October 31st marks the third and final harvest of the year and the holiday celebrated is Samhain or All Hallows Eve. Samhain is the celebration of the dead. This Sabbat honors the ancestors —human, spirit, and God — that have crossed over through the veil. The veil is the thinnest on this day so spirits can come through and visit their loved ones. Many celebrate with their dearly departed by leaving plates of food for them and lighting candles to lead them home. Pumpkin carving was carried over by this tradition for lighting a candle and placing it inside a jack o lantern would ward off evil spirits. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals.
The solar god is in his last days of dying as he stands before the threshold of the last Gate of Death and preparing to enter into the womb of Sheol to await his resurrection at the Vernal Equinox. He is revered for his self-sacrifice to nature by his diminishing powers and allowing nature to transition into a new growth cycle. The dying and wilting away of spring and summers productions gave way to new growth. Even though the green has browned and trickled away from plants and trees the plants continue to thrive and live beneath the earth. It is an analogy of our own selves when we retreat from the cold winter air to spring back out once the weather warms. So just as the goddess is reflected in nature by the seasons of change, she reflects within humanity as well. With this deep reflection during the dying days comes our need to think of loved ones passed ere go the days of the dead to live once more on our earthly plane. The power of thought to the dead by the masses transmutes energy to thin the veil between realms for them to roam and visit loved ones.
Though some think Halloween is a modern tradition celebrated on this day, the tradition of Halloween goes back to the Celtic traditions of Samhain. Folklore shows that on this day, during the thinnest liminality of the year, spirits enter into the realm of the living, both benevolent and malevolent. In Irish folk stories, fey spirits, renowned for their mischievous antics, would play tricks on the living. To avoid being tricked, people would dress up as monsters or other creatures. Jack-o-lanterns with a bright burning candle were wards for spirits, often made from any type of gourd or even turnips. So, while children run around gathering treats in their costumes, in the lore of the Irish, they are tricking the spirits into thinking they are one of them too and are allowed to pass peacefully through the night.
Interestingly, Samhain hasn’t always fell in October and used to be celebrated on the day that Beltane is now celebrated. This falls in line with the Gates of Life and Death and this is also the date that the Southern Hemisphere celebrates their Autumn. Pagans celebrated Samhain as a celebration of life as opposed to mourning of death. This is seen with the Day of the Dead celebrations that take place on November 1st. So drink merrily and offer some to your ancestors. Eat heartily and offer some to your ancestors. Remember with your heart and offer it to you ancestors. Rejoice in your life as your ancestors do!
Ritual Correspondences
Altar cloths: Black, Orange, Dark Purple
Candles: white, black, orange
Herbs: honeysuckle, lavender, mint, roses, feverfew Mullein, Coltsfoot, Damiana, Dragon’s Blood, Myrrh, Patchouli, Clove and Sage
Icon of the year: Jack-o-Lanterns Besom, Masks, Cauldron, Balefire
Stones: amber, jet,
Observances: going through the veil, honoring ancestors, discarding
unwanted memories and bad habits
Decorations: pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, rust and purple mums, bales of hay
Sabbat Mythos: The Goddess mourns her slain consort and
Journeys to the Afterlife
Sun position: Sun is 15 degrees Scorpio
The Goddess Speaks of Samhain
The Star has arrived at a crossover Where the end of the year is drawn And the beginning of a new year dawns Where the veil of shadows is at its thinnest And the voice of the Star Descends to the underworld Where it shall remain in respite Until the crowning of its majesty Rises and shines through the days of cold Dear Traveler Descend with me as I walk the Star To its resting spot in comfort and peace Where it may regain its vitality It's stamina and manna And take the throne by my side once more When the wheel turns The time is nigh and we have few hours For your soul to own passage Without the fear of it remaining Let Deaths hand of change Walk you through the shadows And offer you protection From the demise the Underworld holds near With change comes new opportunities New life and new dreams Let the day of the New Year Course through your being And remind you of wince you came forth from The creatrix of life And the womb of death Vesseled within my growing garden And sustained by the love Of the Star as its last homage Is paid in rest
Ancestral Prayer
Cosmic Quedem Ancient Quedem May they be blessed for all eternity I bless and praise them I adore and exalt them I honor them and lift their names up In reverence and love I remember them And their blessings Both Cosmic And through lineage I wish you peace As I gain understanding I wish you joy As I gain wisdom I wish you happiness As I gain fulfillment Expunos Shalom