Lughnasa with Blueberries
Lughnasa, celebrated on August 1st, is one of four fire festivals that we witches celebrate during the Wheel of the Year. The Wheel of the Year is our annual cycle of seasonal holidays also known as sabbats. The others include Imbolc on February 1st, Beltane on May 1st, and Samhain, the last fire festival on October 31st. Lughnasa is a bountiful harvest celebration, one of our eight sabbats, which falls halfway between the summer solstice and the fall equinox. It marks the waning summer making way for fall. This is traditionally a GRAIN HARVEST FESTIVAL so corn, various and sundry other grains, and breads are associated with this day. In Maine we are harvesting our blueberries starting the end of July so many blueberry festivals take place in our small coastal towns around this time.
Some also celebrate the sun god Lugh who was honored in Celtic tradition. Lugh was skilled at blacksmithing, wheel making and fighting. He represents the sun and light and is associated with ravens, crows, hounds and the lynx. And being a fire festival bonfires or campfires are usually a part of any ritual on this day.
Some ways I celebrate this sabbat include drinks that represent the sun. My favorite juicing recipe on this day includes a combination of juiced oranges and grapefruits with a pinch of cayenne pepper to give off a bit of heat. In my home, corn on the cob is usually served on this day alongside a huge salad of greens tossed with grapes, onions, peppers, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, olives and nuts. Baking bread is another way to celebrate, but personally, I prefer to bake a blueberry pie and have it with a scoop of ice cream. I can be seen shoving handfuls of blueberries in my mouth while the pie is baking!
Spending time in nature is a must for any sabbat, so I head into the woods for a short hike or walk oftentimes accompanied by my husband and my German Shepherd, Razby. After the romp in the woods, I create my altar which always contains sunflowers if I can get them, zinnias if I can’t, as both these flowers are symbols of Lughnasa.
If you are interested in joining me, along with other members of clergy for a public ZOOM ritual for this sabbat please check us out on Facebook at Temple of the Feminine Divine @Bangor TOFD or check for information online at the website, templeofthefemininedivine.org. I would love to see you in Community if you feel inclined to join us.
