The Divine Warrior Witches 2024 Lammas Ritual occurred on Sunday, August 4, at Crescent Moon Gifts in Tacoma.
For 2024, we are following the theme of DEITY. In each class, in addition to honoring the turning of the wheel, we also plan to introduce a deity or two associated with the sabbat being celebrated.
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THE CLASS:
The educational portion of our events is now split into three categories: So Below, As Above, and Deity. Here is just some of the information that was presented during class…
So Below | Lammas:
Presented by High Priestesses Serenity & Heather
Lammas, also known as Lughnasadh, is among the Greater Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year, celebrated by many pagans and Wiccans. Traditionally held on August 1st, Lammas marks the beginning of the harvest season.
Historically, Lammas has deep roots in Celtic tradition, particularly in Ireland and Scotland, where it was known as Lughnasadh. Named after the god Lugh, this festival was originally a time for games, feasting, and community gatherings, celebrating both the physical harvest and the skills and talents of the community.
Today, modern pagans celebrate Lammas by baking bread, holding feasts, and performing rituals that focus on gratitude, abundance, and the cycles of nature.
As Above | Astrology
Presented by High Priestess Cawnawyn
AUG 4 - New Moon in Leo
AUG 4 - Venus Enters Virgo
AUG 4 - Mercury Retrograde in Virgo
AUG 12 - Mars Conjunct Jupiter in Gemini
AUG 15 - Mars and Jupiter Square Saturn
AUG 19 - Full Moon in Aquarius
AUG 22 - Virgo Season Begins
AUG 28 - Mercury Direct in Leo
SEP 1 - Uranus Retrograde in Taurus
SEP 2 - New Moon in Virgo
SEP 17 - Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Pisces
Watch the recording of the As Above Message for Lammas Here:
Deity | Lugh and Áine
Presented by High Priestesses Heather & Serenity
Lugh is a prominent figure in Irish mythology, revered as a god of many skills and talents. Lugh is often depicted as a youthful, vibrant deity with incredible agility and intelligence, embodying the qualities of a warrior, leader, and protector. Lugh's multifaceted nature and dedication to excellence in all endeavors make him an inspiring figure for those seeking to develop their skills and talents.
Áine is a revered goddess in Irish mythology, known for her associations with the sun, love, and sovereignty. Áine is a goddess of summer and fertility, bringing warmth, light, and abundance to the land. She is celebrated for her ability to bestow prosperity and ensure the success of crops, making her an essential deity for agricultural communities.
Here are links to the resources recommended by our High Priestesses that we used to create this ritual.
To purchase Lugh: Meeting the Many Skilled God by Morgan Daimler: https://bookshop.org/p/books/pagan-portals-lugh-meeting-the-many-skilled-god-morgan-daimler/14896134?ean=9781789044287
To purchase Tales of Old Ireland: Retold by Lora O’Brien: https://bookshop.org/p/books/tales-of-old-ireland-retold-ancient-irish-stories-retold-for-today-lora-o-brien/401662?ean=9781722223786
To purchase Celtic Goddess Grimoire: Invoke the Enduring Power of the Celtic Divine Feminine by Annwyn Avalon: https://bookshop.org/p/books/celtic-goddess-grimoire-invoke-the-enduring-power-of-the-celtic-feminine-divine-annwyn-avalon/20437741?ean=9781578638024
To learn more about Irish Paganism, visit: https://irishpaganschool.com/
THE RITUAL:
This ritual was divided into four parts. At the start of each section of the ritual, High Priestess Cawnawyn would speak an invocation in Irish, which would be repeated in English by High Priestesses Serenity and Heather.
The Warriors Call
Mighty Lugh,
Master of Light and Skill,
Warrior of the Sun, we call upon your strength.
Help us to release all that no longer serves
and transform our burdens into light and power.
Practitioners were first invited to face outward in a circle and perform a “warrior call.”
First, High Priestess Serenity led the group in a short visualization while High Priestess Cawnawyn played the Bodhran drum to help ground everyone in confident energy.
Cawnawyn began the chant of “Lugh’s Light, Set Us Free,” and all practitioners chanted with the pounding of the drum.
When the climax was reached, everyone let out a loud yell, scream, call, note, or whatever sound or action they were comfortable with to expel any unwanted energy from their body.
High Priestess Heather then cleansed the space with a besom, and High Priestess Serenity blessed each practitioner with rose water.
The Drum Circle
"Great Lugh,
the light of the summer sun,
vibrant energy, and boundless creativity.
Inspire our voices and movements!
Fill our hearts with brilliance!
We dance and sing in your honor.
Hail Lugh!”
Next, practitioners were given a small drum as a take-home ritual gift and were invited to beat their drums to Cawnawyn’s Sovereign Spirit song. The drum circle continued sometime after the song ended.
The Meditation
Each practitioner was given the gift of a yellow candle and a rough red jasper stone. Practitioners were then invited to participate in a meditation where they met the Goddess Áine in a summer field. Áine blessed the yellow candle and red jasper as part of the meditation, and a moment was given for her to relay a message to the practitioners.
“Barróg a bhreith solas an tsamhraidh ghrian”
Embrace the light of the summer sun
“Tá tú beannaithe, a ciallach”
You are blessed, dear one
Lighting the Candles
The yellow candles were lit in a circle, and an invocation of Áine was spoken by the entire group, first in Irish by Cawnawyn, then in English by Serenity and Heather, then repeated by the practitioners. Cawnawyn rang a bell eight times to welcome the summer’s light into the candles.
Lasaimid an choinneal seo chun ómós a thabhairt don Ghrian
We light this candle to honor the Sun
solas Áine
the light of Áine
agus teas an tsamhraidh
and the warmth of summer
Soillsigh ár gcosán le do ghrásta glórach
Illuminate our path with your glowing grace
líon ár gcroí le do fhuinneamh cothaitheach
fill our hearts with your nurturing energy
Slán a Áine!
Hail Áine!
Cakes Recipe
Everyone enjoyed lemon blueberry cakes baked by High Priestess Cawnawyn for this ritual.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups cake flour*
Two teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Two tablespoons of lemon zest
Two teaspoons of vanilla extract
Three eggs
1/4 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups blueberries
(2 teaspoons flour to dust blueberries)
Optional: Cookie Cutter for shapes
*If you don’t have cake flour, measure about 1 7/8 cups of all-purpose flour and sift with 1/3 cup cornstarch, then add other dry ingredients.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a cake pan.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and lemon zest.
Once the wet mix is fluffy, beat in eggs one at a time and add vanilla extract.
In a separate measuring cup, beat together lemon juice and buttermilk
Carefully add the three combinations together in the large bowl, adding 1/3 of each mix at a time until thoroughly mixed
Toss the blueberries in 2 teaspoons of flour, then gently fold into the mix
Pour the batter into your pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the sun-shaped cakes served at ritual, the cake (once baked and cooled) was transferred out of the pan onto a cutting board, and the shapes were cut using a cookie cutter in the shape of a sun. You can use any shape you like, but a cookie cutter with a large amount of surface area for the design is recommended so the cake is not too delicate.
Enjoy!
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