August 1, 2008

• The most August month

  August was named for the Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar (September 23, 63 BC - August 29, 14 BC). Demeter or Ceres is the tutelary goddess of August.  The Anglo-Saxon name for this month was Weodmonath, "vegetation month." Aranmanoth, "corn ears month," was the Frankish name. The Asatru call it Harvest. The Irish name this month Lunasa or an Lunasdal, from the Irish Lughnasadh, the festival of Lugh.
  
  The first Full Moon is called the Sturgeon, (Green) Corn, or Barley Moon, names it shares with September. August's moon is also referred to as the Dispute Moon and the Moon When Cherries Turn Black. A few tribes referred to this moon as the Red Moon because it appears reddish through the humid haze of summer. It shares the name Thunder Moon with July.
  
  Leo gives way to Virgo around August 23rd as the sun passes from one constellation to the next. Gladiolas are the flowers for the August-born, and their stones are carnelian, sardonyx, moonstone, topaz, alexandrite, or peridot. The birthstones of Leo are onyx, ruby, and smoky quartz, while Virgo claims the sapphire. Other stones associated with Leo are amber, carnelian, chrysocolla, citrine, fire agate, garnet, pink tourmaline, ruby, and topaz. Virgo is connected to amazonite, amber, carnelian, chrysocolla, and citrine.
  
  
  

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  August 1st
  

  
  Lughnasadh, Lughnas, or Lughnasa is held in honor of Lugh of the Long Arms, god of light and the declining sun. It may mean "Lugh's Wedding," but is more often considered to have originated in the funeral games held in honor of Lug's foster-mother Tailltiu. Tailte or Tailltiu was a chieftainess of the Fir Bolg. The Tailtenean games were held every year at Talten or Teltown, a mountain in Meath, for fifteen days before, and fifteen days after, the first of August. In addition to the sports played at this event, there were marriage contracts made in the "Marriage Hollow."

  This is the first festival marking the transformation of the goddess into her Earth Mother aspect. This is also a harvest celebration of wild foods and the first harvest of the year. During medieval times, a maiden dressed in white would sit atop a hill while villagers placed offerings of blackberries, acorns, and crab apples in her lap. A dance and procession home followed. Under Christian dominance, this holy day became "loaf-mass" or Lammas. Into the 1900s, Scottish farmers ceremonially cut handfuls of grain to twirl around their heads in honor of the harvest god. Sickles were thrown to divine who would marry, grow ill, or die before the next Lammas. The first grain was cut and baked into a loaf to be offered to the goddess in thanksgiving.
  
  
  

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  The people of Leinster at Carman or Wexford held the Fair of Carman, a provincial aenach, once every three years, beginning on Lughnasad and ending on the sixth. For holding the fair, they were promised various blessings, i.e. plenty and prosperity, corn, milk, and fruit in abundance, and freedom from subjection to any other province.

  Carman exhibits to a marked degree the concept of the magical powers of the female as opposed to the physical force employed by the male. Carman and her three sons "came from Athens to Wexford." Women played a conspicuous part in this fair; the women had aireachts of their own to discuss those subjects specially pertaining to women. There was also racing, poetic competition, satires, and history.
  
  
  

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  The annual fair meeting at Emain - Emain Macha, near Ard Macha or Armagh- was established to honor Queen Macha of the Golden Hair, who had founded the palace there. The three Machas are, Macha wife of Nemed, Macha wife of Crunnchu, and Macha the Red. The third Macha, Mongruadh, "of the Red (or Golden) Hair", reigned as Queen of Ireland.

  In some places, it was the custom to light a great bonfire an certain hills. A wheel, which was normally a heavy oaken wagon-wheel, was heated until it glowed red, and then it was bowled down the hillside.  From its course, auguries were made on the coming season. The wheel symbolized the descent of the sun from its midsummer height. The festival of Lughnasadh was also associated with the myth of the marriage of Lugh to Bloddeuedd on the continent.
  
  
  

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  This was a day sacred to Odin and Frigg.
  
  
  

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  • 8:20 pm
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