Samhain- How to channel your inner witch.
Samhain Rituals- How to Channel your Inner Witch 🔥👻 (Saa-wn)
When you think of Halloween you probably think of dressing up in costume and walking around trick or treating, but did you know Halloween is influenced by the ancient holiday of Samhain?
In order to understand Samhain, we have to first understand the Pagan Wheel of the Year. Wheel of the Year is a cycle of festivals celebrated by Witches, Wiccans, Pagans and Druids. The Wheel consists of eight seasonal festivals also known as sabbats. Sabbats are essentially celebrations ending one season and welcoming the next. These festivals might sound similar to popular holidays here in the United States, however, they are actually very different. The eighth sabbats are Winter Solstice(Yule), Imbolc (Candlemas), Spring Equinox (Ostara), Beltane (May Eve), Summer Solstice(Litha), Lughnasadh (Lammas), Autumn Equinox (Mabon), and Samhain. Samhain is the time between the autumn equinox and winter solstice.
Samhain also known as The Witches New year, is an ancient Celtic tradition that honors the cycle of death and rebirth. Samhain pronounced saahwin means “summer's end” and is a celebration of the end of the harvest season and the welcome of the dark half of the year. The nights are now longer than the days and it is a crucial time for rest and reflection. It is said that the Sun King was sacrificed back to the land leaving the goddess to mourn him until his rebirth at Yule when the Sun King makes the days now longer than the nights.
Samhain represents the death of the old and the beginning of the new. It encompasses the idea that light is born out of the darkness. Like Brené Brown says "The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It’s our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows. " We need both the dark and the light which is why the Celts would celebrate both. Bonfires would be held, where fortune tellers would give future predictions. It was at these bone fires that the community would wear costumes often of animals to trick spirits so they would not harm them. It is thought that trick or treating started as a prank blamed on fairies and spirits during this day of the ritual.
Samhain is an important time for witches because It is believed that the veil between the world of gods is lifted and spirits from other worlds can visit. Traditionally witches would visit graveyards, tend to ancestors' graves, and leave an offering like flowers, apples, or herbs.
Later on, the pope would turn this day into All Saints Day, also known as All-Hallows Eve. Combining their own celebrating and keeping some of the original Celtic traditions, Halloween became an offering of candy to the lower class so that the higher class could protect themselves from the spirits that come to earth that day.
Traditionally Samhain consists of a ceremony to connect to the god/goddesses, honor the dead, and talk to your ancestors. Here are a few rituals you can incorporate into your Samhain practice.
Make an Alter
Assemble your witchiest items and place them on a table, windowsill, bookshelf, or any flat surface. The purpose of this altar is to honor the dead, consider adding items such as photos, clothing, candles, food, or anything that holds memories for you. Place a circle of rice or salt around your altar for protection and add a candle to guide the souls to your altar space.
Candle Magic
Light a candle and place it in your window. It is said the light from candles will guide the spirit to you. We saw the power of this practice in Hocus Pocus when the black flame candle is lit and the witches return from the dead. Candle color is important, consider using red (for passion), black (for protection), white (new beginnings), purple (spirit communication), or gold (for manifestation). You can dress your candle by rubbing it with oils and carve your intention into the wax. As the candle burns, your words are released into the cosmos for ultimate manifestation.
Divination
Dust off your tarot deck or ouija board sisters now is the time of communication. Samhain is a powerful time to ask for guidance and call on support from the other side. Create a Samhain tarot spread and as you shuffle your deck, ask your guides for guidance for the dark half of the year. For a simple tarot spread, pull the top card which represents your Samhain message, and look at the bottom card of the deck which represents what is blocking your message from coming true.
The Feast
Since the harvest season has officially ended, it is time to have your harvest feast. Your hard work is behind you and now is the time to reap your rewards. This dinner is typically held in silence as it gives space for the voices of spirit. This is a beautiful practice to slow down and just listen. Typical meals for Samhain include soul cakes, barmbrack, colcannon, and mulled wine. Spirits are said to join for dinner so make sure to set an extra plate.
Herbal Offerings
It is always a good idea to give an offering to your guides and thank them for protecting and celebrating with you. Herbs are great offerings. Popular herbs for Samhain are Mugwort (for dream work), Rosemary (for protection), Bay leaf (for manifestation), and Marigold (for honoring the sun). What a beautiful experience it is to be alive in multiple dimensions.
