Lammas Gathering
Lammas Gathering
Yesterday afternoon myself, Derry and a group of lovely people all got together and learnt how to prepare for the Wiccan sabbat Lammas (sometimes knows as Lughnasad)
As always we start any spiritual or magickal working by opening a circle. These are cast to create a safe and protected space in which we can do our magickal workings. It offers protection from negative energies and entities that may want to cause mischief within our energy field. The circle also acts as a core of power and once the circle is cast it creates a boundary of energy around it, leaving us able to perform rituals, meditate, spell work, or even singing and dancing! All of which will will raise the energy.
There are various ways to cast a circle. Before everyone arrived I cleansed and blessed the space with incense and placed Clear Quartz (healer and amplifier) & Black Tourmaline (protection) crystals in all four corners of the room.
You can also use your mind to push out negative energies or a besom or broom to sweep them away.
After we cast the circle, we went into a guided meditation that Derry had written specifically for Lammas. This helps us to channel the energy of what we will be working on and help us to relax for the afternoon ahead.
We moved on then to the information part of the evening:
After a brief moment to stretch our legs, but being mindful not to break the circle (look out for a blog coming soon on opening/closing circles), I took a moment to read through some information on what Lammas was and which crystals were particularly beneficial for this sabbat.
Lammas, also known as Lughnassadh, is a pagan holiday and one of the eight Wiccan sabbats during the year. Each sabbat marks a seasonal turning point. This sabbat occurs on August 1, which is about halfway between the summer solstice (Litha) and the autumn equinox (Mabon). This holiday celebrates the grain harvest.
In early Ireland, it was not good to harvest grain before Lammas. If you did harvest before then, that meant that that the harvest from the previous year ran out before the next harvest was ready. This meant that the farmers would have failed in providing for their community. On Lammas, the first sheaves of grain were cut, and by that night, the first loaves of bread for the season would have been baked. The word Lammas comes from an Old English phrase that translates to “loaf mass.” In early Christianity, the first loaves of the season were blessed by the church during mass.
In some traditions, this day honors the Celtic god, Lugh. This celebration of the god, Lugh is referred to as Lughnasad (pronounced Loo-NAS-ah). Lugh is the god of craftsmanship; he is skilled in many things, including blacksmithing, wheel making, and fighting. There is some discrepancy as to why Lugh is honoured on this day. Some tales say that this is the date of Lugh’s wedding feast. Other stories say it is because he held a harvest fair in honour of his foster mother, Tailtiu, on this date.
Lammas is a bitter-sweet time, as we are surrounded by the abundance of the summer’s bounty, yet becoming more aware by the day that we are heading back into the dark time of the year.
It is a time to celebrate what you have achieved this year – remembering the seeds you planted, the intentions you set, at Imbolc – and harvesting the fruits of your success.
No doubt you’ll have experienced some challenges, unexpected twists and turns, in the last few months, but if you take some time to review your goals, you’ll probably be surprised at what, or how much, you have achieved. Lammas, the first harvest, is the time to slow down, take time to rest and retreat, take stock of what you’ve manifested and what is still to come.
It is important to note that this year‘s Lammas also falls on the first full moon in August, which is known as the sturgeon moon and is in the zodiac sign Aquarius.
The community-conscious Aquarius Full Moon reminds us that we are part of something larger than ourselves, and that acting on our ideas and ideals will benefit everyone. It is a time to give back to the community.
“Know Yourself, Trust Yourself” is Aquarius’s message. Recognise your gifts and get ready to share what you harvest with the world.
During Lughnasadh, crystals with the deepest orange are highly considered. Your choice of crystal will depend upon what you wish to manifest. Orange coloured crystals have been used throughout history to bring prosperity and abundance into one’s life.
The following are a selection I believe are useful for this particular sabbat.
Carnelian
This deep orange stone nourishes you by pulling energy into your energy field (otherwise known as your aura). Just as we sustain the physical body by enjoying the results of a bountiful harvest, we also must nourish the energy body. Lammas is about enjoying the fruits of your labour due to the effort you’ve put in earlier in the year. Carnelian helps you do this in your own life by encouraging joyful activities related to creativity or the emotions (like art, dancing or even sex!). Taking part in these pleasurable activities helps to recharge your energy body.
Citrine
This sun-coloured crystal brings joyful energies to the table at this time. Although the time the sun is in the sky starts to become less during this period, the summer is still not yet over. Citrine reminds us of this and brings powerful energies of gratitude and prosperity our way. Rather than holding on to the summer, this stone highlights that the sun is always there to energise us, even as we move into the winter months and it becomes less visible.
As we move towards autumn and winter, symptoms of depression, in particular seasonal affective disorder, can become more prominent, which is where Citrine can help. It can help lift the mood and energy levels by channeling the energies of the sun.
Of course it’s is not just orange crystals that are beneficial for Lammas. Some others could include:
Moss Agate
Known as ‘the gardener’s stone’, it is an excellent choice of crystal for boosting plant growth. It has a strong association with natures spirits and is used to attract prosperity and abundance. Moss agate can help you tune into the energies present in your garden, vegetable plot, or field of crops. This stone can be hung from tree branches, buried in plant pots, or placed on the ground to help promote a healthy and bountiful harvest.
Moonstone
Moonstone has a soothing energy that can boost the growth of plants, trees, and flowers. It is associated with the moon, intuition, and fertility. This crystal is sometimes known as the ‘stone of new beginnings,’ and its energy reminds us that everything is part of the ever-changing cycle of life. Moonstone can be used to understand and let go of old emotional patterns that no longer serve us or that have led to negative experiences in the past.
At Lammas, you can even take some crystals and place them near plants or even in plant pots. The energy of the crystals will flow into the soil and feed the plants.
You could place a piece of smoky quartz next to a plant if you want to encourage it to grow bigger. Likewise, a sunstone near sunflowers could allow them to grow bigger and give more seeds.
After another little stretch, we then went into the practical part of the day. These bits are always the most fun and gives us a chance to put the energies we have already built up into our work, as well as sharing stories and connecting with one another.
Firstly, I asked everybody to help me create a gratitude affirmations jar. I asked everyone to write 5 gratitude affirmations each on a piece of paper and place them into the jar.
For example:
I am grateful for the things in my life that bring me joy and comfort.
or
I appreciate the small steps I achieve each day.
We then each blessed the jar and its contents with our energies that we had been working to build within the magic circle we had cast. After this was done, we sealed the jar with the lid, and I will be leaving this on the till desk for any future customers to pick out an affirmation when they need it most. This is a simple task to do but can be very effective. It could make a lovely gift for somebody, maybe a friend or a loved one who sometimes needs a little pick me up some days. And in the spirit of the Aquarian Full Moon, a lovely way to give back to the community.
Next, we learnt how to make corn dollies.
Corn Dollies have been around for thousands of years with many designs dating back to pagan times (around 4000 years BC) together with the evidence of the existence of carvings on old tombs looking very much like plaited straw work in Egypt at least 6000 years BC.
The folklore and history behind Corn Dollies is very varied but the basic idea behind them is that the ancient people believed that this spirit became homeless when the fields were harvested and barren and thus the corn dolly was a way of giving the corn-spirit a comfortable home until the following spring. Today, Wiccans adapt the corn dolly representation on two major holidays including Lughnasadh and Imbolc.
Men and women, according to some folklore, would also make small Corn Dollies. They would give them to their sweethearts as love tokens, these were known as Favours or Harvest Knots and would have been worn as a buttonhole.
The corn dolly would represent promises, hopes for the coming season. Some people include a space in their altar or the hearth in order to allow the spirit of the grain to ward off the times which were lean. The magic power of the corn dolly is more than just in the object, but also in the work and the care put into it; it is a representation of the sacrifice which ensures that today will make tomorrow better.
The corn dolly spirit keeps the future greater and there are prospects of the prosperity of desire and that is why it is important to keep it warm, safe, secure during the harvest time because, in return, it will enable you to have a bountiful harvest.
Traditionally the dolly was hung in a barn over the winter and then ploughed back into the fields in the spring to release the corn spirit to do her magic once again as the new grain was sewn.
They are an easy yet effective poppet for visual and practical purposes. There are many videos online on how to make them
I used the following YouTube video to learn how to make the ones we did, but there are many different ways to do this:
We always like to take a moment for refreshments, this is the perfect time to relax and talk and share stories and learn from a each other. Now, and then, during a sabbat gathering, we will try to make the food and/or drink fit in with what we are doing that day. It was only fitting then that we broke bread. A lovely homemade loaf was made by Derry and I recited a Lammas prayer before we ate it:
The fields are full, the orchards blooming,
and the harvest has arrived.
Hail to the gods who watch over the land!
Hail to Ceres, goddess of the wheat!
Hail Mercury, fleet of foot!
Hail Pomona, and fruitful apples!
Hail Attis, who dies and is reborn!
Hail Demeter, bringing the dark of the year!
Hail Bacchus, who fills the goblets with wine!
We honor you all, in this time of harvest,
and set our tables with your bounty.
(Blessed be)
We finished by closing the circle, this is a perfect practice to release the energy we have built up during our workings, back to the universe and the best way to thank the elements and spirit for their assistance.
Our next gathering is going to be held by Derry. She is holding her first workshop and it is an introduction into the magical uses of herbs. We cannot wait to do this one as it hasn’t been done in the shop before and the last one at this shop before we move!
Will we see you at one of our gatherings soon?
