Throwback Thursday: Looking forward to Lugh!

...Upon a singing Summer day,

At dawn on Lammastide

I saw the Craftsman smiling

On sunbeams he did ride

He brings us light and knowledge,

To help our fellow men

He sang, “Blessed Be and Blessed Be

And Blessed Be again!”

~ John Bethancourt

One of the reasons I love the sabbat of Lughnasadh so much is because it marks the downslope of summer and the very beginnng of my favorite season ~ fall! Lughnasadh, also known to some as Lammas, is essentially the first harvest of the year, followed by Mabon/Autumn Equinox the second harvest, and then finally Samhain which is the third and last harvest of the year.  Samhain, by the way, is my favorite sabbat celebration!

While the word Lammas translates to "loaf mass," Lughnasadh literally means, "the chase of Lugh." Lugh is a Celtic sun deity whose name means "shinning one" and is a god of the hunt. He was a master of the spear and a skilled craftsman who was known as a legend in battle. It is also worth noting that his name, Lugh, is old Irish/Gaelic for the month of August.

With this year's summer being by far the most hot and humid we have had in a long time, the start of fall will be a most welcome change indeed!

Solitary Lughnasadh Ritual

Items needed:

One tall Gold God Candle

One tall Silver Goddess candle

Sandalwood incense

Cauldron

loaf of bread

Chalice of wine or juice

cup of water

bowl of salt

athame and/or wand

4 corner candles

sunflowers

orange, yellow and green decorative votive candles

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(Cast circle and call the corners in your usual manner and then light the incense. Invoke God and Goddess) -

INVOCATION OF THE GOD: (light the tall GOLD candle)

"I now do call upon the eternal God in the ancient way, as God of the Grain,. You whom I call Father, Lord, Lover and Consort to the Lady, but above all the vital half within that brings completeness. May I carry your light always within me. As it is willed, so mote it be."

INVOCATION OF THE GODDESS: (light the tall SILVER candle)

"I now do call upon the eternal Goddess in the ancient way, as Corn Mother. You whom I call Mother Earth, Lady, Lover and Consort to the Lord, but most of all the vital half of life within that brings completeness. May I feel your love always within me. As it is willed, so mote it be."

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Lugh is a Celtic Sun God and the word, "Lughnasadh" simply means, "the chase of Lugh." Lammas is a more Christianized version of this sabbat and its' translation is "loaf mass."

"Tonight I honor our deities in Their aspects as the Grain God and the Corn Mother,

Blessed be this season of Lughnasadh and the bounty of the First Harvest,

Fruit of the womb of the Mother -

Blessed be Mother Earth,

Blessed be Father God!"

(Place one hand on your heart and say) -

"I am grateful for so many things which our gracious Lord and Lady have bestowed upon me. Our Father has generously given us His light and protection at Midsummer so that our loving Mother could bless us with Her essence once again."

(The Symbolic Great Rite) -

Pick up your athame and slowly dip it into the chalice of wine or juice while repeating:

"Chalice to athame

As Goddess is to God,

Father is to Mother

As man is to woman -

Behold the sacred union of The One!"

(Pick up the loaf of bread and say):

"I will count my many blessings on this sabbat of bounty."

(Break off a piece of the bread and then recite all the many things that you are thankful for. When finished, take a drink from the chalice. Then place the items back on the altar while saying) -

"Blessed be the fruitful Mother,

 Blessed be the God of the Harvest!"

(Set a piece of bread on a plate aside to give back to the Earth after ritual, then say) -

"I give this bounty of the land back to our Mother Earth and Her consort and ask that it be shared with the Faeries of the Fields and the animals of the woodland -

Offerings given in love return three-fold,

Blessed be this gift."

"I am a child of deity,

 I am part of the creative life force which moves the Universe;

 I am part of all that is.

Though we are apart, we are ever together -

For we are one in the spirit of the Goddess and God,

Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again -

Blessed be!"

(Close ritual, thank the deities and open the circle - remembering to give back to the Earth)