Free crystal with every order! All orders over $75 ship free in the continental US!
Lammas, aka Lughanasadh in Gaelic, marks the beginning of the harvest season in Wiccan and Pagan traditions. It occurs August 1 as rough halfway point between Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox for the Northern Hemisphere, though Old Lammas was said to occur when the Sun reached 15 degrees Leo. Whether you honor the mid-point or astrological date, this special holiday celebrates the mystery and magic of the spirit of the grain.
The name Lammas comes from old English meaning “loaf mass,” as it originated from celebrations of harvest time. Historically in Pagan and Wiccan traditions there were three harvests each year with corresponding holidays honoring each. Lammas was the first harvest with grain, the second Mabon (September 21 through September 29 this year) was fruit, and then finally near Samhain (October 31-November 1 this year) was nuts and berries.
At Lammas the goddess becomes embodied as the agricultural archetypes of the Grain Mother, Harvest Mother, Earth Mother, and Ceres (our word “cereal” comes from her). This powerful symbolism connects us to the Earth as a reminder of the process of life that includes the full cycle of seed to harvest and then the quiet of winter. Around the world the Spirit of the Grain has a place in ritual and also has associations with corn, honey, and onions.
In Gaelic and Pre-Christian times, the holiday Lughanasadh, also spelled Lughnasa, refers to the Irish Sun God Lugh and August was his sacred month. During this time there would be religious gatherings as well as what were called the Tailteann games. These athletic contests acknowledged the aging Lugh god and his waning presence in the sky as autumn comes closer. As he fades, it was believed he transferred his powers to the grain that was being harvested. Hence why Lughanasadh was such an important celebration that helped us hold onto the sunlight with fewer daylight hours on the horizon.
Traditional celebrations of this holiday had feasts, songs, and games and of course included grain. Below are some everyday ritual suggestions for greeting the grain this Lammas:
Read more on astrology, horoscopes, occultism, magick & ritual on our blog, Esoteric Insights!
Hecate (or Hekate, and pronounced “he-KAH-tay” or “he-KAH-tee”) has many titles, most notably the Torchbearer, Goddess of the Underworld, and the Keeper of the Keys of the Universe. A relationship with her is one that confronts and engages with the darkness that resides in us all, rather than ignore or reject it. Hecate is present in the Under, Middle, and Upper worlds, so her ability to transition between these realms indicates she is a powerful force for change. Hecate is an ancient goddess with a modern tradition. Modern Hekatean Witchcraft emphasizes her role in modernity, and puts less stress on the particularities of rituals and ceremonies so that practitioners may interpret their relationship in a modern, personal way, so that everyone’s practice is at their strongest. As far as sobriquets go, the Goddess of the Underworld is about as cool as they come. Along with her connection to the serpent, her power is connotative of what is popularly considered to be evil and nefarious in mainstream religion, but a relationship with Hecate underscores the necessity of dark with light, life with death...