Samhain

The Eve of November 1 has been called - All Hollow's Eve, All Saint's Day, Samhain, Halloween. Samhain is pronounced as 'sow-in' (in Ireland), or 'sow-een' (in Wales), or 'sav-en' (in Scotland), or 'sam-hane' (in the U.S.). Samhain means 'summer's end' in Celtic, this is the "dark" twin of Beltaine. Samhain celebrates the return to the womb. This is a time of inward preparation for rebirth, the time the great Mother goddess become the Queen of the Dark Underworld, she becomes the midwife of rebirth.

The other date use for this sabbat is 15 Degrees Scorpio or about Nov. 6 (Martinmas or Old Hallows) This would be the astrological "correct" time. This is a "power" point in astrology. Scorpio governs Death and Rebirth - Transformation at all levels. This is death/transformation with the purpose of rebuilding in May or Taurus, the sign of the builder.

This is usually thought to be the greatest of the High Sabbats often called "the Great Sabbat". Most People I know always try to attend this sabbat if none other. Why? Because this is the time of the death of the old year and the beginning of the new year, it is a celebration of our Ancestors and Honored Dead. Therefore we ask for all we wish for the coming year. We also, if we are wise, are careful about the asking - "be careful what you ask for, you just might get it" and "You maybe not get what you want, but you will get what you need". These two saying cover all the requests made at Samhain.

This is the most powerful point to look into the future. For the belief is that on this night all walls between "here" and "There" are down and we can pass more freely back and forth. This is the time to go inward and speak to those ancestors and guides and let them advise us on path for the next year.

The most magical night of the year. Exactly opposite Beltane on the wheel of the year, Halloween is Beltane's dark twin. Several other religions/traditions celebrate this time for honoring the ancestors or dead. or they do it at Beltaine. The Mexican "Day of the Dead" is on May 5. This the most serious of the Great Sabbats. It is celebration of Death and rebirth, time to honor our ancestors and the dead. The time to set the pattern for the new year to come. This is the time we work with the positive aspects of the dark tides. This is the time of Chaos when all is upside down and inside out.

The God of this time is Manannan or Mercury. He was a shape changer and somewhat of a trickster. He is the Guardian to the island of the dead or Annwn. It was located on the Isle of Man or St. Davids Head in Wales or the Western most isle of Iona for the Scots or the Western most shore of Munster in Erie. West seems to be the most common direction for the ancient peoples for the dead to travel. Several Native American tribes believe that you must be buried facing west so you can find the path to the "happy hunting grounds" and be with your tribal ancestors.

The night of glowing jack-o-lanterns, bobbing for apples, tricks or treats, and dressing in costume. A night of ghost stories and seances, tarot card readings and scrying with mirrors. A night of power, when the veil that separates our world from the Otherworld is at its thinnest. A 'spirit night', as they say in Wales.

The traditions of this night are interesting, the Jack O' Lanterns were carried by people who had to travel the road on this night and were meant to protect the traveler from the charms of the Fairy folk and if placed in the doorway of a house it protected the house on this night and all within. They were originally made out of gourds not pumpkins. Bobbing for Apples - you are blindfolded and your hands are tried behind you, If Apples are the "sacred" fruit of the Underworld and a Cauldron is used for the apples..Gee doesn't that sound something like an initiation ceremony? I wonder if you got an apple if you were especially blessed by the Goddess in the coming year. A time of song and the retelling of the Great deeds of your ancestors and the Gods.

According to the Celts ancient two-fold division of the year, when summer ran from Beltane to Samhain and winter ran from Samhain to Beltane. (Some modern Covens echo this structure by letting the High Priest 'rule' the Coven beginning on Samhain, with rulership returned to the High Priestess at Beltane.) According to the later four-fold division of the year, Samhain is seen as 'autumn's end' and the beginning of winter. This reflects the Celts/druids beliefs in balance, that all things are connected and that you must have a ebb and flow of the tides. And that it is to be honored and Life celebrated even in dead. That our connections run through the past to our ancestors and forward through our children.

A word of warning about this ritual, if you have unresolved problems or are still in a deep feeling of grief with a dead person, this is not something you should do alone. There are strong emotions that can be brought out in this ritual. But this can also be a way to say goodbye and know that death is just a doorway to another room, where we will join them in due time. Please use a bit of wisdom in the use of it. I have found comfort in this ritual over the years and hope it will bring you the same. Blessed be!

This is a Long ritual, mainly the preparation time, so if you can do not be disturbed during the time. This ritual is to ask advice from your ancestors and guides.

You will need - dinner, pictures of your ancestors, dead friends and something to symbolize your guides and totems, two candles(black, white or one of each) for you ancestor altar and you normal altar set up. Samhain or divinatory incense. Also you will need Paper and pen to write down what you are told.

And most importantly a way of making a small "fire". A incense burner and a charcoal block will do for inside. do not mix it with you regular incense burner, this need to be a different one and put it on the Ancestor Altar.

Time "dinner" for about sundown. Fix dinner for yourself and at least one other. Make portions small for the dead eat lite, you do also. I would recommend things that do not smell bad when burned for you will be burning some of the "food" for the spirits. Also the "food" used during this ritual cannot be saved it must be eaten or discarded that night after the ritual. Dinner need to be a real dinner with food and drink, just as if they were alive. Don't slack, but a 7 course meal is excessive.

Before dinner is ready, place the pictures of your dead friends and relatives and set up a small altar area where you can see it while eating in the West if you can. Also set chairs and "places" for everyone you wish to commutate with - this would include your guides, totems, whatever.

Before you start dinner, meditate and invite those who you wish to speak to come and have dinner with you. Cast your circle of protection around you whole house or your property if outdoors, for the walls separating the world is down. This is to keep "unwelcome" spirits out and is more of a filter than a rit

ual "circle".

All this should be done as silently as possible. For there is no sounds as we know it in their world.

Start your dinner and think of them arriving one by one, two by two. Mentally welcome them and rejoice in their coming. Eat your dinner in silent, enjoying the "feel" of your company. When you are finish put a bit of the food to the side for the ritual and give the rest to nature..your dogs and cats or out in the back 40 for the animals or bury it. Yes you can put it in the garbage can, but see if you can do the others first. This just applies to the food on the table. after the ritual you may eat the rest and then put any leftover out. Plan you dinner accordingly, so you don't waste alot of food.

Now Cast your circle around the two altars and then prepare to deeply meditate on your ancestors, friends and guides, Think of them one at a time and ask them questions and then write what you feel, write it down! even if it seems silly. Don't think about it, you will do that later, just write what feels right.

When you are done, take the "food" and sprinkle a bit on the fire.

Say: Let us share a meal again with those who were our friends. Let us share some laughter also with those we would revere.

(put piece of cake and sprinkle mead on fire)

To spirits all, we share our food, the essence we release, for spirits are as smoke to us, and so is too, their feast. (do this for each spirit you spoke to)

When you are though, Thank the spirits for coming and let them know that it is time to go.

Now bring out your Tarot cards, crystal balls or divinatory stuff and start asking about the future, what is in store for the next year? Write down the questions and answers and make sure you put the date on the paper! I have 5 different pages that say thing like "Hollows reading" and I don't know which year I did it..but I can sorta tell from the answers what year it was.

Do your readings and then Close Circle.

Bright Blessings follow you into the New Year!