Lughnassadh – Lammas – Lunasa
Lughnassadh, pronounced “loo-nas-ah,” is the first of the three harvest festivals followed by Mabon and finally Samhain. Also known as Lammas, Lunasa, and other variations, this marks another point on the sun’s trajectory in its shift from Summer to Winter as the land prepares to sleep once again. This is a celebration of the sustained power of the sun; even though it is moving further from this part of the earth, this is often the hottest month of the year. Gardens are now ripe and abundant with all the fruit of the labors of the dance. Thus begins the harvest; reaping what you have been sowing this wheel. It is also a time of sacrifice. Each fruit and vegetable is given by the plant in sacrifice (offered up freely for the sake of love and devotion) from the earth to all of us. The masculine energy at this time is symbolized in the harvest itself; all plants and animals have absorbed the power of the sun and transformed it into the bounty we are now beginning to reap. This can be seen on a physical level, with gardens and nature, and on an energetic level with events in your own life.
At Lughnassadh we find the Holly King having taken the mantle of guardian up from his brother Oak. He now appears in his aspect of the Corn King also known as John Barleycorn. He is the spirit of the harvest and through alchemy is turned into spirits of the harvest such as beer or whiskey as well as flour and cornmeal. However, to embody the harvest and take part in the alchemy of transformation, John Barleycorn must die in this reaping. The Holly King in truth is a king of the underworld, the shadow realms, and as such his mysteries are that of sacrifice, death, and transformation as well as inner (subconscious) knowledge. Part of Holly, his Corn King aspect, is sacrificed and dies at Lughnassadh.
Another aspect to consider is where we are oriented in the wheel; across from Imbolc. At Imbolc we celebrate the spark of new life being sewn, gestating, and beginning to grow as the cycle runs anew. Here, we are celebrating the beginning of the season of death; reaping and harvest as we prepare for the mound (winter). Consider how these parts of the wheel find balance with one another and begin to seek that balance in yourself. If you have not already, it is important to begin to really explore your relationship with death. If you have an aversion to it, this is a suitable time in the wheel to try exploring it, for it is truly a transformational force, not just an ending. Matter merely changes forms, it cannot be created or destroyed. For this cycle to occur, so must death, change, and transformation. Ask yourself at this time, what can you sacrifice to attain your goals? Think about weeding a garden or pruning a plant so that it will produce more fruit; clearing the way and letting go of what no longer serves your highest good frees up space and energy for new things to come in. An energetic vacuum which the innate abundance of the universe will fill. This can manifest in a variety of ways, here are a few ideas;
Donating, reducing, or reusing items you no longer need or have use for. Free up that space and energy.
Give up a habit or behavior that is not serving you or that may be preventing you from reaching your goals.
Evaluate your relationship with yourself and others and identify aspects that could be more aligned if they were to change or be let go
Give (sacrifice) your time and energy in service to others; volunteer, help friends, family, etc. In serving others, you open opportunities to learn a great deal about yourself.
If you are not sure what to do, journal or meditate on these themes and see what arises in your mind.
It used to be that the lord of a given land was seen as its caretaker and protector, just as the sacred kings guard the goddess, so the lord was the guardian of his land in matters of food and safety from other tribes. It was expected that he would make sacrifices for the good of the land and its people when called upon. It was also believed that sacrificing the body of the lord in truth would bring blessings upon the land and yield a greater harvest in times of need. In modern times this is accomplished with an effigy of the corn king made of some kind of bread, eaten in honor of the sacrifice of the corn king. Toasting in his honor with beer, whisky or other spirits is also a powerful way to bring the energy of the harvest into your life. In either case, be sure to offer a portion of the food or spirits to the land and ancestors as well. Lughnassadh has also been traditionally celebrated as a great feast, which consists of food, games, tournaments, and contests at a tribal gathering to celebrate the abundance of crops as well as the safety provided to the land and people by the lords of old.
Another important magical aspect of Lughnassadh is the mystery of the mill. Mills are used to break down grains into flour and through this process the wheat is separated from the chaff. This process can be used on a magical level, to energetically thresh and separate the wheat from the chaff in your own life. If you are trying to release a habit, behavior or relationship that is no longer serving you, you may want to consider making use of this transformational power which can be done in a few ways. If you have access to a mill, you can certainly make use of that. Otherwise, create an energetic mill. One way to get a feel for this is by using a staff or besom (broom). Hold the staff or besom in both hands horizontally at your chest, and have another person do the same thing on the opposite side of the stick. As you hold the stick between you, you should be pushing/pulling against each other. This will create resistance for the mill; as you push your side of the stick, they are pushing their side. Circle with your milling partner and you will find at first that you are able to move forward with ease, but as the mill goes and the energetic chaff builds, the resistance grows. This can also be done alone without the use of the stick and relies entirely on your ability to tap into the energy of the mill. It is recommended to at least try the stick method, so you understand the feeling of it first if possible. I have experienced milling in rituals where people are standing at a 45-degree angle to the ground, heaving, sweating, and pushing against nothing but air (energy, really). In any case, the power of the mill is not to be underestimated, and I highly recommend trying it. Once you get the hang of the mill, you can add your energy and intentions for what you wish to give to it to be broken down, changed, and transformed. If you have a physical mill, add raw grain to it that you wish to grind. As you grind your intentions will be transformed through the mill. You can use the resultant flour for cooking, taking your purified intentions within you. If you are using an energetic mill, place a cauldron (bowl, vessel) under the center point of the mill and sprinkle flour into it along with your intentions and then proceed to mill, directing the energy of what you wish to let go of into the flour. When the resistance is so great that you can barely push it any further, that is when the work is done. At that point, drop the energy along with your intentions into the flour and afterward return the flour, or chaff if you used a physical mill, to the earth by scattering, burying, or burning it, or leaving it at a crossroads, etc. This will release that energy back to all that is and create space for new things. Whatever way you choose to celebrate this festival, may you have a blessed and abundant harvest this season.
