Lammas Ritual
Some rituals are serious of purpose. Lughnasadh, for our group, isn’t heavy or long. After a day of games, the ritual sets the stage for the dinner and bardic circle that happen after the circle is opened.
If at all possible, Lughnasadh should be held outside. It is, after all, a harvest festival. It would be hard to pick a more appropriate time to be outside than Lughnasadh, except for Beltane at the start of the growing season in most of the northern hemisphere.
This ritual calls for establishing quarters. For the directions, we will be calling to the four cities and the bards or druids who instructed the Tuatha De Danann in their magickal arts. We use representations of the four treasures from those cities: a spear, a sword, a cauldron, and a large stone. These aren’t required but are nice to have if you can gather them.
Items Needed
Altar table
Candles: gold and white
Basket of assorted flours and grains
Seasonally appropriate cakes and ale
Sage and cedar (smudging herbs)
Aspersing water (pure or rain water with a few drops of cedar oil) Anointing oil (light oil with a few drops of rosemary essential oil)
Participants will be asked to sit for a portion of the ritual and should bring a towel or blanket, if desired. They should also be advised to bring a story, poem, song, or other material to share at the bardic circle at the end of the day.
Four people are assigned to call quarters. Two are assigned to smudge and asperse participants as they enter the circle. The High Priest/Druid and High Priestess/Druidess will conduct the ritual and call the deities. The Crone or eldest female will cast a circle once all participants have been anointed.
Call to Circle
As participants approach the circle area, they are smudged—“By fire and air, I purify you”—and aspersed—“By water and earth, I purify you.” The individuals doing the smudging and aspersing cleanse each other and prepare to enter the circle. The High Priestess anoints each person as they come to circle, asking, “Do you come of your own free will?”
Once all are assembled, the Crone casts a circle in the tradition of the group.
At this point, the quarters are called beginning in the east.
East: (If a spear is available, raise it.) We call to Esras in the city of Gorias from which comes the Spear of Lugh. No warrior who went to battle with it could fail. No enemy could stand against it. Esras, be with us and guard us for this, our Lughnasadh ritual today.
South: (If a sword is available, raise it.) We call to Uscias in the city of Findias from which comes the Sword of Nuadu. No enemy could escape its edge. No warrior could stand against he who wielded it. Uscias, be with us and guard us for this, our Lughnasadh ritual today.
West: (If a cauldron is available, hold it.) We call to Semias in the city of Murias from which comes the Cauldron of the Dagda, the Good Father. Bountiful, overflowing, no one ever came away from it unsatisfied. Semias, be with us and guard us for this, our Lughnasadh ritual today.
North: (If there is a stone available, stand on it.) We call to Morfessa of the city of Falias from which comes the Lia Fail, stone of destiny. Stone of sovereignty that knows the worth of leaders. Morfessa, be with us and guard us for this, our Lughnasadh ritual today.
High Priest: Welcome Lugh, Lámhfhada, Lugh of the Long Arm, Samhildánach, Lugh of the many skills, High King of the Tuatha De Danann. Be with us as you were with the Tuatha in days of old. Join us for our Lughnasadh ritual today. (Light the gold candle.)
High Priestess: Welcome Tailtiu, Earth mother, Goddess of the Harvest and foster mother of Lugh. We welcome you at first harvest. Join us for our Lughnasadh ritual today. (Light the white candle.)
Participants settle down in the circle.
High Priest: Today, we celebrate Lugh, sun god, warrior, bard, hunter, leader, artist, and smith. There are many stories to tell of Lugh, but today we will talk of how he came to Tara. As a young man, Lugh journeyed to Tara in search of his heritage. Son of the Tuatha and of the Formorians, he had been fostered by Tailtiu until he could bear arms.
But not everyone could enter Tara. At the gates, Lugh was stopped and asked why he should be allowed to enter. Lugh told the gatekeeper he was a skilled warrior. The gatekeeper replied that Tara already had skilled warriors. Lugh spoke of his skill as a blacksmith. He was again told that Tara had blacksmiths.
One after another, Lugh listed his many talents as an artist, a hunter, a bard, and more. Each time he was rebuked.
At last, Lugh looked at the gatekeeper and asked, “Is there any one man in Tara who can do all these things as I can?’ The gatekeeper said no and let Lugh enter the city.
We learn from this not only to develop our talents but to also be persistent in our pursuit of our goals, our dreams. We must not be turned away from the gate when we are in our rights to enter. Be strong. Stand your ground. Secure your dream.
High Priestess: Today is also the day we honor Tailtiu, foster mother to Lugh. Tailtiu was the last queen of the Fir Bolg, but she was also an earth goddess. In order to provide for her people, she cleared a great tract of land, roots and all, so that it could be farmed. Her effort was so great, it caused her death.
Just as the grain falls before the reaper, Tailtiu fell in service to her people. At this harvest season, we celebrate the bounty of the fields. Even in these modern times, we look forward to the harvest, even if we are not mowing the grain or picking the corn. Even in our satisfaction in our bounty, we know it doesn’t come without sacrifice. (Picks up the basket of grain.)
We have a basket of grain. I am going to pass it around the circle, and I ask each of you to give your energy to it. Think of the things you have to be thankful for since we last met. When you have finished filling the basket with positive energy, pass it to the person next to you.
Everyone remains in silent meditation while the basket is passed around the circle. When the basket comes back to the High Priestess, she says:
Lady Tailtiu, Earth goddess, Goddess of the harvest. We thank you for your sacrifice and ask that you bless this grain. After this ritual and before our next gathering at the Fall Equinox, one of our members will bake it into a hearty bread that we may reap the bounty you have granted.
Next, cakes and ale are shared. When this is done, the deities are thanked by the High Priest and Priestess. They are invited to stay for the remainder of the festivities. Each of the druids are thanked and released in reverse order.
The circle is opened and the group leaves the circle area for a pot luck dinner. After dinner comes drumming, singing, story telling, and fellowship in the bardic circle.