Samhain Lore
(October 31)

By Wild Rose

The Celts called it Samhain, which means Summer’s End, according to their ancient two-fold division of the year, when summer ran from Beltane to Samhain and winter ran from Samhain to Beltane. Samhain is pronounced (depending on where you’re from) as sow-in (in Ireland), or sow-een (in Whales), or sav-en (in Scotland), or (inevitably) sam-hane (in the U.S., where most wouldn’t know and don’t speak Gaelic). Also known as Halloween, Hallowmas, All Hallow’s Eve, All Saint’s Eve, Festival of the Dead, and the Third Festival of Harvest.

It is generally celebrated on October 31st, but some traditions prefer November 1st. It is one of the two “spirit-nights’ each year, the other being Beltane. It is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted. Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easy at this time, for they journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands. It is a time to study the Dark Mysteries and honor the Dark Mother and the Dark Father, symbolized by the Crone and her Consort.

Originally the “Feast of the Dead” was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food offerings on altars and doorsteps for the “wandering dead.” Today a lot of practitioners still carry out that tradition. Single candles were lit and left in a window to help guide the spirits of ancestors and loved ones home. Extra chairs were set to the table and around the hearth for the unseen guest. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who were lost of had no descendants to provide for them. Turnips were hollowed out and carved to look like protective spirits, for this was a night of magic and chaos. The Wee Folke became very active, pulling pranks on unsuspecting humans. Traveling after dark was not advised. People dressed in white (like ghosts), wore disguises made of straw, or dressed as the opposite gender in order to fool the Nature spirits.

This was the time that the cattle and other livestock were slaughtered for eating in the ensuing winter months. Any crops still in the field on Samhain were considered taboo, and left as offerings to the Nature spirits. Bonfires were built, (originally balled bone-fires, for after feasting, the bones were thrown in the fire as offerings for healthy and plentiful livestock in the New Year) and stones were marked with people names. Then they were thrown into the fire, to be retrieved in the morning. The condition of the retrieved stone foretold of that person’s fortune in the coming year. Hearth fires were also lit from the village bonfire to ensure unity, and the ashes were spread over the harvested fields to protect and bless the land.

The Christian religion, with its emphasis on the historical Christ and his act of redemption 2000 years ago, is forced into a linear view of time, where seeing the future is an illogical proposition. In fact, from the Christian perspective, any attempt to do so is seen as inherently evil. This did not keep the medieval Church from co-opting Samhain’s other motif, commemoration of the dead. To the Church, however, it could never be a feast for all the dead, but only the blessed dead, all those hallowed (made holy) by obedience to God - thus, All Hallow’s, or Hallomas, later All Saints and All Souls Day.

It is interesting how many ancient and unconnected cultures (the Egyptians, and pre-Spanish Mexicans, for example) celebrated this as a festival of the dead. In Ireland, a Samhain festival is celebrated annually for the ancient Pagan Goddess Tara.

Every year on this day, the most important of the eight Major Witches’ Sabbats is celebrated world wide by Witches and Wiccans with traditional Pagan feasts, bonfires, and rituals honoring the spirits of deceased loved ones. Divinatory arts such as scrying, rune casting, and Tarot are practiced on this magickal night, as is standing before a mirror making a secret wish.

This day is sacred to the Goddesses Cerridwen, Eurydice, Hecate, Hel, Inanna, Kali, the Morrigan, Nepthys, Oya, Samia, Tara, and Vanadis.

On this day in 1970, the New York City Parks Department granted the Witches International Craft Associates (W.I.C.A.) a permit to hold a “Witch-in.” The event was held in a Sheep Meadow and more than one thousand persons attended.

Symbolism: Third Harvest, The Dark Mysteries, Rebirth through Death.

Symbols: Gourds, Apples, Black Cats, Jack-O-Lanterns, Besoms

Herbs: Mugwort, Allspice, Broom, Catnip, Deadly Nightshade, Mandrake, Oak Leaves, Sage, and Straw.

Foods: Turnips, Apples, Gourds, Nuts, Mulled Wines, Beef, Pork, Poultry.

Incense: Heliotrope, Mint, Nutmeg.

Colors: Black, Orange, White, Silver, Gold.

Stones: All Black Stones, preferably jet or obsidian.