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Celebrating Old Ways in New Times
Bright Blessings,
This is my first submission to Pagan Pages, and in it is a short intro to who I am and what this column will be about- as well as an article.
By the time I finish this, I will have a title! (I think)
Right now, I’m writing about the Sabbats and a little history on them and suggestions on how to celebrate them. I will also include suggestions for celebrating the Sabbat once Circle or the High Day event has finished. Many of the Pagans I know tend to extend their devotions outside of ritual, and like the Pre-Christian Pagans we follow in the footsteps of, our faith is a way of life. The focus of the articles could change based on need of the admins.
A disclaimer first. I do not presume I can tell anybody how to venerate their gods. The wonderful thing about Neo-Paganism is that is it neo- new. We are creating new traditions based on what we think folks did back before Christianization. The research I do will show what some folks think happened before. It being many hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of years since the original devotees of these gods we worship were devoted to them, I know we cannot completely reconstruct all they did. As a worshipper of Odin, I can’t just run into the battlefield and take heads! The gods understand this. They know times have changed, and their children live in different times. They know we are minority faiths now, as opposed to being the ONLY faiths in our regions. They know some of us are on fixed incomes. A bull roast for all the devotees like the host did in days long gone is not in most of our budget! They also know our clergy are not the most revered members of our towns like in days of old. They have day jobs, and may have to have a substitute stand in for them for a High Day or Moon celebration every so often. The gods know WE know that human beings are not crucial to turning the wheel- seasonally, that is. It is believed that ancient man partly did ritual with the seasons because of belief the seasons would not change, food would not grow, livestock would not produce if man did not observe the proper taboos and give fitting sacrafice and veneration to the gods. The gods know we worship because we want to- and most modern Neo-Pagans do not think we are under any duty, or fear of punishment if we do not worship or observe taboos.
Todays neo-Pagans are like no other faith devotees in any time of history for this reason, I believe. We are in this because we WANT to be, and fight hard to be at times due to the fact we are new, and misunderstood. Because we are new, we argue sometimes as to what we should do to be proper Pagans. I always joke we have as many different traditions as we have individuals gathered at any given time. Sometimes, this is true. We walk many paths, and oftentimes, we walk those paths in isolation, with only the voices of our own gods to guide us. But we still gather. People travel from wide and far to join others celebrating life, the seasons, and being children of the old gods. Neo-Paganism grows stronger daily thanks to good folks like you, who practice. I will do my best to write informative, and interesting things to all of you reading this.
We each decide how we venerate our gods, and the relationship you have with what you worship is THE most personal one you will ever have. I do not presume I can dictate how you will have that relationship or how you will express it in ritual or worship. I offer the fruits of research and ideas you may use if you like.
Having said all these things, a little on me. I am a first degree Wiccan initiated by my Priest, Lord Shadow. Ours is an Eclectic Tradition that my Priest traced back to Herman Slater, who used to run the Warlock Shoppe, Later called The Magickal Childe. Here is Herman’s facebook Fan page on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/
Shadow and I ran a discussion group in Columbus, Ohio for a couple of years, and did some new Moons and Sabbats, sometimes open to the public, sometimes invite only, and typically at a community center in town. Once a year, we have a full-day event called Many Ways Spirit Gathering- and some years, we camp out. We called ourselves A Gathering of Paths. We organized volunteers for community festivals, and did outreach to other faiths. I was contacted when some of the local schools needed somebody for students to talk with for learning about Wicca. I got to speak at a local University a couple times, and was able to get a newspaper article in to our local paper decrying some discrimination last year. When Shadow officiates ritual, I stand in as Priestess. The goal for me is third degree and to carry on our tradition and serve the gods faithfully. What I want is a world where Wicca is as accepted as the majority religions, and Pentagrams are seen as unthreatening as any other faith symbol. The Pagan name I selected upon initiation is Saoirse. It’s Gaelic for freedom. So many freedoms have been gotten for us thanks to the good works of our elders. Most of the struggle is over. We have to maintain all they have done, and build on it. The next generation of Neo-Pagans can develop further, and their children further and so on.
The old ways are alive and are being added to by the Pagans of today, and things are getting better and better for us.
You might get sick of me writing about Shadow. I hope not. He’s practiced for over two decades, has ran a successful Pagan store , which was called Shadow realm, and still teaches and is a Priest for the Wicca, the children of the gods. Whenever I learned something from him that I share here, I will make sure you know Shadow said it.
Having said all this, here comes the article.
Our next Sabbat is Lughnassadh, so that is today’s topic.
As far as I am concerned, everything we do goes back to the founder of modern Wicca, Gerald Gardner. I have never believed the Pre-Christian polytheists from Western Europe had circle, were nude in ritual, or had the Great Rite like Gardner had. One need only read Crowley, and Murray to find where a lot of Gardners inspiration comes from. (This is another topic in and of itself)
The Gardnerian Book of Shadows can be accessed from Sacred Texts at this link. Gardnerian Book of Shadows Index Solstice and Equinoix rituals as well as rites for November, February, May, and August eves are listed. His simple ritual observed at Lughnassadh time can be done by you if you like.
Some would not like those who are not initiated into a Gardenrian Coven to use Gardners ritual. It’s a hot topic. Some believe initiation into Coven that was sanctioned by an initiated Coven member is crucial to be a “legit” Wiccan and to do Wiccan ritual.
Gardner certainly took great pains to make things public. Some say these rites are to be hidden and are not for the uninitiated. I think the gods work in mysterious ways, human beings are not the gods, and nobody can have this information without the gods say. I advocate for initiation, study, and devotion with a group or with a Priest or Priestess. I believe traditions passed from person to person gain more power as the folk share with one another. However, I realize this is not for everybody, and just because you are not in a Coven does not mean you cannot worship.
Lughnassadh is typically a day about the god, Lugh, as opposed to one where the candle passing blessing happens in circle. He was born into the family of the Tuatha De Dannan- and if the monks who recorded the stories are to be believed, they were the gods of the Emerald Isle. Lugh was the guy we’d all love to hate today- good at everything. There was nothing he could not do. Like many gods, his was a miraculous birth- his grandfather was Balor, of a race of giants,. known as the Fomorians, and Balor was warned a grandson would kill him. He went to great lengths to prevent this, imprisoning his daughter, Ethniu. He reasoned if he could keep her from getting pregnant, no grandson could kill him. An enemy, Cian outsmarts him, with the help of Birog, and impregnates Ethniu. Balor learns of this, and tries to have all three children Ethnu births killed. Lugh survives to days of glory, leading the Tuatha De Dannan to victory against the Fomorians- and of course kills Balor. More on Lugh of this can be found at this link. Lugh – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The ancient Pagans who had ritual at the time of August Eve were not always devotees of Lugh. It is said Lugh himself started the celebrations in honor of the woman who fostered him after he’d almost died as a child. He certainly did not worship himself!!!!!! It is a time when apples and corn are ready. Agricultural people did not have refrigeration like us, and food was a bigger deal. Time to party!!!!!!! Also time to give thanks, and to give something back to the gods in honor of all the gods do to keep their children well fed.
A short, simple ritual you may observe is listed below.
Saoirse’s super simple Lughnassadh ritual for a Solitary or Group Ritual:
On August Eve, gather the things that have meaning for you to place on your altar. Candles, images of the gods, incenses, a special cloth. It’s up to you. If this is group ritual, have the attendees bring what they see fit. Then, turn off all electronic devices and go outside- or stay inside if you prefer.
To ground and meditate before ritual- read, speak, or think on this:
Feel the sun (or rain or the lamplight) on your face, and reflect on the particles all of the Universe is made of. The same particles that make you make everything else.
The sun provides heat for things to grow, and the rain waters things so they may.
The soil is the bodies of fallen life, decomposed to create matter new life can grow out of. Those who have been put into the earth before you have become the earth, and when you take the foods of the earth into you, you take a part of them into you. Someday, you will go into the earth, and support the living in this way.
They say you are what you eat. Your body ingests and becomes what you have ingested. The ancestors live through you in this way.
Those who have spoken before in this way speak through you now, and someday you will be the words on the lips of others.
You are the earth.
The Circle turns, and we turn it in this way.
No need to cast circle for this. No need to call the directions. You are the circle. You are the directions.
But speak to your god or gods or the goddess. Light a candle for them. Speak unscripted and from the heart, inviting them to join your rite. You are there to give thanks for all you have been blessed with and to give gifts to them.
Then, place on your altar representations of all you have been blessed with. It could be a new car- place the car keys on the altar. It could be a child. Place a picture of the child on the altar. it could even just be new clothes, or knowledge or a new skill- place some of the clothes or the learning materials on the altar.
If you have a group, have people do this one at a time. With each person who places the things on the altar, have them, place a note of thanks, say thanks silently to the gods, or say it aloud.
When this time of thanks is over, and you have all said all you want to, begin to bring gifts to the gods up one at a time. These can be donations to feed and clothe others in honor of the gods.
It can be things to be buried , burned, or released to the wind. It can be seeds to be planted. Whatever you feel is a good gift of thanks, place it on the altar. When I’m broke, and cannot give a material good, I give a promise of service, asking the gods to instruct me in the future what they want of me.
If items are to be burned, burn them in the candle fire and put them in a little dish set aside for this. A firepit for this purpose can also be used- a great favorite of mine.
After all this is done, and everybody has said or done all they want to, and things have been burned, and released to the wind, or buried, if needs be. Thank the gods, clean up, and feast.
Something as simple as decorating your altar with representations of things you have accomplished or been blessed with recently and a gift of appreciation for your gods will give honor of this time.
The Internet and books abound with suggestions. Read all you like. Then do it YOUR way.
Although Lugh is not a god I am devoted to, I am always very very happy when Lughnassadh comes. For me, Lughnassadh represents a community victory, inclusion in one of the top cultural events in the country, and years of hard work paying off for people working together.
The Druids here in town with me are Three Cranes Grove, and they are an ADF Druid Grove. I approached them a few years back and asked if they would be willing to give Sunday morning Liturgy at The Dublin Irish Festival. They said yes. Less than a year later, they were speaking about what Druids are at the festival, and the following year, gave the first Pagan worship service the festival hosted. At the same time and the same day members of Christian faiths officiate on different stages at the Festival. Local people who are not Druids, but are Pagan come to attend the service and be supportive. It looks like this will be part of the Festival every year from now on.
For same of us, it is a great sense of pride to be Irish. That particular event is one of the most important things I attend every year. Before I was Pagan, and I was in my 20’s, I just went for the fun of it. I went to see Celtic rock bands, drink, be merry, and buy stuff. I was also a bagpipe student. I went to see professional pipers. Now, I don’t drink that much, and my sciatica and bunions and working a job on concrete floors discourages long days on my feet on my days off. I don’t play the bagpipes anymore, and I have so much stuff, buying more is not a priority.
But supporting my local Druids who do public ritual is.
I was given permission to write about the Cranes participation at this event by Shawneen, current Senior Druid of Three Cranes Grove. He reminded me there are You Tube links to liturgy at the Irish Fest. Here they are. The entire rituals for 2010, 2011, and 2012. They did one last year too, but I did not see it online. Since Druids do everything in threes…HA HA HA…here are three links.
AAAAAAAAAnd 2011
AAAAAND 2012
You can do a simple ritual like what I came up with, do something like Gardners, or do something like what Three Cranes Grove does. You can do private or public ritual.
Outside of ritual, much can be done to honor the gods. One thing I did a few years outside of ritual was to volunteer for the Dublin Irish Festival. I cannot describe how much fun we had, selling tokens for people to buy beer. We did slumber parties the night before, and rode in together.
One young man stands out in my memory more than any others. He was happy buzzed, danced over to me, and asked to buy more tokens. I asked how many he’d like, and he replied with, ‘How many do I WANT, or how many will I BUY?” He did not buy very many. A couple times, he danced over again, later, leaned in close to me, breathed right on me and proclaimed, “I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!” It was the alcohol talking. He looked young enough to be my son, and I guessed I outweigh him by 75 pounds. But he still loved me. Take THAT, skinny young girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sure, volunteering was a lot of fun. But it supported the event, and every little bit done for this event keeps the old ways of ancestors alive. It also brought the children of the gods together- part of the reason we have ritual in the first place. Old ways and new children of the old gods together.
I have read publication after publication where thinkers surmise the Pagans are deified heroes from days long gone. And more writings asserting Pre-Christian faiths practiced ancestor veneration, and some surviving cultures keep altars for their dead, give food, and have memorials regularly. If Lugh and the Tuatha De Dannan were real people, and our ancestors deified them, then the blood of Lugh and the Tuatha De Dannan flows in our veins, and we are ancestors of them. Lugh is, after all, listed as one of the High Kings of Ireland. Here is the Wikipedia article, with links to other sites as well, and listings of High Kings.
Lughnassadh is the beginning of harvest and has been observed, possibly since before Lugh started it. Corn and apples will be ready, and the farm markets will make a killing thanks to good folks like us who don’t have farms like ancient Pagans did, but still love the good foods. Come see us at The Irish Festival August 3 at 10 A.M. if you can make it. Here is a link to the Festival, including locations, maps, schedule of events. Celebrate the harvest, celebrate our history as Irish if you are Irish, and those Pagans who went before us. Make sure to come give me a hug if you see me.
If you can’t celebrate with us this year, wherever you are, whatever you do…
Blessed Lughnassadh.
Blessed first harvest.