Lughnassadh
ALTERNATE NAMES & SIMILAR OBSERVANCES:
Lugnasad, Lughnasadh (Irish), Lunasa (Scottish-Gaelic), Gwyl Galan Awst (Welsh) Lammas (Anglo-Saxon, "loaf-mass"), Festival of Lugh, Harvest Festival, August Eve, Thingtide (Teutonic)
circa August 1
There are a total of three harvest celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. Lughnassadh, The Autumnal Equinox, and Samhain. Lughnassadh begins around August 1, or astrologically when the Sun enters Leo at 15 degrees. This is one of the four Great Sabbats, a cross-quarter day, able to be used as an inverse weather predictor.
Lughnassadh is Celtic for "Commemoration of Lugh". A Celtic Sun God, Lugh was a smith, craftsman, writer, poet, historian, story-teller, musician, magician, physician, psychopomp, warrior and hero. He was the ruler of the Tuatha de Danann. Celebrations are played out as games of skill, strength and endurance. Artistic and creative abilities are always focused on, along with feasting upon the first fruits, veggies and grains of the year. These festival games originated as a funeral observance for Lugh's foster mother, Tailtiu, who is said to have died of exhaustion from preparing the fields for harvest.
Since grains are the first crops to be ready for harvesting, they are very prevalent in festivities and rituals. Many different recipes and crafts can be made with grain crops. A Harvest doll or Corn dolly is a doll of the embodied spirit of the crop made from the last sheaf of the harvest. Keep the doll to ensure a good crop for the following year.
Berries are another crop in full swing at this time, as well as many herbs and vegetables. Canning and preserving for the cold months begins now.
Correspondences
HERBS/FLOWERS/INCENSE:
Grains, Wood Aloes, Cyclamen, Fenugreek, Frankincense, Heather, Hollyhock, Myrtle, Oak, Rose, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Sunflower... seasonal herbs, flowers, fruits, veggies in your local area.
COLORS:
golden yellow, orange, gold, light brown, green
SYMBOLS/DECORATIONS:
corn dolls, kirn (corncob) dolls, grains, grain stalks, breads, berries, seasonal nuts, fruits and veggies, harvesting and threshing tools, sun wheels, cornucopias
FOODS:
corn bread(AKA Johnny Cake), grains, breads, cakes, berries, jams, jellies, preserves, pies, nuts, seasonal fruits and vegetables, beer, ale, cider, wine.
GODS & GODDESSES:
Lugh (Celtic), Llew/Lleu (Welsh), Lug, John Barleycorn (Scottish), The Green Man (Celtic), Dionysus (Greek), Mercury (Roman), Tailtiu (Celtic), Cerridwen (Celtic), Gaia/Gaea (Greek), Demeter (Greek), Ceres (Roman), Tera (Roman), Corn Mother (Native American) ~agricultural and grain deities~
RITUALS/ACTIVITIES:
prayers for abundance, harvesting crops (grains, fruits, veggies, herbs) for the coming year, canning, baking breads and cakes (make some in the shape of a man or sun to represent the God), making pies, wheat weaving, making grain dolls, craft festivals, harvest festivals, endurance games, handfastings (trial marriages), preparing for Autumn.
ANIMALS/CREATURES:
crows, ravens, eagles, griffins, phoenix, roosters, centaurs
GEMSTONES:
aventurine, citrine, peridot, sardonyx, yellow diamonds
TAROT CARDS:
Justice, Wheel of Fortune
© 2004 GypsyJaguar
Grains, Wood Aloes, Cyclamen, Fenugreek, Frankincense, Heather, Hollyhock, Myrtle, Oak, Rose, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Sunflower... seasonal herbs, flowers, fruits, veggies in your local area.
COLORS:
golden yellow, orange, gold, light brown, green
SYMBOLS/DECORATIONS:
corn dolls, kirn (corncob) dolls, grains, grain stalks, breads, berries, seasonal nuts, fruits and veggies, harvesting and threshing tools, sun wheels, cornucopias
FOODS:
corn bread(AKA Johnny Cake), grains, breads, cakes, berries, jams, jellies, preserves, pies, nuts, seasonal fruits and vegetables, beer, ale, cider, wine.
GODS & GODDESSES:
Lugh (Celtic), Llew/Lleu (Welsh), Lug, John Barleycorn (Scottish), The Green Man (Celtic), Dionysus (Greek), Mercury (Roman), Tailtiu (Celtic), Cerridwen (Celtic), Gaia/Gaea (Greek), Demeter (Greek), Ceres (Roman), Tera (Roman), Corn Mother (Native American) ~agricultural and grain deities~
RITUALS/ACTIVITIES:
prayers for abundance, harvesting crops (grains, fruits, veggies, herbs) for the coming year, canning, baking breads and cakes (make some in the shape of a man or sun to represent the God), making pies, wheat weaving, making grain dolls, craft festivals, harvest festivals, endurance games, handfastings (trial marriages), preparing for Autumn.
ANIMALS/CREATURES:
crows, ravens, eagles, griffins, phoenix, roosters, centaurs
GEMSTONES:
aventurine, citrine, peridot, sardonyx, yellow diamonds
TAROT CARDS:
Justice, Wheel of Fortune
© 2004 GypsyJaguar
References:
Starhawk, The Spiral Dance
Mike Nichols, The Witches' Sabbats
Raven Grimassi, The Wiccan Mysteries
Janet & Stewart Farrar, A Witches' Bible
D.J. Conway, Celtic Magic
Silver RavenWolf, To Ride a Silver Broomstick
Scott Cunningham, Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
Henry I. Christ, Myths and Folklore
Cliffs Notes on Mythology
Also see:
Magic - Wheel of the Year - Imbolg - Vernal Equinox - Beltane - Summer Solstice - Lughnassadh - Autumnal Equinox - Samhain - Winter Solstice - Days of the Week - Elemental Correspondences - The Moon - The Sun - Altars and Ritual Tools - A Basic Spell - True Love Spell - Ideal Career Spell - Protection - Herbs and Oils for Protection - Symbolism - Colors
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