Lammas (Lughnasadh) – 1 August, 2015

Celebrating the Lammas

Participants

High Priest
High Priestess

Material Needed

Traditional Foods: Apples, Grains, Breads and Berries.

Herbs and Flowers: All Grains, Grapes, Heather, Blackberries, Sloe, Crab Apples, Mint, Meadowsweet, Sunflower and Pears.

Incense: Aloes, Rose and Sandalwood.

Sacred Gemstone: Carnelian.

Before The Ceremony

High Priest

Clean the tools and ingredients with Copal-Cinnamon incense.

Statement Of Intent

High Priest

The Goddess at Lammas

The Grain Mother

At Lammas the Goddess is in Her aspect as Grain Mother, Harvest Mother, Harvest Queen, Earth Mother, Ceres and Demeter. Demeter, as Corn Mother, represents the ripe corn of this year’s harvest and Her daughter Kore/Persephone represents the grain – the seed which drops back deep into the dark earth, hidden throughout the winter, and re-appears in the spring as new growth. This is the deep core meaning of Lammas and comes in different guises: it is about the fullness and fulfillment of the present harvest holding at its heart the seed of all future harvest. (It is a fact that a pregnant woman carrying her as yet unborn daughter is also already carrying the ovary containing all the eggs her daughter will ever release – she is already both mother, grandmother and beyond, embodying the great Motherline – pure magic and mystery.)

So as the grain harvest is gathered in, there is food to feed the community through the winter and within that harvest is the seed of next year’s rebirth, regeneration and harvest. The Grain Mother is ripe and full, heavily pregnant she carries the seed of the new year’s Sun God within her. There is tension here. For the Sun God, the God of the Harvest, the Green Man surrenders his life with the cutting of the corn.

Opening Of Circle

Together

(Walking clockwise from East)

By the air that is her breath
By the fire that is her bright spirit
By the living waters of her womb
And by the earth that is her body
The circle is cast,

(Tie the knot of the circle)

So Mote It Be!

Invoking The Watchtowers

Together

East (Air)

Hail to thee Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East,
The powers of air.

We welcome you all to our circle today.

So Mote It Be!

South (Fire)

Hail to thee Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South,
The powers of fire.

We welcome you all to our circle today.

So Mote It Be!

West (Water)

Hail to thee Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West,
The powers of water.

We welcome you all to our circle today.

So Mote It Be!

North (Earth)

Hail to thee Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North,
The powers of earth.

We welcome you all to our circle today.

So Mote It Be!

Invoke The God And Goddess

High Priest

I now do call the Eternal God to our circle today, send thy Spirit forth! Pierce our Sacred Circle with thy vibrant presence. Flow through our bodies this day. Blessed be the Eternal God.

High Priestess

I call the Eternal Goddess to our circle today, send thy Spirit forth! Pierce our Sacred Circle with thy vibrant presence. Flow through our bodies this day. Blessed be the Eternal Goddess.

High Priest

The Circle is cast; we are between the worlds. In this place that is not a place, in this time that is not a time, with a willing suspension of disbelief, we consider the possible, explore the probable, and question the truth.

So mote it be!

Together

May the place of this rite be consecrated before the gods. Eternal Gods and Goddesses of Nature are with us.

Blessed Be!

High Priestess

Be with us here, O beings of the Air may your warmth bring us love and success!

(High priestess lights incense)

High Priest

Be with us here, O beings of the Fire may your presence give us the strength so that our future is bright!

(High priest consecrates and lights the large candle)

High Priestess

Be with us here, O beings of the Water may your presence enlighten us with your wisdom!

(All drink sherry from the glass)

High Priest

Be with us here, O beings of the Earth may your presence bring us joy that will be long lasting!

(High priest scatters salt on altar)

Ceremony Begins

High Priestess

It is marks the middle of Summer and the beginning of the harvest. It is the first of three harvest festivals and is usually associated with ripening grain. It heralds the coming of Autumn. The Goddess manifests as Demeter, Ceres, Corn Mother, and other agricultural Goddesses. The God manifests as Lugh, John Barleycorn, and vegetation Gods. Colors are Golden Yellow, Orange, Green, and Light Brown. It is a festival of plenty and prosperity.

Blessed Be!

High Priest

Behold the God and Goddess, Lord of the Forest and his Bride, once again the Earth is blessed by their presence.

So mote it be!

High Priestess

This is the time of purification, and a renewing of life. This is the time of the quickening. At this time and in this place between the worlds, I come into the presence of the Lord and the Lady that I may gain wise and truthful counsel.

Blessed Be!

Together

Every beginning has an ending, and every ending is a new beginning. In Life is Death, and in Death is Life. Watch over us, loved ones, and all of our Brothers and Sisters, here and departed, who, tonight are joined together again for fellowship and celebration. Bless us all as we light our bonfires, our hearth fires, and the eternal fires in our hearts. Guide us and protect us, tonight and throughout the coming year.

Blessed Be! Blessed Be!

High Priest

Places a pinch of salt on each member’s tongue. My body is salt, taste the breath of death.

High Priestess

You are entering a space of perfect freedom as each visualizes their hopes for their life to come with the coming of the Sun, places a drop of honey on each member’s tongue. Taste the sweetness of life.

Together

Looking at the candle I who have died am alive again today, and this is the sun’s birthday! (repeat)

This is the birthday of life and love and wings, and the great joyous happening inimitably earth. We are born again, we shall live again! (repeat).

The Sun Child, the Winterborn King!

High Priest

Lord, You who is the freedom of the wild things, the bright sun that lights the day, the mystery of the forest, he resolve in the heart of humanity, we welcome you in our midst for you are the body of nature who gives life to the universe. We thank thee for all the good and the bad that happened to us in the past year. The good as it makes our lives happier. The bad as it makes our souls stronger and strengthen our resolve to do better.

So mote it be!

Together

So mote it be!

High Priestess

The old solar year has run its course and completed its cycle. So has some of our habits or traits completed their cycles and outlived their usefulness. This is a time for shedding that which is no longer needed. Take a few moments now to consider which things you would leave behind as you go into the coming year.

So blessed be!

(Pause)

As the old year dies away so to will these old ways will fade into memory.

So mote it be!

Together

So mote it be!

Together

(Consecrates the assorted small candles with oil and then light them)

Water, Air, Fire, Earth
We celebrate the Sun’s rebirth
On this dark and longest night
We burn the sacred candles bright

We thank thee for the light of the sun
Hail to thee, O Great Horned One

So mote it be!

Spellwork

(Spellwork & Magic are anything but supernatural for most Wiccans and Pagans. Learn about magical theory, how energy is manipulated, choosing your magical name, herb and candle magic, and protection rituals. Also covered: should you pay someone else to cast a spell for you?)

(Have a magical picnic and break bread with friends. Do a meditation in which you visualize yourself completing a project you have already begun. Make a corn dolly charm out of the first grain you harvest or acquire. Bake a sacred loaf bread and give a portion of it to Mother Earth with a prayer of appreciation. Make prayers for a good harvest season. Do prosperity magic. Harvest herbs in a sacred way for use in charms and rituals. Kindle a Lammas fire with sacred wood and dried herbs. If you live in or near a farming region, attend a public harvest festival, such as a corn or apple festival.)

Conclusion

High Priest

May the rest of this year bring us happiness! We shall never forget the turning of the wheel, only then in the forgetfulness and neglect will it fail us.

So mote it be!

Together

So mote it be!

High Priestess

By earth and water, air and fire hearken onto my desire my home be charged by magic charm safe protected from all harm blessed with health, vitality by Sun and Earth, by three times three in love and trust.

So mote it be!

High Priest

By this act of faith I proclaim my belief in my place on the Eternal cycle of life blessed be the Great Rite the God and Goddess reign eternal.

Dismiss Watchtowers

Together

We thank you for joining our ceremony today. As ye depart to your mighty realms, we bid thee Hail and Farewell, and harm ye none on your way.

So Mote It Be

North (Earth)

Hail to thee Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North.
The powers of earth.

We thank you all for joining our ceremony today. As ye depart to your mighty realms, we bid thee Hail and Farewell, and harm ye none on your way.

So Mote It Be!

West (Water)

Hail to thee Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West.
The powers of water.

We thank you all for joining our ceremony today. As ye depart to your mighty realms, we bid thee Hail and Farewell,aAnd harm ye none on your way.

So Mote It Be!

South (Fire)

Hail to thee Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South.
The powers of fire.

We thank you all for joining our ceremony today. As ye depart to your mighty realms, we bid thee Hail and Farewell, and harm ye none on your way.

So Mote It Be!

East (Air)

Hail to thee Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East.
The powers of air.

We thank you all for joining our ceremony today. As ye depart to your mighty realms, we bid thee Hail and Farewell,and harm ye none on your way.

So Mote It Be!

Open The Circle

Together

(First cut the knot. Walking counterclockwise from East.)

By the air that is her breath
By the earth that is her body
By the living waters of her womb
And by the fire that is her bright spirit
The circle is open but not unbroken.

May the joy of the Goddess live in our hearts
Merry Meet,
Merry Part,
And Merry Meet Again!

The Lost Bearded White Brother