Devouring the Sun: A Lammas Celebration for the Urban Pagan
by Christopher Penczak
(Originally appearing in The Second Road)
The Oak King was defeated by the Holly King and the dark lord of winter is devouring the Sun. The God, both of the Sun and the Grain is sacrificed with the harvest, returning to the underworld only to be born again. Summer is ending, the land has produced its bounty, and it is time for the festival of Lammas, also called Lughnassadh, the feast of Lugh. All these things are celebrated on August 1st, the fire festival between the Summer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox. The fields are picked. Grain is blessed and stored. Bonfires are lit. All of these things are difficult to do in your apartment.
No doubt our urban living often puts us out of synch with the cycles of life. No gardens bloom, not much fertile land in the concrete jungle, and we are indoors working our jobs, missing the daylight. What is the modern pagan to do, someone who truly honors the land but dwells in the city? We all make efforts to reconnect to the world, weekend trips and walks through the park. The time seems so limited. But we can honor the forces everyday, in small, private ways.
I used this ritual last year. I was working on Lammas, and although I would be celebrating later that night with my fellow witches, I needed to feel the Sun on my face and honor the fallen god. All you need is an orange, some private time and a walk out doors. I found a walking path on my lunch break. No one really needs to know what you are doing.
Find a quiet spot and sit down. Commune with the land. The elementals are all around. Make the connection to the Earth, feeling her energy resonate beneath your feet. Greet and honor the Mother Earth. Now connect to the sky. Feel the sunshine on your face. Hold your orange out in your hand. The orange is symbol of the Sun. Welcome the God. Feel the golden light of the sun fill the orange, making it glow. It is like a miniature Sun in your hand. This feast is the waning of the Sun, the sacrifice of the god. Consume the orange, and in this act, you are devouring the Sun. Feel the sunlight enter your body as a healing power. You honor both the God and the harvest. You celebrate the Feast of Lammas.