Preparing for Lammas
August 1-2 is a traditional Pagan holiday, variously called Lammas or Lughnassadh. ”Lammas” derives from Anglo-Saxon hlaf-maesse (”loaf-mass”) and indeed, this holiday is often celebrated as a festival of bread, beer, and other mysteries of the grain. ”Lughnassadh” means “the commemoration of Lugh” and appears in variant spellings across the Celtic languages. Other names include Elembiuos, Cornucopia (Strega), and Thingtide (Teutonic). This is the first of three harvest festivals (the others being Mabon and Samhain) as the summer vegetables peak and grain approaches ripeness.
Plan ahead for Lammas by exploring the various themes associated with it, which can suggest ideas for your ritual and related activities. Good books include Lammas: Celebrating the Fruits of the First Harvest and Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon. Consider seasonal music, such as The Music of Gwydion, Circle of the Seasons. Guided rituals are also available, such as Guided Rituals for the Turning of the Seasonal Wheel Volume 3: Summer Solstice, Lammas, Mabon.
The Green Harvest
Summer fruits and vegetables have reached their peak: tomatoes, sweet corn, melons, blackberries, peaches, etc. In some areas, early grain is ready but in most places it’s in the precarious “almost ripe” stage. Featured deities include the Green Man, the Earth Mother, and other vegetative figures.
Bedeck the altar with fruits and vegetables. Elsewhere use food colors such as leaf green, corn yellow, tomato red, and berry purple. Celebrate the beginning of harvest with cooking and feasting.
The Death of the Corn King
In areas where grain is ripe, celebrations often feature the death of the Corn King. He is the god of grain who dies and is reborn. His story is retold in folk songs such as “John Barleycorn.”
Decorate the altar with corn shucks, ears of corn, or “corn dollies” of braided wheat. Main colors are yellow and brown. Rituals typically enact the death of the Corn King and/or his journey to the Underworld. The Dark Goddess may also appear. These may be mournful or merry; if mournful, they give attendees a chance to contemplate their own relationship with Death.
Mysteries of the Grain
Long ago, our ancestors discovered how to turn ordinary grain into bread and beer. This required balancing earth (grain), air (bubbles), fire (baking dough or warming starter), water, and spirit (yeast) — truly a magical accomplishment! Many myths tell of how humans and/or gods discovered the mysteries of making bread and beer.
Decorate the altar with loaves of bread and bottles of beer. You can even make a wheat sheaf design for your bread. Elsewhere add corn tipis, wheat sheaves, scythes and sickles, etc. Colors are yellow, amber, and gold; sometimes also brown, tan, or white. Hold workshops for baking bread or home brewing. Read about the history of beer.
The Games of Lugh
Lugh is the god of skills and the ultimate jack-of-all trades. Once he came to a gate where the gatekeeper demanded a useful skill in order to pass. Lugh listed his many skill, but they already had someone who could do each of them. Finally he said, “Well, do you have a fellow who can do EVERYTHING?” They didn’t, so he got it. In honor of Lugh’s versatility, his festival features many games and competitions.
Decorate with ribbons, seasonal bouquets, and other flamboyant stuff. Lugh’s colors are gold and bronze. Honor him with games, competitions, workshops, presentations, and other fun or educational activities. Any of his myths can inspire a ritual; also “Lugh at the Gate” makes a hilarious skit in the right hands.
Green Corn Festival
Many Native American tribes celebrate sweet corn in late summer with the Green Corn Festival. They tell stories about Corn Woman, Corn Maiden, Blue Corn Girl, and so forth. These religious observations help ensure a bountiful crop.
Decorate with corn tipis and other images of corn. Use the colors green and yellow for midwest traditions; or yellow, white, red, and blue for southwest traditions. Make cornshuck dolls as a craft. For events with a lot of people needing much food, hold a corn husking bee and race to see who can clean their pile of corn the fastest!
This article originally appeared in Gaiatribe on July 23, 2009.
Plan ahead for Lammas by exploring the various themes associated with it, which can suggest ideas for your ritual and related activities. Good books include Lammas: Celebrating the Fruits of the First Harvest and Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon. Consider seasonal music, such as The Music of Gwydion, Circle of the Seasons. Guided rituals are also available, such as Guided Rituals for the Turning of the Seasonal Wheel Volume 3: Summer Solstice, Lammas, Mabon.
The Green Harvest
Summer fruits and vegetables have reached their peak: tomatoes, sweet corn, melons, blackberries, peaches, etc. In some areas, early grain is ready but in most places it’s in the precarious “almost ripe” stage. Featured deities include the Green Man, the Earth Mother, and other vegetative figures.
Bedeck the altar with fruits and vegetables. Elsewhere use food colors such as leaf green, corn yellow, tomato red, and berry purple. Celebrate the beginning of harvest with cooking and feasting.
The Death of the Corn King
In areas where grain is ripe, celebrations often feature the death of the Corn King. He is the god of grain who dies and is reborn. His story is retold in folk songs such as “John Barleycorn.”
Decorate the altar with corn shucks, ears of corn, or “corn dollies” of braided wheat. Main colors are yellow and brown. Rituals typically enact the death of the Corn King and/or his journey to the Underworld. The Dark Goddess may also appear. These may be mournful or merry; if mournful, they give attendees a chance to contemplate their own relationship with Death.
Mysteries of the Grain
Long ago, our ancestors discovered how to turn ordinary grain into bread and beer. This required balancing earth (grain), air (bubbles), fire (baking dough or warming starter), water, and spirit (yeast) — truly a magical accomplishment! Many myths tell of how humans and/or gods discovered the mysteries of making bread and beer.
Decorate the altar with loaves of bread and bottles of beer. You can even make a wheat sheaf design for your bread. Elsewhere add corn tipis, wheat sheaves, scythes and sickles, etc. Colors are yellow, amber, and gold; sometimes also brown, tan, or white. Hold workshops for baking bread or home brewing. Read about the history of beer.
The Games of Lugh
Lugh is the god of skills and the ultimate jack-of-all trades. Once he came to a gate where the gatekeeper demanded a useful skill in order to pass. Lugh listed his many skill, but they already had someone who could do each of them. Finally he said, “Well, do you have a fellow who can do EVERYTHING?” They didn’t, so he got it. In honor of Lugh’s versatility, his festival features many games and competitions.
Decorate with ribbons, seasonal bouquets, and other flamboyant stuff. Lugh’s colors are gold and bronze. Honor him with games, competitions, workshops, presentations, and other fun or educational activities. Any of his myths can inspire a ritual; also “Lugh at the Gate” makes a hilarious skit in the right hands.
Green Corn Festival
Many Native American tribes celebrate sweet corn in late summer with the Green Corn Festival. They tell stories about Corn Woman, Corn Maiden, Blue Corn Girl, and so forth. These religious observations help ensure a bountiful crop.
Decorate with corn tipis and other images of corn. Use the colors green and yellow for midwest traditions; or yellow, white, red, and blue for southwest traditions. Make cornshuck dolls as a craft. For events with a lot of people needing much food, hold a corn husking bee and race to see who can clean their pile of corn the fastest!
This article originally appeared in Gaiatribe on July 23, 2009.
Lammas Food and Decorations
Lammas Foods
Traditional foods for Lammas include the fruits and vegetables peaking in late summer to early fall. However, primary emphasis falls on grains and things made from grains. Meat does not really figure into the usual Lammas fare — though you may serve some if you wish — so this holiday is ideal for vegetarians. You can find Lammas recipes online or in cookbooks such as Cooking To The Wheel of the Year or The Farmer’s Market Cookbook: Seasonal Dishes Made from Nature’s Freshest Ingredients. Plan your potluck feast in advance and enjoy some Lammas recipes from Fieldhaven.
Grains form the mainstay of Lammas food, especially wheat, oats, barley, and rye. Whole, cracked, or rolled grains appear in stuffings and other dishes. Bread and other foods made from grains also stand out on a Lammas table. Kneading and baking bread is a traditional Lammas activity.
Sweet corn technically comes from a grain (corn is a grass) but is eaten as a vegetable. Yellow or white corn is best for this holiday, especially if you’re tying into to the Native American “Green Corn Festival” holidays. Sweet corn begins converting sugar to starch as soon as it leaves the stalk. This suggests an interesting relay race: The first bunch of people yank the ripe ears off the stalks and run to the shuckers, who shuck the ears as fast as possible then hand them off to the next folks who run them to the kitchen, where cooks dunk them straight into pots of boiling water.
Seasonal fruits include anything ripe at this time, most notably blackberries. The earliest “dessert” apple and pear varieties also ripen in early August; these are not for storage or canning, but are sweet delicate fruits intended to be eaten immediately. Serve them by themselves, in fruit salads, or sliced with crackers and a sharp cheese such as aged white cheddar.
Alcoholic beverages figure into many Lammas myths. Chief among these are beer and ale, which come from grains. Fruit wines, such as blackberry or elderberry wine, celebrate the dark fruits of late summer. However, some versions of Lammas tie into the wine gods and the worship of grapes. Mead, made from summer honey, also appears in Lammas festivals. For safety’s sake, serve alcohol in moderation, after food — and make sure that designated drivers are available.
Lammas Decoration Ideas
Your decorations should support and enhance your theme. One strong motif with variations will usually work better than unrelated motifs all competing with each other. For more ideas, flip through books such as Lammas: Celebrating the Fruits of the First Harvest and Sabbat Entertaining: Celebrating the Wiccan Holidays with Style.
Colors: Gold and yellow predominate, the colors of grain. Brown, tan, and white also play in. Other food colors — such as tomato red, leaf green, and berry purple — may be appropriate. For a Lughnassadh ritual, consider bronze and gold, the colors of Lugh.
Incense: Corn and safflower both tie into the grain theme. Rose hips bring another seasonal reference, as roses are in fruit at this time. Frankincense and sandalwood relate to spirituality. You can also make your own incense or essential oil blends inspired by online recipes.
Music: Lammas music is harvest music, heavy on the beat, so drums are especially appropriate. Strings, especially harps and guitars, are also popular as people sing along to them. Consider seasonal songs like Lammas Leaves and The Lammas Tide or albums such as Circle of the Seasons, A Garland Of Song, The Music of Gwydion, and The Wheel of the Year: Thirty Years with the Armstrong Family.
Altar tools for Lammas have an emphasis on blades, particularly the sickle or bolline, but also the athame. You may also want to make corn dollies or corn-husk dolls for altar decoration or for use in ritual.
Grain sheaves characterize the harvest season. Wheat sheaves are bundles of wheat set upright for collection. Corn tipis are made from cut corn stalks after the ears have been removed, stacked together in a cone.
Cornucopia is a horn-shaped basket filled with autumn fruits and vegetables. It means “horn of plenty” and represents the abundance of the harvest season. Earth goddesses and gods sometimes carry one as a symbol of their power.
This article originally appeared in Gaiatribe on July 26, 2009.
Traditional foods for Lammas include the fruits and vegetables peaking in late summer to early fall. However, primary emphasis falls on grains and things made from grains. Meat does not really figure into the usual Lammas fare — though you may serve some if you wish — so this holiday is ideal for vegetarians. You can find Lammas recipes online or in cookbooks such as Cooking To The Wheel of the Year or The Farmer’s Market Cookbook: Seasonal Dishes Made from Nature’s Freshest Ingredients. Plan your potluck feast in advance and enjoy some Lammas recipes from Fieldhaven.
Grains form the mainstay of Lammas food, especially wheat, oats, barley, and rye. Whole, cracked, or rolled grains appear in stuffings and other dishes. Bread and other foods made from grains also stand out on a Lammas table. Kneading and baking bread is a traditional Lammas activity.
Sweet corn technically comes from a grain (corn is a grass) but is eaten as a vegetable. Yellow or white corn is best for this holiday, especially if you’re tying into to the Native American “Green Corn Festival” holidays. Sweet corn begins converting sugar to starch as soon as it leaves the stalk. This suggests an interesting relay race: The first bunch of people yank the ripe ears off the stalks and run to the shuckers, who shuck the ears as fast as possible then hand them off to the next folks who run them to the kitchen, where cooks dunk them straight into pots of boiling water.
Seasonal fruits include anything ripe at this time, most notably blackberries. The earliest “dessert” apple and pear varieties also ripen in early August; these are not for storage or canning, but are sweet delicate fruits intended to be eaten immediately. Serve them by themselves, in fruit salads, or sliced with crackers and a sharp cheese such as aged white cheddar.
Alcoholic beverages figure into many Lammas myths. Chief among these are beer and ale, which come from grains. Fruit wines, such as blackberry or elderberry wine, celebrate the dark fruits of late summer. However, some versions of Lammas tie into the wine gods and the worship of grapes. Mead, made from summer honey, also appears in Lammas festivals. For safety’s sake, serve alcohol in moderation, after food — and make sure that designated drivers are available.
Lammas Decoration Ideas
Your decorations should support and enhance your theme. One strong motif with variations will usually work better than unrelated motifs all competing with each other. For more ideas, flip through books such as Lammas: Celebrating the Fruits of the First Harvest and Sabbat Entertaining: Celebrating the Wiccan Holidays with Style.
Colors: Gold and yellow predominate, the colors of grain. Brown, tan, and white also play in. Other food colors — such as tomato red, leaf green, and berry purple — may be appropriate. For a Lughnassadh ritual, consider bronze and gold, the colors of Lugh.
Incense: Corn and safflower both tie into the grain theme. Rose hips bring another seasonal reference, as roses are in fruit at this time. Frankincense and sandalwood relate to spirituality. You can also make your own incense or essential oil blends inspired by online recipes.
Music: Lammas music is harvest music, heavy on the beat, so drums are especially appropriate. Strings, especially harps and guitars, are also popular as people sing along to them. Consider seasonal songs like Lammas Leaves and The Lammas Tide or albums such as Circle of the Seasons, A Garland Of Song, The Music of Gwydion, and The Wheel of the Year: Thirty Years with the Armstrong Family.
Altar tools for Lammas have an emphasis on blades, particularly the sickle or bolline, but also the athame. You may also want to make corn dollies or corn-husk dolls for altar decoration or for use in ritual.
Grain sheaves characterize the harvest season. Wheat sheaves are bundles of wheat set upright for collection. Corn tipis are made from cut corn stalks after the ears have been removed, stacked together in a cone.
Cornucopia is a horn-shaped basket filled with autumn fruits and vegetables. It means “horn of plenty” and represents the abundance of the harvest season. Earth goddesses and gods sometimes carry one as a symbol of their power.
This article originally appeared in Gaiatribe on July 26, 2009.
Ritual for Lammas 2009
Background: We did one set of sabbats in which each featured a different culture. This one focuses on Australian mythology and presents a retelling of the creation story in which the Ancestors made the world during the Dreamtime. The bullroarer is an important spiritual tool.
Preparation: Set up small altar table in the main ritual meadow with altar cloth, pictures of Australian creatures (secured by paperweight), and bullroarer on string. All-Father will also carry the Earth sphere. The All-Father wears brown, the Sun Mother wears burgundy, and the Rainbow Serpent wears white. Other people are dressed in various earth-tones. The primary ritual meadow is a fenced area with two gates; the auxiliary ritual meadow is a smaller mowed area just outside the northern gate; and there is no direct line-of-sight between the two. Participants gather in the auxiliary ritual meadow and form a figure-8.
All-Father: “This is the Dream which has no beginning and no end.” Passes the Earth sphere to next person, who repeats the phrase, and so on through the figure-8 until the sphere returns to the All-Father.
All-Father: Describes the Dreamtime. “The Altjeringa, or Dreamtime, is outside of ordinary time and space, and through it, each creature and person has their own Dreaming which defines their role in the world. Aboriginal Australian mythology tells how the Ancestor Beings created the Earth and all its creatures in the Dreamtime. Where the Ancestors worked or stopped to rest, they made the hills and rivers and other sacred sites. When they finished their creation, the Ancestors became the stars and mountains so that they would never be forgotten. So each place has its own guruwari or ‘seed power’ of magic.”
“From the Dreamtime, the All-Father came, and he formed the Earth from a ball of mud. But the Earth was barren and empty. He knew that he would need the help of the Sun Mother, the Rainbow Serpent, and all the other Ancestor Beings to make it live.” All-Father leaves the auxiliary meadow and goes to the main ritual meadow.
Sun Mother: “The All-Father has gone walkabout. Let us sing about the world we are Dreaming.” Sun Mother begins the chant, which everyone else will continue until they are drawn into the main ritual meadow.
Dreamtime come along
Walkabout Songline
Dreamtime come along
Walkabout world
All Father: Picks up bullroarer from altar and whirls it to summon Sun Mother.
Sun Mother: “I hear the call to manifestation. I will Dream light and life into the world that awaits.” Goes into the main ritual meadow. One at a time, she takes an image of an Australian creature, walks to the auxiliary meadow, gives the image to a person, and leads that person from the auxiliary meadow through the northern gate into the main ritual meadow. Then she returns to the auxiliary meadow for the next person. Released creatures mill around the main ritual meadow. First Man is brought in last, leaving the Rainbow Serpent behind, alone in the auxiliary meadow.
All-Father: “The world is full of life, but all is chaos. Someone must bring order to this world.” Summons the Rainbow Serpent with the bullroarer.
Rainbow Serpent: “Waters of the world, hear me! Be falling rain. Be flowing rivers. Be waiting waterholes.” Catches the milling creatures and places them in a circle. “Now you living beings will become the ancestors of the plant and animal populations and the human clans. No clan may eat of their own totem, and each clan is responsible for the prayers and rituals to increase their totem creatures. First Man, you must keep track of all this! As the humans flourish, I will continue teaching them the power of stories and the Yiri, the Songlines, so they will remember the Ancestor Beings and understand how to live properly.”
This concludes the representation of Ancestor Beings by the participants. The next section deals with them as human beings, their individual lives and role in our community.
Rainbow Serpent: “Now you human beings, attend to me and sing of yourselves.” Weaves through the circle and questions each person about who they are and their roles: “Who are you, and where do you come from?” then “What do you do, and how does it connect you to the world?” Finally, Rainbow Serpent turns to All-Father and says, “All is in order.”
All-Father: Describes the connection of the Australian Dreamtime with the Pagan awareness of ritual circles being “a time that is not a time, a place that is not a place.” Links the Australian Songlines with European ley lines and Asian dragon lines. Explains that the Ancestors spoke to people everywhere and in each part of the Earth taught them how to live in that land, as when White Buffalo Woman came to the Sioux and when the Rainbow Serpent went to South America as Quetzalcoatl and to Africa as Dambhala.
Everyone reassembles into a circle, regardless of prior roles, for the conclusion.
All-Father: Passes the Earth sphere around the circle, saying, “This is the Dream which has no end and no beginning.”
* * *
Lammas Outline
Attendees arrive at Fieldhaven.
Sir Malachite leads discussion of genealogy and family background: who we are and where we come from.
Lady Raspberry leads discussion of community and social roles: what we do and what our connections are.
Setup for ritual and ritual prep.
Main ritual takes place in ritual meadow.
Setup for potluck feast.
Potluck feast.
Cleanup.
Socializing.
* * *
Materials
small altar table
altar cloth
pictures of Australian creatures
paperweight
Earth sphere
bullroarer on string
Preparation: Set up small altar table in the main ritual meadow with altar cloth, pictures of Australian creatures (secured by paperweight), and bullroarer on string. All-Father will also carry the Earth sphere. The All-Father wears brown, the Sun Mother wears burgundy, and the Rainbow Serpent wears white. Other people are dressed in various earth-tones. The primary ritual meadow is a fenced area with two gates; the auxiliary ritual meadow is a smaller mowed area just outside the northern gate; and there is no direct line-of-sight between the two. Participants gather in the auxiliary ritual meadow and form a figure-8.
All-Father: “This is the Dream which has no beginning and no end.” Passes the Earth sphere to next person, who repeats the phrase, and so on through the figure-8 until the sphere returns to the All-Father.
All-Father: Describes the Dreamtime. “The Altjeringa, or Dreamtime, is outside of ordinary time and space, and through it, each creature and person has their own Dreaming which defines their role in the world. Aboriginal Australian mythology tells how the Ancestor Beings created the Earth and all its creatures in the Dreamtime. Where the Ancestors worked or stopped to rest, they made the hills and rivers and other sacred sites. When they finished their creation, the Ancestors became the stars and mountains so that they would never be forgotten. So each place has its own guruwari or ‘seed power’ of magic.”
“From the Dreamtime, the All-Father came, and he formed the Earth from a ball of mud. But the Earth was barren and empty. He knew that he would need the help of the Sun Mother, the Rainbow Serpent, and all the other Ancestor Beings to make it live.” All-Father leaves the auxiliary meadow and goes to the main ritual meadow.
Sun Mother: “The All-Father has gone walkabout. Let us sing about the world we are Dreaming.” Sun Mother begins the chant, which everyone else will continue until they are drawn into the main ritual meadow.
Dreamtime come along
Walkabout Songline
Dreamtime come along
Walkabout world
All Father: Picks up bullroarer from altar and whirls it to summon Sun Mother.
Sun Mother: “I hear the call to manifestation. I will Dream light and life into the world that awaits.” Goes into the main ritual meadow. One at a time, she takes an image of an Australian creature, walks to the auxiliary meadow, gives the image to a person, and leads that person from the auxiliary meadow through the northern gate into the main ritual meadow. Then she returns to the auxiliary meadow for the next person. Released creatures mill around the main ritual meadow. First Man is brought in last, leaving the Rainbow Serpent behind, alone in the auxiliary meadow.
All-Father: “The world is full of life, but all is chaos. Someone must bring order to this world.” Summons the Rainbow Serpent with the bullroarer.
Rainbow Serpent: “Waters of the world, hear me! Be falling rain. Be flowing rivers. Be waiting waterholes.” Catches the milling creatures and places them in a circle. “Now you living beings will become the ancestors of the plant and animal populations and the human clans. No clan may eat of their own totem, and each clan is responsible for the prayers and rituals to increase their totem creatures. First Man, you must keep track of all this! As the humans flourish, I will continue teaching them the power of stories and the Yiri, the Songlines, so they will remember the Ancestor Beings and understand how to live properly.”
This concludes the representation of Ancestor Beings by the participants. The next section deals with them as human beings, their individual lives and role in our community.
Rainbow Serpent: “Now you human beings, attend to me and sing of yourselves.” Weaves through the circle and questions each person about who they are and their roles: “Who are you, and where do you come from?” then “What do you do, and how does it connect you to the world?” Finally, Rainbow Serpent turns to All-Father and says, “All is in order.”
All-Father: Describes the connection of the Australian Dreamtime with the Pagan awareness of ritual circles being “a time that is not a time, a place that is not a place.” Links the Australian Songlines with European ley lines and Asian dragon lines. Explains that the Ancestors spoke to people everywhere and in each part of the Earth taught them how to live in that land, as when White Buffalo Woman came to the Sioux and when the Rainbow Serpent went to South America as Quetzalcoatl and to Africa as Dambhala.
Everyone reassembles into a circle, regardless of prior roles, for the conclusion.
All-Father: Passes the Earth sphere around the circle, saying, “This is the Dream which has no end and no beginning.”
* * *
Lammas Outline
Attendees arrive at Fieldhaven.
Sir Malachite leads discussion of genealogy and family background: who we are and where we come from.
Lady Raspberry leads discussion of community and social roles: what we do and what our connections are.
Setup for ritual and ritual prep.
Main ritual takes place in ritual meadow.
Setup for potluck feast.
Potluck feast.
Cleanup.
Socializing.
* * *
Materials
small altar table
altar cloth
pictures of Australian creatures
paperweight
Earth sphere
bullroarer on string
Ritual for Lughnassadh 2012
Background: This year, we had a dry spring, and everything bloomed about two weeks early. That quickly turned into a real drought, which has been getting worse ever since, rated "extreme" as of late July. That doesn't lend itself well to the usual flavor of harvest festival preferred for this sabbat, nor do the temperatures -- often hitting 100+F -- suit the games of Lugh. Therefore we developed a sabbat ritual focused on lifting the drought and celebrating what harvest remains.
Sadly, things fell through, so we weren't able to perform the ritual. We're posting it here as an example in case other folks want to use it; just be aware it's not field-tested like most of our others.
I – Calling the Quarters
Once everyone has assembled, facing the center of the circle, all turn deosil (clockwise) in place until facing the North (except for the South caller, who is already facing in that direction). Once all are in position, the caller begins.
[Caller for the North]: I call to the North, and the aspect of Earth that nurtures the seed, and supports all crops until it is time for the harvest. Please provide us with your nurture and support in guarding our circle throughout our ritual this night. Hail and well met!
[All reply]: Hail and well met!
All turn deosil in place to face the East.
[Caller for the East]: I call to the East, and the aspect of Air that brings movement to the leaves, and transports the pollen, such that all plants may thrive. Please share with us that movement, and transport our words to realms beyond this realm, while watching over our circle throughout our ritual this night. Hail and well met!
[All reply]: Hail and well met!
All turn desoil in place to face the South.
[Caller for the South]: I call to the South, and the aspect of Fire that fosters transformation from seeds to plants, and ripens the fruits to their full potential. Please foster our potential by protecting our circle throughout our ritual this night. Hail and well met!
[All reply]: Hail and well met!
All turn deosil in place to face the West.
Caller for the West: I call to the West, and the aspect of Water that encourages growth, and sustains the roots which all crops need. Please offer us the same encouragement and sustenance, by standing guard over our circle throughout our ritual this night. Hail and well met!
[All reply]: Hail and well met!
Anyone not already facing into the center of the circle (i.e., everyone but the East caller) turns deosil in place to face the center of the circle.
II – Casting the Circle
Cast circle hand-to-hand, beginning with the North and proceeding deosil around the circle.
III – Statement of Intent
High Priest will summarize the purpose of the ritual: increasing our awareness of the true sources of our food & nourishment, in appreciation of the earliest harvested crops – grains and berries – and offer thanks for bounties received, while also asking that those bounties be made available to all, so none go without sustenance.
IV – Evocation of Deities
Evocation is read, one line at a time, by the respective callers as indicated at the beginning of each line.
(N) Our Lammas rite has now begun
(E) Beneath the rays of setting sun
(W) To join us in the world of men
(N) We invite Lugh and Cerridwen
(S) First harvesting is now at hand
(W) Of fruits and grains as nature planned
(E) The cauldron fills up once again
(S) So join us, Lugh and Cerridwen
(N) The long arm reaches far and wide
(E) As harvests span the countryside
(W) We celebrate these bounties when
(N) We welcome Lugh and Cerridwen
(S) In song, in chant, in spoken word
(W) We place our hopes that we’ve been heard
(E) By presence felt, we offer then
(S) Our rite, with Lugh and Cerridwen
V – Raising/releasing Cone of Power
(Sung/spoken in unison; repeat entire piece 3x)
Roots and berries, nuts and leaves
Bounty born of all that lives
Fruit on trees and grain in sheaves
Thanks for all the good Earth gives
Farmers working in the fields
Gather what the harvest holds
Whether much or meagre yields
Grateful for the greens and golds
Rain and shine, come floods or droughts
Guard the little seeds and shoots
Never yielding to the doubts
Trust the harvest to bring fruits
VI – Sharing of ‘Cakes and Ale’
As food and drink are passed around the circle by the High Priest and High Priestess, they stop at each individual and say in turn:
(As the plate of food is offered – take 1 piece)
HP: Share in the bounty of Lugh.
(As the chalice of drink is offered – take 1 sip)
HPS: Share in the bounty of Cerridwen.
VII – Devocation of Deities
Devocation is read, one line at a time, by the respective callers as indicated at the beginning of each line.
(S) Our ceremony’s passed its peak
(E) Now, in gratitude we speak
(W) In words wrote down with ink and pen
(S) Our thanks to Lugh and Cerridwen
(N) We hope the blessings of this night
(W) Which we’ve released to take their flight
(E) May increase to the power of ten
(N) By grace of Lugh and Cerridwen
(S) The long arm reaches ‘cross the sea
(E) The cauldron has a place to be
(W) A place beyond our mortal ken
(S) The home of Lugh and Cerridwen
(N) In parting now, we thank once more
(W) These visitors upon our shore
(E) Return to Tara’s dale and glen
(N) And farewell, Lugh and Cerridwen
VIII – Release of Quarters
All, except East caller, turn widdershins (counterclockwise) in place to face the West.
Caller for the West: I call to the West, and offer our thanks to the aspects of Water for their encouragement and sustenance during our gathering. Stay if you will, go if you must: Hail and farewell!
All: Hail and farewell!
All turn widdershins in place to face the South.
Caller for the South: I call to the South, and offer our thanks to the aspects of Fire for fostering our potential during our gathering. Stay if you will, go if you must: Hail and farewell!
All: Hail and farewell!
All turn widdershins in place to face the East.
Caller for the East: I call to the East, and offer our thanks to the aspects of Air that moved and transported us during our gathering. Stay if you will, go if you must: Hail and farewell!
All: Hail and farewell!
All turn widdershins in place to face the North.
Caller for the North: I call to the North, and offer our thanks to the aspects of Earth that gave us nurture and support during our gathering. . Stay if you will, go if you must: Hail and farewell!
All: Hail and farewell!
IX – Open the Circle
Release the circle in the opposite manner as it was cast, beginning in the West and going widdershins around the circle. All then recite together: “Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!”
Sadly, things fell through, so we weren't able to perform the ritual. We're posting it here as an example in case other folks want to use it; just be aware it's not field-tested like most of our others.
I – Calling the Quarters
Once everyone has assembled, facing the center of the circle, all turn deosil (clockwise) in place until facing the North (except for the South caller, who is already facing in that direction). Once all are in position, the caller begins.
[Caller for the North]: I call to the North, and the aspect of Earth that nurtures the seed, and supports all crops until it is time for the harvest. Please provide us with your nurture and support in guarding our circle throughout our ritual this night. Hail and well met!
[All reply]: Hail and well met!
All turn deosil in place to face the East.
[Caller for the East]: I call to the East, and the aspect of Air that brings movement to the leaves, and transports the pollen, such that all plants may thrive. Please share with us that movement, and transport our words to realms beyond this realm, while watching over our circle throughout our ritual this night. Hail and well met!
[All reply]: Hail and well met!
All turn desoil in place to face the South.
[Caller for the South]: I call to the South, and the aspect of Fire that fosters transformation from seeds to plants, and ripens the fruits to their full potential. Please foster our potential by protecting our circle throughout our ritual this night. Hail and well met!
[All reply]: Hail and well met!
All turn deosil in place to face the West.
Caller for the West: I call to the West, and the aspect of Water that encourages growth, and sustains the roots which all crops need. Please offer us the same encouragement and sustenance, by standing guard over our circle throughout our ritual this night. Hail and well met!
[All reply]: Hail and well met!
Anyone not already facing into the center of the circle (i.e., everyone but the East caller) turns deosil in place to face the center of the circle.
II – Casting the Circle
Cast circle hand-to-hand, beginning with the North and proceeding deosil around the circle.
III – Statement of Intent
High Priest will summarize the purpose of the ritual: increasing our awareness of the true sources of our food & nourishment, in appreciation of the earliest harvested crops – grains and berries – and offer thanks for bounties received, while also asking that those bounties be made available to all, so none go without sustenance.
IV – Evocation of Deities
Evocation is read, one line at a time, by the respective callers as indicated at the beginning of each line.
(N) Our Lammas rite has now begun
(E) Beneath the rays of setting sun
(W) To join us in the world of men
(N) We invite Lugh and Cerridwen
(S) First harvesting is now at hand
(W) Of fruits and grains as nature planned
(E) The cauldron fills up once again
(S) So join us, Lugh and Cerridwen
(N) The long arm reaches far and wide
(E) As harvests span the countryside
(W) We celebrate these bounties when
(N) We welcome Lugh and Cerridwen
(S) In song, in chant, in spoken word
(W) We place our hopes that we’ve been heard
(E) By presence felt, we offer then
(S) Our rite, with Lugh and Cerridwen
V – Raising/releasing Cone of Power
(Sung/spoken in unison; repeat entire piece 3x)
Roots and berries, nuts and leaves
Bounty born of all that lives
Fruit on trees and grain in sheaves
Thanks for all the good Earth gives
Farmers working in the fields
Gather what the harvest holds
Whether much or meagre yields
Grateful for the greens and golds
Rain and shine, come floods or droughts
Guard the little seeds and shoots
Never yielding to the doubts
Trust the harvest to bring fruits
VI – Sharing of ‘Cakes and Ale’
As food and drink are passed around the circle by the High Priest and High Priestess, they stop at each individual and say in turn:
(As the plate of food is offered – take 1 piece)
HP: Share in the bounty of Lugh.
(As the chalice of drink is offered – take 1 sip)
HPS: Share in the bounty of Cerridwen.
VII – Devocation of Deities
Devocation is read, one line at a time, by the respective callers as indicated at the beginning of each line.
(S) Our ceremony’s passed its peak
(E) Now, in gratitude we speak
(W) In words wrote down with ink and pen
(S) Our thanks to Lugh and Cerridwen
(N) We hope the blessings of this night
(W) Which we’ve released to take their flight
(E) May increase to the power of ten
(N) By grace of Lugh and Cerridwen
(S) The long arm reaches ‘cross the sea
(E) The cauldron has a place to be
(W) A place beyond our mortal ken
(S) The home of Lugh and Cerridwen
(N) In parting now, we thank once more
(W) These visitors upon our shore
(E) Return to Tara’s dale and glen
(N) And farewell, Lugh and Cerridwen
VIII – Release of Quarters
All, except East caller, turn widdershins (counterclockwise) in place to face the West.
Caller for the West: I call to the West, and offer our thanks to the aspects of Water for their encouragement and sustenance during our gathering. Stay if you will, go if you must: Hail and farewell!
All: Hail and farewell!
All turn widdershins in place to face the South.
Caller for the South: I call to the South, and offer our thanks to the aspects of Fire for fostering our potential during our gathering. Stay if you will, go if you must: Hail and farewell!
All: Hail and farewell!
All turn widdershins in place to face the East.
Caller for the East: I call to the East, and offer our thanks to the aspects of Air that moved and transported us during our gathering. Stay if you will, go if you must: Hail and farewell!
All: Hail and farewell!
All turn widdershins in place to face the North.
Caller for the North: I call to the North, and offer our thanks to the aspects of Earth that gave us nurture and support during our gathering. . Stay if you will, go if you must: Hail and farewell!
All: Hail and farewell!
IX – Open the Circle
Release the circle in the opposite manner as it was cast, beginning in the West and going widdershins around the circle. All then recite together: “Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!”
Photos used under Creative Commons from Hello, I am Bruce, Hello, I am Bruce, Chris Bloke, shioshvili
