{"id":22783,"date":"2020-08-01T01:10:28","date_gmt":"2020-08-01T05:10:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/?p=22783"},"modified":"2020-08-01T17:53:29","modified_gmt":"2020-08-01T21:53:29","slug":"celebrating-the-old-ways-in-new-times-60","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2020\/08\/01\/celebrating-the-old-ways-in-new-times-60\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times Lughnasadh\/Lammas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times <\/b><\/u>for August 2020 Lughnasadh\/Lammas
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Bright Blessings!<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

This year is flying by. I can hardly believe it\u2019s almost Lammas or Lughnassadh, depending on which you celebrate.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Both are first harvest, celebrating first fruits, some being wheat, some being corn or berries, and all giving thanks for the beneficial harvest from hard work.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s Pagans seldom grow wheat and corn, since nowadays, we buy it!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For us, our harvests are symbolic!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s do a bit of history before talking about personal harvests!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Lughnasadh<\/u><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Halfway between Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox, Lughnasadh is an old Pagan holiday celebrated in Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. I don\u2019t know about you, but I believe the Irish myths are history being told, not fictional stories for entertainment. So, I\u2019m not going to say \u201cIrish folklore says\u201d I say Irish history says the games were begun as funeral games in honor of the god Lugh\u2019s foster mother, Tailtiu. While some folklorists think her role was an earth goddess, who was symbolized as dying back come late summer, I think Lugh and Tailtiu were real. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There were merchants, livestock sales, food, extensive athletic games, and marriages at her festival.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It was a wonderfully good time, and people must have really looked forward to it. While we don\u2019t know for sure exactly what year the games started, we know for sure they went on until the Norman Invasions. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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(<\/i><\/span><\/span>Burgundy <\/i><\/span><\/span>&<\/i><\/span><\/span> <\/i>B<\/i><\/span><\/span>lush <\/i><\/span><\/span>H<\/i><\/span><\/span>andmade <\/i><\/span><\/span>H<\/i><\/span><\/span>andfasting <\/i><\/span><\/span>C<\/i><\/span><\/span>ord<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/a> <\/i>w\/<\/i><\/span><\/span> <\/i>A<\/i><\/span><\/span>ntique <\/i><\/span><\/span>B<\/i><\/span><\/span>ronze <\/i><\/span><\/span>T<\/i><\/span><\/span>one <\/i><\/span><\/span>C<\/i><\/span><\/span>harms <\/i><\/span><\/span>created by Aileen D<\/a> of Handfasting Heaven<\/a> on etsy.)<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Not only were the dead honored, and the games held, but new laws would be proclaimed. One very important legal proceeding that took place was handfastings or Taillten marriages. These were first attested to in something called Brehon Law Texts, put together by Druids. Some say pre Xtian Pagans did not utilize a form of writing, and that is simply not true. Plenty of early writing exists penned by Pagans. This is just one example. The handfastings were a kind of trial marriage people could dissolve a year and a day later. Today\u2019s Pagans sometimes handfast exclusively, and never get legally bound. These were used until about the 13th<\/sup> century. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I lucked into finding an online link about the Brehon Law Texts you can access here. So interesting!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/libraryireland.com\/Brehon-Laws\/Contents.php<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Some would assume the games died out due to Xtianity, with some practices dissolved into Xtain church holidays, and indeed, it was non Pagans who revived them. In the 1800\u2019s, the Gaelic Athletic Association tried to raise enough funds to resurrect the games, and failed. But in 1922, efforts started, and in 1924 and 1928, they put on a games open to all of Irish ancestry, regardless of citizenship. There have been several groups revive games, in honor of Tailtiu. She will never be forgotten.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Lammas<\/u><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lammas is a word used by different groups of people, including Xtians. Their early church absorbed cultural practices, and devoted them to their god and saints instead. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The church took over the blessing of first fruits, or wheat, and many were required to present wheat to their landlords. Breads would be baked, and sometimes, those breads would be used in church services, representing the body of their Christ. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It is interesting how the myth of the dying gods body being consumed by the faithful was recycled by Xtians. In the book of John 6:54, Jesus told his apostles, \u201cWhoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The blessed b<\/span><\/span>read can also be split into four pieces, and placed at the four corners of the barn for protection of the newly harvested grain. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A song that I think reflects Xtian mindset, and one that could certainly be applied to other harvest gods is one written by a Paul Smith and John Newton Howard. It\u2019s called Lord of the Harvest. I am including a video, which is a 1982 performance. One of the members of this band was Paul Smith, a co-writer of this. Now if you don\u2019t want to see Xtian gospel that can be used in Pagan song, skip this video. If you want to see a song you might like, click the link and listen. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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