To ancient peoples, the yearly harvest was
a reflection of the human cycle of birth and death. The reaping of food crops
was associated with the spiritual abundance that sustained the soul. Yet
harvest times were also a sign of autumn’s chill and winter’s imminent harsh
frosts. The Celtic peoples of centuries past acknowledged the season’s first
harvest with the festival of Lughnasa, the feast of the first fruits.
Celebrated on August 1, it symbolized a turning point in the life cycle of
Mother Earth. It was both a joyous celebration of plenty and a solemn wake
for the decline of the potency of the sun god Lugh, from which the festival
takes its name. What we know of Lughnasa, known also as
Lammas or the celebration of loaves, has survived in the rituals that are
still practiced today. It is associated with grain, fruit, flowers, water,
and soil. Grand fairs and feasts were held, during which a portion of the
newly picked grains were baked into man-shaped loaves commemorating the
coming demise of Lugh. The descendants of those who first celebrated the
summer harvest keep the traditions of Lughnasa alive in the fairs and
sporting events that take place on August 1 throughout Ireland, England,
Scotland, and Wales. Lughnasa is primarily a festival of
transition, and thus presents a wonderful opportunity to consider how our
lives have changed in the recent past. If you choose to celebrate the harvest
by baking bread, adding ingredients you have reaped from your own garden will
reinforce your connection to the Earth. Eat your bread with loved ones while
openly sharing stories of the new beginnings you are celebrating and the
endings you are mourning. As you honor the cyclical nature of existence,
reflect upon the fact that just as there is joy to be found in the sowing and
reaping, each of life’s phases is worthy of celebration too. |
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