Lughnasah/Lammas

[PanSoka]

I’ve been doing some light reading on this holiday and from what I’ve gathered, it’s a harvest festival, primarily for grains. I’d like to celebrate as I feel like it’s signaling the coming autumn (my favorite season) and I want to get into a habit of celebrating the seasons.

But I’m keto so I can’t eat grains. Is there some other aspect of this holiday I can focus on or somehow incorporate grains into my ritual or celebration that doesn’t involve me eating it?

[Jenett]

I’ve been doing some light reading on this holiday and from what I’ve gathered, it’s a harvest festival, primarily for grains. I’d like to celebrate as I feel like it’s signaling the coming autumn (my favorite season) and I want to get into a habit of celebrating the seasons.

But I’m keto so I can’t eat grains. Is there some other aspect of this holiday I can focus on or somehow incorporate grains into my ritual or celebration that doesn’t involve me eating it?

What's in season where you live that you do eat? That's often a good place to start looking.

Another place is to look at how this fits into your other celebrations, whatever they are. In Wiccan-derived practice, Lammas is often considered to be the first of three harvest festivals. Lammas is about the grain harvest (with the vegetable harvest at Mabon, and the culling of the herds at Samhain).

But in other traditions, it's seen as the sacrifice of the God for the land, which is often done with a man made of bread (but you could figure out a different option - maybe something using bird seed that would then be scattered outside?)

In still other traditions, it's the games and competitions that are held for Lugh, feats of skill and accomplishment. In my tradition, part of our Wheel is about building a goal over the course of a year, and Lammas is when we see the first harvest of that, and figure out the last steps we need to do to finish things off.

Which is why looking at your other celebrations is a good place to start - because some of these options fit more naturally with surrounding celebrations than others.

[Louisvillian]

Is there some other aspect of this holiday I can focus on or somehow incorporate grains into my ritual or celebration that doesn’t involve me eating it?

You can bake some bread and use it as an offering, rather than food for yourself.
I'd also echo the sentiment of Jenett, to look into what's seasonal and coming into ripeness where you live. In my area, and other temperate-subtropical climate regions, it's pretty close to the berry harvest, particularly blackberries. I'm planning on using some locally-grown blackberries in my ritual and meal.

[PanSoka]

What's in season where you live that you do eat? That's often a good place to start looking.

Another place is to look at how this fits into your other celebrations, whatever they are. In Wiccan-derived practice, Lammas is often considered to be the first of three harvest festivals. Lammas is about the grain harvest (with the vegetable harvest at Mabon, and the culling of the herds at Samhain).

But in other traditions, it's seen as the sacrifice of the God for the land, which is often done with a man made of bread (but you could figure out a different option - maybe something using bird seed that would then be scattered outside?)

In still other traditions, it's the games and competitions that are held for Lugh, feats of skill and accomplishment. In my tradition, part of our Wheel is about building a goal over the course of a year, and Lammas is when we see the first harvest of that, and figure out the last steps we need to do to finish things off.

Which is why looking at your other celebrations is a good place to start - because some of these options fit more naturally with surrounding celebrations than others.

Thank you for the response. I’ll habe to look into what’s coming into season. I’ve never paid much attention.

[PanSoka]

You can bake some bread and use it as an offering, rather than food for yourself.
I'd also echo the sentiment of Jenett, to look into what's seasonal and coming into ripeness where you live. In my area, and other temperate-subtropical climate regions, it's pretty close to the berry harvest, particularly blackberries. I'm planning on using some locally-grown blackberries in my ritual and meal.

Using bread as an offering might be a good idea. I haven’t set up an altar yet but I do have a balcony behind my apartment that I can use for outdoor ritual space. I get quite a lot of wildlife as my apartment backs up to a wooded area.

[Micheál]

But I’m keto so I can’t eat grains. Is there some other aspect of this holiday I can focus on or somehow incorporate grains into my ritual or celebration that doesn’t involve me eating it?

You can always make an altar peice, and decorate the altar with such so you don't have to eat them.

Some folk tradition survivals from the Taltiu funeral games for Lughnasadh include hillwalking, which can be a solitary activity, and another custom is gathering bilberries. I have some keto friends that eat blue berries and such in moderation and still stay in ketosis. Depending on age, alcohol is always associated with the harvests (and Lammas fairs), where low carb spirits, wine, and "keto beers" in small amounts can be a wee treat.

[PanSoka]

You can always make an altar peice, and decorate the altar with such so you don't have to eat them.

Some folk tradition survivals from the Taltiu funeral games for Lughnasadh include hillwalking, which can be a solitary activity, and another custom is gathering bilberries. I have some keto friends that eat blue berries and such in moderation and still stay in ketosis. Depending on age, alcohol is always associated with the harvests (and Lammas fairs), where low carb spirits, wine, and "keto beers" in small amounts can be a wee treat.

I’m going to try and set up an altar today. To celebrate the holiday I got raspberries and blackberries to eat. I also plan on spending time with my grandmother and try to work on learning to knit. I will also research the god Lugh and learn all I can about him and write up an entry for my journal. That’s about all I can do this holiday, but it’s a start. 

[Micheál]

I’m going to try and set up an altar today. To celebrate the holiday I got raspberries and blackberries to eat. I also plan on spending time with my grandmother and try to work on learning to knit. I will also research the god Lugh and learn all I can about him and write up an entry for my journal. That’s about all I can do this holiday, but it’s a start.

Sounds good, enjoy!

[Altair]

I’d like to celebrate

A very happy one to those of you who celebrate it!

[Hariti]

But I’m keto so I can’t eat grains. Is there some other aspect of this holiday I can focus on or somehow incorporate grains into my ritual or celebration that doesn’t involve me eating it?

I don't mean to insult you, but I must ask... why? Not "Why are you Keto?" but rather, "Why celebrate the harvest when you are Keto?" The sole purpose of grain, as an object of cultural symbolism, was to glorify it's life giving properties as a food staple. The only reasons that people ever grew grain were food and beer.

To me, the notion of a Keto person celebrating a grain harvest is just odd. It would be like me, a veterinarian, celebrating a hunting festival. The holiday itself represents something I don't partake in, and so the idea of even bothering with it would be odd, to say the least.

HOWEVER, my personal confusion aside, I will try to help you anyway. Do you drink alcohol? Many spirits are made from grain, and distilled spirits are technically keto since they lack any sugar or carbs. You could celebrate with something like that.