obscure deity.
Tammuz (Sumerian)
This Sumerian God of vegetation is associated with the cycle of death and rebirth. When Tammuz was slain, his lover Ishtar grieved so much that nature stopped producing.
Modern Traditions
By celebrating Lughnasadh, we honor our ancestors and the trials they had to endure to survive. This celebration is a time to show gratitude for the abundance they have been blessed with.
As with most sabbats, there is feasting. Many choose to bake bread and cakes as part of their celebration.
Another way to celebrate is to honor Lugh by making crafts and decorations representing our greatest skills.
Now is the time to begin reaping what has been sown since setting Yule's intentions.
Correspondances
Colors: Brown, Gold, Orange, yellow
Plants: Apple, Oak, Rowan, Blackberry, Aloe, Ginseng
Gemstones: Citrine, Peridot
Gods: Lugh, Odin
Goddesses: Ceres, Freya, fridge, Ishtar, Persephone
Animals: Cattle, Chicken
Intentions: Accomplishment, Challenges, Death, Endings, Release, Transformation
