Golden in the light of late summer’s sun, Lammas marks the first harvest of the season, and the waxing transition of an abundant summer into a fruitful fall. Falling about halfway between the midsummer solstice (Litha) and the autumnal equinox (Mabon), Lammas is celebrated annually on August 1.
Also known as Lughnasadh or Lughnasa, this pagan holiday is derived from the ancient Celtic festival celebrating the god Lugh and his late foster mother Tailtiu, a goddess indigenous to Ireland and instrumental to their harvest.
In time, as Irish pagans were gradually christianized, Lughnasadh came to be equated with Lammas, from the old English hlāfmæsse, or loaf mass. The grain harvest from this period dictates the success of farmers’ crops to sustain their communities throughout the winter, and the first loaves of bread from the harvest are consecrated.
Our Lammas signature scent, heady and rich with essential oils, is made expressly to capture the fleeting sensations of this ethereal, sun-soaked, late-summer season, and features six of our most beloved botanical scents. How do they suit the season? What makes Lammas stand out? Let’s travel through the palette and learn more about the magical and medicinal qualities of our summer harvest plants.
PLEASE NOTE: This page is not intended to substitute for medical advice of any kind. If you have concerns for your health, please see a doctor, medical professional, or certified herbalist for assistance.
Sandalwood for Tranquility
Intimately sweet and warm, Sandalwood opens our Lammas palette with its relaxingly deep scent. Its woodsy character is uniquely creamy and smooth, effusing tension-melting calm into the space it fills. Unsurprisingly, Sandalwood can be used to treat anxiety and to manage its symptoms. It is also anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, can support wound healing, and can protect against skin cancer.
Native to Southeast Asia with varieties growing in Australia and Hawai’i, Sandalwood is an increasingly vulnerable plant. In colossally high demand, Sandalwood faces overharvesting to an extreme degree, and is additionally threatened by habitat loss related to agriculture and climate change.
Sandalwood is sacred to many religious systems, used for worship and ceremonies beginning with Hinduism in the East and spreading all the way to ceremonial magic and the new age. Use for meditation, consecration workings, wishes, and peace.
Rose for Splendor
Classically known as the Queen of Flowers, the Rose smells of sweet winds flushed with morning dew. This widely heralded plant has been around for at least 35 million years, and humans have had plenty of time to learn from its gentle, fortifying medicine.
Rose can be used to reduce stress, treat anxiety, and provide relief to symptoms from depression. It is antibacterial and antifungal and is a treasured ingredient in remedies for skin health (you’ll find rosewater in our plant-based Veritum Facial Toner). Rose can support menstruation by relieving pain and cramping. It can also be used to inspirit sexuality.
Elegant, refreshing, and rich, Rose is a wash of heart-centering magic. Use in workings for self-love, romance, sensuality, passion, health, divination, and protection.
Frankincense for Gratitude
An ancient cleansing resin collected from Boswellia trees, Frankincense smells like citrus tea and dew-soaked wood growing warm with summer sun. Frankincense has been used in many parts of the world for thousands of years. It is both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, and has been used to clear respiratory passageways, stabilize gut health, and improve oral hygiene.
Frankincense brightens our Lammas palette with centuries of stories to share. Use in magic for cleansing, purifying, and protection rituals, presence and meditation, and ancestral communion.
Benzoin for Prosperity
Derived from Styrax trees, Benzoin resin smells like sweet almonds and vanilla, and plumes a scent as warm as amber when it burns. This sweet, rich, earthy oil is antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial, and can be used to promote skin health as a disinfectant and moisturizer. Benzoin is another plant supporting respiratory health. It is also used to soothe turbulent emotions and can be applied topically to ease digestive discomfort.
As a magical disinfectant, Benzoin is a common ingredient in energy cleansing rituals. Use to warm your heart and hearth in workings for prosperity, grounding, meditation, and emotional upliftment.
Bergamot for Longevity
Citrusy, floral, and juicy, Bergamot blossoms sweeten Lammas with their morning sunshine breath, boding the blessings of their nearly ripened fruits. This Italian native plant is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial! It can be used to relieve stress and anxiety, boost mental health, lower cholesterol, assist in weight loss, and reduce pain.
A harvest of summer’s sun to last through the long winter months ahead, Bergamot is spiced with hope and renewal. Use in workings for health, longevity, prosperity, dreams, and joy.
Rosemary for Strength
Photo by Babette Landmesser on Unsplash
Named in Latin as the dew of the sea, Rosemary’s herbal medicine is sharp, spiced, and cleansing. Native to the Mediterranean, this herbaceous evergreen’s aromatic leaves had myriad uses in Ancient Greece and Rome, particularly to strengthen memory and heighten mental sharpness. It can be used to relieve stress, treat mental strain and fatigue, improve circulation of blood, and stimulate hair growth–which is why you’ll also find it in our Herb & Rose shampoo bar!
Rosemary grows in full sunlight, where it absorbs solar energy with its entire body, lending that energy in turn to our sun-rich Lammas blend of plant medicines. Use for warding and protection magic, energy clearing rituals, and to invigorate the body, mind, and soul.
