Lughnasadh | First Harvest

In honor of nature's cycles. What has been planted is bearing fruit.

Welcome to this edition of Liminal Walker Musings!

If you are a new subscriber, a special WELCOME! I am into the second year of honoring the Wheel of the Year series that focuses on the eight Celtic/Pagan Sabbats. Digging and diving deeper… Here is my post from last year. Welcome to Lughnasadh. Love to you all!

Thanks in advance for reading and if you feel moved, consider becoming a subscriber as well as commenting because I’d love to hear from you. I am glad you are here today, appreciate your support.

The Wheel

The wheel continues to turn, life changes and fluctuates with it as the seasons. Reflecting back to us the transitory ways of existence as our own. I am drawn to the Celtic traditions of old, dating back to pre-Christian times. My direct ancestry is found in those times. Where living was more egalitarian. The Divine Feminine was inherently woven with nature and her fauna and flora. The landscapes were lived with rather than on, as we see today. Life was intrinsically honored.

Hard to truly know for sure how these specific times of the year were observed. It was an oral tradition, most of it now lost. Yet enough has endured that when laced back together shows a time where the goddess was venerated, and the animistic ways of living were celebrated. As we see in the festivals, rituals and celebrations that remained. In current time this is commemorated by many Pagan and Wicca traditions around the world. Today Lughnasadh.

Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh (pronounced Loo-nah-sah) is an ancient Celtic festival that marks the start of the harvest season. Many consider this time to be the beginning of autumn. Lughnasadh, in the Northern Hemisphere is traditionally celebrated on the evening of July 31st through August 1st.

Where I live it does not feel like autumn. Summer still seems to be in its full radiance. And really hot! The upside is it makes the garden extremely prolific. Producing the best salads ever! Nothing like fresh herbs, tomatoes and cucumbers right from the garden! This may be the first harvest for grain and corn traditionally, at my house it’s about the vegetables and flowers! Yet during the time of my ancestors and maybe yours too, grain and corn was a necessity for the colder months ahead. A luxury we can take for granted today. From the grains came their ale, bread, porridge and animal feed. There were not many vegetables back in those times. Thus, a good grain crop and harvest was essential, absolutely key to their survival.

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

Blessings to all of you in the Southern Hemisphere! Your days are becoming warmer. It’s the time of Imbolc, considered the beginning of Spring. Because of different temperate zones, spring may not be showing its new sprouts yet, but I would guess there are places that are. Either way there is a pregnant pause. For the womb of the earth is preparing for the labor and birth ahead. The delivery of new life.

THE MIDPOINT and the MOON

Lughansadh occurs at the midpoint between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox. Yet astronomically, Lughnasadh has a different midpoint than the Gregorian calendar, occurring on August 6th at 5:10 pm PDT. Which can be a wonderful excuse to extend the party! The Celts honored these midpoint times more than the solstices and equinoxes. I imagine these as liminal spaces. Where time overlaps. doors open bringing forth deep magic and mystery.

During Lughnasadh the moon is waning, in its crescent phase. The New Moon arriving on August 4th, at 4:12 am PDT. On July 31st the moon starts in the sign Gemini, by Monday evening it will be in Cancer and then moving into Leo as the New Moon.

The moon is about our emotions, feelings, intuition and instincts. Luna is mysterious, cyclic, a symbol of the Goddess. Starting in the air sign of Gemini, we are invited to connect with our emotions, releasing the tight grip of rationalism which is important as this celebration begins. Moving into the water sign of Cancer we tap into our sensitive nature, our intuition becomes stronger. Finally at the New Moon in the fire sign of Leo, we claim our sacred “no”! Standing up to what we know is true and right.

TAILTIU | GODDESS | QUEEN

Art by Wendy Andrew

The name of this Sabbat originates from Irish legends around the God Lugh and his foster mother Tailtiu.

Irish history like many other places in our world has been deeply affected by the proliferation of the Roman Empire and Christianity. Even though Ireland was not directly invaded by the Romans, it was influenced greatly by them because of their neighboring hold on Britain. Unfortunately, many Goddess stories of the past have either been Christianized, rewritten and replacing with Gods or lost in time.

I find it important to honor the Divine Feminine. More than just remembering Her, for She is still here. Such is the background of the Tailtiu. Considered both sovereign as a Queen and as a Goddess. Associated with clearing the land, bringing in agriculture and producing an abundant harvest of grain and corn. She is also known for being a Goddess of horses, a Mare Mother.

The site that became known as Tailtu/Telltown was where the first harvest celebrations began. Archaeological records show it dates to the pre-Iron Age. Later, according to myth, annual games were held at the same time and location. Dedicated to Tailtiu, by her foster son Lugh in honor of her passing. These games included contests of strength and skill and horseracing. Prevailing longer than the Greek Olympics, continuing for over a thousand years.

Celebrating Lughnasadh

May altar from a prior year

There are many ways to honor Lughnasadh, here are a few:

• Spend time in nature, connect.

• Create an altar.

• Make Corn Dolls.

• Light a candle or have a bonfire.

• Bake Bread.

• Have a harvest feast.

• Play games.

• Do a gratitude ritual.

• Work with divination using Tarot, Oracle cards or Runes. (see suggested questions below)

POEM - LADY OF THE FIRST HARVEST

From your womb
life springs forth
elementals dancing
celebratory fires flicker

Lady of the first harvest
your fierce nurturance
has delivered
this autumnal reaping

Your deep rhythm with life
summons a response
thanks we say for the grain
gratitude to the land

Blessed Be to the Goddess!

BLESSING:

May this time of Lughnasadh be one of celebration and gratitude. An honoring of our interdependence with life. This reciprocity of planting seeds and reaping a harvest, outwardly and inwardly. Recognizing that abundance is not always about quantity or possessions, accoutrements or stuff. Prosperity is a inner receptivity. An awareness of gratitude that is both enthusiastic and humble. May we be willing to savor the moment, even when it seems challenging. Finding the grace of appreciation, this inner joy that expands the heart.

Blessed Be!

Questions for you…

• What is abundant in my life right now?

• What needs more time to ripen?

• What do I need to release and offer to the fire?

• What am I grateful for?

Would love to know your thoughts and feelings. Let’s have a conversation…

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