SECTION ONE - HOLIDAY LORE

Lughnasadh, The Queen and the Hero - Ahneke Greystone
Lammas Recipes - Gathered and contributed by StormWing
Lammas Recipes - Gathered and contributed by Isha Arrowhawk

LUGHNASADH
The Queen and the Hero
By Ahneke Greystone

From the harvest of the soil we are
given occasion to garner a harvest of 
the heart and mind...

Percival Chubb

The lazy days of Summer are upon us. The fields are mature, with early crops waiting to be harvested. In the fertile ground of our minds, there is also a harvesting of plans made, now come to fruition. What is needed is that burst of energy to reap what was sown in the Spring of field and mind. If we experience heaviness, perhaps it is because this is a finale. It is not easy to stand with scythe in hand, poised before the first cut ... the beginning of the end.

LORE

Lughnasadh is a holiday of varied origin. We know it variously as August Eve, Ceresalia, Eleumbiuos, Feast of Bread, Feast of Cardenas, Festival of Green Corn, Fire Harvest, First Harvest, Harvest Home, Lammas, Lughnasa, and the Sabbat of First Fruits, a small sampling of its names. A form of this holiday is celebrated in every corner of the world. Myths from cultures around the globe describe this season as originally celebrated in honor of the Sun gods. When the cycles of human society began to revolve around crops and the delicate balance of the agricultural wheel, the gods of the Sun often became those of vegetation, or they gave birth to a generation of green gods and goddesses. Most agricultural celebrations have in common the death of a God or Goddess, whose spirit is embodied in the crop. Harvesting becomes that spirit's symbolic "death." The lesson is always the same: That this death, actual and symbolic, is a necessary and natural part of the wheel of life. Additionally, a great many tales tell of a mythological hero who must be sacrificed to the wheel, often at the behest of the Goddess as the Dark One requiring this forfeit. These myths are as varied as that of Balder, Ceres, Dumuzi, John Barleycorn and the Corn Wolf.

In our neopagan world we know this holiday primarily as Lughnasadh and/or Lamas. Amongst those who consider the holiday as Lughnasadh, there are varying meanings for the celebration. For many, it is a day to honor the Irish Sun God, Lugh. In this case, the holiday's name is translated as "commemoration of Lugh" and is seen as his wake, his having been killed by the lover of Blodeuwedd, his wife. His story is one of transformation, as he becomes an eagle, and is later returned to life. The tales of Lugh may be rooted in the more ancient tales of the Sun God Bel, as Lugh is often seen as the mythical rebirth of this older God. That relationship ties Lugh additionally to the symbolic passing of the seasons and the waxing and waning of the power of the Sun. Lughnasadh can then be seen as Lugh's wake, in actuality and in the passing of the Sun's power.

Lughnasadh is also celebrated in honor of the foster-mother of Lugh, Tailtiu, and in that sense ties the celebration to the Goddess of Fertility and She who brings life and death. Tailtiu's myth has her preparing the ancient lands of Ireland for crops and domesticated herds by removing trees to allow the open space for agriculture and animal husbandry. The word Lughnasa is translated slightly differently in this case, and is seen deriving from old Irish Lugh nasad, or "the binding promise or duty of Lugh." This celebration is not seen as a wake for Lugh, but rather his honoring his beloved foster-mother on the anniversary of her death.

In these two aspects of the Lughnasadh celebration we see a God who represents a solar divinity and a Goddess who represents fertility. Historians have reported that the aspect of the celebration that may be older is the one honoring a pre-Tailtiu Mother Goddess, and traces of that pre-Celtic celebration exist in the more modern celebrations centered around Lugh and Tailtiu.

The word Lammas comes from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning "loaf-mass," and this refers to the first bread made from this harvest. The holiday celebrated as Lammas is centered more on the harvest itself and a general archetype of the Spirit of the Corn, rather than any particular God. "Corn" as celebrated this day is not just the corn/maize as Americans know it. Corn, as Europeans understand it, is any crop from which the seed is harvested. This includes all forms of wheat, oats, barley and rice. It can, extending the meaning of the word, include crops such as cotton, from which the boll is harvested. The celebration of Lammas is the celebration of the First Harvest. Around the world, First Harvest celebrations have in common lore regarding sacrifice of the first cut, as well as the preservation or ritual sacrifice of the last stand, to give thanks and to preserve the "life" of the Goddess of Fertility or Green God. The baking of breads and brewing of drink from the corn harvest is a further celebration of the mystery of transformation, and is an important aspect Lammas.

OUR GODS

The Goddess of Lughnasadh is a Goddess of Fertility. She is seen not only in the fertile ground from which the harvest sprung, but in her human aspect as an expectant Mother. She is also accepting the first responsibilities of her Cronehood, for she is becoming the Grim Reaper; She who decides what lives and dies. She has required her God to sacrifice himself to ensure there is a time of respite and withdrawal necessary to prepare for his rebirth, and thus the regeneration of the world. This weighs heavily on her, even as she knows what must be. She will witness the world end about her, knowing she continues even as it passes. She teaches us about responsibility and about time and patience and the natural progression of things. She is Demeter, grieving at Persephone's absence, She is Mary at the foot of the cross, She is Inanna mourning Dumuzi. She understands, She accepts ... and She mourns.

The Goddesses of Lughnasadh are Mother Goddesses, Grain Goddesses, Fertility Goddesses and Livestock Goddesses and Ladies of the Beasts.

They include: Aphrodite, Artemis, Bast, Bau, Binah, Ceres, Changing Woman, Corn Mother, Demeter, Epona, Fortuna, Gaia, Guadalupe, Habondia, Hathor, Ishtar, Isis, Juno, Mawu, Prosperpina, Rainbow Serpent, Rhea, Rhiannon, Tailtu and Tonantzin.

The God of Lughnasadh is variably a Sun and a Vegetation God. Especially in his aspect of King, he combines the more ancient traits of the Sun gods with the more modern Spirits of Vegetation. He is that which must be cut down, his spirit reborn in the next growing time. His kingly archetype is the story of the hero. He teaches us about responsibility and endings, both great and small. He overcame his initial fear of this Quest, a step we must all take at some time, and he stood up to the challenge. He has experienced the freedom of the forests, the bliss of the first touch of the Goddess' lips, the wonder of their marriage and the respect of his community. His life has been full, and he knows that. When he looks into his Lady's eyes, he sees the wisdom of the ages; yet he understands that he has experienced life as she never will. His time must end. He sighs peacefully, knowing he is safe in the eternal arms of his Goddess.

The Gods of Lughnasadh are Sun Gods, Father Gods, Livestock Gods and Grain Gods and Vegetation Gods.

They include: Adonis, Amon, Attis, Cernunnos, Dionysus, Saturn, Tammuz.

CORRESPONDENCES

Incense: Copal, eucalyptus, frankincense, heather, jasmine, juniper, musk, orris, patchouli, rosemary, sandalwood, tangerine.

Colors: Brown, citrine, gold, gray, green, orange, red, silver, yellow.

Trees: Acacia, ash, elder, hazel, holly, oak.

Flowers: Goldenrod, heliotrope, jasmine, larkspur, lotus, marigold, nasturtium, peony, rose, sunflower, water lily, Queen Anne's Lace.

Creatures: Calves, crab, dolphin, ibis, phoenix, roosters, starling, swallow, turtle, whale.

Gems/Stones: Adventurine, carnelian, cat's eye, citrine, golden topaz, moonstone, moss agate, obsidian, pearl, peridot, ruby, tiger's eye, white agate, yellow diamond.

Herbs: Agrimony, basil, dill, goldenrod, honeysuckle, hyssop, lemon balm, mint, mugwort, vervain, yarrow.

Food: All grains, blackberries, bread, corn, crab apples, melons, popcorn, potatoes, rice, wheat.

AND SO ...

... we avoid just a bit longer bringing our own Quests to an end. We are each Hero's and Heroines, on our own journeys, with individual challenges along the way. We naturally experience that small hesitation before we set the last brick in place, sign the painting, or first send our child to school or camp. We savor for one sweet moment the feeling of success, of creation, of the execution of the plans of our lives. We are reminded at Lughnasadh that accomplishments are to be celebrated, and that they naturally fade into our past, with new ones always on the horizon. Our lives are about beginnings as well as endings, and each are to be honored.

Blessings of the Queen of Summer and the King who is Hero!

Ahneke Greystone

Lughnasadh 2000

Lammas Recipes
Collected by StormWing

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Corn Bread Ear Sticks
Recipe by StormWing

Purchase an iron mold shaped like little ears of corn in flea markets or kitchen supply shops, or look in grandma's kitchen wherever she keeps her bakeware - there just might be one there already! Grease lightly and preheat in a 425 degree oven. You will need:

3/4 cup Flour
3/4 cup Yellow Corn Meal
1/4 cup Sugar
3/4 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
2 Eggs
1 cup Milk (or Buttermilk if you prefer)
1/4 cup Shortening

Sift dry ingredients together. Add milk, eggs, shortening, and beat until smooth. Pour into preheated and greased molds and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

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Whole Grain Bread
Recipe by Dan & Pauline Campanelli

In a large mixing bowl combine:

2 cups milk (warm to the touch)
2 packages of dry baking yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Cover this mixture and set aside in a warm place until it has doubled (about half an hour). Add to this mixture:

3 tablespoons softened butter
2 eggs
1 cup of unbleached white flour

Stir until bubbly. Now mix in:

1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup of rolled oats
2 cups stone ground wheat flour
2 tablespoons sesame seed

With floured hands, turn this dough out onto a floured board and gradually knead in more unbleached white flour until the dough is smooth and elastic and no longer sticks to your fingers. Place this dough in a greased bowl, turning it so that the dough is greased. Then cover it with a clean cloth and keep it in a warm place to rise until it is doubled (about an hour).Then punch it down and divide it into two or more elongated loaves, roughly sculpted into mummiform shapes, and placed on greased cookie sheets. Cover these and return them to a warm place until they double again. Bake the loaves in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until they are done and sound hollow when tapped.

(The above recipe for "Whole Grain Bread" is quoted directly from Pauline & Dan Campanelli's book "Ancient Ways: Reclaiming Pagan Traditions", page 132-133, Llewellyn Publications, 1991/1992)

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Brigid's Blackberry Pie
Recipe by Edain McCoy

(Makes one nine-inch pie)

4 cups fresh blackberries (thawed frozen is okay)
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
Unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a deep pie dish with the pie crust, or purchase a commercially-made one. Set aside. Mix all other ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. If it appears too "wet", mix in a little more flour (about 2 tablespoons). Turn the fruit into the pie shell and dot with butter or margarine. You can bake the pie as is, or cover it with another pie crust. If you do this, pinch down the ends to hold it to the other crust. Then score the top several times with a sharp knife. Bake for 1 hour, or until the top crust is a golden brown. (Note: A sugar-free version can be made by substituting appropriate amounts of artificial sweetener.)

(The above recipe for "Brigid's Blackberry Pie" is quoted directly from Edain McCoy's book "The Sabbats: A New Approach to Living the Old Ways", page 179, Llewellyn Publications, 1994)

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Lughnasadh Incense
Recipe by Scott Cunningham

2 parts Frankincense
1 part Heather
1 part Apple blossoms
1 pinch Blackberry leaves
a few drops Ambergris oil

Burn Lughnasadh Incense during Wiccan rituals on August 1st or 2nd, or at that time to attune with the coming harvest.

(The above recipe for "Lughnasadh Incense" is quoted directly from Scott Cunningham's book "The Complete Book of Incenses, Oils & Brews", page 76, Llewellyn Publications, 1989/1992)

Note that I choose to revere Scott Cunningham's work even though he is no longer with us in the physical plane. He made a GREAT contibution to Wicca, Paganism, WitchCraft, and Society itself... it is with a great deal of respect for him that I submit his recipes...

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Lammas Ritual Potpourri
Recipe by Gerina Dunwich

20 drops clove bud oil
25 drops sandalwood oil
1 cup oak moss
2 cups dried pink rosebuds
2 cups dried red peony petals
1 cup dried amaranth flowers
1 cup dried heather flowers

Mix the clove bud and sandalwood oils with the oak moss and then add the remaining ingredients. Stir the potpourri well and store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.

(The above recipe for "Lammas Ritual Potpourri" is quoted directly from Gerina Dunwich's book "The Wicca Spellbook: A Witch's Collection of Wiccan Spells, Potions and Recipes", page 163, A Citadel Press Book, Carol
Publishing Group, 1994/1995)

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LAMMAS RECIPES
from: A Victorian Grimoire by Patricia Telesco
Collected by Isha ArrowHawk

**Graham Bread
2 cups graham flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup molasses
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tblsp sugar
3 tblsp melted butter
1 egg, beaten

Mix all dry ingredients together in bowl, and all liguid ones in another. Stir the liguid into the dry, mixing quickly and well. Bake at 350 degrees until edges pull away from sides of pan and it is golden brown (aprx 30 minutes)

**Oatmeal Bread
1 cup white flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup nuts
3 medium apples, chopped
1 cup raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla or orange

Mix all dry ingredients together in bowl, and all liguid ones in another. Stir the liguid into the dry, mixing quickly and well. place in greased 9-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees until edges pull away from sides of pan (aprx 30 minutes)

**Honey Mead
1 gallon water
2 tsp cinnamon
a sprig of saffron
2 1/2 pounds of honey
1/2 cake yeast
2 tsp ginger
5 whole cloves
2 capfuls rosewater
12 ounces fruit or juice

Bring water to a boil with all the herbs so that a tea is formed. Add honey until dissolved, then add fruit or juice. cover tightly and boil about 15 minutes. Cool to lukewarm and add yeast dissolved in warm water. Cover with towel for two days before straining and bottling.
You may have to air this periodically to prevent pressure build-up.