LUGHNASSADH

Rite Recap: Spiral Spirit PG Lughnassadh Rite, 8/2/08
Location: Fort Washington State Park

This was the most sparsely-attended Spiral Spirit ritual yet; it ended up being just Mary and myself in the park. We split up the roles between us and got started as the weather was threatening.

Mary made the Outdwellers offering (ginger beer) and I offered to the Earth Mother; we chanted "Earth Mother" and I gave corn and oats as is our tradition. We purified each other with a sage smudge and water, and then I guided us in a brief Two Powers meditation.

We chanted "Portal Song" while I poured oil on the fire and offered silver to the well, and Mary poured the rest of our purification water for the tree. Then I offered incense to Cernunnos as Gatekeeper, which seems to be our developing tradition, and we opened the gates.

Mary invited the Nature Spirits, offering a mixture of herbs I'd brought; I offered mead to the Ancestors and Mary offered oil to the Gods.

I invoked Lugh Lamhfada as Victorious King and slayer of Balor and the Fomoire, and we asked him to protect us and our crops from the metaphorical Fomoire until the harvest could be safely brought in. We poured a bottle of honey liqueur for him as an offering.

Mary offered some lemonade and peach cobbler to her father, who is with the Ancestors, and gave some seeds to the nature spirits in thanks for her successful garden. She also gave Lugh the first jalepeno pepper from her garden as an offering.

I poured a generous offering of oil as we made the final prayer of sacrifice, and then Mary drew the omen. We got:

Spirits:	Ancestors:	Gods:	Lugh Lamhfada:
Ingwaz	Kenaz	Eihwaz	Tiwaz

We spent a long time discussing the omen. Ing seemed good and appropriate for the nature spirits, and the ancestors' Kenaz offered guidance and wisdom. Eihwaz and Tyr were a little vaguer and while we felt they were both positive gifts, we decided we needed more time to consider the exact ramifications. We considered Eihwaz as horse and the story of Sleipnir, Odin's horse who could not only get you into the Underworld but coudl also get you back out again, and how that gift related to what the Ancestors were giving us. Tiwaz seemed appropriate for Lugh as champion and protector; Mary also commented on the similarity between Tyr the One-Handed and King Nuada, for whom Lugh fashioned a silver hand and thus restored him to kingly worthiness. We agreed that we both felt comfortable accepting all these gifts in the return flow, so we consecrated the Waters of Life and shared them, pouring the remainder for our friends who could not attend: "May they share in our blessings."

We wrapped up the rite as we heard thunder rumbling in the north. We both had busy days planned so we bid each other farewell and skipped our post-ritual potluck. It was a good rite though, and I was glad to get to celebrate Lughnassadh in my grove.

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