What is Samhain?

Samhain is the witch’s New Year. Historically speaking Samhain is an ancient Gaelic festival marking the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. It is a time when the nights grow longer and colder. It is the time when the veil between the realms of the living and the deceased becomes very thin. It is the best time to communicate with the spirits and especially your deceased ancestors.

The word Samhain literally means summer’s end and is pronounced “sow-in”. The word sow as in a female pig. Samhain celebration begins on the evening of October 31st and generally ends at midnight on November 1st though some celebrations may roll into November 2nd. In ancient times there were three full days of festivities. Samhain is the halfway point between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. It is from Samhain that the holiday called Halloween found its roots, but they are obviously not one and the same.

You don’t have to be a witch to celebrate Samhain and there are many interesting and significant things that you can do at Samhain. I think this is the main difference between it and Halloween. Although many of the traditions remain the same, the meaning has gotten lost with Halloween. For example, the custom of trick or treating remains, however, the reason for doing this is much different. Now children dress up in fun costumes and go from place to place collecting candy which leads to nothing more than a tummy ache and perhaps a cavity. In ancient times, people dressed up as animals or monsters to scare away bad spirits that breached the veil between the worlds. They certainly did go house to house, but this was to sing songs of love and remembrance to the deceased loved ones that may be nearby. Those living in the homes would give the singers clad in costume cakes for the songs they sang. All the “tricks" were blamed on the fairies!

Another example is the carving of jack ‘o lanterns. Today it is just a fun thing to do at Halloween. Again, the meaning and significance of this tradition has been lost. The original carvings were actually made with turnips, however, fairly early on, the Irish Celts began carving into pumpkins. Scary faces were carved into the vegetables to frighten away the bad spirits, but the burning candle inside would be a beacon for the deceased loved ones and good spirits to make their way to the light and love.

A great and meaningful way to celebrate Samhain is to set up an ancestral altar. This altar is a simple way to honor and remember those that came before you. You can do this very easily with a few key items. First make certain the area is well cleansed both physically and spiritually. Place items such as pictures and belongings of your ancestors or things that connect you to them such as a picture of a place they once lived. Keep offerings on the altar especially things you know they loved for example coffee, chocolate and or a nice cigar. I like to place an oil lamp on my ancestral altar and keep it at a constant low burn. I work from home, so this is safe for me to do. If you have to be away from your home and are not able to monitor it (particularly if you have cats) you should definitely put it out for safety’s sake. Keep your altar clean and cared for to show love and respect to your ancestors. This can be a place to meditate, communicate and or to simply honor and remember your loved ones. It is through remembrance that all things continue to live.

Every year at Samhain I make at least one corn dolly. In ancient times corn dollies were made from the very last plant harvested. It was thought that the spirit of the crop lived and was contained within this doll, and it was kept and cared for throughout the winter months. When springtime came and it was time to sow the seed for the harvest to come the corn dolly was tilled into the ground with the new crop to help ensure a plentiful and robust harvest come late summer. I make corn dollies not only to keep with the tradition but as a reminder that life gives way to death in order that the cycle of life continues. With death comes rebirth and renewal and in short, new and better things. It reminds me that sometimes in life things must pass away but these passings are necessary for the continuation of that which is meant to be. And nothing is really gone forever. The energy and spirit of all things remain on some level or in some realm.

Samhain is a great time to cast spells and practice divination. It is truly a time for magick and miracles. Because the veil between the land of the living and the spiritual realm is so thin the magick literally comes pouring out. This is a great time for meditation and connecting with forces and powers greater than our own. For example, this is a great time to connect with deity especially with dark gods and goddesses. Every year at Samhain I take time to ritually honor my Goddess Hecate. I work closely with her year-round but feel this is the time we are closest, and I take full advantage of this opportunity to evoke and connect with her on a more spiritual level.

Another Samhain tradition that you may consider incorporating into your festivities is that of a dumb supper. The name dumb supper simply refers to the supper being silent in honor of the deceased that will take part in the meal. It is good to set a place for each deceased relative that you wish to honor. This dinner is one of solemn remembrance that should be conducted with loving respect and not turned into a carnival. Each living participant should write a private note to the deceased. After the dinner is finished, I like to make it a ritual to burn each note in a cauldron or burn-safe dish. The smoke from the burning carries the messages into the air and directly to its intended recipient. Besides silence there are really no strict rules or guidelines when conducting a dumb supper. Always do what feels right and comfortable for all the guests both the living and the dead.

Samhain is a time when life gives way to death reminding us of the constant cycle of rebirth and renewal. All things must die from the simple blade of grass all the way to you and me. However, Samhain reminds us that nothing is gone forever, and the cycle of life comes back around for all. Just as the crops in the fields and the leaves on the trees pass away as winter bears down so too will they spring forth anew as the snow melts away. Our energy and the energy of those who have gone before us remains and it is at this time known as Samhain that we have the greatest opportunity for communication with our beloved ancestors. All we must do is open our minds and pay close attention.