Bidding Farewell to the God

Lughnasadh is upon us. It begins at sunset tonight (1st) and ends at sunset tomorrow. The word itself derives from the Irish Celtic God Lugh, who, in actual fact had very little to do with the corn harvest, but was a popular and heroic God often referred to as the shinning one and for whatever reason gradually became associated with the sacrificial aspect of the God.

Lughnasadh celebrates the beginning of the corn harvest, the last sheaf of which was thought to contain the spirit of the corn God. As such, the reaper who cut it down was considered to have taken the life of the God and it was not therefore an auspicious act to participate in. It therefore became general practice that when everything was cut except the final sheaf, that all the reapers would stand blindfolded in a semi circle and hurl their sickles at it, thus no one would know who had taken the Corn God's life.

Once cut however, the sheaf took on a different aspect altogether and was taken home by one of the reapers to be 'dressed', i.e. made into a human shape or tied with red ribbons and took pride of place at the harvest supper, sitting next to 'the master'. It was often known as a 'kern baby' and is where our term 'corn dolly' derives.

Simple corn dollies can be made at home and are still used by farmers today to bring fertility to their cattle. Fertility and abundance can however come in many different ways and should you decide to make your own dolly, even if it is simply tying together a few pieces of corn with a ribbon, make sure you hang it by the hearth until the spring equinox, at which point the seeds should be scattered on the earth to bring you abundance for the summer.

Over the next couple of days give a moment of thanks to the Goddess for the corn which sustains us and to the God as his blood is spilled upon the earth to bring us fertility for the year to come.

The Harvest Festival

The harvest season began of course back in August with the harvesting of the corn at which point we gave thanks to our Celtic ancestors for the festival of Lughnasadh (see earlier blog). The later Saxons brought with them the festival of Hlaefmass meaning 'loaf festival' where the loaf made from the first cut of the corn was crumbled and placed in the four corners of the barn to ensure a fruitful harvest in the year to come and to protect the gathered crops.

When Christianity came to these islands the festival soon died out as it was seen as having nothing to do with the life of Christ. Therefore the church remained without such a festival until the year 1843 when the Reverend Hawker, the eccentric Vicar of Morwenstowe church high up on the North Cornish coast, reinstated the festival following a fruitful harvest after several years of failed crops, in order to give thanks to God.

As we sit down at our tables laden with food this autumn consider offering a silent word of thanks not only to our Celtic and Saxon ancestors but also to the Reverend Hawker for reinstating an ancient and worthwhile festival

The Festival of Lughnasadh or Lammas

Today at sunset (1st Aug) the festival of Lughnasadh (its Celtic name) or the festival of Lammas (its Saxon name) begins and lasts until sunset on the 2nd.

The word Lughnasadh is thought to be named after the Irish Celtic God 'Lugh the Light Bearer' as the word actually means 'the funeral feast of Lugh'. This refers to the fact that the male principal or God in the continuing cycle of the Pagan wheel, lays down his life and spills his blood upon the corn in order that the earth's fertility will be assured over the coming year.

Lammas on the other hand comes from the Saxon word, 'hlaefmass', meaning loaf festival and refers to the fact that the Saxons made a loaf from the gathering of the first grains with which to celebrate the harvest of the first fruits and honour their Gods. With the coming of Christianity this name was adopted by the church. Much folklore and legend abounds with regards to the harvesting of the corn and this will be outlined in further blogs as the week progresses. Meanwhile it may be time to make our own personal sacrifices by perhaps giving up a bad habit, or making donations of goods or time to a needy charity. It is however a time for celebration also, for out of every ending new beginnings always spring and this one heralds future fertility and abundance. So this week, make a corn dolly, bake a loaf or simply invite family and friends to celebrate the good things we all have in our lives. Enjoy!