This
is the first of the three harvest celebrations in the Craft. Our Mother
Earth has blessed us with her bounty. The Goddess has given birth now,
and we celebrate this birth, the fruits of the field and orchard, and
garden. The Summer Goddess lays down her cloak of greenery and takes
up the dark mantel of the Crone. The Goddess provides but she provides
only what we are willing to work for and harvest by our efforts. It
is the time of shortening days and ripening fields. The long days of
summer are past and we watch our efforts come to fruition. Now is the
time of harvest. We celebrate this time of year by celebrating summer.
Summer is heat, growth, abundance and the work and play that naturally
accompany these themes. Long hours of sunlight, tending gardens, harvesting
fruits, vegetables, herbs, canning, freezing, drying the harvest. We
celebrate summer with one eye on the winter ahead. At this time of the
year, Mother Earth begins offering us some of the early fruits and vegetables.
The celebration of Llughnassad is a pause to relax and open yourself
to the change of the season so that you may be one with its energies
and accomplish what is intended.
Candles are dark green, yellow and golden or orange. This
is the Sabbat to make corn dollies, to decorate the alter with ears
of still-green corn and wheat, and whole fresh vegetables. |