Celebrating Lughnasadh
- Jul 23
- 3 min read
Celebrating Lughnasadh ~ You may be looking at that word and thinking, "What is Lughnasadh?" Well, it's a holiday that I enjoy celebrating every year, and I'm excited to tell you about it.
Lughnasadh is the 1st of 3 Harvest Festivals in Celtic tradition, occurring around August 1st in the Northern Hemisphere. Even though it is still hot here in Arizona, I love getting to celebrate Lugh (as it is commonly called) because it gives that glimmer of hope for cooler weather being just around the corner. Even though August and September are still hot Summer months for us in the Valley of the Sun, changing out my Altar decorations and doing some of the traditional Lughnasadh activities reminds me Fall is just around the corner & I can enjoy the bounty of Summertime harvests too!
History: Lugh is the Sun God in the Celtic World. In many parts of the world, the Sun is beginning to descend lower, the days are getting shorter and we know Fall and Winter are just around the corner. Lughnasadh is a time of joy and celebration as the 'first harvest' of vegetables, grains and fruits can be enjoyed now. We can look at this time both as nurturing to our bodies (using grain to make breads) and as a time of hope and renewal (saving seeds to replant in the spring).
Activities: There are so many ways to celebrate this wonderful holiday. Regardless of your own Spiritial practices, you may enjoy taking notice of this time of year! For my fellow practitioners...here's a list of things you might enjoy as well...
Visit a local farmer's market or break your own Artisan Breads! If you have interest in learning to make Sourdough, please consider visiting my youtube channel to see complete instructions on making beautiful sourdough loves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9Hiyt87_0c If you need starter, I always have some available for sale as well (and I also sell Sourdough bread loaves...so just reach out).
Have a Harvest Feast with family and/or friends! This can include things like picking the fruits and veggies you have growing or are growing in nature around you (Squash, Zucchini, Peppers, corn...Berries, Passionfruit, etc) and baking up savory dishes paired with a berry cobler. Bring in bouquets of summer flowers like sunflowers and zinnia. Enjoy honey and wine. Decorate your table with wheat sheaths, flowers, clusters of lavender and candles in shades of orange and yellow...anything to mimic the Sun.
Make crafts, including Corn Dollies, painting and woodworking. One of my favorite things to do this time of year is make Corn Dollies. I especially loved doing this when my kids wer younger...but it's a great craft at any age. Weaving with corn husks and sheaths of wheat are prevalent in many traditions all over the world. These 'dollies' are made and then hung indoors as a reminder that we will survive the Winter months.
Spend time in Nature, connecting with the Sun and expressing gratitude for the bounty we are given. Take a walk, tend your gardens, look throught your seeds and decide what you'll be planting in the Fall. Enjoy time in the Sunshine.
Lughnasadh is half way between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Fall Equinox (Mabon). It is traditionally celebrated on August 1st. This year August 1st coincides with the 1st Quarter of the Moon, in Scorpio. The Moon in Scorpio encourages you to delve into your feelings and emotions as deeply as possible. This works well with Lughnasadh as this season encourages you to spend time in gratitude, exploring and appreciating the abundance in your life and in the world around you.
In closing, I encourage you to look deeper into this holiday if it sounds interesting to you. I know August is still a hot and uncomfortable month in Arizona...but celebrating this holiday always gives me a feeling of hope and appreciation. It helps reframe the heat of the Sun into a blessing. Happy Harvest! ~Kim
Comments