Samhain (pronounced; Sow-in), All Hallows. All Hallow’s Eve. Hallow E’en. Halloween. The most magickal nite of the year, Halloween is beltane’s dark twin. A nite of glowing jack-o-lanterns, bobbing for apples, tricks or treats, and dressing in costume. A nite of ghost stories and séances, tarot card reading and scrying with mirrors. A nite of power, when the veil that separates our world from the otherworld is at its thinnest. A ‘spirit nite’! The celts called it Samhain, which means ‘summer’s end’, according to their two-fold division of the year. When summer ran from Beltane to Samhain and winter ran from Samhain to Beltane. Not only is Samhain the end of Autumn, it is also more importantly, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. Celtic New Year’s Eve, when the New Year begins with the onset of the dark phase of the year, just as the new day begins at sundown. It is one of the four great Sabbats and today is called Halloween, which is derived from All Hallow’s Eve, a name given it by the Christian Church when people refused to stop using this day to honour the ancestors. The crone aspect of the Goddess rules now. This is the time of year for getting rid of weaknesses (in the olde days the cattle least likely to make it through the winter would be cut from herd and slaughtered). Coveners should bring with them into the Circle a small piece of paper (parchment paper) on which they have written down weaknesses or bad habits they would like to lose.
This Holiday is considered the Witches’ New Year, representing one full turn of the seasonal year. This is the last of the three harvest Sabbats, while Halloween is celebrated on October 31st, Samhain is recognized as November 7th (all hallows eve).Celebrations to honour the dead are done at this ritual, along with speaking to those who have passed over; divination is heightened on this nite. It is said that the veil between the worlds is at its weakest. Black candles are lit throughout to ward off negativity.
This is a great time of year to purchase a new Besom.
As a feast of the dead, it was believed the dead could, if they wished, return to the land of the living for this one nite, to celebrate with their family, tribe or clan. Extra plates were set at the table for any who had died that year.
As a feast of divination, this is an excellent nite for peering into the future. The reason for this has to do with Celtic view of time. In a culture that uses a linear concept of time, like our modern one, New Years Eve is simply a milestone on a very long road that stretches in a straight line from birth to death. Thus, the New Year’s Festival is a part of time. The ancient Celtic view of time, however, is cyclical. And in this framework, New Year’s Eve represents a point outside of time, when the natural order of the universe dissolves back into primordial chaos, preparatory to re-establishing itself a new order. Thus, Samhain is a nite that exists outside of time and hence may be used to view any other point in time. At no other holiday is a tarot card reading, crystal reading, or tea-leaf reading so likely to succeed.
Perhaps the most famous icon of the holiday is the Jack-o-lantern. It was used as a lantern by people who traveled the road this nite, the scary face to frighten away spirits or faeries who might otherwise lead one astray. Set on porches and in windows, they cast some spell of protection over the household. The American pumpkin is now widely used but gourds served as Jack-o-lanterns in these days of olde. (I just bought 3 gorgeous orange gourds, VERY BIG ones! Which we will use as our jack-o-lanterns)
The bobbing for apples is actually representative of a pagan ‘baptism’ rite called a ‘seining’. The water filled tub is a latter day cauldron of regeneration, into which the novice’s head is immersed. The fact that the participant in this folk game was usually blindfolded with both hands tied behind the back also puts one in mind of a traditional Craft initiation ceremony.
The custom of dressing in costume and “trick-or-treating” is of Celtic origin. The original custom was not relegated to children, but was actively indulged in by adults as well. The treat which was required was often one of spirits, (the liquid variety).
Witches often hold two distinct celebrations. First a Halloween party for non-craft friends, and neighboring trick-or-treaters, on the previous week Oct 31st, and a second, a coven ritual held on
November 7th, the actual Halloween nite. If the rituals are performed properly, there is often a feeling of invisible friends taking part in the rites.
The outer edges of the Circle may be decorated with autumnal flowers, branches, pine cones, small pumpkins, gourds, etc. There should be flowers on the altar. The altar cloth and candles should be orange. The horned helmet should rest beside the altar. In the north quarter should stand a cauldron(if outside, kindling may be used, if indoors, a sterno or candle should be placed in the cauldron) The cauldron should have the white, red, black candles surrounding it, representing the maiden, the mother, and the crone. If using a candle in the cauldron, make it a green one.
This is your New Year’s, celebrate it with festivity and activities, and decorate and have FUN! Try out some divination, and lose your bad habits to the old year.
