Seasons of Wicca: The Essential Guide to Rituals and Rites to Enhance Your Spiritual Journey - Ambrosia Hawthorn 2020
Lughnasadh
Sun Celebrations (Sabbats)
Rituals to Enhance your Spiritual Journey
Lughnasadh is one of the three harvest festivals of the year. It’s a time when the sun’s strength begins to recede as the year enters its darker period. During this time, many fruits and vegetables are harvested. The rituals in this section celebrate and honor Earth, the Harvest Mother, and Lugh, God of craftmanship and talent.
LUGH ABUNDANCE RITUAL
During Lughnasadh, crops are abundant. Throughout history, agriculture and harvest have been an important part of surviving the coming winter. In this ritual, you’ll create a besom, enabling you to focus on the abundance of the season and to honor the God Lugh.
Ritual Setting
Altar
Tools and Supplies
For the ritual
Festive decorations for Lughnasadh—grain, corn dolly, bread, sunflowers, calendulas
Wand or athame
Elemental representations
Deity representation for Lugh—statue, candle, image, or symbol
1 pillar candle—orange, yellow, or red
Fire-safe plate or candle holder
Lighter or matches
Cake and ale—cookies, bread, or treats and wine, cider, or water
For the besom
30 to 50 (8-inch) bristles, twigs, or dried woody herb (mugwort or thyme)
Rubber band
Spool of string or cord
Pruning shears or boline
1 (12-inch) ribbon—orange, yellow, or red
PRIOR TO THE RITUAL
1.Shower or bathe, visualizing all old or unwanted energies leaving your being.
2.Cleanse the altar.
PREPARING THE ALTAR
Place the festive decorations and tools on the altar. Place the elemental representations in a pentacle configuration. Place the deity representation at the top of the altar. Place the candle on the fire-safe plate in the center of the pentacle, leaving enough room to work with your besom materials.
THE RITUAL
1.Cast a circle of protection. Hold the wand or athame as an extension of your hand to gather and direct energy as you call upon the elements. Starting from the east and ending north, call upon the element of air for mental clarity, the element of fire for power, the element of water for fluidity, and the element of earth for stability.
2.Invoke the God Lugh to assist you with your ritual by saying: “Mighty Lugh, the craftsman God, a master of art, talent, and skill, join me here today to assist me with mastering this craft.”
3.Light the candle and set your intentions to show respect for Lugh and the abundance of the season.
4.Gather the bristles into a bunch and secure one end with the rubber band.
5.Pull string or twine from the spool and begin wrapping the secured end of the bristles (leave the end of the string loose so you can tie it at the end). This will become the handle of the besom. Wrap tightly until you have a 3- or 4-inch handle. Cut the string and tie it to secure.
6.Tie the ribbon to the besom’s handle and say: “Abundance besom, I tie this knot; may you carry abundance into the winter season.”
7.Portion out an offering of cake and ale. Take a sip and have a bite of your own as well.
8.Thank Lugh for his presence and strength by saying: “Mighty Lugh, I thank you for your presence here today and for lending me the strength of skill. May you go as you please and accept my offering as a token of my appreciation.”
9.Release the elements in reverse order by beginning facing the north and ending east, thanking each element for their assistance and bidding them farewell. Then open the circle by saying: “I open this circle and release the energy back into the earth.”
10.Extinguish the candle or allow it to burn out. Cover the cake and ale and leave it on the altar overnight as an offering. The next day, dispose of it by returning it to the earth.
HARVEST MOTHER BREAD RITUAL
Grain is an important element of Lughnasadh, and leaving an offering of bread is an excellent way to honor the spirit of grain and the earth. This simple ritual calls for freshly baked bread to give back to the Harvest Mother, sometimes called the Grain Mother.
Ritual Setting
Outdoor altar and outdoors
Tools and Supplies
Festive decorations for Lughnasadh—dried grain, corn, flowers
Wand or athame
Elemental representations
Deity representation for Harvest Mother—statue, candle, image, or symbol
4 tea light candles—white or yellow
Fire-safe plates or candle holders
Freshly baked bread
Cutting board
Lighter or matches
Bread knife
Cup or chalice of wine, cider, water, or other drink of choice
PRIOR TO THE RITUAL
1.Shower or bathe, visualizing all old or unwanted energies leaving your being.
2.Prepare freshly baked bread, setting your intentions of abundance and promoting good fortune.
3.Cleanse the altar.
PREPARING THE ALTAR
Place the festive decorations and tools on the altar. Place the elemental representations in a pentacle configuration. Place the deity representation at the top of the altar. Place the candles on the fire-safe plates in a square configuration on the altar. Place the bread on the cutting board in the center of the square.
THE RITUAL
1.Cast a circle of protection. Hold the wand or athame as an extension of your hand to gather and direct energy as you call upon the elements. Starting from the east and ending north, call upon the element of air for mental clarity, the element of fire for power, the element of water for fluidity, and the element of earth for stability.
2.Invoke the Harvest Mother by saying: “Mother of the Harvest, with your abundant grain, I welcome you here today to celebrate the bountiful earth.”
3.Light the candles. Cut six slices of bread from the loaf: one slice for you, one for the Harvest Mother, and four as offerings to the earth.
4.Take a sip of your drink and a bite of bread and say: “Fulfilled and blessed for all that I’ve received, Mother of the Harvest, accept this offering of bread, a gift to you in exchange for gifts yet to come. I thank you for your assistance here today.”
5.Extinguish the candles, then release the elements in reverse order by beginning facing the north and ending east, thanking each element for their assistance and bidding them farewell. Then open the circle by saying: “I open this circle and release the energy back into the earth.”
6.Return the remaining four slices of bread to the earth as offerings, placing them at the four corners of your property.
7.Cover the bread offering to the Harvest Mother and leave it on the altar overnight. The next day, return it to the earth.