Celebrating the Thankful Sabats

[Tanya]

While Rob is very focused on ritual practice, I'm quite focused on making our practice a part of daily life. I find on further reflection that I'm good on Imbolc, Samhain,Yule, and Eoster, , but I have less idea how to celebrate Lughnassa, Midsummer and Mabonn.

I'm not talking about the celebrating we do on the hills, I'm talking about meditation in our home. At Imbolc for instance I do the spring cleaning, burn the greens, we make candles and bless and start seeds... but for Lughnassa... I bake bread. (which I am always doing...so not exactly inspired..) Thoughts? Previously we have had feasts, featuring special foods in season, but I want to do more with these hoilidays than have a corn roast....

[Zephyrstorm]

In Ireland, it has been said by some (and I confess I'm not sure that there's merit to the story or not, but its an idea that has worked for me in the past) that Lughnasadh was a time when the High King could review grievances for anyone, and could place judgments for them.
It was also a time for renewing contracts.

With that in mind, I have often used Lughnasadh to look at my own life and determine if I am "walking the walk" and examine my own beliefs. I also consider what I am willing to give up in order to gain my goals - for example, right now the big projects are... getting a new job, and losing weight. What am I willing to do in order to get these?
Then I tell people that I appreciate them, that I'm thankful for their presence in my life, and why. Keeps me from taking them for granted.

For Mabon, I try to come up with a much broader list of gratitude. And I consider the sacrifices of others that have benefitted my life. So, for example, I honor my mother's sacrifice of her time and health in order to raise me. :)
In my house, this is Thanksgiving - with all that that entails - we give thanks as a whole - I even try to get my agnostic hubby to say what he's thankful for, and have a great feast with Toasts to the Gods and Thanks to them for all that they've given us.

Midsummer's my weak festival. I pretty much just leave out offerings for the spirits, and go enjoy the summer. *shrugs*

[shuvanilu]

Well, I've always thought Lughnasad was the perfect sabbat for kitchen witches. It's such a great time for baking all kinds of bread, and bread baking is such a wonderful magickal practice. If you have kids (or even if you don't) this is a great time to make some home-made playdough. In the great book "Circle Round" by Starhawk, Diane Baker and Anne Hill, they suggest that everyone use the clay to form shapes that represent their hopes and fears for the upcoming year---then hide them somewhere in the yeard where they will melt with the rain and snow and go back into the soil where the Goddess will bless and help you. This is also a great time (if you can take the heat) for outdoor games and sports. Lugh was the many skilled god, and it's fun to try our hand at some fun family games---Water balloon tosses, wheel barrel races, treasure hunts. Up here in Wisconsin last year we had a really fun, messy corn shucking contest at the park. This is also a good time to honor teachers and coaches that help us learn our skills. Of course, being a grain holiday, what a great excuse to have a nice mug o' beer!---shuvanilu

[Nitefalle]

Well, Lughnassadh was originally a festival of funerary games in honor of Lugh's foster mother, Taltiu. So, whether you're Irish or not, it's a great time to have a family picnic with maybe some silly board games or contests with prizes for the kids or whatever. Sort of a last hurrah before the flurry of activity to batten down the hatches for autumn. If you light a fire that night, scrape some of the ashes together and hang them above the hearth to help protect the home from fire and/or lightning (we get autumn storms here in Jersey). While shucking corn for your roast, keep some of the husks and write your regrets about this past year on them....things you meant to do but just never got around to them or forgot about them....and them burn them to release the regrets and look forward to autumn. You can have a toast with your family at dinner to the best parts of the year and take turns telling your highlights. Hope this has helped!