Fire Festival

August 1st sees the turning of the wheel with the celebration called Lammas. Wicca, Pagans, and Witches have what is called Sabbats. There are four major ones that are fire festivals. In the old day’s villagers used to gather at these festivals making large bonfires as well as feasts that were prepared by everyone. Then there are the smaller ones that are celebrated on the solstice or equinox.

Lammas is one of the three harvest festivals that are celebrated. As we know that many cultures before the spread of Christianity were based on the seasons. Many of the Gods and Goddesses were worshiped and given thanks too for good crops and healthy animals so the villagers may survive the winter months with plenty of food.

I am of Anglo-Saxon origin from England, and it was the Anglo Saxons who used the word Lammas. It means loaf mass. This is the time of year when the wheat crops were being harvested and may people were making lots of breads. This festival is also known as Lughnasadh (pronounced loo-nas-saa) which was named in honour of the Celtic Sun God Lugh.

Whichever, you are drawn to call this celebration the premise is the same in that it is a time to celebrate the earth and the bounty of food it has produced through the summer months. The Oak King and Goddess have worked together to produce a harvest and the Oak King begins to lose his strength as it will not be long before the Holly King once again takes over.

Make some plans and invite your friends and family over creating a large feast and sit around a nice log fire. This day is to be spent full of gratitude for everything you have in your life no matter how small. Make an effort to avoid negative thoughts. Make breads and any kind of creative activity using corn and wheat such as corn dolls. This is a perfect day for many family activities that include children and adults alike.

Lammas is a good day to reassess the goals you set earlier in the year. You should be beginning to reap the benefits now. If not, does anything need to be adjusted considering what the year has brought you so far? There may also be some things that you need to put into motion that you have not done so far.

One of the parts about the eight Sabbats I believe is that it gives you chance to take a moment and celebrate what the year has brought you at different points and also to get back on track if life has got in the way a little.