A Time of First Harvest and Quiet Celebration
As July fades and August arrives, the Wheel of the Year turns again. Lughnasadh (pronounced Loo-nah-sah), also known as Lammas, is one of the eight sabbats in the Wheel of the Year. It marks the beginning of the harvest season in many pagan and nature-based traditions. It is a festival of grain, gratitude, and quiet transformation, a time to honour the Earth’s abundance and the seeds we’ve nurtured in both soil and spirit.
A Brief History
Lughnasadh is named after the Celtic god Lugh, a sun god and master of many skills, from blacksmithing to poetry. This festival honoured his foster mother Tailtiu, who is said to have died after clearing the land for agriculture. Ancient games and gatherings were held in her memory.
Later, the day was adopted by early Christian traditions as Lammas (“loaf mass”), when loaves baked from the first harvest were blessed in church, a beautiful echo of the grain-honouring roots of the day.
Seasonal Symbols
- Grain: wheat, barley, oats, corn
- Sun: solar energy at its peak before autumn sets in
- Bread: home-baked loaves, symbols of transformation and sharing
- Harvest tools: sickles, scythes, baskets
- Fruits of the land: berries, apples, herbs, seasonal vegetables
Colours of Lughnasadh
- Gold: for sunlight and ripened grain
- Yellow: vitality, warmth, optimism
- Orange: energy, transformation
- Green: the earth, fertility, ongoing growth
- Brown: grounding, the soil that sustains us
Wear these colours as a quiet nod to the season – a scarf, jewellery, or even nail polish – especially if you’re celebrating in a discreet way.
Crystals for Lughnasadh
- Citrine: abundance, joy, sunlight
- Carnelian: courage, fire energy, confidence
- Tiger’s Eye: balance between action and reflection
- Sunstone: vitality, solar connection
- Amber: ancient wisdom, preservation of light
- Peridot: growth, clearing old patterns
Decorating Your Altar
- A small loaf of bread or bundle of oats
- Dried grasses, wheat, or corn
- A yellow or gold cloth as a base
- Crystals from the list above
- A sun symbol, candle, or image of Lugh
- A little bowl of herbs or grains as an offering
- Seasonal flowers like marigolds, sunflowers, or calendula
You could also write a harvest gratitude list and tuck it underneath a candle or in a journal nearby.
Ways to Celebrate (Even Quietly)
- Bake a loaf of bread: sourdough, soda bread, flatbread, any loaf counts. You can bless it quietly with intention before you eat. If you can’t bake, buying and slicing bread mindfully works too.
- Dress in harvest colours: a subtle ritual of embodiment
- Light a candle: in gold or orange and give thanks for three things you’ve grown this year
- Make a corn dolly: or nature craft if you feel creative
- Harvest something: even if it’s picking herbs from your window box or fruit at the market
- Go outside: walk barefoot, watch the sunset, or sit in gratitude with nature
- Reflect or journal:
- What seeds have begun to sprout in your life?
- What’s ready to be harvested, and what still needs time?
- What are you thankful for?
Lughnasadh is for…
- Modern pagans and Wiccans
- Celtic and druidic paths
- Kitchen witches and hearth-honourers
- Earth lovers and spiritual seekers of all kinds
- Anyone in tune with the turning seasons
Whether you’re celebrating with a feast and friends or slipping a slice of bread into your lunch with quiet reverence, this festival is for you.
Final Blessing
May this first harvest bring you clarity, courage, and contentment. May you see how far you’ve come and how sweet the fruits of your labour can be.
🌾