Secular Celebrations - Lughnasadh
From Midsummer, we move to Lughnasadh in early August. Also called Lammas, this is the first of the three harvest holidays. Much of what you’ll see associated with this holiday involves bread, bread, and for a change of pace, more bread and also corn. But there are also associations with field games, music, crafts, artistry, games of skill, self-expression, wishmaking, and the first fruits of the harvest. It’s another holiday for picnics and bonfires, so keep that in mind when you’re planning your festivities.
It’s probably easiest to talk about the food first, since that’s a big part of this holiday. Lots of witches bake bread of some sort for Lughnasadh, in observance of the grain harvest. This would be a great time to put that sourdough starter to use, if you made one. But don’t limit yourself to bread alone! Late summer fruits and vegetables are also coming into season and that gives you plenty of options for kitchen witchery. Check your local farmer’s market or produce stand for what’s available, or see what’s in season for your area, since this will vary from region to region.
You can make jams and preserves, try your hand at winemaking or brewing beer, make a vegetarian or fruit-based dish, or cook over an open fire, if you have the option. You should be able to harvest things from your garden as well, since it will be producing by this time, and this is another great holiday for visiting pick-your-own berry patches and orchards. If you can, share what you harvest or make with friends and neighbors. This is a time to remember your circle and your community as well. None of us stand alone, and we are stronger when we stand together and nurture those bonds.
Make decorations with wheat stalks and corn husks, and thank the fields and the sun for their bounty. Just like on Midsummer, you can hang ribbons and paper wishes from trees and shrubs if you like. I’m also partial to (very carefully) gathering brambles, rose thorns, and holly hedge cuttings for use later in the year around Lughnasadh. It’s a tricky, prickly business, but they come in very handy when you’re preparing magical protections for the home.
If you can have a small bonfire or have the opportunity to light up a cauldron or a burning bowl, you can throw incense or paper wishes into the fire. If you like, you can also throw paper packets containing your regrets into the fire, symbolically ridding them from your life and freeing you to move forward.
If the weather allows, have a field day! Play games, have a cookout or a barbecue, play music, and enjoy yourself. Celebrate the abundance that the first harvest brings into your life and all the hard work you’ve done so far in the year. Provided that your circle can gather, maybe have an informal tournament with games of skill and chance. For those of you who just went, “-gasp- Trivia contest!” you’re right on the mark. That carnival atmosphere comes into play again for Lughnasadh, so have a little fun with your near and dear.
Handicrafts and the arts are also celebrated at Lughnasadh. It’s a good time to start that new project you’ve been meaning to do, or to try your hand at a new skill.
This is also a time to begin reaping what you’ve sown and to examine your own progress since the beginning of the growing season. Meditate on how your personal projects are going. What progress have you made toward your goals? What have you learned so far this year? What promises have you kept, which ones could use more dedication, and which ones fell by the wayside?
How have your actions, for good or for ill, affected the direction of your path? What have you sown that is now coming to fruition? What is still budding? What has yet to manifest? What might require more of your attention?
Meditate also on self-expression. How well do you communicate with others? What would you like to improve? Are there boundaries that you need to clarify or reinforce? How much are you allowed or able to be your truest self? What do you long to be able to do or say or express differently?
Keep in mind that progress, education, and recovery do not happen in straight lines or have constant upward trajectories. Be patient with yourself. You may not be exactly where you thought you’d be, but you’re still further along than you were. Even a single step forward counts, and it’s okay to stop and rest if you need to.
- Hex Positive, Ep. 11 - Secular Celebrations (Full Episode available on your favorite podcatcher)
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