You really want to celebrate this Sabbath, but don't have the time or the money to do so? At the beginning of my practice, I was always stressed around Sabbaths, because I always had the feeling I didn't do enough. I've learned with time that it doesn't have to be complicated to be significant. It's YOUR practice so YOU decide how you celebrate. Yes, it's as easy as it sounds.
But what is Lughnasadh? Also called Lammas, this Sabbath is a celebration of gratitude, sacrifice and hope, but it's mostly about the harvest. I know that a lot of you don't have a garden and you need to go to the grocery to get your food. But this food come from somewhere and that's what you need to celebrate this year.
Even if you don't follow a religion or spirituality, don't hesitate to celebrate anyway, anyone can celebrate life and what the earth gives us.
So here's a few advices on what to do for your celebrations this year:
1- Make bread or a cake
I know its cliché, I know everybody always says to make bread for Lughnasadh (to celebrate the harvest), but it's really easy and so yummy! I'm reaaally not a chef, but here is a little recipe for a bannock bread. But what is a bannock bread? It's a bread Native Americans and settlers used to make with almost nothing. I have to say it's not the best bread ever, but it's the easiest and you can cook it on a bonfire.
Here's what you need (I'm canadian, so I use ml, but I tried converting it):
500 ml (16.9 oz) - All-purpose flour
30 ml (1.01 oz) - Sugar
15 ml (0.51 oz) - Baking powder
A dash of salt
250 ml (8.45 oz) - Water
What to do:
Mix together all the dry ingredients.
Add the water little by little, mixing until you get a paste.
Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in preheated oven at 350 ° F for about 1 hour 30 minutes or until crust turns golden.
You can also use your bannock bread as croutons.
Enjoy!
2- Start a gratefulness journal
I said earlier that Lughnasadh is a celebration of gratitude, so it's a good opportunity to start a gratefulness journal, to ''harvest'' all the good things in your life. It can take the form of a creative bullet journal, or you can choose to simply write down one thing you're grateful about on paper. Personally, I like to bring it everywhere, so I use apps on my phones (diary apps or apps to take notes). The way to do it is up to you, so why not try?
3- Donate things to start anew
Lughnasadh is also about sacrifice and giving back (to the earth or the others), so a little donation is a beautiful way to create good energies. I know it's a weird advice to broke witches to give things, but it feels good and those are things you already have and maybe don't even use. Maybe you have clothes you haven't worn in a long time, maybe you just have too much stuff, just purify your home. A donation is like a physical cleansing, you will feel better after, I promise.
4- Grow some sprouts
Lughnasadh is the celebrations of the harvest, but I know that it's not everyone that has the space to grow something, so why not try sprouting. It's easy, it doesn't cost much and it's super healthy. There's kits that exist for the purpose of sprouting, but you can improvise with what you have on hand. You just need a mason jar and cheesecloth to put at the opening. Just put the grains in the jar and follow the instructions to rinse them properly. When it's ready, put the sprouts in sandwiches, salads and more. This is helpful to realize how the food really comes to our table.
5- Put candles on your altar and everywhere else
You probably have a ton of candles at home already, so this is a pretty easy advice. You can put some on your altar and everywhere else in your home (always be close from the light up candles, a fire is a nice way to celebrate, but not when it's your home that's burning). You can also take a bath with the candles for only light. My advice is to use gold, orange or yellow candles, colors going well with Lughnasadh.
6- Put herbs in everything
Do you grow herbs? Like a basil plant or mint? It's time to use them! You know that bread I told you about earlier, why not add herbs for more savor? If you don't have time to cook, you can always just put some herbs in your water; it's refreshing and add a touch of magick in your day. You can also put the herbs in a dehydrator (or in the oven, but the result will not be as good) to use them later. I also like to harvest sage and dry it to make incense for future cleansing.
7- Have a beer (if your have the legal drinking age)
In a lot a Sabbaths, it's common to drink wine, but for this one, beer is perfect. Why? Beer is made of cereals, so it's ideal for a celebration about the harvest. I always try to choose a beer with a fruit savor (like raspberries, they give a beautiful red color to the beer), but they're so many kind of beers lately that it's easy to find something you'll like. You can drink it in a ceremonial cup or just in a normal glass.
8- Make a corn dolly
I didn't invent corn dollies, they existed for a long time now, being typical of this kind of celebration. Making one is a funny, easy and creative activity. It's simple, you just need the hair of a corn* and make a doll with it. They're a lot of examples on pinterest if you're looking for inspiration. Personnaly, I only tie the corn hair with rubber elastics and it works well.
*If you can't have access to corn, don't hesitate to use raffia (you can find it in art and craft store), all is in the intention.
Now you're ready to celebrate Lughnasadh without being guilty for spending money!
Blessed be.
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