The Harvest Comes In, The Autumn Ends. The Veil is Thin — Welcome In, Spirit Friends . . .
Happy Allhallowtide and Blessed Samhain!
The Sun’s alignment with 15° Scorpio on November 6 and 7 marks True Samhain — the astrological midpoint between the autumn equinox and the midwinter solstice.
In the cycle of day and night, this time is akin to the sunset of the year. It’s a time of trust, surrender and deep introspection — a time to reflect on the past, embrace the regenerative gifts of the dark feminine, and honor the ancestors.
On the Wheel of the Year this moment corresponds to the Gaelic fire festival of Samhain. As the third and final autumn harvest festival, Samhain celebrates the completion of the agricultural year and the impending descent into winter.
Death looms large in the human psyche as the natural world shrivels and dies before our very eyes. All that was once green and vibrant, now dulls, droops and drops to the earth — ready to be decomposed and reassembled into nutrient-rich humus, to give birth to new life once more. We are once again reminded of our own mortality and of all who have gone before us — making Samhain a fitting time to honor the ancestors — their struggles and victories, their sacrifices and accomplishments, and all the gifts and unfinished business they’ve left to us — their descendants — to embrace and work on in deep reverence and appreciation for those who made our lives possible.
In modern Irish, Samhain (pronounced SAH-win) comes from the name for the month of November (Mí na Samhna) and means summer’s end. It marks the passage into the darkest part of the year and is often considered the Celtic or Witches’ New Year. For the ancestors, darkness proceeded the light: Creation was birthed from the darkness of the Goddess’s womb, day was birthed from the darkness of night, and the new year was birthed from the darkness of winter.
The modern celebration of Halloween was likewise birthed from the ancient festival of Samhain. The vigil of Oíche Shamhna or Samhain Eve began the evening before November’s start, on October 31. And later All Hallows’ Eve absorbed many of Samhain Eve’s customs and traditions before spreading throughout the world as the abbreviated Hallowe’en.
During this twilight zone or bewitching hour of the year, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead was considered thin. Gourds and pumpkins were hollowed out and set with candles to light the way for the souls of one’s visiting familiars. A chair was set by the hearthside to welcome them in, food and drink was offered to give them strength for their return journey, and costumes were worn by the living to disguise one’s self from aos sí (pronounced ees shee), the mischievous folk of the fairy mounds who might otherwise spirit you away to the otherworld.
Soul, a soul, a soul cake,
Please good missus, a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, or a cherry —
Any good thing to make us all merry.
One for Peter, two for Paul,
Three for Him who made us all.
With the arrival of Christianity in Celtic Isles, Samhain’s customs were absorbed by the celebration of All Saints' Day or Hallowmas on November 1 and became a day to honor the saints of heaven — a celebration of all the faithful departed who enjoyed the happy pleasure of abiding in God's presence.
All Souls' Day was instituted the following day, November 2, as a solemn commemoration for the dearly departed who may still be undergoing purification before entering heaven — as a day to pray for all the lost souls still in the grips of purgatory.
With the addition of All Souls’ Day, the tradition of souling was added to the season’s festivities.
Poor soulers went door-to-door among the homes of the wealthy, performing songs and rhymes and offering to pray for the departed ancestors of the household in exchange for a charitable donation of money, food or drink. Over time soul cakes became the traditional offering — eventually giving way to trick-or-treating and the excessive sales of commercial candy we see today.
Come at the witching hour of eight and let the fairies read your fate. Reveal to none this secret plot, or woe — not luck — will be your lot!
The Victorian era saw a fresh revival of All Hallows’ Eve customs and rituals as evidenced by the popularity of elaborate Halloween parties. The gatherings were an occasion for costumes, games, divination, fortunetelling, ghost stories, indulgence and general merrymaking & mischief.
Cast an intention with all your might. The winds of change blow strong tonight . . .
Intentional Ways to Celebrate Samhain Season and Deepen Your Connection to the Natural World:
- Dedicate an Altar or Nature Table to Your Ancestors, Collect & Display Their Photos & Keepsakes
- Pull Out Old Photo Albums or Visit an Ancestry Site to Learn Family Stories of Your Ancestors
- Visit the Graves of Your Dearly Departed
- Carve & Light Jack-O’-Lanterns to Invite the Spirits of the Ancestors to Visit and Place a Chair by the Fireside to Welcome Them In
- Serve an Extra Plate of Food at the Dinner Table and Eat Your Evening Meal (or Dumb Supper) in Silence, in Honor of the Dead
- Take a Nature Walk in Silence and Reflect on the Cycles of Life & Death; Journal on Your Insights
- Divine an Oracle or Tarot Card Spread for Guidance as You Enter the Darkest Time of the Year
- Offer Outlived Habits & Patterns to the Transformative Powers of the Compost Heap for Humification
- Sweep Out Your Home and Replace Your Broom to Ensure No Bad Luck Follows You into the New Year
- Make and Enjoy Soulcakes
- Host a Halloween Party and Make Merry with Friends & Family
- Listen to Our Ancestors Playlist & Our Samhain • All Hallows’ Eve Playlist to Take Advantage of Music Medicine
We cannot protect something we do not love, we cannot love what we do not know, and we cannot know what we do not see, or hear, or sense. — Richard Louv
As we remember and appreciate the ways of the ancestors, we honor them. And by reimagining their customs and traditions — in ways that are meaningful and relevant to us today — we re-enchant the world for our children and our children’s children . . . for we are the ancestors of our great-granddaughters and sons.
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YOUR TURN
Tell Us: How do you intend to celebrate Samhain season? What unfinished business have the ancestors left to you? What are you offering up to the compost heap?
