by Gwinevere Rain
Lughnasadh is the first of three Wiccan "harvest festivals" of the Sabbats. As the grain harvest festival it represents the offerings of mother Goddess (nature) and they dying (sacrificing) God. There are several deities that can be worked with and honored on this day but the two often cited are Gaia and Lugh. Gaia is the goddess of the earth and Lugh a celtic God of light.
If you choose to mark the day with a ritual, consider researching these deities or similar archetypes if you would like to draw upon a higher power.
During this stop on the Sabbat cycle (or wheel of the year), spiritually we seek to be thankful for that which we've obtained and also start to shed any negatives in our lives.
Author and Copper Moon writer Gede Parma contributed to the Llewellyn's Sabbats almanac, writing an article called The Grain Harvest. He writes, "This is a time to share with family, and to indulge in the gifts of Mother Earth, the first harvest blessings." He discusses the mythology associated with the holiday and offers information on creating and using Corn Dollies.
If you'd like to create a ritual: learn about symbols linked to the day, read other peoples rituals, look for unifying themes, consider colors, scents, food ideas and craft suggestions.
Pagan Pages offers straight forward correspondences to help you create your own ritual.
Most of all, just enjoy. Whether you go all out with an ornate ritual or simply light a candle and meditate on the meaning behind the day - feel the power within and all around you. Things are changing and the wheel keeps turning!
Related:
Last year SteelWitch wrote a great piece called "Lammas Ritual Feast – For a Solitary or Group." It incorporates a bit of Kitchen Witchery!
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