Lughnasadh is Right Around The Corner

Hello and Blessed Be!

Lughnasadh (also know as Lammas) is right around the corner (taking place anwhere from tomorrow to Tuesday the 6th depending on how you calculate the day(s)), so I thought I would share with you some information on this holiday and how I plan to celebrate it. Lughnasadh is the first of the Wiccan harvest festivals (though it is celebrated by other Pagans too) and in Wiccan lore marks the time when we can clearly witness the beginning of the death of the Sun God. His death can be seen through the earlier sunsets, cooler nights, and the vast amount of produce coming into season during this time.

Even though the God is dying this is a time to celebrate because the seeds planted during Imbloc (physical, mental, and spiritual) are becoming ready to harvest. While the trend now days is to celebrate this holiday on August 1st or 2nd its actual date is the day that lies halfway between the Summer Solstice (Midsummer/Litha) and the Autumnal Equinox (Mabon) which lands on either August 5th or 6th depending on how you count. Originally this holiday would have been celebrated when much of the produce became ready to harvest and the date would vary widely year to year. However you choose to calculate the date for this holiday there are some key themes involved in most Lughnasadh celebrations.

Primarily this holiday is a time for food and community; and fairs, farmers' markets, and craft shows are great embodiments of this theme. If one of these is happening during this time somewhere near you I encourage you to check it out, spend some time with friends or family, sample the foods, browse the wares and in general have fun.  As part of my Lughnasadh celebration I will be attending a Renaissance Faire and Art Festival and am greatly looking forward to the elephant ears, handcrafted wares, and spending time with my friends. Another good way to celebrate this day is to look into what is coming into season in your area (both farm grown and wild) and then using some of these fresh ingredients to make dinner for your friends of family.

The other main theme of this holiday is death and growth. The Sun God is dying but he is doing so willingly so that the people will grow and prosper (though the harvest of fruits, grains, and veggies). This is a prime time to witness how some things must die so that others can grow. Produce is harvested to feed a family, a rabbit is killed to feed the coyotes, a tree falls so that smaller plants may receive light and grow, all of these are reminders of how we are all part of the never ending cycle of life, death, and rebirth. This theme of death is what has lead to the burning of the "wicker man" that many Pagan groups take part in this time of year. The "wicker man" is usually made of stick, grasses, and/or corn husks and represents the God. People either then fill him with thanks and their hopes of what will bear fruit in their lives (either by speaking it or placing a slip of paper in him) or by filling him with all the things they wish to be rid of, either way the "wicker man" is then lit and a party or feast begins.

If you can't do anything else this Lughnasadh I encourage you to get out and spend some time in nature. Take note of which plants are flowering, are their any berries that are ripe, and what plants have gone to seed. Remember that as one life ends, another begins, and still another continues, summer may be coming to an end but it is glorious while it lasts so give thanks and go have fun :) And as usual I would love to hear from you, what are your plans, do you have any past Lughnasadh experiences you would like to share?