To All of Our Dear Family, We Wish You A Very Blessed & Prosperous Lammas!

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments
Merry Meet on this glorious and beautiful Lammas Day! I hope everyone is busy celebrating the first Harvest. And I might add I hope it is a very prosperous one indeed!

I would like to take a moment to thank each and everyone of you for making this one of the best years the WOTC has had. I have always said a group/site/blog is nothing without fantastic friends, family and supporters. We have the Goddess to thank for each of you. With Our Almighty Mother all things are possible. Every time I think it is the darkest it can get, She pulls me up by the boot straps. And shows me it is no way by any means over yet. She has given me a blessed life that is for sure.

In the days of Old, our Ancestors would be giving thanks for a bountiful first harvest. They didn’t have the luxuries we do now. I can imagine what they would have given for one John Deere tractor. I know our Ancestors had it rough and the times were tough to say the least. But they had something we no longer have these days, that is charity for our fellow man. If farmer Brown saw farmer Smith didn’t have as good of a harvest as he did. He would take the buggy over to farmer Smith’s house and tell him not to worry. He would help him and his family make it through the Winter months. Farmer Brown wanted nothing in return, just to help out his neighbor, that’s it plain and simple. But farmer Smith didn’t want charity from Brown so he would find a way to repay the debt and show his gratitude at the same time. Boy, how people have changed.

I guess if our Ancestors could see the shape we are in now, they would hang their heads. Probably shed a tear or two also. When I stop to think about living in the greatest nation on this planet, I want to cry. Every night in this country, there are thousands of people going to bed hungry. There are even more sleeping on the street. There are individuals a dollar away from being out on the streets themselves. I was listening to today’s news and they said a local food bank had had a triple increase demand since last year. They couldn’t figure it out. How damn stupid are these people? Do they not realize we are in a depression? I know what really get my feathers’ ruffled is that millions of dollars are being sent overseas. While we have our own babies going to bed hungry each night. People sleeping in the street in the greatest nation in the world.

It is past time that we of the magickal community did something about this. As you know, you don’t have to have money to act. You have the power within you to act. It is past time that petition our Great Mother for help for our nation. For our children going to bed hungry, for the homeless man or woman sleeping in the street, or the empty food banks in this country. We need our Mother’s help! We also need our Mother’s help in cleaning out the ears of the Politicians in this country. The economy is getting better, the unemployment rate is dropping??? Don’t they realize that the unemployment rate is dropping because people can no long draw benefits. Truth be told, it is scary as hell, I raised two kids and my husband worked construction. The money was great. But construction only happens during the Summer months. The money you did manage to save up, you had to live on this next year. As high as things are now and the way the world is, I would hate to think I had to do it now.

I know today is suppose to be a day of celebration for us. But I wanted to drive a point home. Share what the Goddess has given you with those less fortunate. It doesn’t cost a thing to be kind to another individual. We are all the Goddess’ children. Share your many blessings with a local food bank, if you can’t do that then start petitioning our Mother. Because that is what I plan on doing. I am not going to stop till this world of ours starts to change. I am going to ask Her to help feed the small children that go to bed hungry at night. Get that man or woman off the streets and give them a place to sleep that has a roof over it. And most of all makes those damn Politicians wake up and smell the coffee. The Politicians have had their turn at this country. You see what shape it is in. Now it is our turn and I am sure we can do a much better job than they ever did. I beg you to join me in praying to our Almighty Mother for these things.

This is the Year of the Witch. Let us change the course of our country for the good of mankind.

Goddess Bless You. May you have a bountiful and blessed Lammas!

Love,

Lady A

To All of Our New Friends & Family, Welcome & Merry Meet!

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments
“Now is the time of the First Harvest,
when bounties of nature give of themselves
so that we may survive.
O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain,
grant me the understanding of sacrifice as you
prepare to deliver yourself under the sickle of the
goddess and journey to the lands of eternal summer.
O Goddess of the Dark Moon,
teach me the secrets of rebirth
as the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold.

I partake of the first harvest, mixing its energies
with mine that I may continue my quest for the starry
wisdom of perfection.
O Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun,
gracious ones before Whom the stars halt their courses,
I offer my thanks for the continuing fertility of the Earth.
May the nodding grain loose its seeds to be buried in
the Mothers breast, ensuring rebirth in the warmth
of the coming Spring.”

– Scott Cunningham, Lammas Ritual

The Effects the Full Moon Has On Us

Just A Thought On Remembering Our Ancestors

I feel it is important to remember Lady Abyss during a Samhain celebrations, so I bring you an article she wrote in 2013.

I wasn’t going to torture you today with any of my comments. But I have been surfing the web for cartoons (it is actually hard to find good cartoons). I am beginning to think I should never leave the site. I ran across a few images that made my eyes water and then I was taken back centuries ago.

The images were of witches or accused witches tied to a stake and burning. Another was of a woman on a plank being dunked into the water. If you know me well, you know I can talk an hour or two on our ancestors. But what happened today moved my soul. Perhaps in all the hustle and bustle, I had forgotten for a moment what this season is all about. It is the Witches’ New Year but it is also a time to remember our ancestors.

For me, remembering my ancestors is both joyous and heartbreaking. I am into genealogy and was able (thanks to a dear friend) to trace my roots back to Ireland. Knowing where you came from can be a good thing or if your a witch, not so good. I know you are scratching your heads over that one, right? What I mean is, I know how witches were treated in Ireland. Persecuted. Then they sailed to the New World to escape the torment and the persecution. But unfortunately, they didn’t. They were found out and the same thing they were trying to escape confronted them again. No peace whatsoever. What kind of life did they have?

Most of my ancestors were healers. I have ran across a few that were hanged as witches. That makes my blood curdle. Their blood flows through my veins today. I know that for sure. There are times I have flash backs to my ancestors’ time. To see and experience one of your kin being hanged is one of the worse things in your life. You can see it plainly but you are powerless to do anything about it. When the flashback is over, I cry and cry. Why were people so ignorant and judgmental back then? Why couldn’t they just let the witches live in peace?

Perhaps if history didn’t happen the way it did, we wouldn’t have what we do now. Perhaps it was a test of some kind for our ancestors. I know they had to have unbelievable faith, courage and enormous amount of love for our Religion and our Goddess.

One of the reasons I can talk about our ancestors for hours is because I admire them so much. I know what they sacrificed for us. When accused of being a witch, they could have simply turned their backs and denied it. But they didn’t. I know they didn’t want to die anymore than the next person. But sadly enough they did. Some were killed and others went underground to protect our Religion. To ensure it would be passed on from one generation to the next. Everyone of them took risks so we could have what we do today.

This time of the year is very special to all of us. Don’t get caught up in all the festivities and forget what it is really about, remembering our ancestors. We owe them so much. And we never can repay the debt we owe them. But we can remember them. I believe remembering and honoring is the greatest way we can say “Thank You” to them for all they have given us.

Without our ancestors and their sacrifices, we wouldn’t have our Religion. This Samhain, hold the memories of your ancestors dear to your heart. Remember them and give them the honors they deserve. They have given us so much.

In the honor and remembrance of all

our ancestors.

Thank the Goddess for them.

A Little Humor For Your Day – Learning your ABC’s for Witches and Pagans

Learning your ABC’s for Witches and Pagans

To learn your letters you must start With a clever mind and a willing heart Each one is special, just like you And you will learn them all by the time we are through!

A is Athame, the knife that we use
B is for Beltaine, when partners we choose
C is for Circle where we all are one.
D is for Deosil, path of the Sun.
E is for Esbat, when we gather round
F is for Fire and its crackling sound
G is the Goddess in beauty and love.
H is the Horned One, our Father above.
I is for Imbolg, candles light the way,
J is for June when it’s Midsummer’s Day
K is for Karma, the things that we do
L is for Lammas, harvest’s almost through!
M is for Moon, riding way up so high,
N is for Nighttime, which darkens the sky
O is for Ostara, when we hunt for eggs,
P is for Pan, with hairy goat legs
Q is the Quarters and there are just four,
R for the Rites when we open the Door
S is for Samhain, end of the year,
T is for Tarot cards, futures to hear
U is Undines from the watery West
V is Vervain for protection and rest
W’s Widdershins, the path of the moon.
X is the sign that’s the sign of the God
Y is for Yule and the sun’s return
Z is the Zodiac, 12 signs to learn

To learn them all you will have to try

And now it is time to say goodbye

Merry have we met, and

Merry have we been

Merry shall we part and

Merry meet again!

A Little Humor – Signs That You Need More Room For Ritual

Signs That You Need More Room For Ritual

Your goals for ritual include finishing without knocking over the fire element.
You need to time your rituals to last no more than 1 hour, in order to not be suffocated by the one incense stick in the east.
Your familiar entering the circle pushes you out of it.
And your familiar is a dragon fly.
Your cauldron is a coffee cup and your altar is a dinner plate.
You must dance while sitting, so you don’t trip over Freya.
You think your carpet has turned white, but then you realize it’s the salt you used to mark the circle.
The last time you invoked the Horned One, you had to patch the ceiling.
The water element sunlight’s a fishbowl, a drinking glass, and a sink, simultaneously.
Your coven is only three people, and you still have to leave your shoes in the hallway to make room.
You have to offer money to the Gods, because a steak or loaf of bread would take up too much space in the circle.
You have to fold the bed against the wall to fit the air element in.
Your rituals are all skyclad, after that nasty incident of an overanxious candle torching all the coven’s robes at once last Lammas.
You’re a Taurus, and you still think this situation must change.
You’re a Scorpio, but you’re developing a fear of candle fire.
You’re a Gemini, but you have no indecision about the need for more room.
You’re a Leo, and you’re growing shy because it’s your bedroom we’ve been practicing in.
You’re an Aries, but you’re now adept at dancing around numerous candles on the floor without burning yourself, for reasons of survival.
You’re a Cancer, but you don’t need to ask your mother if this is enough space. You know it’s not.
You’re a Virgo, and you can’t manage to engineer the space in order to fit everyone.
You’re a Libra, and you’re firmly with Gemini on this one.
You’re a Sagittarius, but the remains of the sea glass from the West at last Esbat which will still not leave your feet are starting to depress you.
You’re a Capricorn and you are starting to dream of grand forests with acres of space, and a mansion to practice in on rainy days.
You’re an Aquarius and the burning hair problem is starting to make you emotional.
You’re a Pisces but you know that something’s wrong.
You’re a Discordian, but when asked if the problem needs to be fixed, you reply, “Yes, immediately! How about my place?”
You’re a New Ager, but not even you believe another crystal will help.
You’re an Old Wiccan, but have started using the chalice and wand for the Great Rite anyway.
You’re a Neo Wiccan, but you’ve had to remove some of the rainbows and “Goddess loves us!” banners in order to make room for your name.
You’re Asatru, but you’re starting to consider putting some of your battle axes into storage.
Last time to walked to the West you flooded the place.
Casting a circle involves moving things out of the way.
Jumping over your bed is part of the spiral dance.
If the whole coven ever drew their athames to call the quarters, you would wind up with CSI: Between The Worlds.
You are openly Pagan but still can say you’re in the closet.

Turok’s Cabana

A Little Humor – Learning your ABC’s for Witches and Pagans

Learning your ABC’s for Witches and Pagans

To learn your letters you must start With a clever mind and a willing heart Each one is special, just like you And you will learn them all by the time we are through!

A is Athame, the knife that we use
B is for Beltane, when partners we choose
C is for Circle where we all are one.
D is for Deosil, path of the Sun.
E is for Esbat, when we gather round
F is for Fire and its crackling sound
G is the Goddess in beauty and love.
H is the Horned One, our Father above.
I is for Imbolg, candles light the way,
J is for June when it’s Midsummer’s Day
K is for Karma, the things that we do
L is for Lammas, harvest’s almost through!
M is for Moon, riding way up so high,
N is for Nighttime, which darkens the sky
O is for Ostara, when we hunt for eggs,
P is for Pan, with hairy goat legs
Q is the Quarters and there are just four,
R for the Rites when we open the Door
S is for Samhain, end of the year,
T is for Tarot cards, futures to hear
U is Undines from the watery West
V is Vervain for protection and rest
W’s Widdershins, the path of the moon.
X is the sign that’s the sign of the God
Y is for Yule and the sun’s return
Z is the Zodiac, 12 signs to learn

To learn them all you will have to try And now it is time to say goodbye Merry have we met, and Merry have we been Merry shall we part and Merry meet again!

A Taste of WitchLore for October 27th – The Pentacle By Doreen Valiente

PENTACLE FROM THE LIBER UMBRARUM BY DOREEN VALIENTE

The five-pointed star or pentagram is one of the oldest signs in the world. It represents, among other meaning, magic itself, the dominion of the spirit over the four elements of the material creation.

The Circle which encloses it, being without beginning or ending, represents infinity and eternity. Another meaning of the pentagram is that it bears a rough resemblance to a human figure, as if standing upright with the arms and legs outstretched. Hence the pentagram in a circle is a symbol of the human being in relationship to the Infinite.

The eight armed figure in the center of the pentagram represents the Eight Ritual Occasions of the Witch’s year, four Greater Sabbats and four Lesser Sabbats. The Greater Sabbats are Candlemas, May Eve, Lammas, and Hallowe’en. The Lesser Sabbats are the equinoxes and solstices. The eight of this symbol plus the five of the pentagram makes 13, the traditional number of the Witches coven.

The three X-shaped crosses around the pentagram represent the three annointing of the initiation ceremony, ‘two above and one below’; that is, two above the waist and one below it. The two spirals or S-shapes represent the ancient symbol of the twin serpents, the dual forces of positive and negative, yang and yin, masculine and feminine, that underlie all manifestation.

The symbols on the three upper points of the pentagram are the two crescents of the waxing and waning moons, and the circle of the full moon. Together they represent the primordial Goddess of Nature, often depicted in triple form as Nymph, Mother and Crone, the three phases of the moon.

The symbols on the two lower points of the pentagram represent the two aspects of the ancient God of witches. They are conventionalized drawings of a horned head and a skull and crossed bones. The former sign represents the Horned God of Life and Fertility, and the latter is the God of Death and what lies beyond.

The Witches Sabbats

Northern Hemisphere

Imbolc – Feb 2nd
Ostara – Mar 21st/22nd
Beltane – April 30th/May 1st
Lithia – June 21st/22nd
Lammas – July 31st/Aug 1st
Mabon – Sept 21st/22nd
Samhain – Oct 31st
Yule – Dec 21st/22nd

Southern Hemisphere

Imbolc – August 1st
Ostara – September 21st/22nd
Beltane – Oct 31st/Nov 1st
Lithia – Dec 21st/22nd
Lammas – Feb 1st/2nd
Mabon – March 21st
Samhain – April 30th/May 1st
Yule – June 21st

Our Next Sabbat is Ostara

Solstices and Equinoxes

Spring Equinox ~ March 20th

Summer Solstice ~ June 20th

Autumn Equinox ~ September 22nd

Winter Solstice ~ December 21st

Your Horoscope Harvest

by Cait Johnson

With the ancient Celtic festival of Lughnasadh (sometimes called Lammas) on August 1, we enter the time of sacred harvest, when our thoughts turn to the spiritual gifts and accomplishments we have gathered over the past growing season.

Let your sun sign ask questions and suggest deep new ways to appreciate your own inner growth and process. Your horoscope can help you to a rich and bountiful spirit harvest.

You may want to let the following questions be the starting place for meditation.

Aries, March 21-April 19: When did you have an opportunity to do something meaningful in the service of your beliefs? How did your energetic zeal or even passionate anger over some injustice make a positive difference?

Taurus, April 20-May 21: How did your caretaking and patience help nurture a difficult situation? In what ways did your attention help encourage someone or something to grow and become stronger?

Gemini, May 22-June 20: Which ideas, out of the many you have had, excited you most? How did your willingness to be inspired and communicate give fresh energy to a situation?

Cancer, June 21-July 22: When did your strong and sensitive feelings give you insight on the best way to understand someone? How did you allow yourself to emerge from vulnerability or shyness to be deeply touched by someone or something?

Leo, July 23- Aug 22: When did you shine most brightly? What situations or events caused you to rise to the occasion and radiate positive good energy?

Virgo, Aug 23-Sept 22: How did you bring order to your life or someone else’s? In what ways did your wisdom about nourishment and bodily healing help yourself or another?

Libra, Sept 23-Oct 22: How did you create beauty in your life or someone else’s? What situations gave you the opportunity to bring harmony and balance to the world?

Scorpio, Oct 23-Nov 21: What have you learned in your explorations of the deep places? What wisdom about the nature of deep and deathless connection have you gained?

Sagittarius, Nov 22-Dec 21: What interesting places or people have inspired you most? How did you make helpful connections between others?

Capricorn, Dec 22-Jan 19: What projects did you bring to completion? In what ways did you make someone’s life more easeful or pleasant?

Aquarius, Jan 20-Feb 18: What spiritual ideas or concepts excited you most? How were you able to share your passion for alternative ways of understanding spirituality with others?

Pisces, Feb 19-March 20: What acts of selfless service did you perform? How did you gain a deeper understanding and compassion for the suffering in the world?

Oh, What A Wonderous Morning After Lammas! Good Morning To All My Dear Ones!

Good Thursday Morning to everyone! I hope you had a very happy & blessed Lammas yesterday. I know I stayed up way to late. So if you see something like this today, “sssssssssssssssssssssss.” You will know I have fell asleep at the computer, lol!

I had to go to town yesterday to do some running around. When the weather is cool, I always take Kiki with me. But it was 105 degrees and there was no way she could go. While I was gone she tore up the house looking for me. She even when outside on the porch and looked and looked. The bond we have between us is unbelievable. I have never had a familiar that is attached to me as she is. We spend every waking moment together. Well I got home and she was about to burn up. I hurried and put up everything. Then we went out on the porch to stretch out and enjoy the breeze. We stretch out side-by-side. I like to lay and look at the clouds. I made sure Kiki was situated then I laid down and starting staring at the clouds. I thought since today is Lammas, I should say a special prayer of Thanksgiving to the Goddess. I started to think in my head what I wanted to say. I had it! I looked up at the cloud and the cloud had took the shape of a woman’s face. That blew me away. I knew the Goddess was going to listen to my humble prayer. I said my prayer to Her and at the end I mentioned something about, “could She blow Her sweet, cooling breath over her children to cool their brow.” Not the exact words but close enough. Then I closed the prayer. About a minute or two later, the coolest breeze you have ever felt came around the corner. Oh, it was bone chilling and so refreshing. There were several more of those wonderful breezes to come. I can’t describe it, wonderful, fantastic, don’t even come close to what we experienced yesterday.

I have am a true worry-wart, no doubt about it. I have had so much on my mind. I have been worried about coming up with the money to pay the server bill, the light bill, the water, everything it takes to run an office. And yesterday, the Goddess looked me directly in the face and heard every word I had to say. Then She gently reassured me that everything was going to work out. I always call the Goddess, “Mother.” Because I lost my mother at such a young age. I have always asked Her to lead me and guide down my Path. Let me know what She needed done and I would gratefully do it. But yesterday was special, it was like a Mother wrapping Her arms around Her child and just giving her all the love and comfort She could. Telling me, “everything is going to be all right, child.” I had put all my problems in the Goddess’ hands. I knew She would take care of them. But I guess I have grown a little weary and my Mother decided I needed some love and encouragement. The Goddess not only gave me love and encouragement, She gave me strength. I know I don’t have to tell you. But to experience the Goddess one on one is beautiful. She radiates love, compassion, caring, all the good qualities in the Universe. I think I am very fortunate that She choose me as Her child.

Before I get to work today, I would like to remind you that we still need donations to pay our server bill. We have had donations coming in and we appreciate those so much. But unfortunately, everything is high as a cat’s back these days and we need some more donations. If you remember, we have to next week to come up with the funds to pay the bill. If not, we will be permanently off the internet. I would humbly ask you to search your hearts. If you like the message we are spreading, then help us to continue to spread it. Our goal is to put Witchcraft back in the mainstream Religions. If we are off the net, we can’t do that. I don’t ask for donations that often but this has been an extremely rough year. We need just a little helping hand to get us through this crisis. It doesn’t matter the amount, because in the end it all adds up.

Please search your hearts and help us through this crisis. Please make a donation today. Because our time is running out, very quickly I might add.

Remember the banner, it is directly linked to the PayPal page. You will see it throughout today’s posts. Then we have a donate button up in the right handed corner of this page. We also have a Donate Page with our mailing address on it, if you would like to us that. We know we can count on you. Thank you for your love and support.

More Friends Online Comments

Lammas Bread

Lammas Bread

2 cups warm milk

2 packages dry yeast

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

Mix together in a large bowl, cover and set in a warm place until doubled (about 30 minutes).

Add the following:

3 Tbs softened butter

2 cups unbleached white flour

Stir until bubbly.

Mix in the following:

1 cup rye flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

With floured hands, turn the dough onto a floured surface and gradually knead in more white flour until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a large greased bowl, turning once so that the dough is greased, cover with a cloth and set in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 1 hour).

Punch the dough down and divide in two. Shape into balls, flattened at the top and place on a cookie sheet. Cover and set in a warm place until doubled. (about 1 hour) When the final rising is almost complete, use your athame and carve a pentagram in the centre of the loaf as you recite a blessing of thanks to the Grain Goddess.

For variety, once the bread has been separated in two, shape the dough into figures symbolizing the God and Goddess of the Grain.

Cover and allow to rise until doubled.

Beat together:

1 egg

1 Tbs water

Brush the loaves and bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for 1 hour.

Share this blessing of the Goddess during your Lammas Feast.

HARVEST BLESSINGS: A LAMMAS RITUAL

HARVEST BLESSINGS: A LAMMAS RITUAL

by TaTa Chakra a.k.a. TerraFire

From Oct 98-Oct 99 I had the great blessing of living in a run down farmhouse at the foot of Mount Pisgah just southeast of Eugene, Oregon. I knew when I moved in that my stay there would be impermanent but I quickly grew deeply attached to the beauty of this five-acre property.

The man who had lived there before my housemates and I was an avid gardener whose devoted labor had turned an acre of the property from old river bed full of blackberries into a resplendent garden of visual delight. Because this man had been on good terms with many of the local green witches there were many people, mostly women who came to the garden to harvest the herbs and make herbal medicines. The man had also planted plum apple, peach, cherry and asian pear trees. There were logan berries, gooseberries red and gold raspberries, elderberries and of course many many blackberries. He had trained the blackberries over a bower and around the fence so that they created a privacy screen.

Behind the 16 more or less straight garden rows which had an irrigation system, was a ritual circle with three rings of wildflowers. My housemates and I dug a fire pit in the middle of this circle. We also began to keep bees, which was something that I had longed to do for many years. Bees are very sacred to me and the sound of their humming buzz is one I have always associated both with the cone of power and with my own inner guidance.

There were many lovely trees on this property as well, besides the fledgling fruit trees, there were two transplanted redwoods, not more than 30 years old, three old black walnuts to which we assigned the archetypes of maiden, mother and crone. The plant being that I grew most attached to was a Cottonwood tree, which was at least 75 years old. This tree was at the far northwest side of the property just 6ft from both edges of the property line.

A thick growth of mugwort had been planted against the fence. The cottonwood tree welcomed me as her magical companion. I regularly meditated by the tree, created a directional invocation with her, held counseling sessions, taught classes and also did trance work laying in the grass beneath her branches with a mugwort breeze drifting over me. My housemate called the place fennel farm because no matter how much fennel we weeded out more sprang up in its place. Fennel Farm was the most idyllic place I have ever lived and the perfect setting for the 3rd annual Luscious Leo Lammas party.

The Luscious Leo Lammas party was a brainstorm of how to create a public ritual space with the organization Cauldron of Changes and simultaneously celebrate my birthday (Aug 1st) and the birthday of my dear friend Mike (Aug 7th). I also had several other close Leo friends whose birthdays could not be ignored, (take my advice: never ignore a Leo’s birthday if you hope to be close to them).

For several years we had held the party and ritual at Mike’s house in town but this year it would be at Fennel Farm and bigger and better than ever. In addition to the ritual we had a keg, a huge vegan birthday cake (it was Eugene, remember), party lights and tiki torches, a stage for performance of poetry and music and we also hired a local African Dance troupe “Foli Kan”. We made crowns for all of the Leo’s to wear and had a kids activity area.

Lots of people came prepared to sleep over night in tents and we prepared the neighbors and invited them to join in. I had written a special invocation chant for the Goddess and God and practiced this and a directional invocation song with a small group of other priests and priestesses. We spent a considerable time preparing the ritual space and gathering our ritual tools and props. As Night began to fall Mike and I (High Priest and Priestess), gathered the ritual attendees together at the gate that lead into the garden and the ritual space beyond. We explained the ritual to everyone, what would happen in what order and taught them the chants. Then the High Priest picked up a tiki torch and lead a procession into the ritual space singing “We are a circle within a circle” by the group Welcome to Annwyfn.

As the group of about 80 people created a circle entering the ritual gate in the east and traveling clockwise around to take their spaces, I walked the outer perimeter with my smoky quartz athamé casting the circle three times. The group continued to sing “we are a circle” as each directional priest/ess in turn raised their voice above the group to call in their direction. In the East the song goes “You hear us sing. You hear us cry, Now hear us call you, Spirits of Air and Sky” which the directional priest finished by marking an invoking pentacle in the Eastern Watchtower with his athamé. He completed the invocation by lighting the three Tiki Torches set in the East.

Three more rounds of the chant were sung before the Southern Priestess sang out loud and clear, “Inside our hearts, there grows a spark, love and desire, a burning fire.” She raised her wand and drew an invoking pentacle on the Southern Watchtower. The song continued again and the Western Priestess sang, “Within our blood, within our tears, there lies the altar, of living water.” Holding the chalice another invoking pentacle was described and hung in the air in the Western quarter.

The North Priestess took her turn singing strongly “Take our fear, take our pain, take the darkness into the earth again.” Holding her paten up as invoking the northern pentacle. Then all the directions sang together “The circles closes, between the worlds, to mark a sacred space, where we come face to face.” And the song ended. The High Priest and I thanked everyone for coming to participate in our Lammas ritual. We explained that we were going to chant to draw down the Goddess and God into each other. We called the God to us and into the High Priest. We Called the Goddess to us and into the High Priestess. Everyone repeated this three line sing song refrain I AM THE GOD, I AM THE DIVINE, I AM THE DIVINE And the priest responded with the following: IN THE DARK I’M THE NIGHT IN THE DAY I’M THE LIGHT. Then everyone sang the Goddess chorus which was simply: I AM THE GODDESS, I AM THE DIVINE, I AM THE DIVINE and the priestess responded ” I AM THREE I AM ONE AND I CAN’T BE UNDONE”. While this sounds complex on paper it was rather simply done and the text of this singing invocation are given here in completion:

Singing Invocation of God and Goddess

Chorus refrain A: I am the God I am the Divine, I am the Divine

Chorus refrain B: I am the Goddess I am the Divine I am the Divine

Chorus A God response: In the Dark I’m the Night In the Day I’m the Light

Chorus B Goddess Response: I am Three I am One And I can’t be Undone

Chorus A God response: I am Young I am Old I am Green Black and Gold

Chorus B Goddess Response: Maiden Mother and Crone In them Each I am Home

Chorus A God response: I’m the Flowering Rod I’m the Bountiful God

Chorus B Goddess Response: I am tree I am snake I will keep you awake

Chorus A God response: I am Hoof I am Horn As I Leap through the Corn

Chorus B Goddess Response: I Spiral and Wind As I Labrynth through Time

Chorus A God response: I’m the One Inbetween I’m the Seen and Unseen

Chorus B Goddess Response: I’m both Woman and Man Alchemist that I Am

Finish with both Priest & Priestess hands joined singing:

In My Heart and My Mind I am the Divine

The Priestess says: The God is Amongst us, Blessed Be!

The Priest Says: The Goddess is Amongst Us, Blessed Be!

After the invocation, the ritual continued with an explanation of Lammas, The High Priest and Priestess asked participants to look around them at the bounties of the earth and to think upon all of the goodness and wealth that the planet offers us daily. Their words spoken here were in the form of spontaneous offerings from the deities invoked. They explained that Lammas was the first harvest of three harvests, that this was the time of harvesting fruits and flowers, the time to celebrate community and friendships, the time to begin storing things for the coming time of darkness.

As the Description of Lammas ended the Priest and Priestess started Charlie Murphy’s chant “It’s the blood of the Ancients that runs through our veins, And the forms pass, but the circle of life remains” And as the drummers chimed in and the group picked up the chant the Priest and priestess took up a basket and bowl respectively and revealed a Mystery to all the participants in groups of two or three around the entire circle. The Priest showed his basket full of harvested fruits, vegetables and grains saying solemnly “This is the God” and the priestess showed her bowl of rich garden soil saying solemly “This is the Goddess”.

When the Showing of the Mystery was complete a brief grounding meditation was led and each person was asked to answer the Question “What Magickal gift is present in your life right now?” Participants were asked to think of the blessings of this gift to experience it’s presence in their life and to make their awareness of it as big as possible.

They were instructed to focus on the sense of gratitude and blessing and send it off to the earth and sky to anyone in need of it during the cone of power. The cone of power was facilitated by high priest and priestess with the help of the directional priest/esses and began with our imitation of bees buzzing. After several minutes of our toning getting progressively higher the cone was sent off and then held in resonance as we fell to the ground, earthing the energy. Several minutes of silence followed before the priest and priestess arose and moved again to the central altar. They brought out local Blackberry wine and freshly made blackberry juice and a rack of fresh honey comb. The Priest said the Feasting Blessing (from Starhawk’s The Spiral Dance, p.169)

All Life is Your own, All fruits of the earth Are fruits of your womb Your union, your dance. Goddess and God We thank you for blessings and abundance Join with us, feast with us, Enjoy with us! Blessed Be.

And we took the honey and wine and juice to each person as they laughed and made jokes and began to dance and sing again. When all had eaten and some had seconds, it was time to “devoke” the deities and directions, earthing again the powers we had raised and acknowledged. God and Goddess, each direction in turn were invited to leave and thanked for their presence. We sang “The Circle is Open” of course ending with Merry Meet and Merry part and merry meet again.

It has been a moving process for me to share this ritual with you, to consciously re-enter my experience of that sacred day in that beautiful and sacred place where I had the good fortune to live for a while. I hope that our ritual may inspire further rituals, that we humans may become more and more compelled to experience and express our closeness to the earth and our gratitude for her bounty. Blessed Be.

Lighten Up – Difference Between a Spell Checker and a Spelling Checker

Difference Between a Spell Checker and a Spelling Checker

by Don

Having been in the Pagan scene for many years, but being new to computers, I was fascinated when I saw a program that was called a “Spell Checker”. My naive mind had visions of a program that would check the contents of the spells that I typed up. I imagined that it might make suggestions such as, “You’ve forgotten to specify the type of incense to be used”, or…”You are supposed to use a green candle for money spells, not red!” I soon found, however, that it only checked the spelling of the words, not the wording of the spells.

I discovered this difference during the course of updating my (computerized) Book of Shadows. I had typed up an ancient spell called “The Wicca Charm”, and to my horror, when I pressed the Spell Checker option, the computer altered the wording significantly. Those of you who know more about computers than myself (which is probably everyone except the natives of the Upper Amazon) would undoubtably know that when a Spell Checker finds a word that is unfamiliar, it assumes that a typing error has been made, and it substitutes a word that it thinks may have been intended. I however, did not understand this basic premise.

And since Pagans tend to have a language that is littered with words that other people do not normally use, the results from using a Spell Checker can be hilarious, as was the case with the computer’s versions of “The Wicca Charm”.

The original spell is shown immediately below, and following that is the revised version that resulted from using the Spell Checker program.

The Wicca Charm

Wicca followers heed the call of Lammas to Imbolg, dancing deosil, never widdershins as we worship ye old religion.

From the grimoire’s magic true, we find that we now have the runes; & the sigils that will bring power to our Sabbat’s witching hour.

With a pentacle in hand, await the Goddess’s command, then cast your circle with athame and with a censer burning vervain.

Throw your talisman into the fire, and to you comes what you desire. Then jump astride a besom firm and ride until the talisman burns.

The computer-revised version is

The Knicker Charm

Knicker followers heed the call lamingtons to imbibe, dancing docile, never widdling we worship a yelled religion.

From the grim one’s magic true, we find that we now have the runs; & the sickness that will bring power to our sad bat’s twitching hour.

With a testicle in hand, await the Goddess’s command then cast your circle with shame and with a sense of burning vermin.

Throw your tallest man into the fire, and to you comes what you desire. Then jump astride a bosom firm and ride until the tallest man burns.

“The Wheel of the Year has turned once more….

“The Wheel of the Year has turned once more,
and the harvest will soon be upon us.
We have food on our tables, and
the soil is fertile.
Nature’s bounty, the gift of the earth,
gives us reasons to be thankful.
Mother of the Harvest, with your sickle and basket,
bless me with abundance and plenty.

The power of the Harvest is within me.
As the seed falls to the earth and is reborn each year,
I too grow as the seasons change.
As the grain takes root in the fertile soil,
I too will find my roots and develop.
As the smallest seed blooms into a mighty stalk,
I too will bloom where I landed.
As the wheat is harvested and saved for winter,
I too will set aside that which I can use later.

As the grain dies, it transforms to bread,
and brings us life through the winter.
We bless this bread, and it blesses us in return,
and we are thankful for the gift of the harvest.”

– Patti Wigington, Hold a Lammas Harvest Festival

No. 2 Things To Do For Lammas…..

Read about and make a loaf of bread. Loaves of bread are a traditional part of the First Harvest Feast. Break bread into four pieces and place at each of the Four Corners altars. Lammas means “Loaf Mass” in the Welsh language. Sharing bread is a common feature of a Lammas celebration. What is the role of baking bread in human culture? Find a really good bakery in your area.

Calendar of the Sun for August 1

Calendar of the Sun

1 Weodmonath

LAMMAS

Colors: Golden and purple
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon the cloth of golden and purple fill baskets of unthreshed grain, and bowls of threshed grain, and clay jugs of beer and wine, and grapes, and other fruits of the harvest. The wheatsheaf loaf should have pride of place, and beside it should be the corn dollie from last year’s Lammas. The new corn dollie should be carried in the arms of one participant.
Offerings: Give food to the poor.
Daily Meal: Bread. Lots of bread and grain.

Ritual Note: Like all the eight high holidays, this day should ideally be spent not enclosed and isolated, but in common with the larger pagan community. This can be done a number of ways, including spending the day elsewhere, at the Brigid’s Day ritual of another group or tradition, or by inviting in those pagans who would otherwise not be able to attend a ritual. Either way, the eight holidays should be a time of remembering the place of the house in the greater community. If the choice is made to go elsewhere, then no liturgy is needed for the day. If the choice is made to bring the greater community into the lesser one, the following ritual can be used:

(First four who have been chosen to do the work of the ritual cast the quarters with sickle, flail, basket, and pot.)

East Caller: Spirits of the East, Powers of Air!
You who are the cold steel of the scythe,
You who are the blade that separates
One from another,
Life from death,
You who are smoke on the wind
And the bringer of the new dawn,
Be with us today!
South Caller: Spirits of the South, Powers of Fire!
You who are the bright Sun above us,
You who are the unflinching light of day,
The scorching heat of the summer,
Pulling the crops toward the sky
And drying them to golden as your rays,
Be with us today!
West Caller: Spirits of the West, Powers of Water!
You who are the gentle rains that fall
To feed the plants that long ago sprang forth,
You who are the summer storms
That knock down those you nourished,
Capricious and random as you are eternal,
Be with us today!
North Caller: Spirits of the North, Power of Earth!
You who are the ground beneath our feet,
You who sustains and nourishes us,
You who brought us forth,
You to whom we shall all one day return,
We honor you especially today.
Be with us now!

Lammas Invocation

Great Lugh,
You who shine forth upon us,
Give us this day our daily bread
And serve it forth with a great helping
Of joy and mirth
Even as we watch your track in the sky
Slowly lower down from the zenith,
This is still your time,
You are still strong,
Ruler of the Earth,
Until the day we watch you fall.

(The sickle is swung in the air.)

In this time of harvest,
When the Sun begins his drop from the sky,
We shall find beauty and contentment by our hearths.
For as the Sun falls, so falls the grain,
So falls each plant life grown by those golden rays,
Fallen by our hand to nourish us,
And nourished we shall be,
By he that grew from the Mother’s womb so many moons ago.
The Sun above has become part of our memories
And we shall carry him forever,
And the grain below will become part of our bodies,
And we shall carry that memory as well.
For to be bound to the cycle of life
Though it be painful, is the truest thing
That any of us can ever do.

(The bread is passed, and torn apart, and eaten.)

Do not forget, in this time of harvest,
The power of love above and below the Earth.
At Beltane, when love flourished forth
In all directions unchained and unboundaried,
We felt it like a rushing wave of pleasure
Unadulterated with pain.
At the Solstice, when the Oak King died
We learned again, and for the first time,
That there is pain in love, and the deeper the love
The greater the pain. And now as we face
The first funeral of the year, we gain
An inkling of how deep both love and pain can be.
May this wisdom bear us up
Throughout the bright days and the darkness
And the dawning yet to come.
Taste sweetness and give thanks
That there is still sweetness in life.

(The wine and beer is passed around, and drunk.)

Follow the serpent to the end of the labyrinth,
And there you will find the door under the earth.
Slide down between the roots of all life
And there you will find the source of all life.
Follow the roots to the underground rivers
And there you will find the deepest nourishment.
Swim down the rivers through the darkest caves,
And there you will find hidden the spark of life.
Follow the spark upwards through the soil
Until it bursts out into the singing air.
Watch it shoot skyward towards the Sun its progenitor,
As gold returns to gold
And the heavens take back their own.
Do not let go of that spark!
Stretch upward with its soaring,
Risk the bright sky and the high flight
Though it will mean your death,
And then you understand the Mystery.

Song: Lammas Prayer

(Last year’s corn dollie is lifted aloft and carried to the stove or fireplace, where it is burned. Then the new corn dollie is lifted to her place on the shelf or altar, and all cheer. Great feasting comes next. Invite in as many as possible to share it.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

The Wicca Book of Days for August 1 – Lughnasadh or Lammas

The Wicca Book of Days for August 1

Lughnasadh or Lammas

On August 1 Wiccans and Witches celebrate Lughnasadh, or Lammas (to give it its Christianized name), with a Sabbat. This ancient Pagan festival marks the harvesting of the year’s first sheaf of wheat or corn, and with it the self sacrifice of the Horned God in his incarnations as the Corn King, or the Lord of the Harvest. As its name suggest Lughnasadh (‘The Games of Lugh”) was originally linked by the Celts of Ireland with Lugh, their God of Light and possessor of a magical sling and spear, who reputedly established the original festivities in honor of his foster-mother, the Earth Goddess Tailtu.

First Fruits

It is acceptable to place fresh fruit on your altar, instead of corn, for your Lughnasadh rite. After you have given thanks to the Horned God and Goddess, and have partaken of the fruit, plant the seeds within in a pot today and encourage them to germinate.

Things To Do This Lammas……

Throughout today’s posts you will find hints on things to do this Lammas. I hope you enjoy them and find them useful.

Collect corn husks, dry and store in shade. “Corn” was a generic term for cereal crops (i.e., wheat, barley, oats), and New World corn was added after 1520. Our non-irrigated winter wheat is harvested in June and July where I live. We can collect wild wheat stalks and seeds, tie, and hang in shade. Make a corn dolly and keep until the Yule Celebration. We can pick fruit (apricots, berries, figs and plums) and dry them. Many kinds for fruit are ripe in late July, so place some of these on your home altar. Many garden herbs are at their peak and ready for harvesting to make herbal remedies, air fresheners, use in herbal magic, and for decoration. There are hundreds of good books and websites on the magical, sacramental, and health uses of herbs.

HARVEST BLESSINGS: A LAMMAS RITUAL