1. Lammas Info
2. Deities of Lammas
3. Lammas Activites
4. Lammas Traditions
5. Lammas Decorations
6. Lammas Recipes
7. Lammas Incense
8. A Simple Lammas Ritual
1. LAMMAS INFO
Lammas is also known as Lughnasadh, or the First Harvest, and is usually celebrated on August 1st. Lammas celebrates the first signs of Fall, and is the first of the three harvest Sabbats, Mabon and Samhain following it, which celebrates the ripening of grains and corn.
The gathering of the first crops of the year is used to symbolize the power raised from Beltane when the Sacred Marriage of the Lord and Lady took place. The theme of sexuality and reproduction is carried over into Lammas as well to ensure the remainder of a good harvest.
As autumn begins, the 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 name 'Lammas' was given by the Christians, meaning 'loaf-mass ', a time when newly baked loaves of bread are placed on the altar.
2. DEITIES OF LAMMAS
According to one of his many legends, Lugh was the last great leader of the Tuatha de Dannan. In one of the Tuatha's victories, Lugh spared the life of Bres, a defeated enemy captain, in exchange for advice on ploughing, sowing, and reaping. He was seen as a multi-talented deity, being capable and quite good at all he undertook.
The myths of Lugh include the prevalence of his many skills and the wedding of these skills to the potential or unrealized abundance of the land. He was also regarded as the patron of the arts, traveling, and influence in money and commerce.
To the Romans, Lugh was seen as a counterpart to Mercury.
Lugh is the son of Arianrhod, who is associated with sacred kingship and Three-fold Death. His wife's name is Blodeuwedd, who is also known as the Flower Maiden.
Lammas honors Lugh, as he is the Sun God for the Celtic pantheon, and Lughnasadh coming from him.
3. LAMMAS ACTIVITES
Good activities for Lammas are picking vegetables from gardens, having a picnic and breaking bread with friends. trips to old-fashioned "Farmer's Markets", games, and country fairs.
Rituals or spells should be aimed at prosperity, generosity, continued success. Also spells for personal power or protection, or those honoring the Sun, are good to do on Lammas.
4. LAMMAS TRADITIONS
Gathering food and vegetataion ids a tradition for Lammas. Also, it is known as a bread festival, so any bread-making is also considered a tradition of Lammas. It is also a common Practice to make corn dollies representing the Goddess.
In the old times, there was a such thing as a Tailltean marriage,which lasted only a year and a day or until next Lammas, at which time the couple would decide to continue the arrangement or stand back to back and walk away, thereby dissolving the marriage. It was usually performed by a poet, bard, priest or priestess of the Old Religion, and were very common into the 1500's. This also where the idea for modern handfastings probably came from.
5. LAMMAS DECORATIONS
Sheaves of wheat, barley or oats, fruit and breads, anything representative of the fruits of the harvest, are common decorations during Lammas.
Any carnelian jewelery worn or put on the altar is good, as it is the gemstone for Lammas.
The traditional colors are orange, gold, yellow, red and bronze.
6. LAMMAS RECIPES
These are a few recipes in honor of Lammas. None are from me, and owned by other people. If you want the link to any of them, tell me and I will send them to you.
Lammas Wheat Bread
2 cups warm milk
1 cup warm water
2 packets bakers yeast
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole wheat flour
4-7 cups white flour
In a large bowl place water, milk and yeast. Stir to dissolve. Add 3 cups of whole wheat flour, mix well and let sit for 15 minutes. Add the oil, honey, salt, brown sugar and white flour. Add the flour 1 cup at a time until you have a smooth, non sticky, manageable dough. Place in a greased bowl, out of drafts, and let rise till double in bulk. Punch down and form into loaves, wreaths and so forth. Let rise again and bake at 350 degrees Farenheit / 176 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack. Try to avoid the temptation to eat the loaf while it is still very warm, for cutting a slice off of a hot loaf will turn the remainder soggy.
Perfect Corn Bread
- Makes 18 servings
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup yellow corn meal
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup shortening
Sift flour with sugar, baking powder, and salt; stir in cornmeal. Add eggs, milk, and shortening. Beat with rotary or electric beater till just smooth (do not overbeat). Pour into greased 9x9x2 inch pan. Bake at 425 degrees Farenheit / 218 degrees Celsius for 20 to 25 minutes.
Corn Sticks: Spoon batter into greased corn-stick pans, filling 2/3 full. Bake in above temperature for 12 to 15 minutes.
Stuffed Mushrooms
- Makes about 1 dozen
(Wisteria's Faery Recipes)
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons diced green pepper
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup chopped mushroom stems
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/2 lb. large mushrooms, stems removed
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons cooked, crumbled bacon
12 small slices cheese (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit / 176 degrees Celsius. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over low heat and saute' the mushroom stems, green pepper, and onions until tender. Mix in the bread crumbs, bacon, thyme, salt & pepper. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps. Place the caps on a cookie sheet. Melt one tablespoon of the butter & drizzle over the caps. Top each with a cheese slice. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.
Noodles in Faery Butter
- Makes 8 servings
(Wisteria's Faery Recipes)
4 hard-boiled egg yolks
2 tablespoons orange flower water (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweet butter, softened
1 lb. noodles (any kind), cooked
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
1 orange, sliced (garnish)
Beat the egg yolks, sugar, butter, thyme, basil, and orange water in a small bowl until smooth. Mix enough of the butter with the hot noodles to coat the noodles with a golden-yellow color. Garnish with orange slices.
*Note: Both the Stuffed mushrooms and the Faery Noodles go together*
7. LAMMAS INCENSE
Lughnasadh Incense
(Scott Cunningham)
2 parts Frankincense
1 part Heather
1 part Apple blossoms
1 pinch Blackberry leaves
A few drops Ambergris oil
Burn Lughnasadh Incense during Wiccan rituals on August 1st or 2nd, or at that time to attune with the coming harvest.
(The Complete Book of Incenses, Oils & Brews, by Scott Cunningham)
Other possible Incenses for Lammas: Aloes, Rose, Sandalwood.
8. A SIMPLE LAMMAS RITUAL
This Ritual can be performed either during the day, perhaps late afternoon, or during the early evening hours, just after Sunset. Sweep area, starting in the North and moving deosil, with your magickal broom to cleanse the Circle area and "sweep away" any lingering negative energies. You may want to outline the perimeter of your Circle with corn meal, the grain most sacred to this Sabbat.
Set up the Quarter candles (North-Green, East-Yellow, South-Red, West-Blue) and/or other items symbolizing the elements at the Four Quarters. Set up your altar as desired, and face it to the North, covering it with the golden yellow altar cloth.
For this Ceremony, you may want to have upon the altar items from the harvest, particularly corn and other grains. In honor to the Sun Gods, you may also want to place golden stones and Sun Wheels upon the altar. You will also need a loaf of bread - preferably cornbread, and some sort of juice or wine. You will also need a plate or bowl to remove the harvest offering. In addition to your usual tools and props, upon the altar should be:
Golden Yellow, Orange, or Red Altar Cloth
Sun (God) and Moon (Goddess) Candle Holders, with Gold and Silver Candles, respectively (or whatever colors you prefer to represent the deities)
Incense, Summer Blend or Horned God Incense
Ears of Corn, Squash and other Harvest Items
Golden Stones (such as citrine, amber, tiger's eye, carnelian, topaz)
Sun Wheels or Sun Symbols of some sort
Small Loaf of Bread (preferably Cornbread - for the Ritual)
Anything else personally deemed appropriate or necessary
When all is set up, take a shower or bath for purification and don your ritual robe or other ritual attire. Be sure to wear your magickal jewelry. Sit quietly and meditate for a little while - to ground and center before beginning the Ritual. When you feel ready to begin, play some soothing, peaceful music for the ritual.
After the Circle is cast, begin the Lughnassadh Sabbat Ceremony. Pick up your Wand and hold it in your power (right) hand, face the North and with your arms outstretched (kneel or stand) and when you feel ready, begin your ceremony with these words:
"The Wheel of the Year turns on and on,
bringing us all to and from each Season,
and from and to another.
What will be is. What was will be.
All time is here and now in this Sacred Space.
I now pause to watch the Wheel turn
and cast this Circle on this blessed eve to celebrate
the Season of Lughnassadh - the First Harvest -
when the bounties of Nature
give of themselves so that we may survive.
I come here now to praise the bountiful Goddess
and the benevolent God.
I wish to give thanks for the bounty of the fertile Earth,
and to feel myself as a part of
the relentlessly turning wheel of life, death and rebirth.
O Great God of the Ripening Fields,
who has been known as
Lugh, Tammuz, Adonis, Attis and Dionysus -
Grant me the understanding of sacrifice
as you prepare to deliver yourself
to the lands of Eternal Summer.
O Great Goddess of the Corn and Grain,
who has been known as
Brigit, Ishtar, Aphrodite, Astarte and Demeter -
Teach me the secrets of rebirth
as the Sun wanes in its strength
and the nights grow cold."
Place your Wand back in its place on the altar. Spread your hands out over the harvested foods on the altar and say these words:
"Blessed be the bounty of the harvest,
fruit of the womb of the Goddess.
Blessed be Mother Earth...
Today I honor the deities in their aspects
as the Grain God and the Corn Mother."
Pick up the loaf of bread (hopefully cornbread) and say these words:
"Blessed be the harvest,
manifestation of the sacred marriage of the deities.
Blessed be the fruitful Corn Mother.
Blessed be the God of the Harvest.
I partake of the First Harvest,
mixing its energies with mine,
that I may continue on my quest
for the Starry Wisdom of the Mysteries.
Many blessings I have been given.
I count them now by this bread
of the grain of Mother Earth."
Now name all the things you are currently thankful for, one by one. This part of the ritual should be spontaneous - DO NOT use a script for this, go with your heart. With each thing that you name, break off a piece of the bread (or cornbread) and eat it. Sip from the goblet of fruit juice as well. When you are finished doing this, say these words:
"Thank you Great Mother and Great Father.
O Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun,
gracious Ones around whom
all of life spins its thread...
I offer my thanks for
the continuing fertility of the Earth...
May the blowing grain lose its seeds
to be buried in Mother Earth,
ensuring rebirth in the
warmth of the coming Spring...
I ask that you humbly accept my offering
of this bread and juice.
I offer it to Mother Earth,
and to her consort, the God.
And I ask that it may also be used to feed
the faeries of the fields and
the animals of the woodlands."
With these last words, place some of the bread and pour some juice into the libation bowl. Cup your hands around the offering (libation bowl) and say:
"I consecrate this offering
back to the Blessed Mother Nature from whom it came,
to her consort, the Great Horned God of Nature,
Her animals and Her fairy beings. Blessed Be.
Offerings given in love
return three times over.
Blessed Be this gathering,
the giver and the gift."
After a brief pause to catch your breath, continue with these words:
"All things have their Season.
Tonight the Wheel has brought us
to the Season of Harvest.
A time of beauty and time of toil.
A time to reflect on the Summer
and a time to prepare for the Winter ahead...
To everything there is a Season...
A time for every purpose under the heavens...
A time to be born... a time to die...
A time to plant... a time to harvest...
A time to destroy... a time to heal and rebuild...
A time to cry... a time to laugh...
A time to grieve... a time to dance...
A time for scattering stones... a time for gathering stones...
A time to embrace... a time to stay back...
A time to find... a time to lose...
A time for keeping... a time for throwing away...
A time to tear... a time to repair...
A time to keep silent... a time to speak up...
A time to love... a time to hate...
A time for war... a time for peace...
Blessed Be the Great Mother whose womb
contains and births all life.
Blessed Be the Grain God whose seed plants all life.
Blessed Be the grain of the Earth, and
Blessed Be this Season of Lughnassadh!"
Now is the time for meditation and any spellworkings you may need or desire to end your Sabbat celebration. Good Lammas spellworkings include: connectedness, career, health, and financial gain. If no spellwork is to be done at this time, then proceed with the Cakes and Ale Ceremony, followed by Releasing the Magick Circle.
(This ritual can be found here: http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/tigris/567/id21.htm)