Halloween, or Samhain, is the one night during the year when the veil between the seen and the unseen, between this plane of existence and the next is thinnest. Although it could be just as thin at Beltane (May Day), after sunset on Halloween is the time when it’s easiest to pass through that veil to the magick of the otherside.
This night is a time of change, moving from one season to the next, of moving from one cycle of our life to another. It’s a signal to us that the times ahead should be focused on inner work, spiritual – not necessarily religious – work; it’s the time between the ending of things and their beautiful rebirth in a different and better form come spring.
Our ancestors knew this. What got them through this time of in-between was the connection to their ancestors and the wisdom they gained from listening to the advice and information they received. They had no idea if it would be an unusually brutal winter, or if spring would arrive late, both of which could mean danger to their survival. Death wasn’t unexpected and although it wasn’t welcomed, it was respected.
It was believed that on this night – this time that did not belong to this year or the next – the spirits of family members and friends who had died sought the comfort of the Samhain fire where communion with the living could be found. Our ancestors used this time to contact these spirits with the hope of receiving some measure of guidance regarding the approaching winter.
Death is still associated with this night and the winter ahead but these days it’s more a time to remember those who have died and celebrate their lives, to honor the wisdom and gifts they’ve left behind for us.
Halloween is the perfect night for us to do just that. We can call on our ancestors’ voices to give us wisdom, answers and guidance.
- Write a letter to a relative who has passed on telling them how you felt/feel about them, thank them for their contributions while they were alive, or just tell them what’s been going on day to day
- Take a picnic lunch (if the weather permits) to the cemetery and have lunch with your loved one(s)
- For dinner cook the favorite dishes of your ancestors, set an additional place, and fill that plate first. Invite them to join your meal in their honor. Laugh, reminisce and enjoy the meal with them. When dinner is over set their plate outside for the little people and the critters of the night.
- Get out pictures of friends, family members and pets who have died and set them up somewhere. Surround the pictures with candles, vases of flowers, their favorite food and drink, etc. Making sure the flowers aren’t close enough to burn, light the candles in honor of those in the pictures – and those who have gone before them. To make it more intimate or social invite others who knew the dead to come over for drinks or coffee and snacks and sit around the “shrine” and reminisce. Make it enjoyable, a happy occasion not a sad one.
Even if we don’t purposely call on the spirits, we may be gifted with a visit from one of them who has tales to tell and wisdom to share; even a beloved pet who has passed on might show up to remind us of the importance of pure, unconditional love. Pay attention to sounds you hear, things you notice this night that you normally wouldn’t have, gentle breeze-like feelings of touch when no one is around you, and your dreams; you never know who may be sending you a message.
Samhain is the sacred time when life hesitates for just an instant between what was and what will be. This is the night of wondrous awareness that sits just outside time, when we can see the tremendous possibilities of the future. However, because the dark side of life – break-ups, illness, divorce – shapes us just as much as the graduations, marriages and other happy times, Samhain gives us the chance to revisit the lessons of the past and learn from them, a chance to mourn the losses and accept the endings we’ve experienced.
Take advantage of the magick of this unique night to cast extra powerful spells, read the future, and communicate with spirits who have passed on.
Some things you can include in your spell casting tonight are:
Animals to call on: the Stag, elephant, ram, scorpion, heron, crow, robin
Colors: Black, brown, dark blue-green, green, gold, and of course orange
Flowers: Calendula (marigold), chrysanthemums, cosmos
Herbs: Angelica, burdock, catnip, rosemary, sunflower, sage, thyme, wild ginseng, or tarragon (don’t use tarragon if you’re enlisting the aid of Dragons though)
Incense / Oils: Bay, cedar, cinnamon, clove, copal, coriander, cypress, frankincense, heather, myrrh, patchouli, sage, sandalwood, vetiver
Stones / Gems: Amber, beryl, bloodstone, carnelian, garnet, gold, hematite, jasper, jet, obsidian, opal, pyrite, sandstone, smoky quartz, tourmaline, turquoise
Trees: Acacia, apple, cypress, hazel, hemlock, yew
© Thunderwolf October 5, 2007 |
