Mid-Witchery: Lammas - The Celebration of Cultivation

 

August 1^st marks the halfway point between Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox.  Lammas, also known by the Gaelic holiday Lughnasadh, is the first of the three pagan harvest festivals in the Wheel of the Year. 

This harvest season is traditionally focused on wheat and grains as these crops were first to make their appearance in our ancestors’ fields.  In Old English, Lammas translates to “Loaf Mass” and was celebrated by baking various breads and sharing the fruits of one’s labors with others within the community.  

A good first harvest boded well for the months ahead, as days grow shorter and the inevitable transition to the barren Winter months loom in the distance.  Ahh.. but not yet… for Summer still clings in the air on this glorious August day.  Bare feet can run in the grass or take a dip in the nearby stream.  We break bread with our closest kin and friends that know us better than we know ourselves.  We laugh at stories, drink our wine and ale, and dance by the crackling fire.  We look up at the night sky and reflect that the basic fundamental particles that created stars are the same building blocks of all planetary things. And just for a moment... we catch our breath and resonate with the truth that we are entirely made of stardust.  A cool breeze hits our bare legs and we are reminded once again that Autumn is on the horizon.  But not yet…

We can use this time to reflect on our own labors and what has spouted from our efforts.  Think of all of the steps it takes to create a simple loaf of bread.  One must plant the grain, cut the wheat, mill the flour, knead the dough, bake the bread.  Bread that can sustain our hunger, give us energy, and has been the dietary staple of agricultural societies throughout history.  

• What have you sown and cultivated for yourself and the life that you are living?

• What seeds did you plant previously that needed meticulous planning, sacrifice, and tedious labor to ultimately bear fruit? 

• What have you harvested that you may share with others in your family or community?

Lift up your glass, break bread with your neighbors, and celebrate the rewards of your hard work!  Be grateful for a life well-lived and give thanks to areas of abundance within and around you.   And don’t fret, two more harvest ceremonies lie ahead with more opportunities to stockpile our emotional resources before the darkness of Winter settles in.