Lughnasadh Greetings Card by Elaine Sheldrake

Lughnasadh is the cross-quarter festival that heralds the start of the autumn quarter of the year. Even though Lughnasadh occurs at the warmest time of the year, it marks the time at which days become noticeably shorter; it is the time when the first corn is harvested.

Associated colours are grey, gold and green; herbs are cornstalks, heather and frankincense. Corn ears, hollyhock, myrtle, oak leaves, and wheat may be used as offerings and decorations.

Lughnasadh is named after Lugh, the Celtic god of light and wisdom. At Lughnasadh, bread from the first harvest was eaten in thanks, and this tradition was continued in the Christian church's Lammas ('loaf-mass') service, where the first loaf would be blessed at mass. In terms of the Goddess cycle, Lughnasadh is sometimes considered as the time of transformation of the Goddess into her aspect as pregnant Earth Mother. The God is getting weaker as the days grow shorter, but his rebirth is assured as he is also present as the Goddess's unborn child.

Lughnasadh is a time to take stock and be thankful for what we have and what we have achieved. It is a time for sharing and appreciation, a time to consider our situation and learn the lessons of the ways in which we have reaped what we have sown, for good or for ill. It is also an auspicious time for deciding how to get the most from ongoing situations or projects.