Just past witch woman, In many cultures and societies, witch women have been a symbol of power, mystery, and fear. They possess supernatural abilities and are often associated with dark magic and witchcraft. However, as time has passed, the perception of these women has evolved. The term "witch woman" is often used to describe women who are strong, independent, and unafraid to speak their minds. These women challenge societal norms and expectations, going against the grain and embodying a sense of individuality. They are not afraid to take risks and often push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable.
The modern Irish Gaelic name for the month of August is Lúnasa. In Scottish Gaelic Lunasda means the 1st of August.
It takes place on the 1st of August, a date internationally agreed upon, or on the day of the full moon next to this date, if you want to celebrate when the ancient Celts probably did. When is Lammas August 1 or 2 Lammas pronunciation LAH-mahs Themes first fruits, harvest, gratitude, benevolent sacrifice, utilizing skills and talents Also known as Lughnasadh, Lughnasa, August Eve, Feast of Bread, Harvest Home, Gŵyl Awst, First Harvest.
They are not afraid to take risks and often push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable. Just past witch woman is a phrase that highlights the transformative journey of these women. It signifies that they have moved beyond the traditional perception of a witch and have become something more.
Lughnasadh
At Lughnasadh we see the fields of corn being cut, and for some this is the true time of the festival. In the fields John Barleycorn, who laid with the Lady in the woods at Beltane, has grown old, and now stands bent and bearded with a crooked cane. He looks to the Sun as he has changed from green to gold, and he known that his time has come. His life will feed the people, and it is this sacrifice that we honour at Lughnasadh.
Spiral triskelion (formed from mathematical Archimedean spirals), occasionally used as a Christian Trinitarian symbol
Deeper Into Lughnasadh
Also known as Lammas, or First Harvest, the name of this festival as Lughnasadh is Irish Gaelic for “Commemoration of Lugh”. Some authors give the meaning as marriage, gathering or feast (in the name of) of Lugh. The meaning remains basically the same: Lugh is the Deity of Lughnasadh, and there is a feast.
Although Lugh gives his name to this festival, it is also associated with Lugh’s foster mother Tailtiu, who is said to have cleared the way for the introduction of agriculture in Ireland, thus linking Lughnasadh to the land and the harvest.
The modern Irish Gaelic name for the month of August is Lúnasa. In Scottish Gaelic Lunasda means the 1st of August.
One of several historic sources for the four Celtic fire festivals Imbolc, Bealtaine, Lughnasadh und Samhain is the early medieval Irish tale “Tochmarc Emire” (The Wooing of Emer), which is part of the Ulster Cycle. In the form we know it today it was written in the 10th or 11th century CE, but it is safe to assume that this tale – like so many others – contains a much older nucleus.
The tale narrates how the hero Cú Chulainn is courting Emer. He receives several tasks to fulfill, one of them being that he must go without sleep for one year. As Emer utters her challenge, she names the four major points of the Irish-Celtic year, as they are also mentioned in other Irish sources. Doing this, she does not use the solar festivals, nor Christian ones, which were certainly well known and established by the 10th century. Instead Emer chooses the first days of each season.
When is Lughnasadh?
One of these days is Lughnasadh, marking the beginning of fall. It takes place on the 1st of August, a date internationally agreed upon, or on the day of the full moon next to this date, if you want to celebrate when the ancient Celts probably did.
Since the Celtic day started with sunset, the celebration takes place on the evening before the calendaric date.
Lughnasadh marks the beginning of the noticeable descent of the Sun into the darkness of winter. From the connection between the Earth (female principle) and the Sun (male principle), the marriage of the Sky Father (Sun God) with the Earth Mother we celebrated at Bealtaine, emerge the fruits of the first harvest of the year. Lughnasadh is a time of joy about the first fruits. It is also a time of tension, because the dark days of winter are coming nearer, and most of the harvest is not brought in and stored away yet.
The God of the harvest is the Green Man (also known as John Barleycorn). He sacrifices himself every year in order to enable human life on Earth. In some areas his death is mourned with wreaths decorated with poppies or cornflowers.
The grain is cut, part of it goes into bread and nutrition, another part is stored away and used as seeds next spring, to create new life. Looking at that, thoughts about sacrifice, transformation, death and rebirth are also part of Lughnasadh.
Lughnasadh Rituals
The celebration of Lughnasadh includes the ritual cutting of the first grain and an offering thereof, possibly the making of a first meal and the ritual eating of it, as well as dancing. Fires are mentioned, but fire or light do not play such a prominent role as with the other fire festivals. This is probably because August is a warm month in most of Europe, with still long daylight hours, where no fire is needed. Lughnasadh celebrations are reported from Ireland, Isle of Man, Scotland, Wales and Cornwall.
Another name used for Lughnasadh is “Lammas”, from the old-anglosaxon “hlaef-mass” (loaf mass, mass where the first loaf of bread is consecrated), which developed into the later medieval English and Scottish “Lammas”. As such it is first mentioned in old anglo-saxon chronicles as early as 921 CE as “Feast of the First Fruits”. In an agricultural society the begin of the harvest was a natural occasion to celebrate and to give thanks to the Divine for Its gifts.
In Bavarian tradition, the most important festival in August is the “Ascension of Mary” on the 15th of August. On this day, numerous processions through the villages and along the fields are held. During these processions, decorated bundles of herbs, consisting of up to 77 different herbs, are carried along on wooden sticks. These herbs are specially consecrated and stored away then. They are used for ritual incense burning later in the year, e.g. during the “rough nights”, the time of the winter solstice. An older name for this festival is “Maria Kräuterweih”, meaning “Day of Mary and the Consecration of Herbs”.
The beginning of fall was marked by the day of St. Bartholomäus (Bartholomew) on August 24th.
The original Lughnasadh customs have obviously shifted to August 15th and additionally into numerous local and regional harvest celebrations. Lughnasadh is the therefore only one of the eight Celtic festivals which did not survive in Bavaria as a compact celebration ON or near the original date (August 1st). Harvest celebrations are instead dispersed over all of August. This might have to do with the geographical situation of Bavaria, where August tends to be a rather warm month, and harvest and fall are a bit later than elsewhere.
They have embraced their inner power and have learned to harness it for the greater good. These women are no longer seen as threats or outsiders, but rather as leaders and role models. They inspire others to embrace their own power and to stand up for what they believe in. They break through the stereotypes and limitations placed upon them, carving their own paths and shaping their own destinies. The world needs more just past witch women - women who are unafraid to embrace their power, stand up for what is right, and challenge the status quo. These women have the ability to change the world, one bold step at a time. It is through their strength and determination that they can pave the way for a more just and equal society. So let us celebrate the just past witch women in our lives, those who inspire us, challenge us, and remind us of the power that lies within. May we all find the courage to embrace our inner witch woman and use it to create a better world for ourselves and future generations..
Reviews for "The Witchcraft of the Just Past Witch Woman"
1. John - 2 stars - I must say I was quite disappointed with "Just past witch woman". The plot seemed promising, but it quickly became predictable and cliché. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with them. Additionally, the writing style was tedious and lacked finesse. Overall, I found this book to be a lackluster read that failed to captivate me.
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3. Sarah - 2 stars - I really wanted to like "Just past witch woman", but it fell flat for me. The writing was overly descriptive to the point of being tedious, and it lacked the necessary balance of dialogue and action. The characters were unrelatable and lacked depth, making it difficult to invest in their stories. The plot was predictable, and I found myself losing interest as the story unfolded. Overall, this book did not meet my expectations and left me feeling unsatisfied.
4. Michael - 1 star - "Just past witch woman" was a complete letdown. The premise had promise, but the execution was poor. The writing was amateurish, filled with grammatical errors and awkward sentence structures. The plot was nonsensical, jumping from one random event to another without any coherence. The characters were uninteresting and lacked any significant development. I struggled to finish this book, and I would not recommend it to anyone seeking a well-written and engaging story.
5. Jennifer - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Just past witch woman", but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The pacing was slow, and the plot lacked clear direction. The author seemed to rely heavily on clichés and predictable plot twists, which made the story feel unoriginal. Additionally, the characters were underdeveloped and unconvincing, making it hard to connect with them. While some aspects showed potential, the overall execution left much to be desired.