Lammas/ Lughnasadh / 1st harvest
Lammas is a harvest festival. The first of 3. depending on your persuasion, this is either a Celtic memorial of the death of the God Lugh (word for ‘light’), Sun God, or It is an agricultural association with the turning of the Wheel of the year, another festival of fire and light, and of reaping what you’ve sown at the beginning of the year. To some it is a celebration of both. To the Anglo-Saxons it was known as HLafmas or loaf mass. Lugh transforms his energies to that of the grain, and is sacrificed while the crops are harvested, much the same as the legend of John Barleycorn the anthropomorphism of the grain. This energy is placed into the grain, which when harvested is created into the first bread of the season. Some of the seed is also retained for planting the following year. Lammas celebrates the first fruit of the year’s harvest, thus seeing the fruits of your labour from the very beginning of the year. This is a time of manifestation and celebration of accomplishments.
There are many mythological associations to this festival, of which only a handful will be discussed, due to the immensity of information and variety of associations.
Legend
(credits : Unknown)
Lugh
In ancient Celtic mythological Ireland, the Fir Bog had been defeated by the Tuatha Dē Danann, who were defeated by the Formonians, whose king was Balor of the Evil eye. Prophesy told of Balor’s grandson who would slay him and rule the land. To prevent this from happening Balor imprisoned his only child, his daughter Eithne to a tower, with 12 female guards under orders not to permit or discuss men in the presence of Eithne. Each night she would look from her tower out to sea, she would dream the face of a man she had never met.
Balor was a Pirate, who wished to own the great cow Glas Gnoibhneann, who belonged to Cian a lord of the Tuatha Dē Danann. The cow was said to have never run dry and was precious to Cian, who took her everywhere. He was cautious of those who wished to steal her. Balon disguised himself on several occasions to achieve his goal, which he eventually achieved. Balon took the great cow back to his own lands.
Cian approached the druids and asked for advice, but because of Balon’s poisonous eye which would kill all it looked upon, they could not help him. One Druid, however, named Birog disguised Cian as a woman and cast a spell on them both to travel to Balor’s lands across the sea. Upon arrival, Birog and Cian approached the tower in which Eithne was imprisoned. They asked for shelter and were offered it from the female guards. Birog cast a sleeping spell upon them and revealed Cian’s identity. Cian climbed the staircase to Eithne, whom he saw longingly looking out of the window, he fell in love with her beauty. When Eithne turned, she saw the face that she had been dreaming of all of her life and she too fell in love. They made love in the tower and Lugh was conceived. Cian wished for Eithne to be returned with him, but in fear of Balor, Birog cast a spell which took Cian home without his love.
The story differs here depending on author. Eithne gave birth to triplets, two of which were killed by their grandfather, but Lugh survived. However, Lugh was cast into the sea seemingly dead to all, Birog, who had waited her time, snatched the baby from the waves, taking him home to his father. Cian fostered his son to Tailtiu, daughter of the king of the great Plain & Echaid the Rough.
Lugh was taught a great many things which he mastered. He was taught to smith and many epithets describe his other talents; Lugh of the Long Arm, due to his swordsmanship; boy hero, Lugh of the skilful hand, due to his mastery of smithery and the arts. Lugh became known as a fierce warrior and eventually god of the sun.
His story continues with how Lugh visited the Halls of Tara, the seat of Nuada the high king of the Tuatha Dē Danann. To gain entry to court Lugh had to prove his excellence in one of the relevant skills which the guard had asked of him, all of which had previously been proven by others separately. Lugh asked the guard if they had anyone who showed outstanding skill in each, smith, wright, craftsman, swordsman, harpist, poet, historian, sorcerer, physician & champion. After consideration, Lugh was permitted to enter the Hall of the king.
During the 2nd battle of Mag Tuireadh against Balor & the Formonians, king Nuada was killed in battle by Balor. Lugh was given charge over the army of Tuatha Dē Danann, going into battle against his grandfather. Balor began to open his poisonous eye in an attempt to kill his enemies, but Lugh killed Balor with a slingshot to the eye….thus fulfilling the prophesy.
Lugh went on to become high king of the Tuatha Dē Danann. He found the half Formonian former king of the Tuatha Dē Danann, cowering, beaten and scared. Lugh offered to spare Brēs life if he shared his agricultural knowledge of sowing, reaping and ploughing, which he did. Armed with this knowledge, Lugh reigned in Ireland for many years. He created a festival in honour of his foster mother Tailtiu . Falling around 1st August, named Lughnasadh, Festival of Lugh, it celebrated corn, grain, breads and the fruits of the first harvest.
To this day Lughnasadh is still celebrated with bonfires, singing and dancing.
The Goddess & God
credits: Theoi.com
The Goddess becomes the mother of the harvest. In her grain mother aspect she is carrying a sheath of corn, a cornucopia or a sycthe. She is strong, healthy, abundant & she glows for the harvest of the land. She is harvest mother, Earth mother, harvest queen.
The Sun god is now waning and his strength lessens with the waning sun. It is at this time of year that we notice the days have become a little shorter. In this we recognise that we have entered into the waning section of the year. The Sun God gives his strength to the crops and in this act, sacrifices himself for both a good harvest & blesses the next years crops. The fullness & fulfilment of the present harvest holds the seed of future harvests.
The union of the God & Goddess has produced 1st harvest. Grain has been an important part of agriculture through time immemorial & is associated with the cycle of death & rebirth.
There are many Goddesses & ancient mythology associated with Harvest. Ceres/ Demeter & Kore/Persephone; Demeter mourned her daughter’s disappearance so deeply that the Earth stopped producing and began to die. Zeus could not placate her grief, so he sent Hecate to retrieve her from Hades in the underworld, so that she would live 6 months of the year with her mother, during the sowing and growing season and the other 6 months in the underworld. Demeter is corn mother & represents the ripe corn of the harvest. Persephone is the representation of the seed which drops back to the earth, hides during the winter and reappears in Spring as new growth.
The Sumerian god Tammuz was slain and his lover Ishtar grieved so deeply for him that nature stopped producing. In her grief Ishtar followed Tammuz to the underworld to bring him back.
The Greek grain god Adonis was the point of affection and battle between Aphrodite & Persephone. To prevent further disharmony, Zeus decreed that Adonis would live 6 months with Aphrodite and the latter 6 months with Persephone in the underworld. Adonis is known as the god of dying summer vegetation and is reborn each year.
Ancestors
Credits: AS Manx as the Hills
Lammas is a day to honour Lugh, the Celtic craftsman god. He is honoured in many ways, mostly in Britain & Europe.
Ancient harvesting was a matter of survival for the community. If the crops were left too long, the bread not baked in time, people would starve. Taking good care of crops was the difference between life and death. It was considered bad luck to harvest before 1st August, as it symbolised that last years crops didn’t last, thus affecting the local community. On 1st August the 1st sheaf was cut by the farmer and by the evening the 1st loaf had been baked by his wife. The last sheaf of the field was placed back into the field as a sacrifice for the new agricultural season and to ensure a good harvest the following year. As the grain harvest is gathered, there is food for the community, throughout the winter months. Within that harvest is the seed that continues next years rebirth, regeneration & harvest.
When celebrating Lammas, we honour our ancestors, their hard work, their acts of survival. It is a good time to show gratitude for the abundance we have in our lives. It is time for transformation, rebirth & new beginnings.
The legend of John Barleycorn
Credits: http://amethjera.blogspot.com/2016/07/john-barleycorn-and-other-legends-for.html
John Barleycorn is the anthropomorphism of grain. He is the living spirit of the corn or grain. The traditional English harvest legend of birth, suffering, death & rebirth. He represents a crop of Barley harvested each Autumn. He symbolises the products made from the Barley harvest such as Beer & Whiskey. His character endures the variety of trials and tribulations associated with the cyclical nature of agriculture.
There are many adaptations of the legend of John Barleycorn, but the most famous is the Robert Burns version of 1782:
There was three kings into the east,
Three kings both great and high,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn should die.
They took a plough and plough'd him down,
Put clods upon his head,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn was dead.
But the cheerful Spring came kindly on,
And show'rs began to fall;
John Barleycorn got up again,
And sore surpris'd them all.
The sultry suns of Summer came,
And he grew thick and strong;
His head weel arm'd wi' pointed spears,
That no one should him wrong.
The sober Autumn enter'd mild,
When he grew wan and pale;
His bending joints and drooping head
Show'd he began to fail.
His colour sicken'd more and more,
He faded into age;
And then his enemies began
To show their deadly rage.
They've taen a weapon, long and sharp,
And cut him by the knee;
Then tied him fast upon a cart,
Like a rogue for forgerie.
They laid him down upon his back,
And cudgell'd him full sore;
They hung him up before the storm,
And turned him o'er and o'er.
They filled up a darksome pit
With water to the brim;
They heaved in John Barleycorn,
There let him sink or swim.
They laid him out upon the floor,
To work him farther woe;
And still, as signs of life appear'd,
They toss'd him to and fro.
They wasted, o'er a scorching flame,
The marrow of his bones;
But a miller us'd him worst of all,
For he crush'd him between two stones.
And they hae taen his very heart's blood,
And drank it round and round;
And still the more and more they drank,
Their joy did more abound.
John Barleycorn was a hero bold,
Of noble enterprise;
For if you do but taste his blood,
'Twill make your courage rise.
'Twill make a man forget his woe;
'Twill heighten all his joy;
'Twill make the widow's heart to sing,
Tho' the tear were in her eye.
Then let us toast John Barleycorn,
Each man a glass in hand;
And may his great posterity
Ne'er fail in old Scotland!
(http://www.robertburns.org/works/27.shtml)
Magical associations
Credits: Sabbat.com
Activities: Corn dollies, bread making, colour magic, home protection magic
Goddesses: Harvest and grain goddesses; Demeter & Ceres
Gods : Sun Gods, Gods associated with grain and vegetation
Trees : Hazel, Gorse, Elder
Herbs : Meadowsweet / Queen of the Meadow/ Bridewort/ Bride of the Meadow sacred to the druids and often worn in Lammas garlands or wedding circlets & bouquets, also used for love spells,
Mint, revered by Druids. Properties of protection & healing. Used for drawing abundance & prosperity
Calendula, Parsley, Basil and all grains which represent potential and fulfilment.
Colours for the altar:
Every shade of the sun and harvest-time from gold to yellow to deep orange
Golds yellows and oranges for the god
Red for the mother goddess
Decor for the Altar:
Wheat, grains, corn dolly, bread, sunflowers & Calendula, Besom.
Sickles & scythes; grapes & vines; dried grains, sheaves of wheat, bowls of oats; corn dolls made from husks; early Autumn vegetables such as pumpkins, squashes; late summer fruit such as apples , plums & peaches.
Ritual / spell
Take your besom and decorate with gold and green ribbons representing abundance & prosperity. add a sprig of mint.
Concentrate your intention whilst sweeping toward your front door. Repeat these words 3 times:
“By one, two, three & four, sweep Lammas gifts to my door. May abundance be a constant friend, by my hearth til winter’s end”
Place the besom back near the hearth or heat of the home.
I take this opportunity to send you Lammas blessings. May your harvest be fruitful and may the seeds produced better your harvest next year.
Thank you for reading this article. All credits are shown at the end of this article.
In Gratitude, Love & light
Sheela
x
Credits:
Green, M.1991, A calendar of festivals, Element Books, Shaftesbury, Dorset.
Mitchell, M. Hedgewitch Book of days,2014, Weiser books, Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC, San Francisco
www.spiritfold.co.uk
Goddessandthegreenman.co.uk
Thoughtco.com
theCelticjourney.com
Bardmythologies.com/lugh
http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usma&c=holidays&id=3558