Samhain Magick, Meaning + Rituals

THE PAGAN ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN

In the times of our ancestors, the sacred days celebrated on the Wheel of the Year were honored in tandem with the seasonal changes of the agricultural calendar.  In the ancient Celtic lands, Halloween was known as Samhain (pronounced "Sow-in").  In between the Autumn Equinox + Winter Solstice, Samhain was the final harvest and the day to honor our beloved dead.  Let's explore how many of our modern day Halloween traditions like costumes, trick-or-treating, and jack-o-lanterns evolved from ancient Pagan culture.

At Samhain, our ancestors observed great changes in the land.  The days had become noticeably darker and the lush green landscape had turn brown + barren.  Our ancestors saw this as a liminal time where the veil separating the world of the living and the land of the dead would become thin.  They believed that the spirits walked amongst us at Samhain.  People would dress in costumes + masks to disguise themselves so they could walk amongst the spirits without being vulnerable to the mischief of tricksters.  Faces carved into turnips were placed in windows, at perimeters, and carried during travel as talismans against evil spirits.  These carved turnips eventually evolved into our modern day jack-o-lanterns.  On "Ole Hallows Eve," candles were lit and placed into windows to guide the spirits of their beloved dead home for a friendly visit.  Family members would host a dumb supper; a traditional holiday meal with favorite foods + treats.  A plate would be served + set at the dinner table to venerate the spirits.  As the final holiday in the Wheel of the Year, Samhain was considered to be the New Year.  It was a fire holiday that honored the cycles of life + death as we descended into the dark time of year.  As the Wheel of the Year never ceases to stop turning the light would be reborn at Yule, the Winter Solstice, when the days would begin to get longer.

A Lesson from the Land

If you live in a place with 4 equal seasons like I do, by the time Samhain arrives, most of the leaves have fallen as the trees have sent their energy back down into their roots.  The temperatures have cooled + the nights have become noticeably longer than the days.  It's the time to harvest any last crops, plant spring bulbs, and tuck the garden in for it's winter rest.  The chickens are slowing down on laying eggs.  Instead their energy is spent molting their feathers to grow a fresh coat to withstand freezing temperatures in the months ahead.  The squirrels are busy gathering fallen acorns + the bears are getting ready to hibernate... The plants + animals know now is the time to make their final preparations before the fallow time of year. 

As we look to the land in hopes of learning how to live harmoniously with the seasons, it is easy to see that Autumn is a time of great change across the landscape.  Just as the trees drop their foliage, what is it that you are letting go of in order to better adapt to the winds of change in your own life?  How can you ground yourself?  What would it look like to send your energy back down into your roots?  In what areas of life have you grown a bountiful harvest?  Now is a great time to make any final preparations before winter drives us into our homes + into ourselves for the season.  Harvest what you can + gather what you need to create a comfy time of rest + reflection as winter settles in.  If you hope to find yourself warm by a cozy fire on a snowy day, you'd better make sure you've got your firewood stacked now!

Of course many of us today live in urban environments with modern conveniences so some of this is just food for thought.  Even if you don't have chickens or a fireplace in your apartment, there is still great benefit in taking a lesson from the land metaphorically.  Nature always holds wisdom for us regardless of where we are in the world.  "Preparing for winter" can allow the transition to be a welcomed one.

Crystals for Samhain

Rituals: How to Celebrate Samhain

• Host a dumb supper or an ancestor feast.  Make your beloved dead's favorite food and set a plate for them at the table.  You can include pictures + share stories to honor their memory.  You can grieve if the spirit moves you but this does not have to be a somber activity.  Feel free to share your joy with your late friends + family!  Leave the plate out for the spirits all night and discard in the morning.
• Light a candle for your beloved dead
• Place a picture of your beloved dead on your altar
• Meditate, journey or use your dream time to connect with your ancestors + spirit guides
• Carve a pumpkin
• Dress up in a Halloween costume
• Go trick-or-treating
• Harvest the final crops in your garden
• Have a bonfire
• Wear Labradorite, Black Tourmaline or Moonstone jewelry or place these crystals on your altar
• Make any final preparations for winter