Awakening Our Inner Strength at Lughnasadh

Provoked by my yesterday's tarot reading, I decided to write this post since one card simply imposed itself on my as the key card. The card in question is the Woodward card from the Wildwood Tarot set. It is the eleventh card of the Major Arcana and, as such, is connected to the Strength card of the much more common, one one even say "classical" Rider-Waite Tarot (although Strength can be the eighth or eleventh card of the Major Arcana depending on the edition).

Parallels between these cards are clearly visible since the iconographic basis of the Strength card is a woman controlling a lion, but with her mental composure rather than through sheer physical strength. Her male equivalent in the Wildwood Tarot equally calmly reigns over his territory and the animals around him (which is made obvious by the lynx lying at his feet and the mountain lion head he wears as a symbol of his hunting success, prowess and strength).

Yesterday, I actually did a reading especially for Lughnasadh to see what this Sabbat brings me, or rather what awaits me in the following months. I picked out the Woodward as the final and definitive card of the reading, which had quite a strong impact on me. To make things even more interesting, the authors of the Wildwood Tarot made a Wheel of the Year on which they placed all of the Major Arcana cards so that their meaning correspond to a particular part of the yearly cycle. And guess which point of the Wheel of the Year the Woodward is on? Precisely on Lughnasadh/Lammas.

One of the connections between this card and the Sabbat is the hill you can see in the background. It's known as Silbury Hill and is located just south of Avebury, England. It is the largest man-made mound found to this day. Archaeologists have found that its creation began at about 2 660 BCE, most likely at the beginning of August (i.e. after the first harvest). Some interpretations of the mound claim that it was a symbol of this time of the end of the first harvest since the hill was visible on the horizon from Avebury only after all the wheat from the surrounding fields had been harvested (as the wheat was too tall and obstructed the view).

Be that as it may, the message I got from this reading has to do with inner strength and balance which are necessary during this time of year. So, I would like to share my musings with you in hopes that I will encourage you into further conquests during the following months.

First, allow me to explain the make-up of the card. The central male figure represents the archetypal guardian; a strong man with all the markers of masculinity (a beard, mustache, war clothes, a weapon that is still bloody to make it even more pronounced) who governs over the surrounding territory. However, what is unusual in this depiction is that the man has not taken a stance of attention, or perhaps offense. Rather, he stands as if he is resting - he has lifted one leg on a sort of tump and is drinking wine from quite a fine cup which the authors of the set describe as the chalice of "giving, intoxication and compassion". Although Mabon is yet to come in September, wine plays an important role in this card as a symbol of sharing and celebration of the collected harvest at Lammas. However, what is most important in this card is the man's relaxed, even kingly posture due to which he simply radiates his inner strength.

The original symbolism of the Strength card warns us that we will achieve much more with patience, if we are balanced and filled with love than if we succumb to feelings of anger and hate.

We all come across obstacles in life. In the Wheel of the Year, the following winter months are that obstacle which could, in ancient times, only be crossed with persistence, balance, moderation (e.g. in the consumption of food during these months), careful planning of supplies and patient, diligent collecting of the fruits of one's labor in late summer and early autumn. This enabled people to sustain life during the winter months. Inner strength and persistence are what make us go on and not lose hope when we encounter every obstacle. I find the following description of this card from the authors of the Wildwood Tarot quite fitting at this moment:

"The Woodward, an ancient guardian of the Wildwood, symbolizes the inner power that comes from facing fear and understanding the nature of darkness. The inner strength that comes from this awareness gives the individual the emotional body language and the humility that says: 'I am not a victim. Treat me with respect. Do not mistake my passivity for wakness'." 

What usually happens is that people live in the belief that they are strong and that they can do anything, or perhaps that they cannot do anything and are too weak. But things become clear only when we are faced with a moment of crisis. Only then do we truly get to know our capabilities and true strength. However, crude strength cannot be our only focus. I must once again quote the authors of the Wildwood Tarot who really very poetically describe this card:

"The strength of the Woodward is both a balance and a dichotomy between te energy of the hunter or the guardian, and the grounded inspiration found within the ecstasy of drumming and war dancing. These energies honor the qualities that provide protection and inspiration." 

Whether we are dealing with a situation of crisis, facing the unavoidable truth, a private or professional problem, the Woodward tells us that we can survive it all with enough persistence and inner strength.

To return to the Wheel of the Year, imagine a farmer who works hard the whole year round planting and taking care of his wheat fields. And then comes the first harvest when he is expected to collect all of this wheat. He is exhausted from all the previous months of hard work and now he has to draw strength out of nowhere to finish the job. He has no choice; he has to do this despite the fact that he is at the end of his tether, that he is lacking patience and is wavering under the scorching summer sun. This harvest is what he and his family depend on for survival. To continue, he needs his inner strength.

Lughnasadh marks the beginning of the harvest when we collect the fruits of our labor. Sometimes these fruits manifest in the shape of rewards for all our effort and right decisions, but sometimes as the consequences of our wrong decision. However, we must know how to accept both and learn from experience.

With this, I wish you all a happy and blessed Lughnasadh! May your first harvest be plentiful!

Yours,

Witch's Cat

Fruit Muffins

As a midpoint of summer and the beginning of the first harvest, Lughnasadh is ideal for celebrating the abundance of fruits. Although this is traditionally the wheat harvest, I hope most of you will agree with me when I say that we would much rather each refreshing fruits in the middle of summer than heavy, homemade bread. So I wish you all a very happy Lughnasadh with this refreshing fruit muffin recipe!

You Will Need:

Note: I used a 250 ml cup for taking measures.

For the Dough;

• 1/2 cup plain white sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup yogurt (I prefer Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 stick softened butter (ca. 120 g)
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup plain white flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 peaches
• a few apricots
• 1 ripe banana

For the Crumble Topping:

• 1/3 cup plain white flour
• 1/4 plain white sugar
• 1/4 stick softened butter
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

How To Prepare:

1. Heat your oven to 175°C and prepare your muffin tin (place the muffin cups in the tin).
2. Make the crumble topping by combining the sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon and flour and mixing it with a fork until you get a very crumbly, chunky mixture. Leave it aside for now.
3. Cut up the fruit.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the entire banana and about a half of the rest of the fruit (it will be thrown on top of the muffins in step 8).With a spoon, gently mix the fruit so that it's all covered in flour.
5. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, mix together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs one by one and mix. Finally and the yogurt and vanilla sugar and combine well.
6. Pour the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture and combine using a spoon until you get a compact, creamy dough.
7. Using a spoon, fill the muffin cups 2/3 (two thirds) of the way up (since they will rise in the oven).
8. Place a few pieces of the remaining diced fruit on top of each muffin and sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the fruit.
9. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Lughnasadh (July 31)

The name of this Sabbat has several meanings depending on how it is written and where you are. If it is spelled Lúnasa, then this refers to the Irish Gaelic word for the month of August. If written Lunasda/Lunasdal, it is the Scottish Gaelic name for the holiday of Lammas which has today become equated with Lughnasadh even though Lammas falls on the first day of August, while Lughnasadh is celebrated on the last day of July. In addition to this, Lammas is the Christianized version of this Sabbat. In Wicca, both names are accepted but the name "Lughnasadh" remains more pagan in its nature since, in translation, it means "the commemoration of Lugh".

Since we've already mentioned Lugh, it would be fair to explain who he is. His name is connected to the Latin word lux (light). It is obvious that this is a light/fire deity. He is usually identified with another fire deity called Baal/Balor who I mentioned in my previous post on Beltane. But it can be said for Lugh that he is a later and more profound version of this god. In Irish mythology, Balor was one of the main gods until Lugh showed up as the leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann and defeated him. This is typical of any mythology in a period of change in the mentality of a nation (due to war, falling under another's rule etc.). A new, "enhanced" version of a god simply appears in mythology and defeats, blinds or in any other way gets rid of the previous deity. Of course, the new god has to be legitimized and this is usually done by proclaiming him the son of the former one. But, in the case of goddesses, they replace a previous deity by entering the family via marriage. In this situation, it is usually thought that Balor was Lugh's grandfather and not his father. According to some, Lugh was Dana's lover who made love to her on this day thus making a connection between Beltane and Lughnasadh. But if we were to take the previous myth to be correct, then this would make Dana Lugh's grandmother since she was also Balor's wife. Looking at the second myth, it is worth noting that it is common for the lover god to begin his decline towards death on the mating day since this day marks the peak of his power. Because of this, Lugh's death is also marked on Lughnasadh.

It is important to remember that the Goddess is already pregnant in this time of year. In Wicca, this is the last time the God makes love to the Goddess, which is a symbol of the final fertilization of the ground to help it give as many fruits as possible in the remaining few months before winter. His strength withers from this point on and he knows that death awaits him, but he sacrifices himself in a way, so the natural cycles may continue undisturbed.

Lugh is connected with the first harvest, that is the grain harvest. There are three harvest festivals altogether in Wicca: Lughnasadh, Mabon (September 21) and Samhain (October 31). According to Irish mythology, Lugh spared the life of one of the leaders of the enemy army so, in return, he gave Lugh the secrets to plowing, sowing and harvesting. Another harvest association would be the Anglo-Saxon name for this holiday - Lughomass. Literally translated, this would be "loaf mass" but they were usually conducted in honor of Lugh.

Remember that I mentioned a connection between Beltane and Lughnasadh a while ago. When it comes to sexuality, this holiday is the autumn equivalent of Beltane. Proof of this is all the love-making that used to go on in the forests, or in this case the cornfields. There was also an equivalent of the Beltane greenwood marriages which were held in a place called Teltown on Lughnasadh. In my previous post on Ostara, I mentioned the sacrificial mating theme which occurs both on Beltane and Lughnasadh too (for further explanations, follow the link).

When the people of the British Isles were Christianized, the holiday of Lughnasadh became Lammas. Some translated this into "loaf mass" and this would be much more Christian since a mass really did occur to which everyone would bring a loaf of bread made form the first grain harvests. Lugh soon became St. Michael who later became and archangel and is connected with light (just as Lugh is). Festivals connected with this holiday, at least in Great Britain, used to be restricted only to the Sunday before and after the first day of August. This wasn't only because Sunday became the holy day when Christianity came, but also because it was the day of rest from Christianization onward. This enabled more people to gather for the celebration. These celebrations were usually held on elevated ground which was usually isolated. It just so happens that many of these places used to be pagan sacred grounds (often dedicated to Lugh).

Typical colors for this festival include golden-yellow, orange and brown which are all very appropriate since this is the time for gathering the grain for bread. It is traditional to place a small, preferably soft, loaf of bread on the altar. The High Priestess will usually wear a crown made of holly with entwined fruits of the harvest. Reefs made of the fruits of the season and entwined poppy are also common. The altar can be decorated with poppies, blueberries and seasonal fruits. The cauldron is placed in the east (usually filled with wheat stalks) because that cardinal point is the symbol of rebirth. Other traditions include baking bread and bread plaits as well as making corn dollies.

A plant which is often connected with Lughnasadh is the blueberry since it used to be the symbol of the fertility of the land and also of a successful ritual. Fertility and the earth's yield was of great importance. We already mentioned that this was the time of the first harvest, but this is also the period just before the beginning of autumn. The weather is getting colder and you can feel winter coming. This makes it the perfect time to gather everything possible because what you gathered would keep you alive throughout the winter. Rituals were there to encourage the land to give equally as much (or more) next year but also to show thanks for the food on the table. If you remember the previously mentioned Balor's defeat by Lugh, you can conclude that, because of this, rituals often included reenactments of certain deaths and rebirths of gods or perhaps the many stories in which one god was defeated by another.

Sabbat:	Lughnasadh / Lammas
Pronunciation:	/'loo-nə-sə/, /'la-məs/
Date:	July 31/August 1
Other names:	The first harvest, grain harvest, bread harvest, Lammas, the festival of the first fruit
Phase of the God:	Withering strength (Holly King)
Phase of the Goddess:	Mother (she feels the child in her which will succeed the God on Yule)
Symbolism:	Emphasizing the importance of the harvest, encouraging the fertility of the land for next year, giving thanks for the food you have
Traditions:	Eating bread, making corn dollies (of the God/Goddess), filling the cauldron with wheat, making reeds from seasonal plants and fruits
Symbols and colors:	Yellow-golden, orange, red, green, brown, corn dollies, bread
Traditional food:	Bread, apples, blackberries, cornbread, Lammas loaf and spiced apple cider, herb fritters... Until I fill up my witch's cookbook, you can try to find a nice recipe on one of the following web sites: My Moonlit Path Angelfire The Druid's Egg
Traditional incens:	Rose

I wish you all a happy Lughnasadh a few days in advance as well as a merry old time and a very tasty feast so you can celebrate all the hard work you did throughout the year in order to earn the food on the table or perhaps the labor you did in the fields yourselves to achieve this. 

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat