A Greater Sabbat and an Earth Cross-Quarter Day

Northern Hemisphere July 31st

Southern Hemisphere February 2nd

Seasonal Relevancy

Some of the flowers are already beginning to fade while the late bloomers are coming into their fullness. The new life that came in spring is fast developing toward adulthood and we’re beginning to see the outcomes of the fertile energies sewn earlier in the seasonal cycle and year.

This festival celebrates the first harvest being brought in from the fields and from the fruit trees and so rituals tend to focus on the theme of harvest.

Mythological Relevancy

Lughnasadh (pronounced ‘Loo-nar-sar) is in honour of the Celtic Sun God Lugh and marks how he sacrifices his life so that the fruits can ripen and the crops can grow toward their harvests. Lugh is a God of harvest and light.

Popular Rituals

Bake bread from many different grains to honour the harvest and celebrate the food of the Gods.

A Contemporary Lughnasadh/Lammas Ritual

Everyone should begin gathering at the ritual site late in the afternoon so that the ritual can commence close to sunset. The circle is to be is to be marked out with a trail of grain. The altar is to be decorated with the flowers that are currently in season (Iris, Lilies, Frangipani, Lavender, Jasmine etc) and with the bread rolls that each person has been asked to bring with them. Cakes and ale should be small bread rolls and red wine.

Each person is to bring with them their ingredients for Summer Pudding (see below).

Cast the circle as normal if there are no visitors present, otherwise, omit the circle casting.

The ritual leader commences by explaining Lammas; “Lammas is an ancient Celtic Fire festival that celebrates the first grain harvest of the season and also marks the turning point between summer and the commencement of autumn. In times gone by, people would have used this opportunity to give thanks for the bounty of the harvest and to begin the preparations for the coming dark, winter months. Winter was a harsh time when many animals and people did not survive either because of the cold, through hunger or through illness. The harvest was therefore extremely important because the grain helped ensure adequate supplies of food through those coming months”.

“Lammas comes from the Anglo Saxon word, “Hlafmas” or loaf-mass and shows us that a thousand years ago, the grain crops were of immense importance to the ongoing survival of village life. “Many cultures across the globe celebrate a similar concept at this time. The Irish honour the solar God Lugh with their Lughnasadh festival. Lugh was the King of the Tuatha de Danann, the God of light and of the harvest and this festival marks the point at which he begins to die in sacrifice to ensure an abundant crop. The Scots call this event Lunasduinn, the French honour the God Lugus while even the Christians adopted this festival to celebrate St Peter’s release from prison.”

“As a celebration of the grain harvest that delivers increased opportunity to survive the coming months, bread is the icon of Lammas. Bread is the product of the grain and thus the embodiment of continued life. Christians see bread as the body of Christ while Greek mythology sees bread as a symbol of mortality. Bread, like wine, is a food substance that undergoes a fermentation process and as such bread, and wine, are separated from the usual fruits of the harvest which need little preparation before consumption. Apples, oranges, nuts, berries, vegetables and many other fruits of the land can be eaten almost straight from the tree, the vine, the bush or the ground. They may require washing or even simple cooking but grain and grapes undergo a process of modification in order to become the revered produce they are and this process symbolises civilisation, community and the intellectualisation of man.”

“Bread is thus the symbol of life, of man’s ability to survive but also of the separation between the immortal world of the Gods and the mundane and harsh world of mortal man.”

“As we celebrate this festival, let us each consider what we have to be grateful for today. What are the things you are reaping now that you began last year? What are the bounties that you are grateful for? What are the blessings that have enriched your life? Moreover, what are the things you need to do now in order to prepare for the darkness of winter? What are the things you must think about that will bring you happiness and peace during the next six months? What processes do you need to start right now that will help you reach your goals?”

At this point each person present is given a bread roll from those that were placed on the altar prior to the commencement of the ritual.

The ritual leader says; “Each of you has brought to this rite some bread which is a symbol of enduring life. The bread you hold in your hand is like the bread that came from the grain harvests which enabled our ancestors to live through the extremes of winter. The Irish-Gaelic God Lugh gave his life for the harvest so that the cycle of life could continue. Break your bread in half now and before you take a bite, consider the bounty that you have for which you can be grateful. If you would like, please share your thoughts of thanks.”

Each person can then share what they are grateful for with the group and take a bite of their bread roll.

The ritual leader now continues; “While each of us has issues of concern and problems that we face, the likelihood that we will die from starvation or cold through the winter is not strong. We are blessed to be part of a community that has bread, that has heating, supermarkets, jobs, money, transport. It may not always be a bed of roses, but we are blessed more than many others. Take one more bite of your bread and as you do, give thoughts to those who do not share in your blessings.”

Each person can take one more bite in silent contemplation.

The ritual leader completes this ritual task by asking the group to place their left over bread roll pieces back in the altar bowl and explains that these left over pieces will go to feed the local chickens and birds so contributing to the continued cycle of life.

Consecrate and then have the cakes and ale then close the circle. Follow up by making Summer Puddings together.

The ritual leader says; “While grains are abundant now, so too are berries. The supermarkets are awash with blueberries, mulberries, blackberries, strawberries and so on. The season is brief and the fruits are so yummy that it would be a shame not to incorporate these into our Lughnasadh/Lammas event. So each person is going to make a Summer Pudding using the berries, bread and bowls they brought with them. (To help with this, a recipe is included below.)

                The ritual leader explains how to make the pudding and why it is significant; “The berries are abundant now but the season will be over within the month. The redcurrants, strawberries, raspberries and so on are the colour of dark fire, the colour of the fire Gods, the colour of blood which is the universal liquid of life. The bread that surrounds the berries within the pudding bowl incorporates the bread aspect of this festival and envelops the berry red blood of life within a symbolic bread shell of enduring life. The Summer Pudding is thus our symbol of survival.”

“Once made, the pudding will then chill in the fridge overnight so that it becomes solid and edible and this storage reflects how the grain of our ancestors was stored to be consumed later.  Our Summer Pudding is thus a tribute to our past and a way to connect with the fruits of our harvest.”

This should be a joyous and fun filled occasion given the abundance of life around us and the promise of enough food through winter so as everyone makes the Summer Puddings, they can sing along with the old Celtic folksongs that so often told the stories of these times.  

Summer Pudding Recipe (Courtesy of Delia Smith)

Serves 6

• 8 oz (225 g) redcurrants
• 4 oz (110 g) blackcurrants
• 1 lb (450 g) raspberries
• 5 oz (150 g) caster sugar
• 7-8 medium slices white bread from a large loaf
•  You will also need a 1½ pint (850 ml) pudding basin, lightly buttered. 

Separate the redcurrants and blackcurrants from their stalks by holding the tip of each stalk firmly between finger and thumb and sliding it between the prongs of a fork pushing the fork downwards, so pulling off the berries as it goes. Rinse all the fruits, picking out any raspberries that look at all musty. Using the very freshest, unmarked fruits will ensure a much tastier and appealing pudding.

Place the fruits with the sugar in a large saucepan over a medium heat and let them gently cook for about 3-5 minutes, only until the sugar has dissolved and the juices begin to run – don't overcook and so spoil the fresh flavour. Once cooked, now remove the fruit from the heat, and line the pudding basin with the slices of bread, overlapping them and sealing well by pressing the edges of the slices together. Fill in any gaps with small pieces of bread, so that no juice can get through when you add the fruit.

Pour the fruit and juice in (except for about two thirds of a cupful which will be used later), then cover the pudding with another slice of bread. Then place a small plate or saucer (one that will fit exactly inside the rim of the bowl) on top, and on top of that place a 3 lb or 4 lb (1.3 kg or 1.8 kg) weight, and leave in the fridge overnight. This ensures the pudding is compressed and soaks up the fruit juice.

Just before serving the pudding, turn it out on to a large serving dish and spoon the reserved juice all over it, to soak into any bits of bread that still appear to look white. Serve the pudding, cut into wedges, along with a bowl of whipped, thickened cream on the table. Leftovers can be refrigerated for later use and these will keep several days if stored appropriately.

Smiles and blessings, Amethyst