Solitary Magic: A Simple Lammas Ritual

Last updated on: July 31, 2015 at 12:53 pm by Jen McConnel

Solitary Magic: A Simple Lammas Ritual 2015-07-31T12:53:21-04:00 Jen McConnel

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Although I love gathering with a local circle to celebrate the turning of the wheel, more and more I find myself returning to my solitary roots. It’s easier to schedule rituals for a party of one, but it’s also harder to cultivate accountability when no one is waiting on you for a ritual. Still, I try to celebrate the eight sabbats whether I’m on my own or with the group, and I wanted to share a simple solitary ritual with you to honor the coming harvest festival.

You will need:

A bread recipe (preferably one that requires yeast and time to rise: I use a French bread recipe that I’ve adapted over the years)
Olive oil
Honey
Apple cider or mead

Vincent van Gogh [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Carve out a few hours (however long the bread recipe requires for completion). Turn off your phone, switch off your wifi, and give yourself a chance to decompress. If you like to work with music, put some on. (I usually dance around the kitchen when I’m celebrating the sabbats…or anytime I’m baking, really…)
As you prepare the bread, think about the bounty that fills your life. What are you getting ready to harvest? Have you taken time over the summer to enjoy the fruits of your labor? How are you preparing to shift into the darkness of the coming months?
Once the bread dough has risen, I like to braid it: most cookbooks offer easy braiding instructions, but trust your instincts. If you want to bake the bread in a pan, that works, too.
As the bread bakes, continue to cultivate your quiet contemplation. Go for a walk, read a book, take a bath: do something that makes you feel rich in body and spirit.
When the bread is ready, set some outside (or at your altar) as an offering. Have some of the bread yourself, first with olive oil, and then with honey. Wash it down with your harvest beverage, and offer your thanks for the abundance of the coming harvest. You might want to write this down, speak it aloud, or think it and hold the words in your heart: whatever feels right to you is perfect.
If there’s bread left, share it with your family, friends, or neighbors: passing on our bounty is another great way to honor the turning of the wheel.

How will you celebrate Lammas this year?

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