Blessed Lughnasadh! It is already August 1st - the summer is coming to a close and Lughnasadh signifies this as the Wheel of the Year begins to shift from growing time to harvest time. Lughnasadh is the first of 3 harvests.

The subtle changes of the waning sun that occurred at Summer Solstice becomes more evident as the balance of day and night seem to shift more dramatically. In the past, fertility magic at Lughnasadh guaranteed the continued ripening of crops and bountiful harvest season. Festivities typically centered on the assurance of a plentiful harvest season and the celebration of the beginning of the harvest cycle.

Of curse, the Christian religion adopted this theme and called it 'Lammas, ' meaning 'loaf-mass ' - a time when newly baked loaves of bread are placed on the altar. An alternative date around August 5 (Old Lammas), when the sun reaches 15 degrees Leo, is sometimes employed by Covens to take the festival back.

To celebrate, I think I will make my Lughnasadh Incense - it smells soo good :)