August is the eighth month of the Gregorian and Julian Calendars. It was originally called Sextilis, as it was the sixth month of the Roman Calendar year but the Roman Senate renamed it to honor Caesar Augustus in the year 8 BCE because he had three great triumphs during this month, including his conquest of Egypt and had brought an end to a civil war.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In witchcraft, August is a time of harvest, abundance, and gratitude. As the last full month of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, witches honor the fruits of their labor and the abundance of the earth’s offerings.
August is associated with Lammas or Lughnasadh, a festival celebrating the first harvest and the sacrifice of the god for the continued fertility of the land.
Witches may engage in rituals and ceremonies to give thanks for the harvest, as well as to honor the cycles of life, death, and rebirth.
They may work with herbs, grains, and flowers associated with the harvest season, and may also participate in community gatherings and feasts.
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Magickal Practices in August
August is a month of abundance, harvest, and connection with nature in witchcraft, marked by the festival of Lammas and the first harvest of the year.
It’s a time to give thanks for the blessings of the Earth’s bounty, celebrate the abundance of the harvest, and deepen one’s connection with the cycles of nature.
We often engage in rituals, spells, and meditations that reflect the themes of abundance, harvest, and connection, aligning themselves with the natural rhythms of the Earth and the turning of the wheel of the year.
Practice | Description |
---|---|
Harvest Rituals | Witches often perform rituals to celebrate Lammas, honoring the first harvest of the year and the abundance of the Earth’s bounty. These rituals may include baking bread, making corn dollies, and performing rituals to honor the grain harvest and the cycle of life and death. |
Abundance Spells | August is a time of abundance and prosperity, making it ideal for performing spells to attract abundance and prosperity into one’s life. Witches may work with herbs, crystals, and candles to manifest abundance in various areas of their lives. |
Connection with Nature | Lammas is a time to connect with the Earth and the cycles of nature. Witches may spend time outdoors, communing with the land, and performing rituals to honor the Earth and the harvest deities. This can include making offerings, meditating in nature, and participating in outdoor ceremonies. |
Correspondences and Themes for August
Correspondence | Description |
---|---|
Symbols | Grain, sickle, sunflower, corn dollies |
Colors | Gold, yellow, green, brown |
Herbs and Flowers | Sunflower, calendula, chamomile, grains |
Crystals | Peridot, citrine, amber |
Themes | Abundance, harvest, gratitude, community |
The Moon in August
The full moon in the month of August will occur in either the sign of Pisces if it occurs early in the month, or Aries if it occurs later in the month.
Full Moon Names
- Celtic” Tree Moon – either Holly or Hazel, Celtic – Dispute Moon
- Native American(Various) – Full Sturgeon Moon,
- Green Corn Moon,
- Grain Moon,
- Red Moon,
- Fruit Moon,
- Women’s Moon,
- Colonial American – Dog Day Moon
- Other – Lightening Moon, Thunder Moon, Storm Moon.
The new moon in August will be in the sign of Leo if it occurs early in the month or the sign of Virgo if it occurs later in the month.
Other Calendars
Celtic Tree Calendar, Holly Month, Hazel Month.
The Anglo Saxon Name for August is Weod monath, or Weed Month in reference to the strong growth of all plants during this time.
The Irish name for the month of August is Lúnasa.
Symbols of the Month of August
Folklore for August
The first of August marks the beginning of the harvest season in earnest.
After Lammas Day, corn ripens as much by night as by day.
August Weather Lore
As August, So February
(I assume this references precipitation, I can’t imagine it has anything to do with temperature.)
Observe what day the first heavy fog occurs in August, and expect a hard frost on the same day in October.
If the first week of August is unusually warm, winter will be snowy and long.
If a cold August follows a hot July, It foretells a Winter hard and dry.
For every fog in August, There will be a snowfall in Winter.
Pagan and Heathen Feast Days in August
- Lughnassadh in the Northern Hemisphere Imbolc in the southern Hemisphere, August 1st
- Freyfaxi, August 1st
- Lammas, August 1st
- Feast of Pomona
- Day of Rey Radbod
- Festival of the Dryads
- Vertumnalia
- Nemoralia
- Portunalia
- Vinalia Rustica
- Consualia
- Vulcanalia, August 23rd
- Opiconsivia, August 25th
- Volturnalia, August 27th
- Zasiuki
- Sproshinki
- Eleusinia
Other Notable Days in August
August is a popular time for performing arts festivals:
- The Edinburgh Festival in Scotland has been held in August since 1947
- The Green Man Festival is held in the Black Mountains in Wales
- The Royal National Eisteddfod in Wales is held during the last week of August
And other fun gatherings:
- The Society for Creative Anachronism gather for The Pennsic War in August
- La Tomatina, the world’s largest food fight, takes place in Spain in August
- Burning Man Festival is held the last week of August
- Sacred Harvest Festival