Lammas/Lughnasadh Blessing
Category: Sabbats
Lammas History: Welcoming the Harvest
Updated April 29, 2019
At Lammas, also called Lughnasadh, the hot days of August are upon us, much of the earth is dry and parched, but we still know that the bright reds and yellows of the harvest season are just around the corner. Apples are beginning to ripen in the trees, our summer vegetables have been picked, corn is tall and green, waiting for us to come gather the bounty of the crop fields. Now is the time to begin reaping what we have sown, and gathering up the first harvests of grain, wheat, oats, and more.
This holiday can be celebrated either as a way to honor the god Lugh, or as a celebration of the harvest.
Celebrating Grain in Ancient Cultures
Grain has held a place of importance in civilization back nearly to the beginning of time. Grain became associated with the cycle of death and rebirth. The Sumerian god Tammuz was slain and his lover Ishtar grieved so heartily that nature stopped producing. Ishtar mourned Tammuz, and followed him to the Underworld to bring him back, similar to the story of Demeter and Persephone.
In Greek legend, the grain god was Adonis. Two goddesses, Aphrodite and Persephone, battled for his love. To end the fighting, Zeus ordered Adonis to spend six months with Persephone in the Underworld, and the rest with Aphrodite.
A Feast of Bread…
Making Fauna Pagans
Many people in the Neopagan movements use an interesting metaphor (or “clever” putdown) to describe people who are newer to Wicca and Paganism than they are, or who seem to have more sensitive ethical constraints on their magical (or even mundane) behavior than their critics claim to have. These critics call their targets, “Fluffy Bunny Pagans.” Sometimes the term used is “Bambi™ and Barbie™-Goddess Pagans,” implying a sickeningly sweet attitude about life in general and the Craft in particular. If someone’s image of the Horned God is Bambi™ and of the Goddess is Barbie™, others could reasonably assume that person is naive and shallow. Of course, I know several Pagans who are proud owners of the (very expensive) Sun Goddess Barbie™ and Moon Priestess Barbie™ dolls
Inhabitants of the Buffyverse know the overly enthusiastic, naive, and yet often dogmatic “newbie” Wiccans as “Blessed Wanna-Bes” and seem to believe that the character of Willow is a good example of what a Witch is supposed to be–although I’ve never met a Wiccan or any other kind of witch who could pull off the sorts of spells that Willow did on a regular basis.
To read the rest of this informative article please copy and paste this link into your browser http://www.neopagan.net/Making-Fauna-Pagans.html
Copyright © 2005 c.e., Isaac Bonewits. A shorter version of this was originally published by The Pagan Fluffy Rehabilitation Center at GaiaOnline.com, then posted at Witchvox.com. This text file may be freely distributed on the Net, provided that no editing is done, the version number is retained, and everything in this notice box is included. If you would like to be on one or more of Isaac Bonewits’ emailing lists, click here to get subscription information.
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Summer and Winter Solstice Gathering N.H. Sunday, June 21st S. H. Monday, June 22
Anyone is welcome to join us as we celebrate the Norther Hemisphere’s Summer Solstice/Litha and the Southern Hemisphere’s Winter Solstice/Yule.
The Summer Solstice was written by Elder PynkMoon who will also be leading it.
The Winter Solstice was written by Elder Priestress Hypatia. It will be led by Elder Dawn of the Day
WHEN:
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE: Sunday, June 21, 2020 Socializing starts at 4:00 PM CDT Circle Cast at 5:00 PM CDT
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE: Monday, June 22, 2020 Socializing starts at 7:00 AM AEST Circle Cast at 8:00 AM AEST
WHERE:
LITHA (SUMMER Solstice)
This Sabbat is dedicated to the powerful Sun God. We honor you this day and thank you for your gifts. You are the light over the crops, on the brightest day of the year. The heat that warms the Earth, and the bringer of life. We welcome and honor you this day of light.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
Make sure you have your altar decorated in the colors representing the Sun God
Yellow
Orange
Red
One red candle to light for the Sun God
Mediation music of your choice
Mediate 3 minutes to your favorite mediation music of your choice.
Type finished type done.
PYNKMOON: Now we may start our circle.
WINDS OF THE EAST
Come to me now, winds of the East
Whirl and twist until your Magick is ceased
Blow through my mind as the energy raise
Blow away clouds and blow away haze
Your circles is open your powers please lend.
Your presence is welcome I bid you come in.
FIRES OF THE SOUTH
Come to me now, Southernly fires
Warm light, pure thought, add flames to desires
Cleanse and purify all actions mundane
Protect the circle with your once light and flame
Your circle is open your powers please lend
Your presence is welcome bid you come in.
WATERS OF THE WEST
Come to me now, waters of the western port
Tides rise and fall, and all harm abort
Wash many troubles and wash away pain
Wash over my Spirits with ocean and rain
Your circle is opened your powers please lend
Your presence is welcomed bid you come in.
Earth of the North
Come to me now, earthly powers of the North
Lend your strength and stability, give me support
As your soil is fertile, your circle shall be
Nourish all works, as you nourish the tree
The circle is opened your powers please lend
Your presence is welcomed bid you come in.
DAWN of the DAY: I cast this circle three times three with the assistance of the Great Mother and the Great God.
I call Upon the Guardians of spirit to protect us from above and below. As is above so is below, as is below so is above. May the power of The Great God and The great Goddess join us within this circle now, to protect us and to work with us and allow us to see beyond the veil.
Protect us Great Mother and Great God for all gathered here and those afar who are unable to be with us. Allow no negative energy to touch us, to harm us and that nothing we call upon will harm us and others. We come together in perfect love and perfect trust.
Greeting:
Dawn of the Day and PynkMoon: Merry meet brothers and sisters and honored guests.
EVERYONE: Please answer with Merry Greet, your first or pagan name, state or country you are from. Please no last names, towns, villages, or city you live in.
EVERYONE: Light your red candle in honor of the Sun God
Then visualize what might come to pass
As you gaze into your candles flame
Mediate for three minutes
When finished type done
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE WINTER SOLSTICE – Led by Elder Dawn of the Day
EVERYONE: Please ALL light your main altar candle(s)
INVOCATIONS LED BY ELDER DAWN OF THE DAY
Yule- Southern Hemisphere
EVERYONE: All please say-
I light this fire in your honour Great Mother Goddess, you who have created life from death and warmth from cold. Once the time of the Sun lives. We invite you Great Mother to our circle, bring us brand new light, that of your glorious Son.
Ancient God of forest and sky. I welcome you as you return from the shadows. Ow Great Lord the wheel has turned, I welcome you back to warm us. Great Lord I welcome your return and may you shine brightly upon this Great Mother Earth.
I pray to you Great Mother and Father, be present here with your virtues, grant me my prayers, and give me what I need and only that.
All Hail!
Now we look to the Great Earth Mother, and the Sky God, as guardians of the sky, the sea and of all Gods and powers. Victory is in their name. You are the source of peoples and all Gods. Without you nothing can neither be born nor made perfect.
MAIN WORKING
Yule- Southern Hemisphere
Choose however many ribbons, string or motifs for each and every prayer and start placing them on the tree, branches or what other decoration you have chosen. During the ceremony choose no more than 3-4 prayers, you can add to this later if you choose.
Please type done when finished…
EVERYONE: All please say-
Lord of the Sun that rides the westerly wild wind. As the seeds flourish and the fall into the waiting earth. I know this to be a time of equals allowing nature’s scales to come into balance. As the dark winter shadows reveal the wheel-a-turning it unveils life’s glory through a deathly silence.
O Great Goddess, watcher of sacred magic and long gone myths, show me the way to great wisdom. Show me the way Great Goddess!
Let my mind and my hands be dedicated to the service of the God and the Goddess.
FAREWELLS LED BY ELDER DAWN OF THE DAY: Dismiss the circle:
EVERYONE: All please all say-
Mother Goddess, Lady of the Waters, I thank you for your presence and your blessings. May there be peace and honour between us now and forever. Hail and farewell Great Selene.”
Ancestors of blood and ancestors of spirit, I thank you for your presence and your blessings. May there be peace and honour between us now and forever. Hail and farewell.
Spirits of the land, spirits of this place, I thank you for your presence and your blessings. May there be peace and honour between us now and forever. Hail and farewell.
Thank you bright Lord for the light you have brought to us this night, may we carry it with us throughout the year that is coming.
Great Lady who is ever so gracious with her nurturing caring ways and infinite wisdom. Live within us throughout the coming year.
So mote it be!
FAREWELL LED BY ELDER PYNKMOON; Dismiss the Watchtowers
PYNKMOON: We give thanks to our Sun God, who joined us in our ritual today. We ask your return from where you came.
We give thanks to the Element of the East (Air) who lend its power in our ritual today. We ask your return from where you came.
We give thanks to the Element of the South (Fire) who lend its power in our ritual today.
We give thanks to the Element of the West (Water) who lend its power in our ritual today.
As you leave here tonight may the Lady and Lord bless you with all that you need and want. We ask your return from where you came.
We give thanks to the Element of the North (Earth) who lend its powers in our ritual today. We ask your return from where you came.
PYNKMOON: I thank everyone for being with us in our circle today.
DAWN of the DAY: I bid you Blessings and great Joy Brothers and sisters of the Craft.
Crafting Your Own Sacred Schedule – Part 7
(Parts 1, 3, 5,7 for this topic will be posted on Coven Life. Parts 2, 4, 6, 8 will be posted on Witches of The Craft)
Follow, Your Roots
Not only is it important to acknowledge the patterns of the land where you live, but you may also find exploring your roots very inspiring. Where are your ancestors from? What traditions and celebrations did they observe historically? You probably won’t find books on these subjects in the New Age section of the library or bookstore — instead you’ll want to wander over to anthropology and folklore sections. If a particular tradition or day really resonates, consider how you can sincerely explore it. Are the people who live in that area today still observing it? Can you find videos online of the festivities? It might be worth a trip to immerse yourself more and see what you can discover about your roots.
Copyright by Laura Tempst Zakroof Llewellyn;s Witches’ Datebook 2020 Pages 20 to 23
Crafting Your Own Sacred Schedule – Part 5
(Parts 1, 3, 5,7 for this topic will be posted on Coven Life. Parts 2, 4, 6, 8 will be posted on Witches of The Craft)
Family and Familiar Feasts
Is there a particular occasion that has been long celebrated in your family or has a speical place in your heart? Carry on that tradition then! Even if it is tied to a religious tradition that you no longer follow or is completely secular in origin, consider what makes that day special to you. Is the meaning rooted in who was in attendance, the time of year, or what meal was always served? Think about what spiritual or magical context that feast has for you now. Traditions survive through a healthy mixture of both preservation and change.
Copyright by Laura Tempst Zakroof Llewellyn;s Witches’ Datebook 2020 Pages 20 to 23
Crafting Your Own Sacred Schedule – Part 1
Parts 1, 3, 5,7 for this topic will be posted on Coven Life. Parts 2, 4, 6, 8 will be posted on Witches of The Craft
What days of the year are most important to you? Are you making a place for them in your practice, or are you by-passing them altogether? What makes your year go’ round? These are important points to consider when finding your life rhythm and setting a sacred schedule for your own Wheel of the Year.
All too frequently, new practitioners approach this path and feel they must absorb a whole new system directed by a book. That includes celebrating the Wheel of the Year down to the letter, even if it doesn’t make sense for your location, background, beliefs, myths, real life experiences, and so on. This approach can leave you feeling out of touch with what’s happening around you or even make you wonder if you’re doing witchery all wrong.
But there are very few hard and fast rules in Witchcraft — instead, they’re are many suggestions and recommended guidelines. The Wheel of the Year model, as it appears in most books over the last fifty years, is a relatively new construction pieced together from different traditions, I’m not pointing out this fact to knock the system — it does work well for many people. Yet it can be all to easy to forget that the Wheel of the Year is a guideline, not a rule to be adhered to religiously or exclusively. The intention behind its information is to give modern Pagans a cycle they can connect with. How you mark or celebrate the seasons, mythic changes, and important dates will depend heavily on the foundation of your personal practice.
Take into consideration that the popular version of the Wheel of the Year is heavily steeped in Celtic myth. What if you wish to delve into your Slavic, Japanese, or Brazilian heritage? Every culture has its own vibrant collection of myths and sacred days. Sometimes they overlap with the eight sabbats, similarly landing on solstices, equinoxes, or the cross-quarter days, but sometimes they don’t. For example, the Slavic/Russian sun-oriented fest of Kupala occurs in early July while Obon, a Japanese festival that honors the dead falls in mid-August.
There’s also the problematic trappings of culture that insists on separating the sacred from the secular. Big festivals and fest days help bring a community together, but that doesn’t mean they are more special or powerful than days that have a deep personal meaning in your own life. When we are able to see the correlations between the big moments and our day-to-day lives, we enhance our ability to connect with the world around us. The more we can honor and celebrate the seawsons in our own lives, the deeper our practic becomes.
Copyright by Laura Tempst Zakroof Llewellyn;s Witches’ Datebook 2020 Pages 20 to 23
wanderings of a witch
Study session by Dawn
Beltane is know as the fertility Esbate, it is the time for the earth to be transformed from the cold and rain of spring to the bright and sunny time of summer. The god is building his strength as the days grow longer and the crops strengthen to give us life through the winter and early spring. The animals are fertile and some are even up to their second or third litter of the year. I saw a fat robin this morning with a big worm in its beak and I was wondering how many little birds she has and how many times so far this year has she raised a brood. (Life is Good)
I love this time of year as the crops start to come up, we as a household will have a wonderful garden this year thanks to Deacon Charles Mead, the days are lengthening so you can work outside for a longer time as evident of the painting I did yesterday.
One of the positive items of this year with the Corona Virus is I have had time to do many home improvement projects to make the ole homestead look the best it has in years, and these will continue through the summer. Thank goodness for the time and the beautiful weather so i can do this for the people I love
I hope you all take a minute or two in the next couple of days and give thanks to Gaia for all her bounty, take your shoes off and walk through the newly green grass or even spread a blanket and lay down and look at the clouds. This is the time of Earth’s abundance take a minute and appreciate the gift in whatever manner you chose to, just know that report, phone call to the boss, work assignment can wait 10 minutes as you pause to enjoy life.
Dawn
Wheel of the Year
A Happy and Blessed Ostara or Mabon
Well, I just learned something new about the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere and the fall equinox in the southern hemisphere. Ostara the spring equinox is on Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 10:49 PM PM CT while Mabon the fall equinox is on Friday, March 20, 2020 at 2:49 PM AEDT in the southern hemisphere. Which means we are experiencing the equinoxes at the exact same time just in different time zones and because of the international date line on a different date.
When I read this I felt it covered more than just a blessing for Ostara and Mabon. I felt it was a blessing to carry with us all through the year.
Northern Brothers and Sisters: May what you sow this spring come to a bountiful harvest in the fall.
Southern Brothers and Sisters: May what you sowed in the spring be bring you a bountiful harvest this fall.
Remember we can sow different things for our own reasons they do not have to be something we plant in the ground and watch grow, they can be something we change in our lifestyle or in our spiritual or magickal path. Then when we harvest them they become part of us and who we are.
