Witches, What does Lughnassadh mean to you in your personal practice?

Question

As Witches, we tend to recognize that no TWO Witches holds the SAME set of beliefs and that we each have our own views and ways of acknowledging Goddess/God. I have ALWAYS been interested in knowing how OTHERS view the different celebrations on the Wheel of the Year. What are YOUR Lughnassadh stories and Myths about this particular Sacred Day?

Brightest Blessings to ALL,
Raji the Green Witch

Wendy, You ARE correct, I DO want genuine answers to my question. I'll give you a thumbs up any way, even though this question was asked and directed to Witches and pagans. *hugs*

Everyone gets a thumbs up in the spirit of the day. (((((to all)))))

ALL the answsers have been so wonderful that I truly WANT to give everyone the 10 points. Yahoo won't let me do that and I'm in a heck of a quandry and don't want to choose one over all the rest. So, I'm going to let YOU folks vote on the best answer. It's going to be tough, Because there are some very good ones.

Raji

Answer 1

'let us be glad of the Mothers gifts. She bears us as she bears wheat in the field. Remember as we harvest, that we shall harvest in the field of stars. Let us be glad of the Fathers Gifts" to me it is the celebration of the harvest, that all things that have been planted throughout the year are at their fullness and readiness, the time is the twilight, not the brightest of the light but the time before the darkness and when things start to die to be reborn. It is the festival of the prime.

Answer 2

For me, Lammas/Lughnassadh is a reminder of the promise of renewed life. The grain dies so that the people may live.

It is also a time to reflect on those things to which we must say "goodbye" - the things that never reached fruition, the things that will hamper us unless we cast them away. We, like the Sacred King, the Year King, must die to our old selves so that new growth can come.

Our personal celebrations tend to emphasize the transformational character of this place on the Wheel of the Year...the green grain has ripened and turned brown; the harvest has turned the fields into stubble and chaff; the chaff is burned and plowed under to make the Earth fertile again.

We invoke the God as Sacrificial King to enact upon us the transformation that He goes through at this time...


"Horned One,
Lover, Son,
Leaper in the Corn
Deep in the Mother,
Die and be reborn"

Answer 3

I don't really celebrate holidays much. I am in a very rural place where there are few Pagans and why celebrate for one. I have Goddess and God in my life 24/7 so there is no reason to make one day better than most.

My puppy icon is laying in her bed and is curled up hiding her nose with her feet. That is celebration enough. She is just too sweet.

Bright ones,

Answer 4

It's taking some adjustment for me. Being from Florida, all I think of August is "OhmyGods, *heat*!" I'm much happier in cooler seasons, still. I'm still getting adjusted to seasons. So it doesn't play much of a role in my celebration. I am trying to integrate it more into my life and practice, to honor the sun and the harvest, to understand how important farming is (I made a donation to an organization that helps migrant workers on farms this morning), and to not just groan, "Oh, Gods, *August*!" and fantasize about cutting off my long, thick hair.

Answer 5

like the wheel of our life, as we apply seasons to our existance, you have the beginning, like the spring, growing from the planting, you have the summer, which decides if you thrive or perish, as in the development of self and self discovery, and then you have the fall, which is the harvest, or the growth achieved, the maturity of self before the winter which is the decline of self into that of a child but with the age and wisdom of the cycle, as I am reaching my prime, I appreciate the Lughnassadh more because it represents where I am today with in my life, my childhood has long since passed, my youth has learned from experience, and my will and strength are strong, it is the time before the natural order of life to death begin. I will greet my winter with open arms and morn, yet celebrate the return to innocence, Lughnassadh is a celebration to me, of the rejoicing found in maturity before
the rebirth.

Blessings to all, walk in the light and keep your eyes ever facing forward, while fondly remembering your history.

Answer 6

This holiday, I will spend with friends and family celebrating the prosperous gifts we share. We will break bread, drink wine, share a meal of seasonal vegies, fruit, decorate with flowers and items that brighten our earth. We will share stories, our blessings, our love of each other and for the Goddess/God.

May your days always be filled with these things.
Blessings to your and yours

Answer 7

Raji -- what beautiful answers you have received! Blessings to you on your Sacred Day.

Answer 8

Oh hey we got permission from the Christian! I shouldn't be catty, thank for being nice.
My Earth Studies group will be "breaking bread" at Cafe Brazil. We haven't been to great about holidays lately since we are all so busy. :( Samhain is the big one though! I'm all ready planning it LOL

Answer 9

Raji, I respect what you believe in!

Answer 10

I want you to know that I am a Jesus Lover BUT I HONOR YOUR CHOICE AND WILL NOT ABUSE NOR BASH YOU FOR I FEEL YOU ARE ASKING THIS QUESTION FOR A REAL ANSWER !!!!!!!!!!!!