Lughnasadh is
the first of three harvest Sabbats. As it is a harvest, the God figures
more
prominently
here than the Goddess, though she, too, is revered and thanked for bringing
the fruits
of harvest.
The altar and circle can be decorated with sheaves of grains such as barley,
oats or
wheat. Fruits
are appropriate, as are breads. In fact, bread may take the place of crescent
cakes
and cider instead
of wine in the simple feast. The corn dolly that was woven at Imbolc may
take
her place on
the Lughnasadh altar as well. The altar cloth shall be red, and the Altar
candles shall
be orange.
Lay out your altar with all your usual tools, light the altar candles and
the incense, and
cast the sacred
circle. Then invoke the God and the Goddess. Lift some of the grain in
your hand
as you stand
before the altar, facing East. Say:
"Now is the
first harvest of the year, the time when the fruits of nature give of
themselves
that we may survive. Now, as the God prepares for death, may his sacrifice
help us to
understand and accept the sacrifices we must make in our own lives. Now,
as
the Goddess
enters cronehood, may she whisper her secrets and Magick in our ears, that
we may put
them to good use, and not misuse."
Rub the heads
of the grain with your fingers so that the grains fall onto the altar.
This is a ritualized
version of
the threshing of grain, an act considered sacred in pre-Christian Ireland.
Then lift a piece
of fruit, and
take a bite out of it, savoring it. Say:
"I partake of
the fruits of the first harvest, that it's energies might aid mine in my
search
for wisdom,
goodness, and perfection. Oh Goddess of the moon, Mother of all, oh Lord
of
the sun, Father
to everything, I thank thee for the bounty you have given me. May I
always remember
to harm none, and may my actions please you always."
Eat the rest
of the fruit. Works of Magick may follow. Feasting may follow the ritual,
with
appropriate
foods such as breads, berries, crab apples, and any locally ripe produce.
After any
such activities
are finished, banish the sacred circle.