Lughnasa
About the Calends of August Taltiu died, on a Monday, on the feast of Lughnasad of Lug;
around her grave from that Monday forth is held the chief fair of noble Erin.
~The Metrical Dindshenchas.
In honor of Lugh's foster-mother Taltiu who singly handedly cleared the plains of Ireland of trees in order that agriculture and the grazing of cattle might take place. Make your own promise to the land this evening, as the sun strikes the harvesting earth with its last rays. Meditate upon how you can keep this time sacred in your personal spiritual practice.
Lugh's wedding, come to gather the fruits of harvest and ploughed labor, sacrifice of the sacred king accepting the Goddess as his mate, bring forth the harvest from the mother's womb and grand sacred status who her one true fate.
'There is a man at the door,' said the doorkeeper. 'His match would be hard to find: every art answers his skill.'~Gofraidh Fionn O'Dalaigh
The nickname of the Irish god Lugh is Smidanach, or 'The Many Gifted One' earned at the court of King Nuada. On this day of festival, review your own many-gifted nature with appreciation. How does it serve your community? Which gifts are you hiding away? Which ones will you be enjoying this autumn?
The Meaning of Lughnasa
Lughnasad,
Lughnasadh, Lunasa, Lunasdain, Lunasdal, Lunasduinn, Laa
Luanistyn, Laa Luanys; also Lammas Day, Garland Sunday, Domhnach
Chrom Dubh, Crom Dubh Sunday, Bilberry Sunday, Fraughan Sunday [Ir.
*Lugh: nasad, assembly, festive or commemorative gathering.] Irish,
Scottish Gaelic, and Manx names for the seasonal feast of pre-
Christian orgin fixed at 1 August or the last Sunday of July in the
Gregorian calendar; in Scotland the festival is renamed in honour of
St. Michael, Michaelmas, 29 September. One of the four great
calendar feasts of Celtic tradition along with Samain (1 Nov.),
Imbolc (1 Feb.), and Beltaine (1 May). Long a harvest festival
celebrating the ripening of grain and, after the became plentiful,
the maturing of potatoes, Lughnasa commemorates Lug Lamfhota, one of
the most prominent heroes of early Irish culture. Lug seems most
certainly derived from Lugos/Lugus or Gaulish Mercury, the god
described by Julius Caesar (1st cent. BC) as the most prominent in
the Gaulish pantheon. At Lug(o)dunum (lyon), a city named for
Lugos/Lugus, a celebration was held each 1 August in honor of the
Emperor Augustus. According to early Irish tradition, however, Lug
himself established the festival to honor his foster-mother Tailtiu
in Brega, modern Co. Meath; Lug also led the horse-racing and martial
arts contests. Soon Lughnasa celebrations were held in other parts
of Ireland, at Emain Macha for Ulster and at Tara for the whole of
the island.
The Christian Church did not oppose the continuation of the festival
marking the beginning of the harvest and the waning of calves and
lambs, but the different names applied to it obscured its pagan
origin. Eventually it broke away from its fixed time of 1 August and
might include many days, especially Sundays, from 15 July to 15
August. Comparable but much smaller fairs, not associated with Lug
or Lughnasa, were held for Calan Awst (first of August) in Wales and
at Morvah in Cornwall. Lughnasa and its counterparts provided a time
for horse-racing, horse-swimming, and games of hurling. Celebrants
might enjoy climbing to the tops of nearby hills, both to pray and to
gather bilberries. Others would assemble at lakes and holy wells.
Lughnasa fairs might also include the buying and selling of goods,
especially at Killorglin in Co. Kerry, Ballycastle in Co. Antrim,
Ennistymon in Co. Cavan, and elsewhere.
Resource: Dictionary of Celtic Mythology by James MacKillop
Lugh's Rise
Upon the gold sun rides a heavenly day,
A song born on the wind of Taltiu's cry,
My beloved born has fallen and shall rise again,
From the land unborn the rays dance,
And shining down upon our souls,
Laughter sparkles in the eyes of his rising light,
A mother watches over harvest of soul,
From the careful grains of golden bounty,
She will plant her son to the ground,
Carry his light to share in the world round,
From the spears of dawn piercing the day.
~Autumn Laird
Summer Reflections
Warm
Greetings,
Not far away there is a large field planted with wheat. It stands
golden and swaying in the breeze, gilded and sweet scented. How deep
the contrast to the rich green acres of corn, so common to our
senses.
Each time I passed this field my eyes would caress the heavily
drooping heads of grain and my fingertips sought blindly to touch
them and close the distance between us. Lughnassadh approaches, the
first harvest. The grain of life is cut and in death our lives are
assured.
Gaining the permission of the land owner, the grain growing nearest
the road was mine to cut. Bending low with my sickle I gathered the
first stalks as one in my hand. I kissed them and sighed with my eyes
closed. In the distance the gentle humming of the combine marked
it's passage through the field of grain as it gathered in the rich
heads in wide paths. I raised my sickle and cut.
How unlikely to feel so full of emotion in cutting those tender
stalks, but I was swept away like driftwood in a swell of golden
tide. A passing motorist stopped and commented on watching me
harvesting by hand as a machine marched in the distance. She said it
was like seeing the past and the present on one plane.
Finished, I left my offering and prayer, but even these gifts paled
in the brilliance of the true sacrifice and gift of life sustained. I
am grateful to overflowing.
When we come together at Lughnassadh the loaf upon the altar and the
loaf we break and share will bear the grain and into our bodies will
we take it's essence. The blood and body of the Mother, the strength
and breath of the Father, becomes ours.
With the Abundant Blessings of the Daghdha,
~Inion
King of Ireland (Puck Day)
Oh
what a fine bright day to come out and play,
Oh what a fine bright day to worship the king of Ireland,
Oh for this blessed time when all harvest comes to reap,
Come ye merry dancers sing to your king,
Come ye merry dancers drum for your king,
Come to crown the mountain wild,
For the Land is surely our livelihood,
So come the harvest season to take what we have sown,
Give back the rewards and thanks be shown,
With this simple token of crowning the child,
Bring about the earth's bounty blessing wild,
Restore her faith in our ways and celebrate today,
For the son of Taltiu lives but a brief life,
Reborn in the light at each seasons passing,
His shining spears ascend at the dawn of day,
With this sacrifice we pray to you,
The blood of lamb and yew,
The sacred king is reborn,
As we take what we have sown and you have bestow,
Abolish the trials of the season to the dark days end,
Prepare for the rest of winter's newborn sun,
With the worship of the ancient ways,
We shall follow sweet Lugh's rays,
Oh what a fine bright day to come out and play,
Oh what a fine bright day to worship the king of Ireland,
Oh for this blessed time when all harvest comes to reap,
Come ye merry dancers sing to your king,
Come ye merry dancers drum for your king,
Come to crown the mountain wild,
For the seasons cycle around the King of Ireland.
~Autumn Laird
Lughnasa Ritual By Pam
We
gather for this celebration of summer’s end with our families at a table set
with the fruits of the harvest. And share bread with one another. This is also
the time if one in our grove is considering committing to another it is
announced here.
After
the meal everyone is encouraged to share stories of things that have born
“fruit” during the past year. We also pray for a good harvest as
we are in farming country in this area.
We
commune until midnight and then we perform our ritual around the flame as is
tradition. This was one of the Fire Festivals of the old way.
While
making the circle the Priest/Priestess chants;
God/Goddess cleanse
this place of negative energies.
Fill it with your
life force , Your love and wisdom
Protect it and all
within it from harm
As above So below
As within so without
The
Priest/priestess chants while facing the north:
Spirits
of the north ,of the earth
Of protection ,
nurturing and growth
Bless our ritual and
attend our circle
Heed our prayers and
carry them
Into the world that
they may be manifest.
The
Priest/priestess chants while facing the west;
Spirits
of the west, of the water
Of issues of the
heart and psyche
Of feeling and
inspiration .
Bless our ritual and
attend our circle
Heed our prayers and
carry them
Into the world that
they may be manifest.
While
standing facing the south, the Priest/priestess chants:
Spirits
of the south, of fire
Of issues of
creativity and endeavour
Of light and
brightness of love
Bless our ritual and
attend our circle
Heed our prayers and
carry them
Into the world that
they may be manifest.
While
standing facing the east, the Priest/priestess chants:
Spirits
of the east, of air
Of issues of
knowledge and balance
Of intelligence
Of exploration and
unity
Bless our ritual and
attend our circle
Heed our prayers and
carry them
Into the world that
they may be manifest
Before
the members come around the circle there is ritual bathing in the lake near our
meeting place. Each is then blessed by the Priest/priestess as he/she enter the
circle.
Bless
our ritual and attend our circle
Heed our prayers and
carry them
Into the world
that they may be manifest
Pam
