Lammas: Lughnasadh First Harvest Sabbat

What Is Lammas? The First Harvest Sabbat

Lammas (pronounced "LAH-mas") or Lughnasadh ("LOO-nah-sah") is celebrated on August 1st, marking the first of three harvest festivals in the Wheel of the Year. It's the grain harvest—when wheat, barley, and corn are cut, threshed, and transformed into bread, the staff of life.

Lammas is a sabbat of gratitude, sacrifice, and transformation. The grain must die to become bread. What was planted in spring is now harvested. Hard work is rewarded. It's a time to celebrate abundance, give thanks for blessings, and acknowledge that all harvest requires sacrifice.

This comprehensive guide will teach you the history, meaning, and traditions of Lammas, plus powerful rituals to celebrate this sacred sabbat of the first harvest.

When Is Lammas Celebrated?

Northern Hemisphere: August 1st (traditional) or when the Sun reaches 15° Leo (astrological)

Southern Hemisphere: February 1st (opposite season)

Traditional Timing: Sunset July 31st through sunset August 1st

Celebration Window: Many celebrate from late July through early August, during actual grain harvest

Lammas vs Lughnasadh: Two Names, One Sabbat

Lammas:
• Anglo-Saxon name meaning "loaf mass"
• Christian-influenced name
• Focuses on bread and grain harvest
• More common in modern paganism

Lughnasadh:
• Celtic name honoring god Lugh
• Pre-Christian origin
• Focuses on Lugh's funeral games for his foster mother
• More historically accurate for Celtic traditions

Both celebrate: First harvest, grain, bread, gratitude, sacrifice, transformation

The God Lugh

Lughnasadh honors Lugh ("Loo"), the Celtic sun god and master of all skills.

Lugh's Domains:
• Sun and light
• All arts and crafts
• Warfare and strategy
• Oaths and contracts
• Harvest and abundance

The Legend: Lugh created Lughnasadh as funeral games to honor his foster mother Tailtiu, who died from exhaustion after clearing the plains of Ireland for agriculture. The festival honors her sacrifice and celebrates the harvest her work made possible.

The Lesson: All harvest requires sacrifice. Something must die for something else to live.

Lammas Symbolism & Correspondences

Colors: Gold, yellow, orange, brown, bronze, green

Symbols: Bread, wheat, corn, sickle, scythe, corn dollies, grain bundles, sunflowers

Herbs: Wheat, corn, barley, oats, sunflower, heather, hollyhock, oak

Foods: Bread (especially homemade), grains, corn, berries, apples, potatoes, beer, cider

Crystals: Citrine, peridot, carnelian, golden topaz, amber, tiger's eye, aventurine

Deities: Lugh (Celtic), Demeter (Greek), Ceres (Roman), Tailtiu (Celtic), John Barleycorn (British)

Element: Earth (harvest, grain, abundance)

Direction: West (harvest, maturity, autumn approaching)

The Wheel of the Year: Lammas's Place

Lammas is the first of three harvest sabbats:

• Lammas (Aug 1): Grain harvest, first fruits
• Mabon (Sept 21): Second harvest, autumn equinox
• Samhain (Oct 31): Final harvest, end of harvest season

Lammas marks the beginning of autumn's approach, even though summer is still hot. Days are noticeably shorter, and the wheel turns toward darkness.

The Sacrifice of the Grain God

Central to Lammas is the myth of the Grain God (John Barleycorn, Corn King):

The Story:
• The Grain God is born in spring
• He grows tall and strong through summer
• At Lammas, he is cut down (harvested)
• He is threshed, ground, and baked into bread
• He is eaten, giving life to the people
• His seeds are saved to be reborn next spring

The Meaning: Death is not the end—it's transformation. The grain must die to become bread. We must sacrifice to receive. What we harvest, we must also give back.

Traditional Lammas Customs

1. Baking Bread

The most important Lammas tradition—baking bread from the first grain.

Tradition:
• Bake bread from newly harvested grain
• Shape into sun wheels or grain symbols
• Bless the bread
• Share with community
• Leave offering for land spirits

Modern Practice:
• Bake bread from scratch (any recipe)
• Infuse with intention while kneading
• Bless before eating
• Share with loved ones

2. Making Corn Dollies

Weaving grain into protective figures.

Tradition:
• Weave last sheaf of grain into dolly
• Keep until next planting
• Plow into field to ensure next harvest
• Represents the Grain Spirit

Modern Practice:
• Make corn dolly from wheat or corn husks
• Keep on altar through autumn
• Burn at Imbolc or return to earth

3. Funeral Games & Competitions

Honoring Tailtiu with athletic competitions.

Tradition: Hold games, races, contests of skill

Modern Practice:
• Organize friendly competitions
• Play outdoor games
• Celebrate skills and talents
• Honor those who sacrificed for you

4. Blessing the Fields

Giving thanks for the harvest.

Tradition: Walk the fields, bless the land, leave offerings

Modern Practice:
• Visit a farm or garden
• Thank the earth for abundance
• Leave offerings of bread and beer
• Bless your own garden

Powerful Lammas Rituals

1. Sacred Bread Baking Ritual

You'll Need:
• Bread ingredients (flour, water, yeast, salt)
• Mixing bowl and baking pan
• Intention

The Ritual:

1. Gather ingredients with gratitude
2. As you mix, say:
"Grain of earth, water of life,
Salt of wisdom, yeast of strife.
I mix with intention, I knead with love,
Blessed by earth and sky above."
3. While kneading, infuse bread with intention
4. As bread rises, visualize your intentions growing
5. Before baking, carve symbol on top (sun, spiral, rune)
6. As it bakes, say:
"By fire transformed, by heat made whole,
This bread sustains both body and soul."
7. When done, hold bread and say:
"I give thanks for this harvest,
For the grain that died to feed me,
For the earth that grew it,
For the hands that made it.
Blessed be."
8. Share bread with others
9. Leave a piece as offering to the land

2. Harvest Gratitude Ritual

You'll Need:
• Gold candle
• Wheat or corn
• Journal
• Offerings (bread, beer, honey)

The Ritual:

1. Create harvest altar with wheat and offerings
2. Light gold candle
3. In journal, write:
• What have I harvested this year? (literal and metaphorical)
• What hard work has paid off?
• What am I grateful for?
• What sacrifices led to this harvest?
4. Read list out loud
5. Say:
"I give thanks for the harvest of my life.
For the seeds I planted,
For the work I did,
For the abundance I now reap.
I am grateful. Blessed be."
6. Leave offerings outside for land spirits
7. Keep gratitude list on altar through autumn

3. Sacrifice & Release Ritual

You'll Need:
• Brown candle
• Paper and pen
• Fireproof bowl
• Grain (wheat, corn, or rice)

The Ritual:

1. Reflect: What must I sacrifice to move forward?
2. Write what you're releasing (habits, beliefs, relationships that no longer serve)
3. Light brown candle
4. Read what you wrote
5. Say:
"Like the grain that dies to become bread,
I release what must be shed.
This sacrifice I willingly make,
For transformation's sake."
6. Burn paper safely
7. Scatter grain on ashes
8. Bury or scatter outside
9. Trust that your sacrifice creates space for new growth

4. Skills & Talents Celebration

You'll Need:
• Orange candle
• Items representing your skills
• Journal

The Ritual:

1. Lugh is master of all skills—honor yours!
2. Light orange candle
3. Arrange items representing your talents
4. List your skills and abilities
5. Say:
"Like Lugh, master of all arts,
I honor the skills within my heart.
I celebrate my talents true,
And all the things that I can do."
6. Commit to developing one skill further
7. Use your talents to serve others
8. Give thanks for your abilities

5. Corn Dolly Creation

You'll Need:
• Dried corn husks, wheat, or raffia
• String or ribbon
• Scissors

The Ritual:

1. Soak corn husks if using
2. As you weave, say:
"Spirit of the grain, I honor you,
Your sacrifice sustains us through.
In this dolly, you reside,
Until spring when you're returned to earth's side."
3. Create simple figure or traditional corn dolly
4. Place on Lammas altar
5. Keep through autumn and winter
6. Return to earth at Imbolc or spring planting

Lammas Feast Foods

Traditional Foods:

• Bread: All types, especially homemade
• Grains: Wheat, barley, oats, corn, rice
• Beer & ale: Made from grain
• Berries: Blackberries, blueberries (first fruits)
• Apples: Early varieties
• Potatoes: First potato harvest
• Corn: Fresh corn on the cob
• Honey: Sweetness of harvest
• Cider: Apple cider

Lammas Recipes:
• Homemade bread (any kind)
• Corn bread
• Berry pies
• Grain salads
• Beer bread
• Honey cakes

Lammas Activities

• Bake bread from scratch
• Make corn dollies
• Visit a farm or farmer's market
• Harvest your garden
• Can or preserve food
• Make beer or cider
• Hold competitions or games
• Practice a skill
• Give thanks for abundance
• Share food with others
• Leave offerings for land spirits
• Decorate with wheat and grain
• Make grain wreaths
• Reflect on what you've harvested this year

The Deeper Meaning of Lammas

You Reap What You Sow: What you planted in spring (literally and metaphorically) is now ready to harvest. Did you plant wisely?

Sacrifice Is Necessary: The grain must die to become bread. What are you willing to sacrifice for transformation?

Gratitude for Abundance: Don't take the harvest for granted. Give thanks for what you have.

Hard Work Pays Off: Harvest is the reward for months of labor. Celebrate your efforts.

Share Your Abundance: Harvest is meant to be shared. Don't hoard—give to others.

Death Leads to Life: The grain god dies but is reborn. Endings are also beginnings.

Lammas for Modern Witches

Urban Lammas:
• Bake bread in your apartment
• Buy fresh bread from bakery and bless it
• Visit farmer's market
• Make corn dolly from craft supplies
• Celebrate skills and talents

Solitary Practice:
• Personal bread baking ritual
• Gratitude journaling
• Skill development commitment
• Harvest reflection

With Community:
• Group bread baking
• Potluck harvest feast
• Skill-sharing workshop
• Friendly competitions
• Community service (share abundance)

Final Thoughts: The Bread of Life

Lammas teaches us that nothing comes without sacrifice. The grain must die to become bread. The seed must be buried to become a plant. We must let go of one thing to receive another.

But it also teaches us that sacrifice is transformation, not loss. The grain doesn't truly die—it transforms into something that sustains life. Your sacrifices aren't losses—they're transformations into something greater.

So bake your bread. Give your thanks. Celebrate your harvest. Honor your sacrifices. Share your abundance. And remember: you are both the grain and the bread, both the sacrifice and the sustenance, both the ending and the beginning.

Blessed Lammas! May your harvest be abundant and your bread be blessed!