Lammas Ritual
( Lughnassadh, First Harvest, August 1st)
New Moon Occult Shop is the best place to source herbs, incense, oils and jewelry associated with Lammas. I recommend contacting them directly and asking for help finding just what you need as often they will source things they don't usually carry in stock.
Tools: In addition to your m'jyk-l tools, you will need:
Golden Yellow Center Cloth, 1 Gold Candle, 1 Silver Candle, Summer Blend Incense
(recipe from Litha Ritual), Harvest Vegetables, Golden Stones or other Sun Symbols,
Cornbread Cupcakes, Cauldron, Apple Cider, any other personal props.
Preparation: Sweep area moving in a deosil manner. Outline the
perimeter of your Circle cornmeal or yellow sand. Place Gold Center cloth on
the alter and garnish with Harvest Vegetables, ( Corn, Squash, etc), Grains,
(Oats, Rice, Wheat, Rye, etc), and Fruits ( Apples, Berries, Cherries, Plums,
etc), on the alter. Set the Gold God Candle to the top right of center, and
surround with Gold Stones or Sun Symbols. Place the Silver Goddess Candle to
the top left of center. Place your (cauldron, if coven) chalice full of Cider
in the center and surround with Cornbread Cupcakes. Take a shower or bath or
purification. Sit quietly and meditate for a while, the ground and center. When
ready, play some soothing music in correspondence with the ritual.
Cast the circle and call Quarters
Pick up your wand with your
right hand, face the North with arms stretched out above head, and say:
"What will be is. What was will be. The Wheel of the Year forever
turns.
Dark to light, light to dark, each season passes with lessons learned.
We plant with love, tend with respect, and at Harvest time our yields reflect
The bounty of our Mother Earth, ripened by our Father Sun
Now upon our humble hearth, gifts we offer the Two that are One.
As each day passes, shorter than the last
May we each be reminded of the seasons that have passed.
The marriage and the seeding of the Goddess back in May,
Her womb swollen with life anew at Summer Solstice Day,
All this time the Father Sun has shone with so much pride
Rising early, setting late, and now that he's supplied
The warmth and light to bring to bear, the Goddess and the lands
He knows that his death is drawing near, but this secret he understands
That with the turning of the wheel, his rebirth has been planned."
Place your wand upon the alter and with both hands gesture to the Harvest Vegetables,
Grains, and Fruits you have adorned the alter with.
"Truly blessed are we that receive the bounty of the Harvest,
Blessed be our Mother Earth,
Blessed be our Father Sun,
As he teaches us of life, death, and rebirth.
I honor Thee, The Two that are One."
Pick up one of the Cornbread Cupcakes, and offer up to the God/dess, saying:
"Blessed be the Harvest,
Blessed be the Corn Mother,
Blessed be the Grain God,
For together they nourish both body and soul.
Many blessings I have been given,
I count them now by this bread."
Now name all the things that you are currently grateful for. With each item
that you name, break off a piece of the Cornbread Cupcake and eat it. Sip from
the chalice filled with Apple Cider as well. When finished with list of blessings,
take the a small handful of the Grain from you alter and hold it in you open
hand at face level, saying:
"Guardian of the East, I pray for your indulgence.
Hear me now as I request your aid in the cycle of life.
As your winds blow through fields of ripened grain,
Carry loosened seeds upon your back
That they may fall amidst the soil that is our Mother Earth.
She will cover them in times of storm, protecting and nourishing
Them until they sprout next Spring, beginning life anew."
Blow gently across your hand as if imitating the wind taking the seeds air-born.
Continue:
I give thanks to the Great Mother, Goddess of fertile land,
And to the Great Father, Consort and Provider,
For as their bounty sustains my life,
So does their bounty sustain my brethren;
All living creatures of wood and field,
Of lake and stream, and of air.
Of these blessings I partake
And share.
Blessed be this Harvest Night,
The Givers and the gift."
Face the alter and assume the Goddess position, saying,
"All things have their season.
Again the wheel has turned and brought us
To the season of the First Harvest.
A time when we think about sacrifices and reborn hope,
A time when we reflect on what we have sown by what we reap,
A time when we gather our memories,
And from those lessons that we have learned,
We plan for the future.
Blessed Be our Mother, whose womb contains and bears all life.
Blessed Be our Father, whose seed plants all life.
Blessed Be the Two that are One,
From Them life flows and flows back again."
Now is the time for meditation and spellworkings. If no spellworkings are to
be done, proceed with the Cakes and Ale ceremony, followed by releasing the
Circle.
Cornbread Cupcakes
¾ cup flour |
¾ cup yellow cornmeal |
¼ cup sugar |
¾ teaspoon salt |
2 teaspoons baking powder |
2 eggs |
1 cup milk |
¼ cup shortening |
Sift dry ingredients together in a non-metal bowl. Add milk, eggs, and shortening,
beat until smooth. Pour into greased cupcake pan and bake at 425 degrees for
20-25 minutes.
Adapted by: Akasha Ap Emrys
For all of her friends and those of like mind
Copyright remains with the original author of the work.