How to Celebrate Lughnasadh
There is an immense spiritual benefit in honoring the seasons of the Earth and in syncing with the rhythms of life and nature.
Celebrating Lughnasadh, as one of 8 seasonal festivals within the
How to Celebrate Lughnasadh
There is an immense spiritual benefit in honoring the seasons of the Earth and in syncing with the rhythms of life and nature.
Celebrating Lughnasadh, as one of 8 seasonal festivals within the ever-turning Wheel of the Year, is a wonderful way to do just that!
What is Lughnasadh? (Pronounced Loo-nah-sa)
Lughnasadh, also called Lammas, is the beginning of the harvest season. It was historically the first of the harvest celebrations to celebrate the first fruits and grains of the season. It is also the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox.
Lughnasadh is usually celebrated right around August 1st in the Northern Hemisphere, or February 1st in the Southern Hemisphere when we reach the halfway point (cross-quarter date) between Solstice and Equinox.
This is a seasonal celebration, and so if it's August, and you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, check out my post on Imbolc to learn about the corresponding seasonal celebration for you.
Lughnasadh (pronounced Loo-nah-sa) is an ancient Irish Harvest typically festival held on August 1st to celebrate the abundance of the Earth, and to acknowledge the passing of time and entrance into the hidden (esoteric) start of Autumn.
It is one of the 4 Celtic Fire festivals and was said to be celebrated from sunset to sunset, so beginning on sunset on July 31st and lasting until sunset on August 1st.
But really… Celebrate sometime in early August when it really feels like summer harvest time where you are, or when the timing is right for you. Some people prefer to celebrate on the exact cross-quarter date, which this year is August 6th.
Lughnasa (alternate spelling) is also sometimes called Lammas. Lammas comes from the Saxon word Hlaf-mass which means “loaf mass” or “the Feast of Bread”. This name points to one of the key meanings of the festival, which was a celebration of the grain harvest marked by blessing and baking bread with the first grain harvested of the season. More on that soon.
Seasonal Indications of Lughnasadh
At the start of August, Summer is present in full force. The Earth is ripe with abundance and we can feel and witness the full flowering of Summer.
The Sun brightly shines high in the sky and sunflowers bloom, tomatoes are ripe on the vine, and the first of the seasons crops are being harvested.
Metaphysically, in the Spring and Summer Season, the living Earth being (Gaia, Sophia) breathes out her etheric and astral forces. This manifests as plant growth and an abundant outwardly expression of vitality and life.
Our agrarian ancestors would have honored the abundance of the Earth, celebrated a bountiful first harvest and the start of the harvest season, and given thanks to Spirit for many blessings and offerings for bountiful future harvests as well.
With Summer now fully in its peak, we can also honor and notice that this is also a time where the forces of change stir within the Earth. The forces of growth in nature are starting to slow, and the long days of summer are visibly shortening.
This is the hidden and subtle entrance into Autumn. Soon Mother Earth will begin her in-breath of the astral and etheric life forces that manifest so abundantly as rebirth, growth and plant life in the Summer months.
Soon the verdant growth that peaks in Summer will halt, the days will grow darker and colder once again, and the Wheel of the Year will turn from Summer into Fall and then Winter.
The cycle continues on, and yet we can take this time of Lughnasadh to celebrate the beautiful Summer weather, and to celebrate abundance, life, light and to honor Mother Earth as a whole right here and now.
Celebrating the peak and change of the season