By: Puck
To: All
Re: Lammas Rite...(albeit a tad late...)
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A while ago, I promised to post a Lammas rite that I'd written.
Here it is!!!


LAMMAS RITE          (H/3/PanEc)

     The Circle should be decorated with and ringed by sheaves of wheat and
corn.  The quarter lamps/candles should also be ringed with appropriate harvest
symbols - seeds in the East, red peppers in the South, rice in the West, and
corn in the North.
     The Altar should be covered with a blood-red cloth and decorated with corn
and grains.  Use a special Lammas (Lughnasadh) mixture for incense, corn
dollies for the Goddess and God figures, a strong red wine such as burgundy or
blackberry wine or brandy.  Use red candles for all candles in Circle and
Altar.  Instead of cakes, have a John Barleycorn figure made of cornbread on
teh altar, as well as a large, blood-red cloth and a small to medium sickle,
along with a wreath of corn sheaves and wheat sheaves, woven together.
     When all are assembles, the HP says:  "NOW AT THIS, THE WAKE OF THE GOD,
WE HONOR HIM WHO GIVES US LIGHT; WHO BY SACRIFICE IS MOVED TO GIVE HIS LIFE FOR
US TONIGHT..."
     HPS casts circle with Broom, (use your trads' Circle-casting here), then
calls the Guardians and Elements to witness the rite.
she and the HP then invoke the Goddess and God as usual. (Again, use your
traditions' traditional invocations here.)
     HPS says:  "NOW, AT THIS FIRST HARVEST, ALL IS READY, BUT AS YET UNREAPED.
 OUR LABORS HAVE BEEN LONG AND HARD, YET HAVE NOT COME TO FRUITION."
     HP says:  "NOW IS THE TIME OF SACRIFICE, WHEN, IN ANCIENT TIMES AND LANDS,
THE SACRED KING LAID DOWN HIS LIFE THAT HIS LIFE'S BLOOD WOULD SAVE THE
LAND..."
     The HP and all the men of the Circle now move into the center of the
Circle and stand very close, all facing inward, linking their arms around each
others' shoulders.  All close their eyes.  The HPs and the women circle them
deosil 9 times, chanting:
"I, THE SICKLE - HE, THE GRAIN, THE SACRED KING SHALL LIVE AGAIN.  WINNOW THE
WHEAT AND HARVEST THE GRAIN, AND GIVE LIFE'S BLOOD TO THE LAND AGAIN..."
     After the 9th circuit, they choose one man, (not necessarily the HP), and
pull him out of the circle of men, softly chanting:
     "YOU ARE THE CHOSEN, YOU ARE THE GRAIN.  YOU ARE THE CORN-KING, BORN TO
REIGN..."
     The men all return to their places in the Circle.  The man chosen to be
Corn-King stands at the center of the Circle, just in front of the Altar,
facing South, in the God position.  The women take the cloth and drape it
around him like a kings' mantle and crown him with the crown or corn and wheat
sheaves as everyone in the circle softly takes up the chant.  The Corn King is
then led around the circle once by the HPS.  As he passes the women in circle,
they kiss him.  As they pass the men, they bow to him.  He then takes up his
position in front of the Altar, facing south.

The HPS bows to him and hands him the cornbread figure, saying:
     "O GOLDEN GRAIN, O GOLDEN GOD, WE SENSE THE HEAVY STEPS YOU TREAD, AS LIVE
YOU MUST, AND DIE YOU MUST, JOHN BARLEYCORN, TO KEEP US FED."
     She then takes up the sickle and holds it high, saying:  "BEHOLD - THE
KNIFE OF THE MOON!  WHAT GIVES LIFE CAN ALSO GIVE DEATH; THUS THE CYCLE
CONTINUES..."
     She takes the mantle from off the Corn-king and lays it down in the center
of the Circle, saying:  "LET THIS CLOTH OF CRIMSON RED PORTRAY THE LIFE'S BLOOD
TO BE SHED..."
     The Corn-King lays the figure upon it, with head facing to the west,
saying :"O HOLY FIGURE OF GOLDEN GRAIN, GROWN BY SUN AND WIND AND RAIN, BAKED
IN FIRE, LAIN TO EARTH - TEACH US NOW OF DEATH AND BIRTH!"
     HPS cleaves the head of the figure from the body, then takes a little red
wine or brandy from the Altar and pours it over the head, saturing the cloth,
saying:  "BEHOLD - THE LIFE'S BLOOD IS ON THE LAND!"
CORN KING:  "IT HAS BEEN NOURISHED!"
HPS:  "THE GOD HAS GONE INTO THE EARTH!"
CORN KING:  "SHE WILL GIVE HIM REST!"
HPS:  "THE LIFE IS IN THE FIELDS!"
CORN KING:  "HE WILL FEED US!"
HPS:  "THE LIFE IS ON VINE AND TREE!"
CORN KING:  "HE WILL QUENCH OUR THIRST!"
HPS:  "THE HOLY HARVEST IS READY!"
CORN KING:  "WE WILL REAP WHAT WE HAVE SOWN..."
HPS:  "I HAVE SOWN (an earlier plan, idea, etc.).  I WILL REAP (whatever the
results will be.)  FOR THIS, I THANK THE GODS."
All continue around the Circle, each person sharing a plan or idea they had
thought of earlier in the year and what they hope to accomplish in the coming
year.
All share Cakes and Wine, and the rest of the figure of John Barleycorn.

     To end the rite, the HPS takes the wreath from the Corn-King and the head
of the John Barleycorn figure and holds them high, saying:
"O GOLDEN GOD OF CORN AND GRAIN, RETURN TO US IN SPRING AGAIN!
SLEEP NOW IN THE MOTHERS' WOMB, AND BRING NEW LIFE TO VALE AND COOMBE.  BLESS
THE SEEDS THAT PLANTED BE, AND MAKE OUR PLANS REALITY.
ALL OUR LOVE WE GIVE TO THEE.  HAIL, FAREWELL, AND BLESSED BE!"
All:  "BLESSED BE!"
Close Circle as usual, (per your traditions' circle-closing).
Libate by crumbling the head and pouring  an offering of wine to the Earth.

Puck, HP, Moondragon Coven, Shadowdragon Tradition, Pan-Eclectic Wicca
(With thanks to Diane Stein, Starhawk, and Lady Viviene, Pan-Eclectic
Tradition, for inspiration.)
