July/August 2022 Alchemical Voice

Alchemical Voice - L2M Issue 15
FESTIVAL OF LAMMAS
Sarah Jane Dennis
Lammas/Lughnasa also known as the first harvest, is the ancient Celtic Cross quarter
festival celebrated on the 1st /2nd of August at the height of summer and the beginning
of harvest season. The fields shine with a splendid golden glow as their crops of wheat
and grain drink in the last rays from the Sun God Lugh, before they are to be harvested.
The word Lammas means "loaf or Loaf-mass" the festival when we honour and
celebrate the cutting of the first crops of corn whereby loaves of bread are made and
shared with family and friends to celebrate, the plentiful grain and the foods, we have
made from them to keep our bellies full.
Lughnasad is the Irish name for the Sun God/ King Lugh (also known as John Barleycorn
in England) who has shone his energies down to ripen the grain and sacrifices himself
with it as the corn and grain are cut down to feed the people and seed the fertile land of
Mother Earth as they join again, to return next year in the ever-moving cycle of death
and rebirth.
The energy of Lammas is all about abundance and sharing our successes and it is a good
time of year to share some of your wealth with those less fortunate than yourself, by
donating to a charity or helping a friend, neighbour or family member who has fallen on
hard times. This is also a time to acknowledging the personal benefits of reaping what
we have sown throughout the year, from the seeds of our intentions and ideas for the
year that we planted at Samhain, incubating and dreaming of them through the fallow
period of Yule, birthing them into being at Imbolc, watching them grow at Ostara and
blossom at Beltain, ripening during Litha to then reaching their peak at Lammas.
As we begin to feel the benefits of all our hard work and energies we have
put into our projects, work-life and healing ourselves and others,
throughout the year, we will look over our triumphs and challenges and
what we want to keep working towards and then letting go of that which
no longer serves us celebrating our accomplishments during the season of
Mabon in preparation to see the year out and deciding what new seeds of
intentions we will sow again as the wheel turns and begins again at
Samhain, our new year.
So have fun making a ritual Lammas loaf, adding all your love, prays,
gratitude and good intentions as you knead the dough, then share it with
your beloveds. Have a picnic to show your thanks and gratitude for all the
abundance that has come into your life.
Enjoy the long hot balmy nights before the sun begins to wane and the
darker half of the year draws closer.
Make a Corn Dolly to watch over and protect you and your family
throughout the fallow time of the year, remembering to give her back to
the earth at the very beginnings of spring.
Wishing you all a blessed Lammas and may the Sun God and Goddess of
abundance and unconditional love, pour their rejuvenating golden light
rays and gifts into every cell of your being, to bring you all the healing,
love, and happiness you deserve.
Sarah Jane Dennis ACHO, RP, ACCRT is Sacred Celebrant and
Ceremonialist, Priestess of the Goddess, Moon Lodge Mumma,
Priestess and Sister of Avalon, Morgen Cybil trained in Crystal
Healing, Angelic Reiki, Crystal Sonic Rejuvenation.
www.crystalhealingbysarahjane.co.uk
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