Lughnasadh

Also called Lughnasadh, Lunasdal, August Eve, The Festival of Bread, Elembiuos, Lunasa, Cornucopia, and/or Thingtide.

Celebrated on August 1st, it means "To give in Marriage to Lugh". It is the time of the first harvest, when the plants of Spring wither and drop their seeds for our use as well as to ensure future crops. The God looses his strength as the Sun rises farther in the South each day and the nights grow longer. The Goddess watches in sorrow and joy as she realizes that the God is dying, and yet lives on inside her --- as her child.

Lughnasadh Ritual

Place upon the altar sheaves of wheat, barley, or oats, fruits and breads, perhaps a loaf fashioned in the figure of the sun or a Man to represent the God. Corn dollies, symbolic of the Goddess can be present there as well. Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle. Recite a blessing chant.Invoke the Goddess and God.

Stand before the altar, holding aloft the shaves of grain, saying these (or similar) words:

Now is the time of the First Harvest
When the bounties of nature give of themselves so that we may survive
O God of the ripening fields
Lord of the Grain
Grant me the understanding of sacrifice as you prepare to deliver yourself
under the sickle of the Goddess
and journey to the lands of eternal summer.
O Goddess of the Dark Moon
teach me the secrets of rebirth as the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold


Rub the heads of the wheat with your fingers so that the grains fall onto the altar. Lift a piece of fruit and bite it, savoring its flavor and say:


I partake of the first harvest
mixing its energies with mine
so that I may continue my quest for the starry wisdom of perfection
Oh Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun,
gracious ones before Whom the stars half their courses
I offer my thanks for the continuing fertility of the Earth
May the nodding grain loose its seed to be buried in the Mother's breat
ensuring rebirth in the warmth of the coming Spring.

It is appropiate to plant the seeds from the fruit consumed in ritual. If they sprout, grow the plan with love and as a symbol to your connection to the Goddess and God.

--- NOTE: I have a hard time finding wheat... so what I do is that I obtain the grains from the nature botanical store. I also find it useful to use albacar to cleanse the altar before starting.

The Science of Magic

The Science of Magic
from the Book "The Inner Temple of Witchcraft" 
by Christopher Penczak

Magic Theory allows serious students of the craft to find an intelligent, sophisticated model of the universe that deals with the use of abilities usually dismissed by mainstream society. Doing a ritual or reciting a spell can seem silly the first time around, but understanding the reasons behind the ritual or chant can lend it credibility. Without this, a portion of our mind is always doubting our magical actions. Many old superstitions have a basis in metaphysics, but if you do not understand that basis, they continue to be superstitions. Despite popular opinion, witchcraft is not superstitious. The practitioners of this craft have very  specific reasons for doing things. An educated witch understands how real magic works in the modern world and can discuss it intelligently even with someone who may not necessarily believe in it.


Since the beginning of civilization, there have been philosophers asking the tough questions, seeking to understand. These scholars sought to understand the nature of the universe and how humanity interacts with it. In ancient cultures, the use of magic, charms, and pychic abilities was not only well documented, but accepted as a fact. Scholars, who often were practitioners of such arts, desired to understand intellectually the evidence right before their eyes, to know intimately how will and intent interacted with certain forces, through symbol, charm, chant, or ingredient, to effect a change. As a result of this quest, occurring in many places in the world, over many eras, various theories and laws were established. Thse are not laws in the sense of morals of a society, but are similar to the laws of the physical sciences.


These laws are some of the best explanations we have for the phenomena of magic, spells, and psychic powers. Since the modern magic community is not as united as the modern scientific community, there is no general agreement on what exactly these "laws" are, although those who choose to study magic theory come across various texts with the same basic ideas described in a multitude of ways. Depending on what tradition and culture of magic you study, you may prefer one form over another. Modern magica scholars have coined many of their own terms, building on the foundations of the past, to better explain the process of magic. Magic is not a musty old discipline, but a strong, growing tree, weaving together branches from the ancient and modern worlds.


For more on the subject, read "The Inner Temple of Witchcraft: Magick, Meditation, and Psychic Development" by Christopher Penczak

Inner Temple of Witchcraft

A Simple Lammas Ritual for the Busy Domestic Witch

From The Modern Pagan

By Ms. B

For many domestic witches, finding time to celebrate the sabbats can be a challenge, even in the summer months. Between keeping the little witchlets busy and out of trouble, or schlepping them to camps and activities, or just trying to find the time to do all the usual things we have to do between work and home, finding time to fit in a sabbat ritual can be tough!

Many times we forget that honoring the seasons and deity do not have to be a huge celebration, full of casting circles, fancy rituals and huge feasts. Of course the sabbats can be one or all of those things, but do they have to be? Of course not. Honoring the change of season can be as simple as a candle lit, a prayer said, and a toast made. Just 5 minutes out of your day to reconnect with your beliefs, your deity and the earth.

For Lammas, I created a simple ritual that can be done alone or with family or friends, with minimal fuss, and in just a few minutes. Of course, feel free to use and/or change the words for your own private use.

Supplies you’ll need:

Bread (Home baked, store bought, heck, a cookie will do in a pinch)

Wine (or beer, mead, fruit juice – you know you have a juice box in there somewhere!)
 
A candle (A summer color is appropriate: gold or yellow, though white always works. Also appropriate? 

Anything that smells like baked goods – cinnamon, sugar cookie, etc..)
 
Optional: anything season that you’d like to set out, such as summer flowers, things harvested from your garden, a corn dolly, etc.), an appropriate incense.

Find a quiet place to sit for a moment, or gather around your table if sharing the ritual with others. Have your bread, wine and candle in front of you (don’t forget something to light the candle with). Take a quick moment to think about what Lammas means to you, and what it has meant to those who have followed the season through times past. It’s the first harvest, time to offer bread in thanks for the prosperity of the crops.

Light your candle (and incense if you are using it). Take a bite of the bread and a sip of the wine.

Say these words (or others, as you like):

On this first day of August, I light a candle to celebrate the harvest.

As the wheel of the year turns and the days start to grow shorter, I honor the Lord and Lady (or the seasons, or your specific deity) and thank them for the blessings and prosperity they have brought to me this year.

I honor those who came before me, and all things living on this earth.

Eat more of the bread, drink more of the wine, being sure to save the last bits as a sacrifice to the earth. Later pour them outside, in your garden, under a tree or into a potted plant.

If you have the time, sit for a few minutes and meditate before snuffing the candle. As you go about your day, keep negative thoughts at bay and try to mentally tally all the wonderful things that have come into your life this year.

Have a wonderful Lammas, however you choose to celebrate!

Lughnasadh (August 1st)

Lore

It is appropiate to plant the seeds from the fruit consumed in ritual. If they prout, grown the plant with love and as a symbol of your connection with the Goddess and God.

Wheat weaving (the making of corn dollies, etc) is an appropiate activity for Lughanasadh. Visits to fields, orchads, lakes and wells are alsto traditional. The foods of Lughanasadh include bread, blackberries, and all berries, acorns, crab apples, all grains and locally ripe products. A cake is sometimes baked and cider is used in place of wine.

If you do make a figure of the God from bread, it can be used for the Simple Feast.



Ritual 

Place upon the altar sheaves of wheat, barley or oats, fruits and breads, perhaps a loaf fashioned in the figure of the Sun or a man to represent the God. Corn dollies, symbolic of the Goddess, can be present there as well.

Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle of Stones.

Recite the Blessing Chant

May the powers of The One,

the source of all creation;

all-pervasive, omnipotent, eternal;

may the Goddess,

the Lady of the Moon;

and the God,

Horned Hunter of the Sun;

may the powers of the Spirits of the Stones,

rulers of the elemental realms;

may the powers of the stars above and the Earth below,

bless this place, and this time, and I who am with You. 

Invocation of the Goddess and God

Stand before the altar, holding aloft the sheaves of grain, saying these or similar words:

Now is the time of the First Harvest

when the bounties of nature give of themselves

so that we may survive

O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain,

gramt me the understanding ot sacrifice as you

prepare to deliver yourself under the sicke of the

Goddess and journey to the lands of eternal summer

O Goddess of the Dark Moon

teach me the secrets of rebirth

as the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold.

Rub the heads of the wheat with your fingers so that the grains fall onto the altar. Lift a piece of fruit and bite it, savoring its flavor, and say:

 

I partake of the first harvest, mixing its energies with mine 

that I may continue my quest for the starry wisdom of perfection

O Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun,

gracious ones before Whom the stars halt their courses,

I offer my thanks for the continuing fertility of the Earth.

May the nodding grain loose its seeds to be buried in

the Mother's breast, ensuring rebirth in the warmth

of the coming Spring

FROM, "WICCA" by Scott Cunningham

Beltane Ritual for One

A Ritual for One from Rae Beth's 'The Wiccan Path'

Preparation

Prior to this rite you should have made ready a wooden wand. This should be a branch from an Oak or Hazel tree. Remember, do not take the wood from a living tree!

The wood can be cut into the rough shape of a phallus in which case it should be of the appropriate size and shape. On the other hand, a simple branch, peeled of its bark, and about 13 inches long and half an inch thick is also acceptable. Place the wand upon your alter within the Circle.

Prepare a dish of earth and place it upon the alter beside the wand.

The Rite

Cast the Circle and invoke the Lady and the Lord. After the invocation, dance and chant to raise power for magical activities and then earth the power into an unlit candle, placed inside the cauldron, at the center of the circle. Chant the following (or make up your own!):

Beltane!
I dance with delight
on Beltane's night.
All senses freeing,
I dance for being.
The flower and the flame
of love's own rite
shall blossom. Sun
embrace Earth, bright.

Light the candle to the Sun. This is the Beltane fire, our modern substitute for the hilltop bonfires of our ancestors. The Bel fire is an invocation to the Sun God to bring blessing and protection for the coming year. This is sacred fire with healing and purifying properties. As you light the candle, be aware of its power and significance. Say:

I light this candle to the Sun.

Now take up a dish of earth. Bless it in the name of the Goddess.

Lay your hands upon it and say:

I bless, consecrate, and set apart this earth,
in the name of the Triple Goddess. May this
be sacred earth, set apart for magic. For
earth is of the Goddess, being her sacred body.

Remember that the Goddess is not only of the Moon, but of the Earth and of the farthest stars. She is the Triple Goddess of the Circle of Rebirth, the Mother of All Life. Decorate the dish of earth with flowers.

Now, take a wooden wand and oil it with vegetable oil. Bless it in the name of the Lord of the Day, the youthful, ardent one, the Lord of Life, the God of the greenwood. Pass it swiftly through the candle flame, the Bel fire, so that it becomes magically imbued, 'charged', with power. Place the wand upon the dish of earth, saying as you hold it there:

As the wand is to the earth,
so the male is to the female
and the Sun to our blossoming world.
Joined, they bring happiness.
May the God of Life give ___ {something you want, for example, peace on Earth}
May the Goddess bring it forth!

Sit quietly for a while, and picture the blossoming of what you have desired in life. The spells and invocations of all of us, all working on themes like these, must eventually bear fruit, because life is on the side of peace. Leave the earth and wand upon the alter.

Walk deosil three times around the circle, then spiral into the center. Go evenly, with grace, meditatively. Sit beside the candle flame, allowing yourself to feel peaceful. Gaze into the flame.

The next part is different depending on whether you are man or woman.

For a Woman: visualize a red rosebud in your womb. Always your womb is the source of your creative power, whether you are pregnant with a child, an idea, a work of art or an intention. Close your eyes and picture the light from the candle streaming into your womb so that the rosebud blooms, unfolds. Hold the image for a while, feeling the silkiness, smelling the scent, the freshness, seeing the color of the fully open rose within you. Feel the strength and power of your own fully blossomed capabilities. Say:

I am woman,
strong to conceive and to create,
to give birth and to tend.
As I am daughter of the Goddess,
and blessed by the God, may I ___

{here name what you wish to bring forth in life. For example bring healing to others or write my book whatever matters to you}

Feel the strength and creative force within your womb, the center of your being. See the power being channeled, flowing into the desire you have just voiced. Open your eyes. Always, the rose is within you.

For a Man: Visualize a bright flame. This burns within your sexual center, a point at the base of the stomach, just above the pubic hairline. It is your own male strength and energy which may rise through your body to be released as giving, fertilizing power, in any form, or may be the potency which impregnates, creating a physical child. It is the force which blesses and bestows, a healing and creative energy, like the shining Sun. Visualize also that you are sitting in a garden and that a rose tree is in front of you, the roses in bud. Say:

I am man,
and in my passion is beauty,
in my warmth is life.
As I am son of the Goddess,
and blessed by the God,
I offer my strength and vitality to ____

{name the area of life, the place, activity, or committment you choose}
Visualize the light streaming from you to a rose upon the tree causing it to unfold, to blossom. Your flame is lowered by this effort. Much has gone out of you, the flame sinks down. Wait and watch, until a pink light streams from the rose towards your body. At its touch, just above the pubic hairline the flame resurges. It burns highter and stronger than before. Open your eyes. The flame is always within you.

Source
http://www.tryskelion.com/tryskelion/beltane2.htm 

Beltane Rituals

From Beltane Rituals

Basic Requirements

Altar/Altar Cloth/Altar Candles: The altar should be in the center of the circle area, facing the Eastern quarter. The altar cloth should always be yellow for the High Earth Rite of Balemas. (This is only if you are using a regular rectangular altar.) The two main altar candles should be yellow.

Other Candles: The four quarter candles should be blue in the West, red in the South, yellow (or gold) in the East, and green in the North. All other secondary candles used for extra lighting in the ritual area should be of various shades of forest green or suited to personal taste.

Special Items: A small wreath of flowers will be needed to serve as a crown for the May Queen. These can be easily made. Another optional item is the May pole and its ribbon streamers. A large candle will be needed for the cauldron as a symbol for the balefire unless the rite is held outdoors, in which case kindling in preparation for a small balefire will be needed in the area of the Southern quarter.

Circle Area/Casting the Circle/Assemblance of the Quarters

Prepare the circle with decorations of cut flowers or greenery, as appropriate. (The author recommends hawthorne blossoms.) The circle should be cast according to you or your coven's preference and the Quarters will be called in accordance with the coven's or your personal needs (the author reminds us that East has preeminence for Balemas).

Invocation of the Goddess

Priestess:

Hallowed Lady of the Hawthorn,
Godddess of the greenwood groves,
we call upon Thee in the season of Thy Sensuality,
as Thy blossom opens to the amorous advances of our Lord, Thy Lover.
In Thy union is the fertility of Spring,
and the beckoning whisper of young desire.

Touch us with the breath of Thy passion,
that we might seek for the ectasy of life!
Inflame us with the fever of Thine inmost longings
that we not be satisfied until our oneness
with the God is consummated!

Capture us with the fragrances of Thine allurement,
that we may be overwhelmed with an obsession for Thy presence!
Bright Maiden of May, be here among us as we celebrate
the Beltane blessings of Thy bridal-bed!
Blessed Be!

Invocation of the Satyr Lord

Priest:

Horned God of power and play,
we hear the music of Thy melodious pipes
enchanting our ears upon the evening wind!
Beneath the fullness of the May-night Moon
Thy silhouette plays hide-and-seek
among the shadows of silver-tipped trees;
Thy hooves striking sparks like shooting stars
as they step in spritely patterns
to the rhythm of the Ways of the Wild.

Holy Pan of the shepherds' shrine,
Goat-footed God, Faunus of the forest glades,
we beseech Thee to be here among us
as we revel in Beltane abandon
beneath the swirling streamers of Thy phallic staff,
dancing by the light of the balefire's glow!

Sovereign Satyr Lord, be pleased within this Circle to remain,
as we celebrate Spring and the beginning of Thy reign!
Blessed Be!

Kindling of the Balefire

The preistess and the priest will go to the kindling prepared for the fire (if the rite is held outdoors) located near the Southern quarter of the circle. Otherwise, a candle within the cauldron is substituted. The priest will light the balefire as the following incantation is recited by the priestess:

Priestess:

Strike the fire and let it rise,
Beltane flames 'neath Spring-night skies!
Ancient customs we now renew,
'Tween dusky dark and evening dew!
Fire with warmth of Summer shine,
Invoking Gods from Older Times
For fertile crops with Sun-fed rays,
Gardens of plenty and golden days!

Crowning of the May Queen OR Floral Offering to The Goddess

At this point, the priest (or acting Satyr Lord) shall go to the altar and take up the garland-crown of flowers. He will then stand facing the priestess (or acting Maiden), lifting the crown above her head as he speaks the words of her coronation as the May Queen.

The Satyr Lord:

I give priase to Thee,
vibrant Goddess of youth and sensuality;
Lady of Spring, exuberant Earth maiden,
dancing in joyous abandon across hillside and field
in vivacious hues of brightness,
exuding the wondrous essence of waving wildflowers.

Wherefore I offer unto Thee
this floral crown of Thy creation,
laid now upon Thy daughter's head
as the woven splendor of Nature's art;
the many-colored Crown of May,
scented with the mystery and majesty
that is the Maiden!

All Hail, Lady Fair,
with flowered garlands for Thy hair!

All:

All Hail, Lady Fair,
with flowered garlands for Thy hair!

A solitary alternative is the Floral Offering to the Goddess. The garland of flowers will be initially placed in the Eastern quarter of the circle. At this time, the solitary celebrant will pick the the flower-crown, and standing or kneeling before the altar, will begin this prayer:

Solitary:

We give praise to Thee,
vibrant Goddess of youth and sensuality;
Lady of Spring, exuberant Earth Maiden,
dancing in joyous abandon with the goat-footed God
across hillside and field in vivacious hues of brightness,
exuding the wondrous essence of waving wildflowers.

Wherefore we offer unto Thee
this floral crown of Thy Creation,
laid now upon Thine altar as the woven splendor of Nature's art;
the many-colored Crown of May,
scented with the mystery and majesty
that is the Maiden!

All Hail, Lady Fair,
with flowered garlands for Thy hair!

The crown of flowers is then laid upon the altar as an offering to the Goddess.

The Great Rite

If this is a custom practiced within your coven, please follow your traditions.

Parting Prayers

Priestess:

Maiden Lady, Queen of May,
bestow upon us in overflowing measure
Thy youthful passsion for love and life
as we rejoice in the sensual stirrings of the season.

All Hail, Farewell, and Blessed Be!

Priest:

Sovereign Satyr Lord, Pan of the Pagan Ways,
at this Sabbat of Springtime's warmth,
bestow upon us the heated breath of Thy lust for living
as we depart this sacred space with the joyous blessings
of Thy Beltane benediction.

All Hail, Farewell, and Blessed Be!

Dismissal of the Quarter-Regents/Releasing the Circle

At this time the quarters can be dismissed and the circle released, per your tradition. It's time for the the Beltane festivities to begin! The priestess may close with this benediction.

Priestess:

This rite of Balemas is ended!
May the love of the Maiden and the Satyr Lord
go with us as we venture onward
into the warming fullness of Summer's promise!

Merry Meet and Merry Part!