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Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials
Lughnasadh: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Lammas
Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials series explores the old and new ways of celebrating the seasonal rites that are the cornerstones in the witch's year. A well-rounded introduction to Lughnasadh, this attractive book features rituals, recipes, lore, and correspondences. It includes hands-on information for modern celebrations, spells and divination, recipes and crafts, invocations and prayers, and more!
240 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2015
106 people are currently reading
1068 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Marquis
31 books58 followersMelanie Marquis is a lifelong practitioner of magick, the founder of United Witches global coven, and the author of The Witch's Bag of Tricks. She's written for the American Tarot Association, for Llewellyn's annuals and datebooks, and for many Pagan publications including Circle magazine, Pentacle, and Spellcraft.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 3, 2020
I don't always like Llewellyn books, but I bought this one because I was reading another book by Melanie Marquis and finding it really deep and helpful.
I was not disappointed. It's a very short book, but I got enough ideas from it for the coming celebration: I'll be cooking most of the suggested menu and doing a couple of other things, too ;)
Update after cooking the recipes: they are good! I liked it that they are not just recipes, but rituals; and they're easy and tasty. (I cooked everything except the bean soup, which seemed a bit too hearty for the heat. Also, I think the apple tart needs blind baking.)
I was not disappointed. It's a very short book, but I got enough ideas from it for the coming celebration: I'll be cooking most of the suggested menu and doing a couple of other things, too ;)
Update after cooking the recipes: they are good! I liked it that they are not just recipes, but rituals; and they're easy and tasty. (I cooked everything except the bean soup, which seemed a bit too hearty for the heat. Also, I think the apple tart needs blind baking.)
August 4, 2020
Of all the ones I've read, I felt least connected to this one. It's always interesting to read about the history, and I like the spells and decoration sections. I especially like the negativity clearing spell. I also find it interesting that Thoth is listed as a male deity for this holiday. I've encountered Thoth symbolism during this time so that seems relevant. Overall, the idea of sacrifice makes sense, in that the Summer is almost at an end, and the idea of Gratitude makes sense, because I love the Summer and am grateful it's not over yet!
July 15, 2015
I keep saying how wonderful these books are but it's true. I've been trying so long to find lore on the Sabbats and these give it to me. They show the old ways Pagans held their Sabbats and then how we do it today. Get this book and you'll learn something new.
June 29, 2023
6/10
I have a few positive things to say about this book, despite it being the worst from the series so far. First of all, the author approaches the part with recipes with a unique and magical way. I love how Melanie guides the reader through the act of baking because she gives a deeper understanding of ingredients (which are the most important part when talking about celebrating Lammas). Second of all, I liked some parts of rituals, because they are described with respect to tradition and symbolism. Lastly, I think that although it’s the worst book in the series, the series overall is good. I couldn’t give any book from it less than 4 stars simply because they serve the purpose and introduce to pagan ways of celebrating the cycles of nature.
The biggest flaw of this book is inability to emphasize what are we supposed to celebrate and focus on. Of course, there is a mention of Lugh, but in my opinion it’s more of a complex sabbath. There are several hints that it contains both feminine and masculine energy, and that it is a moment to observe the cycle of Life. It is not talked much about tho; I see some attempts to show this duality in rituals and recipes but not in history and modern ways of celebrating it. Nor in mediations and prayers which in my opinion and a compete flop. They aren’t ment for any inexperienced pagan, they might be too intrusive and if attempted poorly, might bring some consequences. Cmon - introducing a deity to enter one’s body? Without doing any protection first?
Concluding, I would say that the idea of this series is great, but implementation- quite poor in this book.
I have a few positive things to say about this book, despite it being the worst from the series so far. First of all, the author approaches the part with recipes with a unique and magical way. I love how Melanie guides the reader through the act of baking because she gives a deeper understanding of ingredients (which are the most important part when talking about celebrating Lammas). Second of all, I liked some parts of rituals, because they are described with respect to tradition and symbolism. Lastly, I think that although it’s the worst book in the series, the series overall is good. I couldn’t give any book from it less than 4 stars simply because they serve the purpose and introduce to pagan ways of celebrating the cycles of nature.
The biggest flaw of this book is inability to emphasize what are we supposed to celebrate and focus on. Of course, there is a mention of Lugh, but in my opinion it’s more of a complex sabbath. There are several hints that it contains both feminine and masculine energy, and that it is a moment to observe the cycle of Life. It is not talked much about tho; I see some attempts to show this duality in rituals and recipes but not in history and modern ways of celebrating it. Nor in mediations and prayers which in my opinion and a compete flop. They aren’t ment for any inexperienced pagan, they might be too intrusive and if attempted poorly, might bring some consequences. Cmon - introducing a deity to enter one’s body? Without doing any protection first?
Concluding, I would say that the idea of this series is great, but implementation- quite poor in this book.
Read
July 19, 2023Ta część podobała mi się nieco mniej niż pozostałe jednak wciąż jest bardzo wartościowa i przepełniona wieloma mądrościami związanymi z tym świętem!
Znajdziecie w niej:
🌾zaklęcia i wróżby na święto żniw
🌾wiele modlitw i medytacji na święto żniw
🌾rytuały świąteczne na święto żniw
🌾mnóstwo przepisów ma święto żniw
🌾historie święta żniw
Jeśli chcesz się dowiedzieć więcej o tym dniu to ta książka jest dla ciebie!
Oczywiście wydawnictwo nie zawiodło i estetycznie oraz pięknie wydało tą książkę!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Znajdziecie w niej:
🌾zaklęcia i wróżby na święto żniw
🌾wiele modlitw i medytacji na święto żniw
🌾rytuały świąteczne na święto żniw
🌾mnóstwo przepisów ma święto żniw
🌾historie święta żniw
Jeśli chcesz się dowiedzieć więcej o tym dniu to ta książka jest dla ciebie!
Oczywiście wydawnictwo nie zawiodło i estetycznie oraz pięknie wydało tą książkę!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
August 1, 2019
Lughnasadh: Rituals, Recipes, & Lore for Lammas is one of eight books in the Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials, which highlight the eight major sabbats of the pagan Wheel of the Year. This book covers Lughnasadh, which is also sometimes called Lammas or Loaf mass, and is typically celebrated anywhere from August 1-6, (although it can technically be celebrated whenever you're able to perform the first harvest of the season).
By the time August rolls around, I'm usually over the heat and overall sweatiness of summer and starting to have visions of pumpkins and gourds dancing in my head. Now that I've learned about this sabbat I see that Lughnasadh (August 1st) is a sort of kick-off to the harvest season and important precursor to my faaaaaaavorite season: fall. I enjoyed reading about the old ways pagan cultures celebrated Lammas and how those ways were preserved throughout the centuries and even adapted to fit Christianity as it became the main religion in Celtic regions.
By the time August rolls around, I'm usually over the heat and overall sweatiness of summer and starting to have visions of pumpkins and gourds dancing in my head. Now that I've learned about this sabbat I see that Lughnasadh (August 1st) is a sort of kick-off to the harvest season and important precursor to my faaaaaaavorite season: fall. I enjoyed reading about the old ways pagan cultures celebrated Lammas and how those ways were preserved throughout the centuries and even adapted to fit Christianity as it became the main religion in Celtic regions.
July 30, 2022
Ta książka podobała mi się o wiele bardziej od poprzedniej, "Litha". Więcej się nauczyłam i więcej zrozumiałam. Prosty język i konkrety dla początkujących i zaawansowanych.
August 12, 2019
I read this on my exploration into Pagan/Celtic/Wiccan traditions with the intention of reading all 8 to correspond to the sabbats. I am still very new to a lot that falls into this umbrella and I'm trying to figure what I identify with and want to celebrate so you may want to take my review with a grain of sand since I am not very well read in this respect. Overall I enjoyed the first half of this book more then the second. I enjoy reading the history sections and seeing how things that exist in our society today link back to these older religions. I don't find I connect a lot with the ritual work so that is probably why I found the second half a bit dragging. This is definitely a book I'll have to glance over around each Lughnasadh to fully get a handle on how I will want to really celebrate.
July 30, 2018
While informative and a great resource, I found that I wasn't really connecting with the rituals and spell within this book.
September 27, 2023
W sierpniu mogliśmy świętować Lammas - święto żniw. Choć odbywa się ono na początku sierpnia, to prawdę mówiąc wyraźnie odczuwam je do tej pory 😍 i to dobry moment, by jeszcze o nim przypomnieć.
To czas zbiorów, cieszenia się owocami swojej pracy, poczucie bogactwa, pełni i dobrobytu. Bardzo pozytywny czas ♥️
W tej kolejnej już książce z serii sabaty możemy poczytać o świecie Lammas, o tym jak było obchodzone kiedyś, jak głęboko tkwiło w kulturze ludzi w różnych zakątkach świata oraz oczywiście opisy tego jak współcześnie jest ono obchodzone.
Autorka zaserwowała też opisy wielu symboli tego sabatu, praktyk i tradycji z nim związanych. Jak w poprzednich tomach serii tu również podano przepisy kulinarne na ten czas, opisy zabaw czy propozycje rękodzieła, a także przykłady medytacji, afirmacji, zaklęć oraz rytuałów.
Dla początkujących czarownic, ale też dla tych, co poszukują wiedzy o kulturze i pogaństwie, ta książka to świetna i treściwa pigułka z informacjami na temat Lammas.
Choć niewielka, to można z niej zaczerpnąć wiele ciekawostek 😍a także pomysłów na magiczne praktyki lub po prostu nietypowe, sięgające naszych korzeni, formy spędzania czasu.
Ten pogański roczny cykl bardzo do mnie przemawia, niezmiennie widzę w nim wielką naturalność i zgodność z przyrodą oraz życiem ludzi.
A wydanie, jak zwykle, jest po prostu przepiękne 😍 w środku zaś wiedza jest dobrze uporządkowana ♥️ polecam ♥️✨
To czas zbiorów, cieszenia się owocami swojej pracy, poczucie bogactwa, pełni i dobrobytu. Bardzo pozytywny czas ♥️
W tej kolejnej już książce z serii sabaty możemy poczytać o świecie Lammas, o tym jak było obchodzone kiedyś, jak głęboko tkwiło w kulturze ludzi w różnych zakątkach świata oraz oczywiście opisy tego jak współcześnie jest ono obchodzone.
Autorka zaserwowała też opisy wielu symboli tego sabatu, praktyk i tradycji z nim związanych. Jak w poprzednich tomach serii tu również podano przepisy kulinarne na ten czas, opisy zabaw czy propozycje rękodzieła, a także przykłady medytacji, afirmacji, zaklęć oraz rytuałów.
Dla początkujących czarownic, ale też dla tych, co poszukują wiedzy o kulturze i pogaństwie, ta książka to świetna i treściwa pigułka z informacjami na temat Lammas.
Choć niewielka, to można z niej zaczerpnąć wiele ciekawostek 😍a także pomysłów na magiczne praktyki lub po prostu nietypowe, sięgające naszych korzeni, formy spędzania czasu.
Ten pogański roczny cykl bardzo do mnie przemawia, niezmiennie widzę w nim wielką naturalność i zgodność z przyrodą oraz życiem ludzi.
A wydanie, jak zwykle, jest po prostu przepiękne 😍 w środku zaś wiedza jest dobrze uporządkowana ♥️ polecam ♥️✨
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June 6, 2024Lughnasadh (pronounced by my read LUG NA SID)
It’s very hard with these books to make these holidays relatable. Take this one for example. I jotted down some words . It takes place from July the 31st to August 2nd. It’s related to hrvest time. During this time there are agricultural fairs, and people celebrate the first fruits. There are a lot of “Cake Rituals” and it’s a good time to keep a small garden. It’s celebrated with “bonfires” and “country fairs.” One thing I found interesting in “Old Ways” was there was a certain fair that people have a temporary marriage (for a years). At the end of the year, the marriage could be renegogiated.
Much like Thanksgiving, it’s also a time for “Reflection” and “Gratitude”. There were a few festivals that sounded interesting. For instance, “The Santa Domingo Festival” This one looks fun because it’s an arts and crafts festival. We used to have one of these here in the park and I remember also going to one in Atlanta Georgia. Then there were the “Lamos Street Fairs in Europe” There was also mentioned a sea side one. But then again, reading these and actually looking at a video of one I saw on “You Tube” I decided that DEFINITELY is not for me. It’s definitely different reading the descriptions and then actually *seeing* what they are.
There was one spell mentioned that stood out in this book. One was the “Calm Down Anger Spell”. Being in a neighboorhood where people do yard noise twenty four hours a day seven days a week it’s kind of hard to find quiet. As a person with SEVERE misophonia, it’s easy to find yourself getting angry and frustrated with the way things are so I think this spell could come in handy. You don’t even need that many things for it. Just a cancle and water.
Some of the recipes that sounded appealing to me were the “Squash Casserole” (possibly), the “Apple Tart”, the “Irish Soda Bread” and the “Spicy Goddess Apple Cider”. The cool thing about these recipes is they double as rituals for certain things. For example, I think the “Spicy Goddess Apple Cider” is suppose to bring out your inner Goddess.
An easy one to incorporate-perhaps the easiest in the whole book- is displaying apples in your décor. There are probably crafts stores and thrift stores that have fake apples to sit out on tables. They might also have things like plates or napkins with apples on them. There might possibly be pillows also. I’m sure home stores carry things like candles that have an apple fragrance or room freshners. It also says incorporate colors like yellows, golds, and orange into your décor. This makes me think of an autumn type scheme and flair (which I think could be very pretty).
There was also a good suggestion about having a gratitude altar where you had pictures of the people your grateful for and other symbolic things. This is so inconscipous an idea that people would possibly never even know it IS an altar. It could just be a table that showcased your pictures of friends and family. So there were a few good things here to work with.
Rating: 6
It’s very hard with these books to make these holidays relatable. Take this one for example. I jotted down some words . It takes place from July the 31st to August 2nd. It’s related to hrvest time. During this time there are agricultural fairs, and people celebrate the first fruits. There are a lot of “Cake Rituals” and it’s a good time to keep a small garden. It’s celebrated with “bonfires” and “country fairs.” One thing I found interesting in “Old Ways” was there was a certain fair that people have a temporary marriage (for a years). At the end of the year, the marriage could be renegogiated.
Much like Thanksgiving, it’s also a time for “Reflection” and “Gratitude”. There were a few festivals that sounded interesting. For instance, “The Santa Domingo Festival” This one looks fun because it’s an arts and crafts festival. We used to have one of these here in the park and I remember also going to one in Atlanta Georgia. Then there were the “Lamos Street Fairs in Europe” There was also mentioned a sea side one. But then again, reading these and actually looking at a video of one I saw on “You Tube” I decided that DEFINITELY is not for me. It’s definitely different reading the descriptions and then actually *seeing* what they are.
There was one spell mentioned that stood out in this book. One was the “Calm Down Anger Spell”. Being in a neighboorhood where people do yard noise twenty four hours a day seven days a week it’s kind of hard to find quiet. As a person with SEVERE misophonia, it’s easy to find yourself getting angry and frustrated with the way things are so I think this spell could come in handy. You don’t even need that many things for it. Just a cancle and water.
Some of the recipes that sounded appealing to me were the “Squash Casserole” (possibly), the “Apple Tart”, the “Irish Soda Bread” and the “Spicy Goddess Apple Cider”. The cool thing about these recipes is they double as rituals for certain things. For example, I think the “Spicy Goddess Apple Cider” is suppose to bring out your inner Goddess.
An easy one to incorporate-perhaps the easiest in the whole book- is displaying apples in your décor. There are probably crafts stores and thrift stores that have fake apples to sit out on tables. They might also have things like plates or napkins with apples on them. There might possibly be pillows also. I’m sure home stores carry things like candles that have an apple fragrance or room freshners. It also says incorporate colors like yellows, golds, and orange into your décor. This makes me think of an autumn type scheme and flair (which I think could be very pretty).
There was also a good suggestion about having a gratitude altar where you had pictures of the people your grateful for and other symbolic things. This is so inconscipous an idea that people would possibly never even know it IS an altar. It could just be a table that showcased your pictures of friends and family. So there were a few good things here to work with.
Rating: 6
July 17, 2020
The first half of the book (history and lore) were not really written in a way that spoke to me, but I did appreciate the awareness that one can take Wicca influences from any culture. I preferred the last half of the book because there were beautiful recipes and helpful examples of rituals and spells and chants. I thought that part was artistic and beautiful and much better than Scott Cunningham's reference section in his seminal text (which lacked lyricism and intimacy). So far, I am finding that the writing and construction of Wicca books are not exactly in alignment with my literary/academic/poetry leanings, but I like Wicca itself, so I'm going to keep searching and reading and studying. Since I am such a beginner, I will definitely get the other books in this series even. It is interesting they are written by different authors.
Edit: Actually I think I'm going to hold off on buying the other books in the series. These beginner books are just not substantial enough for me. I think I might have to revert to academic research, youtube videos, and my own intuition/creativity.
Edit: Actually I think I'm going to hold off on buying the other books in the series. These beginner books are just not substantial enough for me. I think I might have to revert to academic research, youtube videos, and my own intuition/creativity.
July 14, 2022
Continuing through this series, and now more than halfway finished, this book covers festivals in August or thereabouts, dealing primarily with Lughnasadh and Lammas, but venturing afield a bit with some brief digressions into Native American festivals, mostly. This one is a bit better attested in literature, but a bit less broadly applicable, so much of it focuses on Celtic and British folklore and celebrations, and grain harvest in particular, with fewer looks at what things might be like in parts of the world where that is less of a thing at this time. It does, at least, deal with some traditions in areas where fishing is more common. The look at Lughnasadh from a Southern hemisphere perspective is a bit less well-done in this book than others at of the series, I thought, but that doesn't really apply to me, either so maybe other reviewers could give more perspective. There was maybe more folklore than tradition this time, and I found it a bit less engaging than some of the earlier entries in this series (I started at Imbolc). Still, I found enough of interest to be glad that I read it, and enrich my own experience.
July 29, 2022
Overall, the majority of the information is great. I wish there had been different deities to focus on instead of Lugh/Danu or the generic Wiccan God/dess. The wedding feast ritual was a let down. As someone getting married at this time of the year, I had higher hopes for the ritual “wedding feast”. Instead, it made more sense to do that ritual at Beltane. The harvest is after the goddess and god mate but that’s all this ritual was about. For as much as the book talked about doing marriages at this time, I expected something better in the book on the topic instead of a generic Beltane-like ritual for the goddess and god coupling. The author did at least put a notice about consent for this which was nice.
August 16, 2022
Nice short book with suggestions for celebrating this earth-based High Holiday. This is one of a series of 8 volumes by Llewellyn. I found it useful enough to want to purchase this one (though I got it out through Inter Library Loan first). This book has a nice holiday history section which was well referenced at the back, also included a big section on correspondences (colors, plants, gems, fruits, Tarot references, etc.), also holiday themes, rituals, etc. For a small volume, it was pretty comprehensive. I may begin collecting the others in the Llewellyn series, at least for the cross-quarter days. Recommended!
August 7, 2023
A good beginner's guide to the Sabbat, especially if you don't have a tradition or patron. This book gives how this festival and other similar festivals have been celebrated in the past and in multiple faith traditions, ways to celebrate it today, with spells, receipes, rituals, and meditations for the day. This would give some inspiration to the more experienced practitioner for ways to keep the holiday.
July 27, 2019
Interesting and informative but
I thought this reference book was well written and researched, but it focused too much on European traditions. I understand that "mainstream" neo-paganism is very Eurocentric, but it would have been nice to include some ideas for those who follow African and Latin American pantheons.
I thought this reference book was well written and researched, but it focused too much on European traditions. I understand that "mainstream" neo-paganism is very Eurocentric, but it would have been nice to include some ideas for those who follow African and Latin American pantheons.
July 22, 2023
As always I found this Sabbat book very helpful, although it was written differently from the previous ones that I have already read it was just as good besides that there wasn't that much stuff if you follow the greek Pantheon (like me) because it was really focused on the celts(makes sense because of lugh)
Still really helpful and always a good source to start with!
5 stars out of 5
Still really helpful and always a good source to start with!
5 stars out of 5
July 29, 2024
Muy bien explicado, al igual que los anteriores. Sin embargo, en esta ocasión me ha costado más conectar con esta festividad, que la verdad no creo que vaya a incorporar a mi práctica de forma habitual. Me ha parecido interesante y el libro contiene todas las secciones habituales en esta serie de los sabbats, pero no me ha gustado tanto ni lo he encontrado tan enriquecedor
October 7, 2018
I'm not sure why but I had a really hard time finishing this one. I guess because Lughnasadh is is so Celtic based and I am not Celtic at all? I even had a rough time of it with Lughnasadh's energy this year. I'm not sure. This one just took me For Ever to finish.
February 7, 2021
I was surprised to learn that there really is no set standard of modern Pagan Lughnassadh customs! Another great reference guide for this holiday/celebration and various correspondences for incorporating into your own practice!
July 22, 2023
I have a love-hate relationship with this series. There are parts that I like and others that are a total mistake. This volume is one of the better ones and this author has definitely handled the subject matter better than the previous ones.
September 1, 2024
Après 5 mois d'attente, ça y est ! Le dernier tome de la collection est ENFIN sorti !
Celui-ci reste dans la lignée des précédents, il nous donne des éléments historique mais également des moyens de pratiqué et de faire honneur à ce s'abat !
Celui-ci reste dans la lignée des précédents, il nous donne des éléments historique mais également des moyens de pratiqué et de faire honneur à ce s'abat !
August 1, 2018
I just needed a refresher for the Holiday tomorrow. I really enjoy this book! It's a fast interesting read for any one who enjoys Wicca.
July 10, 2020
Really good ;)
August 8, 2020
Realmente interesante si te quieres informar sobre el origen de esta fiesta, rituales o modos de celebrarlo, etc.
August 5, 2021
Another great Sabbat book from the Llewellyn series. Love the correspondences and the theme of gratefulness for the harvest and summer for Lughnasadh/Lammas.
August 3, 2022
I don't connect much with this day, so this was a nice little FYI.
August 17, 2022
A good source for those just starting out and some interesting ideas for the more experienced.
August 27, 2022
love recipes from this book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews