All About Lammas (Lughnasadh) - What is Lammas? & How to Celebrate

It's the dog days of summer, the gardens are full of goodies, the fields are full of grain, and the harvest is approaching. Take a moment to relax in the heat, and reflect on the upcoming abundance of the fall months. At Lammas, sometimes called Lughnasadh, it's time to begin reaping what we have sown throughout the past few months, and recognize that the bright summer days will soon come to an end. While you're planning your celebrations, though, you may want to take a minute to read up on:

Rituals and Ceremonies
Depending on your individual spiritual path, there are many different ways you can celebrate Lammas, but typically the focus is on either the early harvest aspect, or the celebration of the Celtic god Lugh. It's the season when the first grains are ready to be harvested and threshed, when the apples and grapes are ripe for the plucking, and we're grateful for the food we have on our tables.
Here are a few rituals you may want to think about trying -- and remember, any of them can be adapted for either a solitary practitioner or a small group, with just a little planning ahead.

• Lammas Harvest Ritual
• Honor Lugh of the Many Skills
• Lammas Bread Sacrifice Ritual
• Lughnasadh Warrior Meditation
• Lammas Prayers
• Decorating Your Altar for Lammas/Lughnasadh
• Lammas Altar Photo Gallery

Lammas Magic
Lammas is a time of excitement and magic. The natural world is thriving around us, and yet the knowlege that everything will soon die looms in the background. This is a good time to work some magic around the hearth and home.


Lammas Customs and Traditions
The early harvest and the threshing of grain has been celebrated for thousands of years.

Crafts and Creations
As summer winds to a close and autumn approaches, make crafts and decorations for your home that celebrate the outdoors and the gifts of nature.


Feasting and Food
Nothing says "Pagan celebration" like a potluck! Lammas, or Lughnasadh, is the time of year when the gardens are in full bloom. From root vegetables to fresh herbs, so much of what you need is right there in your own back yard or at the local farmer's market. Let's take advantage of the gifts of the garden, and cook up a feast to celebrate the first harvest at Lammas!

Celtic Tree Month of Ash Begins (tomorrow)

In the Norse eddas, Yggdrasil, the world tree, was an Ash. The spear of Odin was made from the branch of this tree, which is also known by the Celtic name Nion, pronounced knee-un. This is one of three trees sacred to the Druids (Ash, Oak and Thorn), and this is a good month to do magic that focuses on the inner self.

Associated with ocean rituals, magical potency, prophetic dreams and spiritual journeys, the Ash can be used for making magical (and mundane) tools -- these are said to be more productive than tools made from other wood. If you place Ash berries in a cradle, it protects the child from being taken away as a changeling by mischievous Fae.