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tiffanyfaye · 3 years

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Lughnasadh - The First Harvest - What is it and how can you celebrate it?

By Tiffany Faye, 7/26/2021

Lughnasadh, or Lammas, is one of the eight Witches Sabbats and is the First Harvest of the season. It occurs on August 1st, directly in between the Summer Solstice and Autumnal Equinox. We are celebrating the abundance created from the union of the Earth and the Sun, of the Goddess and the God. It is a time to give thanks for what we have but is also a grim reminder that nothing lasts forever. Also called the Grain Harvest, this is when corn and grains of all kind are harvested. Lammas translates to "loaf-mass" because the first loaf made from the first harvest of the season is sacred. As well as seeing the decline in the Sun, we are reminded of hope with the seeds that are being returned to the ground to sprout the next spring.

The God is in his aspect of John Barleycorn and He is begnning to loose his strength, for his power has been transferred to the crops that are being cut down. He has become the God of Sacrifice for he is eaten with the harvests of the season, while also being returned to the Earth to grow anew next spring. The Goddess is in her aspect of the Harvest Queen, or Earth Mother, whom is heavily pregnant with the next year's Sun God. She watches the God die in sorrow but also joy for She knows He lives on within Her.

Ways to Celebrate Lughnasadh:

Make a bonfire

Have a harvest feast

Making a Grain Mother, or corn dolly - Gather stalks of wheat, rye, oats, or another type of grain. Soak it in water to make it easier to bend, and bend it in the shape a woman. Use ribbon or twine to hold the stalks in place, and dress it with homemade clothes from craps of cloth. While making putting your corn dolly together, give thanks for the abundance you have received. You can place it on your altar or as decoration for any festivities.

Make a Wicker Man - Put all of the bad habits you don't like and want to get rid of inside of him. You can write it on a piece of paper or bay leaf, and then throw him into a bonfire.

Baking bread, especially cornbread, Is sacred to this Sabbat. Here is a recipe I found on a website call the Goddess and the Greenman. I will link it in the sources below:

Buttermilk Bread Charm for Lammas

You will need:

3 mugs of strong white flour

500 ml of Buttermilk (available from the supermarket)

I teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda

Lammas ribbon in your choice of color – gold, orange, yellow

Sprouted seeds – these represent regeneration. Can even be bought in the supermarket now. Frequently found in wholefood shops – or sprout your own.

Place the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Sieve in the blended salt and soda and pour in the buttermilk. Mix well with a wooden spoon until the dough feels springy and then mix in the sprouted seeds. If it feels too sloppy just add a little more flour. Turn it onto a board and cover with a fine dusting of flour. Pat it with your hands until you have a round shape. Take a sharp knife and score lightly into eight sections, one for each festival. Our picture shows the bread cut into five sections, making a pentacle.

Place onto a greased baking tray and pop your buttermilk bread into a moderate oven for about 20-25 minutes. Keep and eye on it. When the bread is ready it will change color and it will sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack. When it is cool, tie it with Lammas ribbon.

Take time to concentrate on the bread you have created and turn the loaf three times saying "From the fields and through the stones, into fire, Lammas Bread, as the Wheel turns may all be fed. Goddess Bless.”

Now take your bread and share it with your family and friends and pass on the generous blessings of this bright and bountiful festival. Eat it fresh, as soon as it is made if you can.

Recipe donated by the Counter Enchantress. Adapted by the Boss Lady with permission.

Correspondences of Lughnasadha

August 1st

Also called - Lammas, Lughnasa, August Eve, Feast of Bread, First Harvest, Grain Harvest, Gwyl Awst, Ceresalia

The First Harvest, the Grain Harvest. The first loaf of the harvest is sacred.

Themes of the Sabbat - Gathering with your community and family, giving thanks for the abundance you have received for the year, remember that nothing is for forever but everything goes through cycles of life, death, and rebirth, time for celebration and having fun, a time for reflection

Symbols/Altar Decoration - Sunflowers, Cornucopia, Grains, Lambs, Scythe/Sickle, Corn Dollies, Sun Wheel, Rowan Cross, Games and Competitions

Activities - Making corn dolly's, baking bread, harvest feast, bonfires, reflection

Deities - Ceres, Dagon, Dana, Demeter, Dummuzi, Hestia, Isis, Lugh, Luna, Taranis, Vesta

Animals/Nature Spirits - Buck, Calves, Crow, Eagle, Lambs, Lion, Pigs, Rooster, Salmon, Sheep

Colors - Bronze, Green, Gold, Light Brown, Orange, Yellow

Crystals/Stones - Amber, Carnelian, Citrine, Golden Topaz, Lodestone, Moss Agate, Obsidian, Peridot, Tiger's Eye, Yellow Aventurine

Trees - Apple, Hazelnut, Holly, Oak

Flowers/Herbs - Acacia, Apple Leaf, Basil, Blackthorn, Clover, Goldenrod, Heather, Ivy, Marigold, Milkweed, Mugwort, Peony, Poppy, Rose/Rose Hips, Rosemary, Sunflower, Vervain, Yarrow

Incense/Oils - Basil, Frankincense, Rose, Rosemary, Sandalwood

Foods - Apples, Berries, Breads and other foods made of grains, Cider, Garlic, Honey, Mushroom, Nuts, Pears, Pies, Potatoes, Soups

Visit us on Etsy!

Sources:

Class Notes from "Wheel of the Year: Introduction," The Magickal Circle School, www.magickalcircleschool.com

The White Goddess Editor, retrieved 7/25/2021, "Lammas," TheWhiteGoddess.co.uk, http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/the_wheel_of_the_year/lammas.asp

The Goddess and the Greenman Editor, retrieved 7/25/2021, "Lammas," GoddessandGreenman.co.uk, https://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/lammas/

#lughnasadh #lammas #lughnasa #the first harvest #the grain harvest #john barleycorn #harvest queen #lammas correspondences #lughnasadh correspondences #wheel of the year #the lost fae's market #the lost fae's path #etsy shop #etsy shop owner

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xladyxfatex · 4 years

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Chapter Fifteen (FMITN Book One)

Three days later it was time and Jessica’s stomach was in knots and her nerves riding high. But this was it. Taking a deep breath she waited to be introduced by the principal.

“Now, it is a great honor to welcome this years Valedictorian Miss Jessica Hardy!’ Slowly she approached the podium, closed her eyes and began to speak.

“Families, friends and faculty welcome to this year's graduation ceremony. I would like to start off by thanking those who felt that I was a good fit to give this speech. I'll do my best to try and deliver it with grace and try not let my nerves get the best of me.” Jessica let a chuckle out as she countied.

“Today is a very special day, one we will hopefully l remember for a long time to come. We’re stretching our wings and leaving the safety of high school behind.” She looked out in the crowd at everyone's family members, friends, and the faculty members who all helped shape the students behind her. “Some of us will pursue higher education, and others for the workforce whatever it may be I wish you all the best as you embark on this new chapter in your lives” Jessica took a shuddered breath trying to keep her composure. Taking in a deep breath she could smell two familiar scents but couldn’t spot them in the crowd of people. “ No matter where I am I’ll remember the people who reached out to me and helped make high school a good experience. Not only are there memories that we have made for a life time but also great friends in my case I met a very special friend.” Jessica smiles looking down at Finn who sends her a wink as she continues reading her speech.

“As you go out into the world I would like to ask that you remember our schools motto, always believe in yourself, your abilities and dreams. You can shoot for anything and if you truly believe you can do it, then you have a larger chance of achieving it. Thank you to the teachers and faculty that took time out of their lives to help teach us, even when some weren’t that easy to teach.” Jessica looked over at Mrs. Sanders a teacher that she knew Finn gave nothing but trouble to and laughed. “I wish you all the best in life and can only hope that you go on to do great things with your lives. Congratulations class! We did it!” Jessica smiled brightly and took a bow before walking back over to Finn and sat down. Leaning over Finn kisser her cheek and whispered “You did so well little gem, we’re all proud of you.”

The ceremony went on, students being called up for their diplomas, families and friends in the crowd cheering, taking pictures.

“Jessica Hardy.” Jess stood up straightening out her gown, and walked towards the principal, shook his hand,grabbed her diploma and looked out at the crowd, this time though she saw her brothers, and she nearly cried. She took a deep breath, held her head high and walked back to her seat, with tears ready to fall. She hadn’t expected them to come, she knew their schedule was busy, but the fact that they were there, the fact that she heard her speech, her heart flooded with warmth and love. She gave Finn a kiss on the cheek, knowing he had to have known about her brothers coming.Once the last student was called they all stood and threw their caps in the air, before walking.

Going to return their gowns, Jessica came back looking for Finn, Matt, and Jeff, who were all talking. Jessica jumped on Matt’s back and gave him a kiss on the cheek before getting down and hugging Jeff. “I can’t believe you guys actually made it! Thank you, thank you so much for coming!” Jessica squealed, and her brothers laughed.

“Come on little one lets get home, we have something important to talk about.” Jeff said nodding his head towards the door. Jesse’s smile faltered a bit but she nodded and left with her brothers and Finn. The drive home was quiet and almost uncomfortably heavy. Jessica was afraid of what was to come. She had spent the last year and half practically only with Finn, before Bayley and Ricochet came along a few months ago. Once home they all went inside. Jess couldn’t take it anymore.

“So what’s going on?” She looked between Matt, Jeff, and Finn. Trying to not freak out. Jeff stepped forward looking down at his sister. Seriously by now she should have been taller than she was, but nope still a short four foot eleven inches. She shuffled her feet waiting for someone to speak. Jeff cleared his throat, it was now or never.

“Jessie, you know how we’ve been doing small shows and tours with the local wrestling promotion for awhile now” She looked up at her brother and nodded her head, indicating for him to keep going. “Well we were scouted a few months back by a big promotion and offered positions with them, but we explained we wanted to wait till you at least graduated from high school before accepting.” Jeff smiled at his sister as Matt wrapped his arms around her holding her tight. “ You see we’ll start with them in September once you’ve started college at AMU. This is huge for the family, and if we do well enough we might be able to get you into the company too. It works for everyone. Just…” he trailed off knowing his next part was the hardest. “...it's just we’ll be around even less then we were with the local group, but the money is good, and so is everything else. They have other creatures and beings like us, in fact it's mostly creatures and begins. Little one please don’t cry, I promise we’ll be around when can be, and we’ll see you when we have shows near your college.” For Jess it was bad enough the college she was going to was in Florida and not North Carolina but now she really had no reason to come home ever again, and what if her brothers forgot about her all together? Was that even possible.

“Lass, listen, I’m going with them, we’re going to be apart of WWE, and you know Bayley and Ricochet will keep me updated on you, and I will keep your brothers informed as well” Finn kissed Jessica’s forehead. “ Ní dhéanfaidh muid dearmad ort riamh, beidh tú inár gcroí agus inár n-intinn i gcónaí. (Irish: We'll never forget you, you'll always be in our hearts and minds.)” Nodding Jessica smiles, after all this was a great thing for her friend and her brothers. Wiping the tears from her eyes and face she looks at each of the men standing in front of her.

“I’m so very proud of each and everyone of you. You truly are following your dreams and I know you’ll each do great. I know we won’t see each other anymore, but that’s okay…”She starts to cry again “...its okay because you’re doing what you need to. One day...One day maybe I’ll be lucky enough to join and work backstage, maybe I’ll go elsewhere, just promise to at least call once a month?” She smiles sadly at her brothers and best friend. Jeff engulfs his sister in a bone crushing hug, stroking her hair.

“Little one, we will see each other, I promise you we will, and me and Matt will definitely call at least once a week! Will you watch our matches?” Jeff knows Jessica always watches WWE but he wants to hear her actually say she’ll watch for them, he wants her to know she won’t be forgotten, she will be loved even if they’re thousands of miles away, she'll always be apart of them. His inner wolf is heartbroken at leaving little omega and doesn’t want to, but knows that she’ll be safe, and that IF she was ever in trouble they’d be there without question. Feeling Jess nod her head ‘yes’ Jeff sighs. He breaks the embrace, and has her sit down.

Finn takes out his box first, and hands it to Jessica, looking at the box then Finn she raises an eyebrow. He chuckles “Just open it little gem.” opening the box reveals and four leaf clover charm for her bracelet. Which Finn than secures to the bracelet. “Its for luck. May you have all you need and more my little gem.” Finn stands up and Matt takes his place, side hugging his sister and giving her a box as well.

Opening the box reveals an odd looking leaf with a face. Jessica confused by it looks at Matt.

“Its the Greenman, It is primarily interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of growth each spring. Even though you’re new growth will begin in September, I thought it was fitting.” Matt smiles and kisses the side of his sister head, while securing the new charm to her bracelet. Standing up it was now Jeff’s turn. He played with his box, he knew it was a symbol with great meaning, he just hoped Jess would understand. He smiled at his young sister and handed the box to her.

Jeff’s box revealed a tree in a circle with branching reaching up, and roots going down.

“It’s the tree of life. It symbolizes a connection to everything, The Tree of Life commonly represents the interconnectedness of everything in the universe. It symbolizes togetherness and serves as a reminder that you are never alone or isolated, but rather that you are connected to the world. The roots of the Tree of Life dig deep and spread into the earth, thereby accepting nourishment from Mother Earth, and its branches reach up into the sky, accepting energy from the sun and moon. I thought it was perfect for you.” Once again securing the new charm to her bracelet, she hugs him tight. She understood fully why he picked that piece, in fact she understood why each one of them picked their pieces.

She knew her family would always be there for her. Whether near or far, and she was blessed enough to have such incredible people in her life like them. However, knowing she only had two and a half months before she had to be at Attwell Mystical University she really needed to get ready, get packed, and buy supplies. But that could wait until morning, tonight she was going to enjoy the company of her brothers, and yes that included the one and only Finn Balor.Tonight was about, them, pizza, movies and just being together. Morning soon came and Jess began packing her less used items, while keeping a checklist of what was needed to be done, and picked up. The next two and a half months were not going to be fun.

#jeff hardy #matt hardy #the hardy boyz #FMITN #werewolves witches #magical #supernatural au #wwe #wwe superstars #finn balor #the demon king

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