Doreen Van Boxtel

Southern Hemisphere.

Date: 1st February - When the Sun is at 15 degrees Aquarius.

Northern Hemisphere

Date: 1st August - When the Sun is at 15 degrees Leo

The name Lughnasadh is derived from the Celtic Sun God, Lugh, and means, "light" or "shining."

The name Lammas comes from the Anglo-Saxon word, "hlaf-mas," which means, "loaf mass," and

came from the Christianization of this Pagan festival by the Church, as they did with so many other Pagan festivals.

The Church turned it into a feast of thanksgiving for bread, which symbolized the first fruits of the harvest.

Lughnasadh is one of the four cross-quarter Sabbats and is based upon ancient agricultural festivals.

It's the first of three harvest festivals (followed by Mabon/Autumn Equinox and Samhain) and marks the first harvesting of the grain.

Corn, as a representative of all grains, with its cycle of death, nurturing the people, and rebirth, is regarded as an aspect of the Sun God in many Traditions.

This is a time to commemorate the sacrifice and death of the Corn God which thereby assures our bounty of food for the coming winter.

Lughnasadh is a time to celebrate and give thanks for the abundance of Nature.

This sabbat's rituals and celebrations focus on giving thanks to the God and Goddess for the harvest in our lives, both literally and figuratively.

It's a time of completion and an excellent opportunity to "sacrifice" negative thoughts and behaviours.

It's also a time to honour the fruits of your labours regarding work and friendships, rid yourself of old

regrets, and make new decisions.

This is the first harvest. A time to celebrate the harvest of our crops and our lives.

To be thankful for this harvest. Plants are seeding, in preparation for the next cycle.

The sun is still strong but the days are shortening as we are heading into autumn.

Summer is passing, and the Mother is soon to become the Reaper or Crone.

First loaf of bread baked.

The King begins his journey into the underworld.

Sorrow and celebration.

Fruition, taking stock and harvesting what you have achieved.

Make a Corn Dolly to save for next Imbolc, Have a magical picnic with libations to the Earth of bread and wine.

Colours: Yellow or Gold.

Incense: Frankinscense, Sandalwood.

Crystals: Topaz, Amber, Aventurine.

Herbs: Chamomile, Lavender, Juniper.

Altar Decorations: Summer flowers and grains.

Food: Blackberry wine or other fruity drink, multigrain bread, Blackberry pie, corn on the cob, bbq meats or fried chicken..