Lughnassadh Sabbat
August 1
Preparing Your Altar
• Altar candles should be yellow.
• Incense may be frankincense.
• Circle may be decorated with summer flowers and grains.
• Circle candles remain the usual colors for the elementals (green, yellow, red, and blue).
• Have a loaf of multigrain or whole cracked wheat bread on the altar.
Instructions for the Ceremony
Sweep circle area; lay out circle and altar items; bathe and robe. Light incense and altar candles. Ring bell three times and say:
The circle is about to be cast and I freely stand within to greet my Lady and my Lord.
Take center candle from altar, light each candle of the circle moving north, then east, south, and west, and say:
(N) I call upon light and earth at the north to illuminate and strengthen the circle.
(E) I call upon light and air at the east to illuminate and enliven the circle.
(S) I call upon light and fire at the south to illuminate and warm the circle.
(W) I call upon light and water at the west to illuminate and cleanse the circle.
Take athame in upraised hand, begin circle at north and move around the circle north to east to south to west, and say:
I draw this circle in the presence of the Goddess and the God where they may come and bless their child, (name).
Lower the athame at the north, and as you walk around the circle, envision a blue light shooting out from the point and forming the circle boundary, and say:
This is the boundary of the circle. Only love shall enter and leave.
Return to altar and ring bell three times. Place point of athame in the salt and say:
Salt is life and purifying. I bless this salt to be used in this sacred circle in the names of the Goddess and the God, (names).
Pick up salt bowl and use tip of athame to drop three portions of salt into the water bowl and set salt bowl back in its place. Stir three times with athame and say:
Let the blessed salt purify this water that it may be blessed to use in this sacred circle. In the names of the Goddess and the God, (names), I consecrate and cleanse this water.
Take the salted water bowl in hand and sprinkle water from it as you move deosil around the circle (N-E-S-W-N) and say:
I consecrate this circle in the names of the Goddess and the God, (names). The circle is conjured a circle of power that is purified and sealed. So mote it be!
Return the water bowl to the altar and pick up censer; take it around the circle to cense it; return censer to altar. Take anointing oil, make a Solar Cross ringed by a circle on your forehead, and say:
I, (name) am consecrated in the names of the Goddess and the God, (names), in this their circle.
If working with family members or a Green-focused Coven, open a door in the circle with the athame now for all to enter. Use anointing oil to trace a Solar Cross in a circle on their foreheads as each person enters, having said some kind of greeting, such as the Wiccan, “I come in perfect love and perfect trust.” Then close the door with the athame. The text is for solitary use but may be thus altered for family or coven participation.
Take the wand and hold it aloft with both arms open and upraised at the north of the circle (envision a powerful bull arriving) and say:
I call upon you, Elemental Earth, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I have body and strength, we are kith and kin!
Lower wand and move to the east, raise up wand (see devas, fairies, or an eagle in flight) and say:
I call upon you, Elemental Air, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I breathe and think, we are kith and kin!
Lower wand and move to the south, raise up wand (see a dragon) and say:
I call upon you, Elemental Fire, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I consume life to live, we are kith and kin!
Lower wand and move to the west, hold wand aloft (see an undine, a sea serpent, or a dolphin) and say:
I call upon you, Elemental Water, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I feel and my heart beats, we are kith and kin!
Return to altar and use wand to draw the symbol of infinity (an 8 lying on its side) in the air above the altar, the sign of working between the worlds. Set wand on altar and raise up athame in both hands overhead and say:
Hail to the elementals at the four quarters! Welcome Lady and Lord to this rite! I stand between the worlds with love and power all around!
Set down athame and pick up goblet of wine. Pour a little into the cauldron. This is a libation to the Divine in which they are honored by offering to them the first draught, then you take a sip. You may prefer to have a bowl specifically for the libation. Ring bell three times and say:
I celebrate this day the First Harvest, the Festival of Bread.
Chant or sing and dance around the circle to the Shaker tune, “Gift to Be Simple” (known in the Craft as “Lord of the Dance”):
Dance, dance, wherever you may be;
When you dance with the Lord, he will dance with thee.
Turn, turn, a circle you may form;
And the Lord of the Dance is the Lord of the Corn!
Stop at the altar and with upraised arms sing or chant:
Down, down, into the earth he’ll go;
Giving life to the grain that in spring we’ll sown.
He rules the Shadowland till Yule;
When his sun is reborn and he joins us anew!
Ring bell seven times and say:
Great is the power of the God of the sun and the Goddess of the earth from whom spring all life!
Take up wand, hold it upraised over the bread, and say:
The harvest of the corn that sustains us is brought through death and rebirth. The Lord of the Corn leaves the side of the earth mother that his power may be passed into the land for his children to live. Blessed be the God of the Corn, whose love for his children knows no bounds! In the Land of Shadows will he abide with the Lady as crone, awaiting the time of his joyous rebirth.
Lower the wand to touch the bread and say:
May (God’s name—Lugh) bless this bread that I eat in the honor of the cycle of life that created it and me.
Set wand on altar, tear off a small portion of bread and drop into the cauldron, then eat a bite. The rest may be saved to be served later to others. With palms up, raise arms level over the altar and say:
My Lord and my Lady, (names), I am blessed by your gifts from the soil. These first grains are the promise of life to come, and remind me that I am one with the All. So mote it be!
Ring bell three times.
Cakes and Wine—Ring bell three times. Feet spread and arms upraised, say:
I acknowledge my needs and offer my appreciation to that which sustains me! May I ever remember the blessings of my Lady and my Lord.
Feet together, take up goblet in left hand and athame in right. Slowly lower the point of the athame into the wine and say:
As male joins female for the benefit of both, let the fruits of their union promote life. Let the earth be fruitful and let her wealth be spread throughout all lands.
Lay down the athame and drink from the goblet. Replace the goblet on the altar and pick up the athame. Touch the point of the athame to the cake in the offering dish and say:
This food is the blessing of the Lady and the Lord given freely to me. As freely as I have received, may I also give food for the body, mind, and spirit to those who seek such of me.
Eat the cake, finish the wine, and say:
As I enjoy these gifts of the Goddess and the God, (names), may I remember that without them I would have nothing. So mote it be!
When all is finished, hold athame in your power hand level over the altar and say:
Lord and Lady, I am blessed by your sharing this time with me; watching and guarding me, and guiding me here and in all things. I came in love and I depart in love.
Raise up athame in a salute and say:
Love is the law and love is the bond. Merry did I meet, merry do I part, and merry will I meet again. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again! The circle is now cleared. So mote it be!
Kiss the flat of the blade and set the athame on the altar. Take up the snuffer and go to the north quarter, raise up arms and say:
Depart in peace, Elemental Earth. My blessings take with you!
Lower arms and snuff the candle, envision the Elemental Power departing. Go to the east, raise up arms and say:
Depart in peace, Elemental Air. My blessings take with you!
Lower arms and snuff the candle, envision the Elemental Power departing. Go to the south, raise up arms and say:
Depart in peace, Elemental Fire. My blessings take with you!
Lower arms and snuff the candle, envision the Elemental Power departing. Go to the west, raise up arms and say:
Depart in peace, Elemental Water. My blessings take with you!
Lower arms and snuff the candle, envision the Elemental Power departing. Return to altar and set down snuffer. Raise up arms and say:
Beings and powers of the visible and invisible, depart in peace! You aid in my work, whisper in my mind, and bless me from the Otherworld, and there is harmony between us. My blessings take with you. The circle is cleared.
Take up athame, go to the north quarter, point athame down and move widdershins around circle (N-W-S-E-N). Envision the blue light drawing back into the athame and say:
The circle is open yet the circle remains as its magical power is drawn back into me.
When you return to the north having walked the circle, raise up the athame so the blade touches your forehead and envision the blue light swirling around back into you. Return to altar and say:
The ceremony is ended. Blessings have been given and blessings have been received, may the peace of the Goddess and the God remain in my heart. So mote it be!
Set down the athame. Put away all magical tools and clear the altar except for candles or any objects that need to burn out or work for a stated time (such as candle magic). The cauldron or libation bowl contents are poured onto the earth (if not out in the yard, then into a flowerpot containing soil and perhaps a hardy, leafy green plant).
Traditional foods for this Sabbat include multigrain bread, blackberry pie and a dark, fruity wine (I like to use blackberry wine for this occasion).
Lughnassadh Activities
The following are a few suggestions for activities that may be incorporated into the Sabbat ritual or engaged in during the day.
• Make sand candles to honor the Goddess and the God of the sea.
If you do not live near a beach, you can achieve the same effect by putting sand in a large box, adding water, and working from there. This is definitely a porch or kitchen floor job, and I recommend newspapers under your work area for easy clean-up.
—Melt wax from old candles (save the stubs from altar candles) in a coffee can set in a pot of boiling water.
—Add any essential oil you want for scent.
—Scoop out a candle mold in wet sand (you can make a cauldron by scooping out the sand and using a finger to poke three “feet” in the sand).
—Hold the wick (you can get these ready-made in arts and crafts stores) in the center and gently pour in the melted wax.
—Wait until it hardens, then slip your fingers under the candle and carefully lift it out and brush off the excess sand.
• String Indian corn on black thread for a necklace.
• If the Sabbat falls on a rainy day, you could collect rainwater in a glass or earthenware container, add dried mugwort, and use to empower objects.
• Create and bury a Witch’s Bottle. This is a glass jar with sharp, pointy things inside to keep away harm. You can use needles, pins, thorns, thistles, nails, and bits of broken glass; it’s a good way to dispose of broken crockery, old sewing equipment, and the pins that come in new clothes. Bury it near the entry to the house (like next to the driveway or the front door) or inside a large planter.
• Do a Harvest Chant when serving the corn bread at dinner:
The earth mother grants the grain,
The Horned God goes to his domain.
By giving life into her grain,
The God dies then is born again.
• Make a Corn Dolly to save for next Imbolc (although we keep the same ones and have one in the entry hall and one in the kitchen as a symbolic Guardian Goddess and Hearth Goddess). Double over a bundle of wheat and tie it near the top to form a head. Take a bit of the fiber from either side of the main portion and twist into arms that you tie together in front of the dolly. Add a small bouquet of flowers to the “hands,” and then you can decorate the dolly with a dress and bonnet.
• Bake corn bread sticks. You can find an iron mold shaped like little ears of corn in kitchen supply shops. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
1 cup flour
1⁄2 cup corn meal
1⁄4 cup sugar
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1⁄4 cup shortening
Sift dry ingredients together. Add eggs, milk, and shortening, and beat until smooth. Pour into molds and bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Collect blackberries and make a fresh pie marked with the Solar Cross (equal-armed cross).
• Have a magical picnic with libations to the earth of bread and wine.
• Sprout wheat germ in a terra cotta saucer (these can be found in nurseries for use under terra cotta flower pots). The sprouts can be added to homemade bread or used as an offering. Children enjoy planting the seeds and watching them grow, too.
God of the grain,
Lord of rebirth.
Return in spring,
Renew the earth.
• Make a Solar Wheel or a Corn Man Wheel:
—Turn a wire hanger into a circle (standard circle material for wreaths, too), keeping the hook to hang it by.
—Make a small cardboard disk to glue the corn tips onto. You can decorate it with any design, for example, a pentagram or sun.
—Place ears of Indian “squaw” corn ( it is smaller than regular corn and fits easily on a coat hanger) with the tips in the center of the circle and secure with hot glue to the cardboard disk. Use eight ears for a Solar Wheel, or five ears for a Corn Man. If all the ears of corn meet just right you won’t need the disk, but if they are uneven the disk is helpful.
—Wrap a bit of the husks of each ear around the wire on either side of the ear of corn, leaving some to stand out free from the corn.
—Let dry overnight and hang on the front door.