🌾 Lughnasadh: A Witch’s Guide to the First Harvest Festival
Date: 1 August
Also known as: Lammas
The wheel turns, witches — and we’ve reached Lughnasadh (or Lammas), the first harvest festival of the year. Nestled between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox, this is the moment to pause, give thanks, and gather the fruits (literal and metaphorical) of what you’ve been growing since spring.
Think of it as a magical check-in: What has bloomed for you? What feels ready to be harvested? And what still needs nurturing before autumn fully rolls in?
This is a holiday for gratitude, abundance, sharing, and reflection. And of course, for bread-baking, grain offerings, and a little late-summer witchcraft.
✨ The Energy of Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh is a celebration of abundance and effort — a reminder that what we reap is deeply tied to what we sow. It’s also a time for:
- Gratitude – Acknowledge how far you’ve come.
- Generosity – Share what you can (your time, food, magic).
- Preparation – Plan for the coming months.
It’s named after the Celtic god Lugh, a master of skills and crafts, so creativity, artistry, and skill-sharing are also powerful themes for this sabbat.
🕯️ Simple Lughnasadh Rituals
1. Bake (or Break) Bread
Lughnasadh is literally “Loaf Mass.” Baking bread (or buying some really good bread) is a delicious way to honour the grain harvest.
- As you knead or slice, focus on everything you’re grateful for.
- Share it with someone — abundance multiplies when shared.
2. Create a Gratitude Harvest List
Write down:
- Your biggest wins of the year so far
- Lessons you’ve learned
- Things you’ve let go of
Fold the list, place it on your altar, and revisit it at Mabon (the Autumn Equinox).
3. Light a Gold Candle
The Sun is still strong. Dress a gold or yellow candle with cinnamon or rosemary. Light it with the intention of blessings, joy, and prosperity flowing into your life.
4. Make an Offering
Leave a small offering of bread, grain, fruit, or flowers outside as a thank-you to the Earth, your guides, or whichever deities you honour.
🌿 Herbs & Crystals for Lughnasadh
- Herbs: Rosemary (clarity), Basil (prosperity), Sunflower (joy)
- Crystals: Carnelian (confidence), Citrine (abundance), Sunstone (empowerment)
🪞 Journal Prompts for Lughnasadh
- What am I most grateful for from this year’s “harvest”?
- What habits or projects need nurturing before autumn?
- Where am I being called to share my abundance (time, energy, knowledge)?
Lughnasadh reminds us: you’ve planted, you’ve tended, and now you can receive. Take a moment to savour what’s good before we turn towards the slower, darker months.
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