Guest guest Posted July 31, 2005 Report Share Posted July 31, 2005 Dear Friends, Blessings of the cross-quarter day of Lammas. Janna Colors: Gray, green, gold, yellow Symbols: All grains, breads, threshing tools, athame Occurs 1/4 of a year after Beltaine. True astrological point is 15 degrees Leo, but tradition has set August 1 st as the day it is typically celebrated. Since the Ancients Celts passed their days from sundown to sundown, the celebration would usually begin the night before on July 31 st . The turning of the wheel now brings us to Lughnasadh (LOO-nus-uh), also known by its medieval Christian name of Lammas , named in honor of the Celtic god Lugh, a name which means "light" or "shining." Although somewhat confusing, we are not celebrating the death of Lugh (the God of light does not mythically die until the autumn equinox), but rather the funeral games that Lugh hosted to commemorate the death of his foster mother, Taillte. In Ireland, Lugnasadh is often called the "Tailltean Games". A common feature of the games were the "Tailltean marriages", rather informal and lasting only a year and a day or until next Lammas, at which time the couple would decide to continue the arrangement or stand back to back and walk away, thereby dissolving the marriage. The parish priest was not bothered to perform these trial marriages, they were usually performed by a poet, bard, priest or priestess of the Old Religion, or shanachie, and were very common into the 1500's. It is from this custom that our present-day Handfastings must come. According to one of his many legends, Lugh was the last great leader of the Tuatha de Dannan. In one of the Tuatha's victories, Lugh spared the life of Bres, a defeated enemy captain, in exchange for advice on ploughing, sowing, and reaping. He was seen as a multi-talented deity, being capable and quite good at all he undertook. The myths of Lugh include the prevalence of his many skills and the wedding of these skills to the potential or unrealized abundance of the land. According to the writing of Caesar, he was also regarded as the patron of all the arts, traveling, and influence in money and commerce. To the Romans, Lugh was seen as a counterpart to Mercury. Lugh is the son of Arianrhod, who is associated with sacred kingship and Three-fold Death. His wife's name is Blodeuwedd, also known as the Flower Maiden. Lughnasadh is the first of the three harvest Sabbats, Mabon and Samhain being the other two, which celebrates the ripening grains and corn. With the harvest so prevalent, Pagans see the theme of the sacrificed god motif emerge. His death is necessary for rebirth of the land to take place. Called by many names, "Green Man,Wicker Man,Corn Man" or just the "Spirit of Vegetation," his essence begins to merge with the harvested crops, a sacrifice that will be realized with the new growth in the spring. In old times, it was the duty of the King to sacrifice himself for the land, an idea that has been seen in the many legends of cultures both new and old, throughout recorded history. The gathering of the first crops of the year is also used to symbolize the success and extent of the power raised from the Beltane rites when the Sacred Marriage of the Lord and Lady took place. The theme of sexuality and reproduction is carried over into Lughnasadh as well to ensure the remainder of a good harvest. This sabbat is also known as the celebration of bread. As bread was one of the main staples of our ancestors, the ripening of the grain was the cause for great celebration. The reaping, threshing and preparation of these breads spawned great ritual and ceremony to ensure bounty for the following year. This time of the year finds us with fields to harvest, the first of a bountiful crop that will hold us through the winter months. Even though the hottest days of summer are upon us, we have but to observe to see that fall is just around the corner. Shadows are growing longer as the days slowly become shorter. Squirrels are busily gathering food for the coming winter. It is a time to begin canning produce from the garden, a time to save and preserve. And so the wheel turns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 2, 2006 Report Share Posted February 2, 2006 Dear Janna, You wrote: "It so happens that the opposite of the Lugh cross-quarter day is Candelmas February 2 (or 3rd when Rx Venus will go direct), celebrating the pagan goddess Bridget (I think)" I suppose, if this is opposite the cross-quarter day of Lammas, that it is technically supposed to be at 15 degrees of Aquarius. I have two questions and I'd be so interested in your thoughts: 1. Would the festival have originally followed the Vedic or Tropical system? Do we shift the festival days to follow? 2. If the day starts at sundown, is it sundown of Feb 1st or sundown of Feb 2nd? Or the sundown closest to the 15 degrees? Thanks, Janna!!! --- Janna Lynn <jnanalynn wrote: > Dear Friends, > > Blessings of the cross-quarter day of Lammas. > > Janna > > > Colors: Gray, green, gold, yellow > Symbols: All grains, breads, threshing tools, athame > > Occurs 1/4 of a year after Beltaine. > True astrological point is 15 degrees > Leo, but tradition has set August 1 st as the day it > is typically celebrated. Since the > Ancients Celts passed their days from > sundown to sundown, the celebration > would usually begin the night before on July > 31 st . > > The turning of the wheel now brings us to Lughnasadh > (LOO-nus-uh), also > known by its medieval Christian name of Lammas , > named in honor of the Celtic > god Lugh, a name which means "light" or "shining." > Although somewhat > confusing, we are not celebrating the death of Lugh > (the God of light does not > mythically die until the autumn equinox), but rather > the funeral games that Lugh > hosted to commemorate the death of his foster > mother, Taillte. In Ireland, > Lugnasadh is often called the "Tailltean Games". A > common feature of the > games were the "Tailltean marriages", rather > informal and lasting only a year and > a day or until next Lammas, at which time the couple > would decide to continue > the arrangement or stand back to back and walk away, > thereby dissolving the > marriage. The parish priest was not bothered to > perform these trial marriages, > they were usually performed by a poet, bard, priest > or priestess of the Old > Religion, or shanachie, and were very common into > the 1500's. It is from this > custom that our present-day Handfastings must come. > > According to one of his many legends, Lugh was the > last great leader of the > Tuatha de Dannan. In one of the Tuatha's victories, > Lugh spared the life of Bres, > a defeated enemy captain, in exchange for advice on > ploughing, sowing, and reaping. > He was seen as a multi-talented deity, being capable > and quite good at all he > undertook. The myths of Lugh include the prevalence > of his many skills and the > wedding of these skills to the potential or > unrealized abundance of the land. > According to the writing of Caesar, he was also > regarded as the patron of all the > arts, traveling, and influence in money and > commerce. To the Romans, Lugh was seen > as a counterpart to Mercury. Lugh is the son of > Arianrhod, who is associated with > sacred kingship and Three-fold Death. His wife's > name is Blodeuwedd, also known as > the Flower Maiden. > > Lughnasadh is the first of the three harvest > Sabbats, Mabon and Samhain being > the other two, which celebrates the ripening grains > and corn. With the harvest > so prevalent, Pagans see the theme of the sacrificed > god motif emerge. His > death is necessary for rebirth of the land to take > place. Called by many names, > "Green Man,Wicker Man,Corn Man" or just the > "Spirit of Vegetation," his > essence begins to merge with the harvested crops, a > sacrifice that will be > realized with the new growth in the spring. > > In old times, it was the duty of the King to > sacrifice himself for the land, an idea > that has been seen in the many legends of cultures > both new and old, throughout > recorded history. The gathering of the first crops > of the year is also used to > symbolize the success and extent of the power raised > from the Beltane rites when the > Sacred Marriage of the Lord and Lady took place. The > theme of sexuality and > reproduction is carried over into Lughnasadh as well > to ensure the remainder of a > good harvest. > > This sabbat is also known as the celebration of > bread. As bread was one of the > main staples of our ancestors, the ripening of the > grain was the cause for great > celebration. The reaping, threshing and preparation > of these breads spawned great > ritual and ceremony to ensure bounty for the > following year. > > This time of the year finds us with fields to > harvest, the first of a bountiful crop > that will hold us through the winter months. Even > though the hottest days of > summer are upon us, we have but to observe to see > that fall is just around the corner. > Shadows are growing longer as the days slowly become > shorter. Squirrels are busily > gathering food for the coming winter. It is a time > to begin canning produce from the > garden, a time to save and preserve. > > And so the wheel turns : > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Hi Mary, I had forgotten I had sent the last cross-quarter post for Lammas August 2, which as you say is the opposite of the cross-quarter day in Feb. These are the cross-quarter times of the wheel that fall in between the solstices and equinoxes, so there are 8 equal points on the wheel including the cross-quarter days, which fall about 6 weeks after the solstice and equinox. So this one is for Bridget or Imbolc (who brings light and we see the light has increased by one hour since the winter solstice or the darkest day), followed by the spring equinox (equal light), then Beltane, May 2 (May Day), the summer solstice (greatest light), then Lammas, August 2, the fall equinox (equal light), then Nov 2 celebrated in many traditions as the Days of the Dead, which Westerners have turned into Halloween (when the veil between worlds is the thinnest), then finally winter solstice (darkest night). Although different cultures celebrate these times according to their customs, they generally fall in the first week of the months between the solstices and equinoxes. As far as being 15* Aquarius or 15* Leo, these are usually calculated by tropical astrologers. Therefore, what I do is subtract for the ayanamsa, and I come up with 19-20* Capricorn Feb 2 and 19-20* Cancer for Lammas and so on for the other points of light on the wheel. Other astrologers may know the significance of these degrees; it seems the solstices are around 6* and the cross-quarter days around 15¥ sidereally in glancing quickly at 2006. But esoterically they are important power times in the cycle of the seasons based on the solar cycle or light available either to earth or more tilted toward the astral plane in the Sun's waning cycle, very similar to the waxing and waning lunar cycle. I follow these very closely as I do the monthly lunar cycles. But I don't have the knowledge to know the exact point such as sunset on the 1st for Imbolc or Lammas; however, I think that would be accurate to observe the cross-quarter day at that time. Om hrim hrim surjaya namah Janna http://seven_directions.tripod.com/ valist, Mary Quinn <mary1quinn wrote: > > Dear Janna, > > You wrote: > > "It so happens that the opposite of the Lugh > cross-quarter day is Candelmas February 2 (or 3rd when > Rx Venus will go direct), celebrating the pagan > goddess Bridget (I think)" > > I suppose, if this is opposite the cross-quarter day > of Lammas, that it is technically supposed to be at 15 > degrees of Aquarius. > > I have two questions and I'd be so interested in your > thoughts: > > 1. Would the festival have originally followed the > Vedic or Tropical system? Do we shift the festival > days to follow? > > 2. If the day starts at sundown, is it sundown of Feb > 1st or sundown of Feb 2nd? Or the sundown closest to > the 15 degrees? > > Thanks, Janna!!! > > > --- Janna Lynn <jnanalynn wrote: > > > Dear Friends, > > > > Blessings of the cross-quarter day of Lammas. > > > > Janna > > > > > > Colors: Gray, green, gold, yellow > > Symbols: All grains, breads, threshing tools, athame > > > > Occurs 1/4 of a year after Beltaine. > > True astrological point is 15 degrees > > Leo, but tradition has set August 1 st as the day it > > is typically celebrated. Since the > > Ancients Celts passed their days from > > sundown to sundown, the celebration > > would usually begin the night before on July > > 31 st . > > > > The turning of the wheel now brings us to Lughnasadh > > (LOO-nus-uh), also > > known by its medieval Christian name of Lammas , > > named in honor of the Celtic > > god Lugh, a name which means "light" or "shining." > > Although somewhat > > confusing, we are not celebrating the death of Lugh > > (the God of light does not > > mythically die until the autumn equinox), but rather > > the funeral games that Lugh > > hosted to commemorate the death of his foster > > mother, Taillte. In Ireland, > > Lugnasadh is often called the "Tailltean Games". A > > common feature of the > > games were the "Tailltean marriages", rather > > informal and lasting only a year and > > a day or until next Lammas, at which time the couple > > would decide to continue > > the arrangement or stand back to back and walk away, > > thereby dissolving the > > marriage. The parish priest was not bothered to > > perform these trial marriages, > > they were usually performed by a poet, bard, priest > > or priestess of the Old > > Religion, or shanachie, and were very common into > > the 1500's. It is from this > > custom that our present-day Handfastings must come. > > > > According to one of his many legends, Lugh was the > > last great leader of the > > Tuatha de Dannan. In one of the Tuatha's victories, > > Lugh spared the life of Bres, > > a defeated enemy captain, in exchange for advice on > > ploughing, sowing, and reaping. > > He was seen as a multi-talented deity, being capable > > and quite good at all he > > undertook. The myths of Lugh include the prevalence > > of his many skills and the > > wedding of these skills to the potential or > > unrealized abundance of the land. > > According to the writing of Caesar, he was also > > regarded as the patron of all the > > arts, traveling, and influence in money and > > commerce. To the Romans, Lugh was seen > > as a counterpart to Mercury. Lugh is the son of > > Arianrhod, who is associated with > > sacred kingship and Three-fold Death. His wife's > > name is Blodeuwedd, also known as > > the Flower Maiden. > > > > Lughnasadh is the first of the three harvest > > Sabbats, Mabon and Samhain being > > the other two, which celebrates the ripening grains > > and corn. With the harvest > > so prevalent, Pagans see the theme of the sacrificed > > god motif emerge. His > > death is necessary for rebirth of the land to take > > place. Called by many names, > > "Green Man,Wicker Man,Corn Man" or just the > > "Spirit of Vegetation," his > > essence begins to merge with the harvested crops, a > > sacrifice that will be > > realized with the new growth in the spring. > > > > In old times, it was the duty of the King to > > sacrifice himself for the land, an idea > > that has been seen in the many legends of cultures > > both new and old, throughout > > recorded history. The gathering of the first crops > > of the year is also used to > > symbolize the success and extent of the power raised > > from the Beltane rites when the > > Sacred Marriage of the Lord and Lady took place. The > > theme of sexuality and > > reproduction is carried over into Lughnasadh as well > > to ensure the remainder of a > > good harvest. > > > > This sabbat is also known as the celebration of > > bread. As bread was one of the > > main staples of our ancestors, the ripening of the > > grain was the cause for great > > celebration. The reaping, threshing and preparation > > of these breads spawned great > > ritual and ceremony to ensure bounty for the > > following year. > > > > This time of the year finds us with fields to > > harvest, the first of a bountiful crop > > that will hold us through the winter months. Even > > though the hottest days of > > summer are upon us, we have but to observe to see > > that fall is just around the corner. > > Shadows are growing longer as the days slowly become > > shorter. Squirrels are busily > > gathering food for the coming winter. It is a time > > to begin canning produce from the > > garden, a time to save and preserve. > > > > And so the wheel turns > > > > > > > > > > > > > > : > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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