Lammas

Lammas, also called Lughnasadh, falls at the beginning of the harvest season. Apples are ready and grain is beginning to ripen.  The word Lammas derives from the Old English phrase hlaf-mas, which translates to loaf mass. It is the first of the three autumn harvest festivals, the other two being the autumn equinox and Samhain.  In early Christian times, the first loaves of the season were blessed by the Church.  The loaf was blessed and in England it might be employed afterwards to work magic: A book of Anglo-Saxon charms directed that the lammas bread be broken into four bits, which were to be placed at the four corners of the barn, to protect the garnered grain.

Lammas in Norse is compared to Freyfaxi, or Freyr Fest, marking the beginning of the harvest. As a fertility deity Freyr would be intimately tied to the land and the food grown upon it.  It was a time for celebration with horse races and a feast for God Freyr. Thor was also honored as is his wife Sif, whose golden hair reminds us the wheat fields. Traditionally, three stalks of the first grains are bound together into a sheaf and kept as an amulet of fortune. Sometimes it was also left in the field for Odin’s horse Sleipnir.

Depending on your individual spiritual path, there are many different ways you can celebrate Lammas, but typically the focus is on either the early harvest aspect or the celebration of the Celtic God Lugh, Norse Freyr or others. It's the season when the first grains are ready to be harvested and threshed, when the apples and grapes are ripe for the plucking and we're grateful for the food we have on our tables.

In some Wiccan traditions, Lammas is the time of year when the Goddess takes on the aspects of the Harvest Mother. The Earth is fruitful and abundant, crops are bountiful, and livestock are fattening up for winter. However, the Harvest Mother knows that the cold months are coming, and so she encourages us to begin gathering up what we can. This is the season for harvesting corn and grain, so that we can bake bread to store and have seeds for next year's planting.

Ironically, today this is probably the least-honored Wiccan festival.  As we've become industrialized, harvest celebrations have all but been forgotten. Our daily bread comes not from the bounteous fields, nor gifted of the generosity of the Earth Goddess and the Corn God, but bought plastic-wrapped in bulk at a supermarket.  As global food production teeters on its delicate framework of agribusiness, cheap oil, chemical pesticides and fertilizers, nuclear irradiation, and now genetically-engineered non-reproductive seeds - not to mention climate change - we would benefit by remembering just how crucial the farmers' harvests are to our continued well-being.

Honoring the Past

In our modern world, it's often easy to forget the trials and tribulations our ancestors had to endure. For us, if we need a loaf of bread, we simply drive over to the local grocery store and buy a few bags of prepackaged bread. If we run out, it's no big deal, we just go and get more. When our ancestors lived, hundreds and thousands of years ago, the harvesting and processing of grain was crucial. If crops were left in the fields too long, or the bread not baked in time, families could starve. Taking care of one's crops meant the difference between life and death.

By celebrating Lammas as a harvest holiday, we honor our ancestors and the hard work they must have had to do in order to survive. This is a good time to give thanks for the abundance we have in our lives and to be grateful for the food on our tables. Go outside and thank the ancestors with bread, fruit or other gifts.  Lammas is a time of transformation, of rebirth and new beginnings.



Feasting and Food

Bread is the ultimate symbol of the Lammas season. After all, once the grain is harvested, it is milled and baked into bread, which is then consumed. It is the cycle of the harvest come full circle. The spirit of the grain God lives on through us in the eating of the bread. In many traditions, a loaf of special bread is baked in the shape of a man, to symbolize the God of the harvest. You can easily make a loaf of Lammas bread by using a pre-made loaf of bread dough, found in the frozen food section in your grocery store. Certainly, you can make your own dough, but if you're not much of a baker, this is an easy alternative.

Bread recipe:

Warm in saucepan or microwave until very warm: 1 cup water, 3/8 cup vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses. Mix in: ½ cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup white all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 package active dry yeast, 1 cage-free egg. Let sit five minutes. Add ½ cup whole wheat flour, ½ cup yellow corn meal, and enough white all-purpose flour to make a dough (about 1 more cup).

Turn out on floured surface. Knead until smooth. Grease a bowl, place dough in bowl, and turn dough so that all its surface is greased. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes. Punch down dough and knead. Grease cookie sheet. Form dough into God or Goddess figure on cookie sheet, decorating according to your preference. Remember the dough will swell as it rises and cooks. Let rise again, 30 to 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

Tear and eat.  Don't forget to leave some for you divine friends and ancestors. 

You will probably have too much dough. Use the excess to create a second figure or make rolls.

Experiment with other kinds of flour and meal, as desired.

First Fruit of the Year

This time is also honored as the First Fruit Festival, place the first fruit of the year on your alter as decorations during your ceremony. These may include berries, apples, peaches, plums, etc...  If you can, go to an outdoor market or to the field and pick up your divine gifts.  The cold months are coming, so enjoy the outdoors while you can. 

 

Prayer for the Grain

Fields of gold,
waves of grain,
the summer comes to a close.
The harvest is ready,
ripe for threshing,
as the sun fades into autumn.
Flour will be milled,
bread will be baked,
and we shall eat for another winter.

 

 

Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10hikADUCIw&list=PLAA4961880F8EE3EB

Cornhusk Doll

Freyr

Freyr Fest

Lammas

Lughnasadh

 

Loki

Loki

Appeal:  Tricks, Changes, Fire, Humor, Prison, Chaos, Lawyer, Conflicts, Lies

In Norse mythology, Loki c, is a God or a Giant (or both).  By the jotunn (giantess) Angrboda, Loki is the father of Hela, the wolf Fenrir and the world serpent Jormungandr.  And by the stallion Svadilfari, Loki is the mother—giving birth in the form of a mare—to the eight-legged horse Sleipnir.  In addition, Loki is married to the Goddess Sigyn, the sweetest and most loyal of all women.

He has several complex relations with the Gods and humans depending on the source or the century.  Loki sometimes assists the Gods and sometimes causes problems for them.  He is a shape shifter and in separate incidents he appears in the form of a salmon, mare and an elderly woman, most often playing tricks.  He is crafty and malicious, but is also heroic. 

Loki's origins and role in Norse mythology have been much debated by scholars.  In 1835, Jacob Grimm was first to produce a major theory about Loki, in which he advanced the notion of Loki as a "God of fire".  In 1889, Bugge theorized Loki to be variant of Lucifer of Christian mythology.  In 1959, Jan de Vries theorized that Loki is a typical example of a trickster figure.

Loki is known for bringing about chaos and discord, but by challenging the Gods, he also brings about change. Without Loki's influence, the Gods may become complacent, so Loki does actually serve a worthwhile purpose, much as Coyote does in the Native American tales or Anansi the spider in African lore.

He was accepted into the ranks of the Gods by becoming Odin’s blood brother.  Loki lived in Asgard, the home of the Gods and he served as a companion to the great Gods Thor and Odin.  Sometimes he was the God’s most trusted helper like when he helped Thor get his hammer back that the giants had stolen.  Or when Loki gave Odin Gungnir, a Dwarves magical spear which never missed its mark and always returned to Odin’s hand.  But the Gods could not count on his friendship and loyalty.

Loki's positive relations with the Gods end with his role in engineering the death of the God Baldr.  Now he’s blamed for everything that goes bad.  Loki is eventually bound by the Gods with the entrails of one of his sons.  A serpent drips venom from above him that Sigyn collects into a bowl; however, she must empty the bowl when it is full, and the venom that drips in the mean time causes Loki to writhe in pain, thereby causing earthquakes.

With the onset of Ragnarok, Loki is foretold to slip free from his bonds and to fight against the Gods among the forces of the jotnar (giants), at which time he will encounter the God Heimdall and the two will slay each other.

Loki has been depicted in or is referenced in a variety of media in modern popular culture. During the 19th century, Loki was depicted in a variety of manners, sometimes strongly at odds.  He appears as a Marvel Comics super villain of the same name, where he consistently comes into conflict with the superhero Thor.  Loki is also a central character in Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods, where he and Odin play a cruel con and he eventually becomes the leader of the New Gods.

The rune Cen c, has a basic sense coming from Old English 'cennan', with two meanings, 'to beget' and ' to bring forth from the mind'."  Cen is the rune of the brightly burning torch that lights up the hall in the evening.  It can also be the fire that lights up the night, destroying homes when left unattended.  One of the main lessons that it gives us is that order is defined by chaos, and sometimes we need chaos to bring us the opportunity and the will to change for the better.

Oath-Breaker, Troublemaker,
Master of Lies,
Blood-brother of Odin,
Cunning deceiver, evil spell-weaver,
Skillfull Shape-Changer,
Son of Giant, Asgard defiant,
Keep me from danger.
Cunning and fire, treacherous liar,
Come to my aid,
Teach me your daring, mischievous faring,
That trouble be made.
Wondrous dark magic, Loki, teach me,
But hearken that my spirit stays free.

Thor's Hammer

Divine Tree

Idunn

Hela

Sexuality



Who Are Your Divine Friends?

Handfasting Ceremony

So I have had a few requests for more information on handfasting.  This is a handfasting ceremony based on UU Pagan reading.  The main thing about this ceremony is that it is customizable to your path.  Use what helps but be open and explore and use what fits your life best.  Have Fun!  (See Handfasting in May Posting) 

A Wedding Service

Pagan wedding ceremonies, often called handfastings, are a good option for couples who wish to celebrate the spirituality of their union without getting involved in the a religious debate, especially if it is an interfaith couple. Paganism is a tradition that celebrates the holiness of nature. Worshipers do not follow a formal doctrine and although committed Pagans gather to worship together, the religion for many is more about an attitude to spirituality and reverence for Mother Earth and the interconnected world all living beings share.

An Earth Centered, Wicca or Pagan ceremony is fairly easy to organize. Couples can choose readings or vows and work with the celebrant or guide on how to conduct the ceremony. Some couples will invoke the blessing of the God and Goddess, which are acknowledged to come in thousands of forms. The couple light a candle to honor the Gods and signify the beginning of their new life. The couple may further invoke the blessings of the spirits by saying 'blessed be'. The celebrant will then conduct the handfasting ritual, asking the couple to join hands and wrapping the joined hands in a strip of cloth. Gay couples may choose to have a rainbow hand fasting, using gay accessories of strips of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple cloth to represent the chakras and their sexuality. The couple then exchange vows, asking the sky and Earth to bestow the union with their elements.

Couples who are interested in traditional paganism may choose to include a broom, to sweep away past hurts and a chalice of wine, to represent their combined spirits. The expression 'Tie The Knot' comes from the Handfasting Ceremony where a cord, usually red, was tied around the couple's hands.

Set up can vary - One set up starts with a circle around the service with flowers, soil, feathers, water and other symbolic elements.  In the center of the circle is a small alter (table) with the four basic elements (bowl of earth/soil to the north, bowl of water/seashells to the west, bowl of air/feathers to the east and a bowl of oil/candle to the south).

 

 

       Handfasting Ritual with Eight Cords

Leader: "Know now before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other. As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real, the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and the custom of marriage."

         *Light oil (or candle)*

L: "Would you both face each other and join your left and right hands to form the figure eight, a symbol of eternity.

With full awareness, know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to be handfasted before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers and your Ancestors that have pasted on.

The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul's growth.

Do you still freely seek to enter this ceremony?"

         Bride and Groom: "Yes"

L: "It is believed that the human soul share characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assign virtues to the cardinal directions;

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East Wind. Communication of the heart, mind and body. Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South Flame. Warmth of hearth, home and the heat of the heart's passion. The light created by both to illuminate the darkest of times.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West Water. The deep commitments of the lake and the swift excitement of the river. The refreshing cleansing of the rain and the all encompassing passion of the sea.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North Earth. Firm foundation on which to build fertility of the fields to enrich your lives. A stable home to which you may always return.

Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union, in the name of the Ancestors, Gods and Goddesses. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union.

[Groom's Name], Will you cause her pain or grieve?"

         I May

Is that you intent?

         No

[Bride's Name], Will you cause him pain or grieve?

         I may

Is that you intent?

         No

*To Both*

Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?

         Yes

And so the binding is made.

         *First cord is draped across the bride and grooms hands*

 

[Bride's Name], Will you share his laughter and health?

         Yes

[Groom's Name], Will you share her laughter and health?

         Yes

*To Both*

Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?

         Yes

And so the binding is made.

         *Second chord is draped across the couples hands*

[Bride's Name], Will you burden and upset him?

         I may

Is that you intent?

         No

[Groom's Name], Will you burden and upset her?

         I may

Is that your intent?

         No

*To Both*

Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?

         Yes

And so the binding is made.

         *Drape third chord across the couples hands*

[Bride's Name], will you share his dreams and visions?

         Yes

[Groom's Name], will you share her dreams and visions?

         Yes

*To Both*

Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?

         Yes

And so the binding is made.

         *Drape fourth chord across the couples hands*

 

[Groom's Name], will you cause her anger and annoyance?

         I may

Is that you intent?

         No

[Bride's Name], will you cause him anger and annoyance?

         I may

Is that your intent?

         No

*To Both*

Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?

         Yes

And so the binding is made.

         *Drape fifth chord across the couples hands*

 

[Bride's Name], Will you honor and respect him?

         I will

[Groom's Name], Will you honor and respect her?

         I will

*To Both*

Will you seek to never give cause to break that honor?

         Yes

And so the binding is made.

         *Drape sixth chord across the couples hands*

 

Do you (Groom) take (Bride) to be your wife. To be her constant friend, her partner in life and her true love? To love her without reservation, rich or poor, honor and respect her, protect her from harm, comfort her in times of distress and to grow with her in mind and spirit?

         I will

And so the binding is made.

         *Drape seventh chord across the couples hands*

 

Do you, (Bride), take (Groom) to be your husband.  To be his constant friend, his partner in life and his true love? To love him without reservation, rich or poor, honor and respect him, protect him from harm, comfort him in times of distress and to grow with him in mind and spirit?

         I will

And so the binding is made.

         *Drape eighth chord across the couples hands*

 

L: *Tie chords together while saying:*

"As this knot is tied, so are your spirits now bound. Woven into this cord, into its very fibers, are all the hopes of your friends, family and of yourselves, for your new life together.

With the entwining of this knot do I tie all the desires, dreams, love and happiness wished here in this place to your lives for as long as love shall last. In the joining of hands and the fashion of a knot, so are your lives now bound, one to another.

 

By this cord you are thus bound to your vow. May this knot remain tied for as long as love shall last, in the name of the Ancestors, Gods and Goddesses. May this cord draw your hands together in love, never to be used in anger. May the vows you have spoken never grow bitter in your mouth.

 

 

Two entwined in love, bound by commitment and fear, sadness and joy, by hardship and victory, anger and reconciliation, all of which brings strength to this union. Hold tight to one another through both good times and bad, and watch as your strength grows. Remember that it is not this physical cord, but what it represents, that keeps you together. 

 

         *Snuff or blow out candle, you may now kiss.*

 

Go now in love. With the blessings of the elements in closing and may peace attend you all your days. So may it be. "

 

 

 

~After the couple leaves the circle walking south, with love, they may remove the cords in private.  Exchanging gifts of rings or other tokens for the meanings of the cords.~

 

 

 

Handfasting

Handfasted

Handfasting Basket

Handfasting Ceremony

Thor the Bride