Samhain

Samhain is the most important of all the sabbats because it is the start of the Witches' New Year. It is also the most misunderstood and feared sabbat. At this time of year, the veil between the two worlds is very thin. The altar is decorated with fall leaves, apples, pomegranates, pumpkin, and squash. Usually the third and final harvest is completed by October 30, and many people stockpile food in preparation for the upcoming winter months.




A way to banish negativity at Samhain is by bowl burning. In this ritual, you can write down on a piece of paper that aspect of your life from which you wish to be freed. Place the paper into a bowl and light it on fire. Then ask the Universe to transform this energy from a negative one into a more positive one, thanking the Divine Source ahead of time.



Other traditions include making a besom, leaving a plate of food outside for the souls of the dead, making masks, wassailing, and the two-thousand year-old-tradition of creating jack-o'-lanterns to frighten away evil spirits. Most importantly, fellow Pagans remember with peace and love tho who have crossed over to the other side.



Herbs and flowers associated with Samhain include acorn, chrysanthemum, deadly nightshade, dittany, ferns, flax, fumitory, hazel, heather, mullein, oak leaves, pumpkin, sage, straw, thistle, and wormwood.



Traditional foods of Samhain include pumpkin pie, apples, cakes for the dead, cranberry muffins and bread, pears, pork, red foods, beans, pomegranates, all grains, beets, turnips, corn, gingerbread, mulled wine, meat dishes, hazelnuts, ale, cider, and herbal teas.

by Jamie Wood and Tara Seefeldt

Spiritual Path Reaffirmation

During the Witches' New Year, or Samhain, take time to stop and evaluate your faith and beliefs.

Make a sacred ritual or retreat out of this evaluation.

Light white candles and burn sandalwood, myrrh, or frankincense.

Brew a cup of herbal tea.

Sit down and ask the God and Goddess to guide you on your path.

Write down your beliefs in a journal or your Book of Shadows. Some questions you can meditate on are: What is life? How do I view theuniverse? Why am I here? What affirms my spirituality and what lessens it?How can I bring spirituality into my everyday life? After writing, you can create a statement of faith based on your answers to the questions. Recite what you write by candlelight for the universe to hear. Rediscover and rededicate yourself to your spirituality.

I cannot tell you how much I need this ritual this year. My energy feels scattered, my mind is frazzled and my body in disarray and much need of self-care. I did not do any rituals for Samhain last year and I have regretted ever since, so this year I am sure, that at the least, I am doing this one.

Happy Halloween and Samhain to you, my Blessed readers.

Samhain Spell for Luck

Samhain Spell for Luck

by Rowan

Items Needed:

A mini pumpkin

1 Tea Light Candle

Knife and spoon to cut top of pumpkin and get seeds out with.

Herbs -- Nutmeg, Rose, Bay and Mint

First, take the herbs and mix them. Don't forget to visualize them being energized with good energy while mixing. Also infuse them with 'luck' energy - think about luck in general.Then set up your altar, cast the circle, call quarters, etc.

If you can do this spell outside then that would be better.

First stand in front of your altar and do a short meditation on the season and all the lucky situations you have been in the past year. See the changing leaves falling from the trees. Smell the scents of apples and cider and feel the coolness of the air. Just take a few minutes and 'feel' the season - attune with nature. Be thankful for everything you have been given in the past year and think about all the luck you were blessed with in the past.

Then take the small pumpkin and cut the top off and scoop out the insides. Take a tea light candle and place it inside the pumpkin. Hold your hands around the pumpkin and say something like:

"Great Mother, Wise Crone.

She who dwells in the shadows this day

while the veil between this world and the next is the thinnest.

Great Mother of things foretold, grant me luck this coming year.

As the autumn leaves fall to the earth, so does lucky energy fall into me.

So Mote it Be!"

While doing this, envision white light going into the pumpkin and candle. See too, positive, lucky energy radiating from your hands. Then light the candle, then take the herbs and sprinkle them clockwise (deosil) around the pumpkin.

Say something like :

"In the name of the Great Crone, this spell is done! So mote it be!"

After the candle is done burning, take the pumpkin and bury it outside somewhere.

Samhain suggestions

Samhain Incense Recipe
3 Parts Frankincense

2 parts Myrrh

1 Part Rosemary

1 Part Cedar1

Part Juniper
Crush all ingredients together until ground to a fine paste, tis best to use a Mortar and Pestle for this if you have one available. Burn upon lit charcoal blocks within a fire proof container.

Suggested Altar Decorations
Seasonal items should decorate the Altar, as is usual. Grains, turnips, pumpkins and dried flowers are appropriate (being the Final Harvest Festival). Some extras that you may also wish to consider are things like apples, tarot cards, runes, hazel nuts, divination wands and a plate of food to be left outside for the wandering spirits. A yellow candle with a sun painted on it is a worthy representation of the dying God. The Altar cloth is black, the Altar candles should be red and black.

Suggested Ritual
Cleanse yourself and your space in your normal manner. Invoking both the God and the Goddess. Once this is done, light the God candle.

Say: "On this night when the dead once more walk freely among the living, we pass into darkness and do so willingly, for we know that it is simply the turning of the wheel. We give thanks to the God and the Goddess for the bounty that They have provided us over the summer. On this night , the Lord of the Hunt, the Lord of the Sun passes away from us. We realize, however, that it is simply the cycle of life, and we wait for that time when the Sun will once more be born of the moon.

As this candle represents the Lord of the Sun, so does it's blowing out represent the passing of the Lord of the Sun." Having said this, extinguish the God candle.

This candle is not to be lit again until Yule. Now is the time to invoke the crone aspect of the Goddess by saying: "Goddess of the stars and of the waning moon, Goddess of magic and wisdom, whisper in my ear whatever you may and trust that the knowledge will be wisely used. Lend your power to my spells and rituals and trust that they will result in no harm to any of your creatures, great or small."

Now is the time for any magick or seasonal activities which you had planned to perform this evening, and things such as drumming and chanting, carving apples or pumpkins, divination (with the Tarot, runes, wands, hazelnuts, or a pendulum) or Scrying in fire, smoke or water are all popular on this Sabbat. After any Magick is finished, then celebrate with Cakes and Ale, before banishing the sacred circle.

Take the offering dish outside, and bury the offerings in the earth.

Remember to leave a plate of food outside for wandering spirits!

PS - I also leave a little sweet cream and a sweet treat for the Fairies.

Samhain Chant

Fire red, summer's dead

Yet it shall return.

Clear and bright, in the night,

Burn, fire, burn!



Chorus:Dance the ring, luck to bring,

When the year's a-turning.

Chant the rhyme at Hallows-time,

When the fire's burning.



Fire glow, vision show

Of the heart's desire,

When the spell's chanted well

Of the witching fire.



Chorus:Dance the ring, luck to bring,

When the year's a-turning.

Chant the rhyme at Hallows-time,

When the fire's burning.



Fire spark, when nights are dark

Makes our winter's mirth.

Red leaves fall, earth takes all,

Brings them to rebirth.



Chorus:Dance the ring, luck to bring,

When the year's a-turning.

Chant the rhyme at Hallows-time,

When the fire's burning.



Fire fair, earth and air,

And the heaven's rain,

All blessed be, and so may we,

at Hallows-tide again.



Chorus:Dance the ring, luck to bring,

When the year's a-turning.

Chant the rhyme at Hallows-time,

When the fire's burning.



By Doreen Valiente

Samhain

Samhain - October 31st

Alternate Names:Samhain, Halloween, Hallowe'en, Celtic 'Feast of the Dead'

Druidic Name:Samhuin

Christian Equivalent:All Saints' Day, Allhallows, Hallowmas, Allhallowmas

Place in the Natural Cycle:Samhain (pronounced 'Sow-en') is the cross-quarter festival that marks the start of the winter quarter of the year and the end of the autumn quarter. By Samhain, threadbare trees and colder nights make it clear that winter is near.

Further Details Samhain is the time of the third and final harvest when, in earlier days, cattle were brought in from summer pastures. Excess livestock was slaughtered and the meat smoked or salted for winter.

Samhain is a time for divination and honouring the dead, for the veil that divides the mundane and subtle realms is considered to be particularly insubstantial on this day.

To the Celts, this was the Feast of the Dead and the Night of the Wild Hunt. Samhain marked the Celtic New Year and was the most important of the festivals. As with other festivals, Samhain is not constrained bythe artificial midnight to midnight divisions of modern conception, and it is usually considered as starting at sundown on October 31st and ending at sundown on November 1st. Thus much of the celebration of Samhain does occur at the most appropriate time: Halloween.

The Christian tradition treats Samhain as a Festival of the Dead too, with the souls of departed saints remembered on 1st November (AllSaints' Day), and those of the non-canonized dead the following day (All Souls' Day). The Church established All Saints' Day in the seventh century when the Pantheon in Rome was consecrated as the Church of the Blessed Virgin and All Martyrs, recasting both the Festival of the Deadand the Temple to All Gods in terms of Christian theology.

Samhain is a time to look back to the past and forward to the future. Iti s beneficial to reflect on those you have known and the experiences you have shared, as well as to take the time to view the possibilities ahead of you. Samhain is a profound time of the year, offering the opportunity of understanding.

Ritual Preparations

Since spirits and faeries run free today, you may wish to take extra precautions in protecting your home and sacred space. Clean the floors with basil-steeped water to wash away any negativity from the old year. Hang gorse near your windows or doorway, and cast white beans around the circle to banish both ghosts and bad luck. Gather pictures of, or memorabilia from, people in your life who have passed over, and put these in the sacred space at the western point. For the three other points you will need a knife or scissors, a candle, and a symbol of transformation. Carve a pair of back and white candles to represent what you want to release and gather for the new year, respectively. Also find a crystal to use for scrying, (quartz and obsidian are two good choices), have self-lighting charcoal for the brazier (or cauldron), and write messages on pieces of paper for your loved ones who have passed over (one piece of paper for each individual you wish to contact).The Altar Cover the altar in a black or orange cloth. Decorate it with traditional Halloween touches, such as an iron cauldron, bats, owls, brooms, andskeletons. Add a pomegranate to represent the cycle ofl ife-death-rebirth at one side of the brazier; place your messages tol oved ones on the other. Put the black and white candles at opposite sides of the table's surface.

Invocation

Begin the ritual when it is totally dark outside. This invocation begins with a prayer that opens the way for the spirits of beloved friends and ancestors to join you:"Lady and Lord, pull aside the veil; the edge of time where all thingsbegin and end. open a gateway to my loved ones that they may join me inthis rite."

Cast the circle starting in the West, the region where several cultures believe afterlife abides. West ~ "I, ______come into the circle of Water, a circle of might, tosing of my family on this holy night." Place a familial token on thewestern point to welcome those spirits."

North ~ "I come to the circle of Earth, the circle of peace, sowandering spirits may be released. Place a knife or pair of scissors here to symbolize the freeing of ties." (Some spirits linger in the Earth plane because they feel compelled to watch over loved ones.)

East ~ "I come into the circle of Air, a circle of change. Let the old be transformed, by spirit rearranged. Leave an emblem here of what you plan to transform in the ritual using the black and white candles."

South ~ "I come into the circle of Fire, a circle of song, as the lightgrows shorter, and night grows long. Extinguish a candle at this pointof the circle to represent the season's darkness."

Center ~ "I come into the circle of the Ancients, a circle of light, and welcome familial spirits, this All Souls' Night."Light a central candle, any colour you choose, to represent the Spirit'spresence.

Meditation and Visualization

Hallows is a time for remembering, and for journeying into our own subconscious. This sojourn unlocks the keys for integrating our past,and handling the present more effectively.For this meditation, sit with the crystal you have chosen and close your eyes. Think of one person, now deceased, whom you would trust as aguide, and ask silently for his or her guidance. Breathe deeply and slowly. Feel the energy of the crystal in your hand.For now, let it sit idly here, lending its insightful power to the mediation process. If it helps, lie on the floor with the crystal resting on your Third Eye while you meditate. Envision all those friends and family members who have passed over in a circle around you, linking hands. Let their love become a magic sphere that holds you in this place between worlds. As you feel this protective, caring energy grow, the crystal will begin to get warm. When this happens, open your eyes and take the crystal in hand. Think now of one question that has been nagging you. Direct that question into the crystal. Look at the surface of the stone, and let your gaze become naturally blurry. Watch for images to appear. You may see literal portraits, symbols, or clouds in response to your question. Portraits and symbols have to be interpreted by you. Generally bright or white clouds in moving up or to the right are good omens, while those appearing dark, or moving down and to the left are negative portents.

After you receive your answer, whisper your thanks to the spirits who watched over you, and to the stone. Make notes of the experience you hadin your ritual journal.

The Ritual

Stand before your altar, saying:"I welcome the Old Ones, I offer hospitality to kindly guiding spirits in this sacred space. Those of you who chose to join me here, I beg aboon. Into these fires I place message for people close to my heart."Place the pieces of paper on which you've written your messages todeparted loved ones into the cauldron of fire."Impart these words gently to ______(fill in with the names of those youwish to contact). Carry the smoke of love and memories with you into thenext world when you return."This is a good point in the ritual to look over old scrap books andrevel in positive memories. Allow tears to flow freely, along withlaughter as part of the circle of life.

Next, light the black candle saying,"Death is a part of life. Today_____ (fill in whatever you've chosen torelease) dies within me. This is not a loss, but a liberating changethat I welcome and accept."If possible, dance the circle counterclockwise at this point to releasenegativity. Keep moving until you feel finished casting the shadows froyour life.

Light the white candle, saying,"From death to the old ways comes life anew. I light the candle of _____(fill in with a characteristic you hope to gain) that it may always shine in my heart." Dance, or walk, the circle clockwise to drawpositive energy, and bring light to the darkness.

Other Activities

If you can take a trip to the graves of family or friends later, it'straditional to leave soul cakes there as an offering to the spirits of the departed. At home, leave out sweet cream for the Fey so they don't cause mischief.

Some people hold a séance tonight, or attempt other forms of divination such as pendulum work. If you hold a séance, please make sure that an experienced medium controls the attempt. There are many spirits wandering Earth, and you don't want to accidentally reach the wrong one!Pendulum divination is actually fairly easy to try. You'll need a lengtho f cotton or wool string that's as long as your elbow-to-fingertip measurement, plus a little extra. Thread the needle, wedding band, or other evenly weighted object onto this. Put the elbow of your stronghand on the table, with the pendulum hanging down from between yourpointer finger and thumb. Steady the pendulum, then think of a yes or noquestion. Clockwise or up-and-down movement is a positive answer, counterclockwise or left-and-right movement indicates a negative answer.

Closing the Circle

Put away the tokens you've placed at each quarter point as you recitethis dismissal. Note that the progression of the closing gives the attending spirits time to leave before the veil is closed again.

South"I release the circle of song,the circle of Fire.The way is opened by a cleansing pyre."

East"I release the circle of change,the circle of Air.The way is new, but the magick is there."

North"I release the circle of peace,the circle of Earth. The way is fertile for spirits rebirth."

West"I release the circle of Water,the circle of might.The way is ready; spirits take flight!"

Center"I release the circle of the Ancients,the circle of light.The way is closed, this holy night."

Closing prayer (optional)Lady and Lord, I have released, sown, and reaped...now it is time torest. Bring peace to my spirit, to all those souls here gathered, and tothis place until we meet here again. So mote it be.

Post Ritual Foods

Traditionally, animals enjoy the food first today, in thankfulness for the gift of sustenance many of them offer. After that, try cultural foods favourite edibles of the departed people honoured in your ritual.Don't let the leftover pumpkin go to waste either; make pie or bread as a protective food. Also consider dark foods, such as rye or pumpernickelbread. Pork and apples are both customary foods for the dead, and beans are also a good choice -they grow counterclockwise!

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