Good morning my Witchy Ones! Next Monday is Samhain and I wanted to share with you a little bit of info about this very popular Pagan holiday. Most of you know it as Halloween or All Hallows Eve. In Wicca it is celebrated as Samhain (pronounced Sow-in) and it is a day to honor the dead and marks the end of the Harvest season and it has also been called the Celtic New Year.It is believed that on this day the veil between the worlds, that of the living and that of the dead, is thinnest. It is a time that allows us to communicate with, and remember, our departed ones.
A lot of divination is done at this time, as it is easier to connect with otherworld energies and guides. There are so many great ways to celebrate Samhain and this is a perfect time to create an ancestor altar. An ancestor altar is a space where you can keep mementos and pictures of your family members that have passed on. It is a beautiful way to honor their memory.
Another way to honor your ancestors is to have a dumb supper. A Dumb Supper is the act of preparing a special meal in honor of your deceased loved ones, to make it even more special you can include their favorite foods. You set a place for your loved one and you can spend the rest of the dinner in quiet contemplation or you can listen to songs and music that were special to them.You can also put a candle in your window or on your door step (in a jack-o-lantern!) as an invitation to join you!
This would be a great time to ask your ancestors to guide and watch over you in the coming months. There is no wrong way to honor your ancestors, as long as it feels good and right to you.
This is also a wonderful time to do research or connect with Crone Goddesses and Gods associated with death. You could meditate on Hecate, Persephone as Queen of the Underworld, Morrigan, Anubis, Cerridwen, Osiris, and others.
Activities you can do to celebrate are of course carving (or painting) a pumpkin. That part is my favorite! You can also make candied apples, bake pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, You can dress up in masks and costumes, and of course trick-or-treat!
If you are into doing spells this is the time to do past life work, banish the negative from your life, get over bad habits, and protection.
As the days grow longer
And darkness falls
The fields are bare
The Croned One calls
Through darkened hallows,
where loved ones lie
It's time to honor
those that died
Seasons change
Always turning
To honor them
Our candles burning
If you are looking for more comprehensive information on Samhain the Majickal Journey has a great post listing all sorts of correspondences.
Have a wonderful Samhain!
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