4 Crystals for Lughnasadh / Lammas

Lughnasadh / Lammas is the time of the first major harvest, including that of the first fruits of the year and now is the time when we see nature and our own labours come to fruition.

Lughnasadh, or Lúnasa in Modern Irish, is the Celtic Festival named for the God of Light, Lugh. There are several variations of the Lughnasadh legend in which the crops are fought over. In one version Crom Dubh, has caused the crops to grow and considers them his treasure, but brave Lugh seizes these crops from Crom Dubh for mankind to enjoy. In another version the crops are represented by the Goddess Eithne and it is she that the two Gods fight over. Traditionally Lughnasadh is a time of great gatherings, local fetes, religious rites, pilgrimages to sacred sites - especially Holy Wells, matchmaking and various competitions.

To the Anglo-Saxons this was Lammas, from hlaf-mas, 'loaf-mass' and marked the start of the wheat harvest. It was traditional to use the first harvest to make a special loaf that was taken to church to be blessed at this time. The loaf was subsequently believed to gain magical properties and one old Anglo-Saxon charm book details how the loaf was broken onto four pieces, one of which was placed at each of the four corners of the house or barn to protect it and its inhabitants.

At Lughnasadh / Lammas we can already see that the year and the summer are starting to fade. The nights are noticeably drawing in and the temperatures are starting to cool. The power of the Sun and its associated Gods and Goddesses are starting to slowly ebb, and we are thankful for their light and heat earlier in the year that has brought the crops and fruits to us. We celebrate their generosity as we eat of their blessings and abundance.

In nature things continue to grow for a while longer yet though they are starting to wind down, after all the Anglo-Saxons called August 'Weed-Month' as the weeds are still going strong!

1. Tiger's Eye 

This golden and black stone is wonderfully reminiscent of August sunlight and the grown crops with its rich, warm, golden tones. The way that Tiger's Eye reflects in the light is positively enchanting. Due to its changeable appearance, it reminds us that the only constant thing in life is change. This helps us to see the importance of accepting changes, to let go of the past and to move forward in life - just as we are moving on through the Wheel of the Year at Lammas.

Tiger's Eye contains quartz and limonite (an iron rich mineral), so while it has that bright fiery solar energy it also combines that with the deep energy of the brown earth beneath our feet. It reminds us that just as in nature we need to bring things to fruition by bringing them out into the light to grow and develop.

Tiger Eye is a stone of perception because of its appearance and its resemblance to the fiery eyes of a Tiger, the ancients believed that it was all seeing, and could offer protection during astral travel. 

Tiger Eye is a lucky stone, traditionally carried as a talisman against all ills, but is said to work best against the evil eye which it literally deflects. Even today Tiger's Eye jewellery is very popularly worn to bring good luck. Due to its vibrant golden colour Tiger's Eye is used to increase wealth and vitality, and is a well used Feng Shui cure for just this issue. Many people keep a Tiger's Eye near their cashbooks or in their purse to bring in wealth. It enhances courage, brings passion and physical strength and is naturally closely associated with the Celtic God of the Sun and Sky, Lugh or Llew. 

You can find some gorgeous examples of Tiger Eye jewellery and Pagan Prayer Beads at Cauldron Crafts and more stones and jewellery here.

2. Turquoise

Turquoise is a stunning green-blue stone that carries with it the refreshing watery energies of August rain and the Holy Wells which are traditionally visited at this time of year, the hues of the bright blue August skies and the earthy abundant energies of the fruits and crops. Like Tiger's Eye above, Turquoise combines the power and Energy of Father Sky and Mother Earth and has long been used to make amulets and talismans because it is considered so lucky and protective.

Turquoise is sacred in Persian, Native American and Oriental traditions, and was highly revered in Ancient Egypt.  In Navajo mythology, Turquoise was linked with Estsanatlehi, the Goddess of the Sky, while in Ancient Egypt the Goddess Hathor was known as 'Lady of Turquoise'.

Turquoise is a great healer and aligner of mind, body and spirit. It embodies those healing energies that we can feel all around us at Lughnasadh; we heal by feeling the warmth on our skin, by getting out into Nature, by being refreshed by the summer rains, and by eating the fresh crops and fruits available to us which contain far more nutrients than their stored or frozen counterparts. Those creative energies that created the harvest are still going in Nature and inside us and Turquoise can help us to connect to our inner creative energies and to the creative energies all around us.

Turquoise also links us with another kind of harvest, that of wisdom and knowledge which we have grown within us through study and contemplation, just as seedlings grow within the earth.  It helps us to take what we have learned through the year and years before and to learn from that as we move into the colder part of the year and our mature years.

You can find some gorgeous examples of Turquoise here.

3. Moss Agate 

While Green Aventurine has that light hue and energy of the green of nature in Spring, Moss Agate instead embodies that darker, deeper, older and wiser green of Lammastide. This is the green of the second, later growth of the Oak Tree, the sacred tree of many Sky Gods including the Oak King, Lugh and Thor. At this time of year the power of the Oak King is on the wane and the power of the Holly King is rising and the deepening green of nature reflects this.

Due to its links with fertility and nature, working with Moss Agate reminds us of the blessings that we are being given by the many Fertility Gods and Goddesses at this time of year, after all it is due to their kindness and efforts that we get to enjoy our food and drinks, such as our cereals, our barbecues and our favourite fruits. As a gemstone of Gardeners it encourages us to take good care of plants and trees throughout the year to keep them happy and healthy. It also encourages us to plant more trees and plants around us for the health of the planet and all of us who live on it because for years we have been too busy cutting down trees and harming nature.

Like Tiger's Eye Moss Agate is a stone of abundance, it helps just about anything to grow. By working with it we can even grow ourselves in terms of learning new skills or developing our Spirituality, and is the best stone out there to help us to grow and develop our relationship to Nature and Nature's Faeries. For me this is THE stone that embodies the green of Nature.

You can find some gorgeous examples of Moss Agate jewellery and Pagan Prayer Beads at Cauldron Crafts and more stones and jewellery here.

4. Topaz

Topaz comes in a variety of colours, each with their own energies. Golden Topaz embodies the diffusing and waning energies of the August Sun and the golden crops, while Blue Topaz reminds us of the August rains, the seaside that so many visit in the August Holidays and the cyan blue skies.

The name Topaz probably derives from a Sanskrit term for fire and certainly the golden version has a very warm, fiery and dynamic energy that is so akin to that of Lughnasadh. It is said to draw its power from the Sun itself so always reflects what the Sun is up to at any time of the year, making it a great ally as we are always moving through the Wheel of the Year.

Topaz is a protective stone that raises our moods and enhances our courage and self-confidence, just as we often experience at this time of year thanks to the energies of Summer. Topaz is also said to aid folks in competitions, especially athletic ones that are so popular at this time of year, not that I am guaranteeing carrying a Topaz will help you and your child win the sack race at the local Summer Fete!

Topaz urges us to get out and about at this lovely time of year to enjoy the last of the joys of Summer before the weather turns and we are pushed indoors. As a stone that is also linked with digestion and our lower chakras it encourages us to healthily partake of the foods that are fresh at this time of year and to pay attention to the food that we eat and the effects that it has upon our bodies and our karma.

You can find some gorgeous examples of Topaz here.

For more on the magic and metaphysical properties of Crystals please check out my book, Faerie Stones: An Exploration of the Folklore and Faeries Associated with Stones & Crystals