Northern Hemisphere Date: October 31
Southern Hemisphere Date: May 1
Samhain
The beginning of the darker times, the summer is gone. This is the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year, the first festival of the wheel, since all starts from / in the dark. At Samhain, the veils between the worlds (world of the living and those of the death and other worlds like the world of the fairy folk) are at their thinnest, and the ones who passed are remembered and heard; those who want can more easily pass through. Samhain is associated with death and remembering them. It is time to prepare for winter. It is the last harvest festival, also known as the bone harvest. Winter has begun; it is time to prepare to get through the darker days and nights of the year. The last harvest is removed from the land; herbs, fruits, and meat are dried for winter. Nature is clearly showing darker days are coming. The nights grow longer with each day, nature retreats into the shadows. Give thanks for the abundance and good experiences of the past year. Honor the ancestors and invite them to visit you. Reflect within yourself on what you want to let go and what you'd like to improve in the coming year.
Things to do
- Silent supper
- Place a candle in front of your window so your loved ones can find their way home
- Scare some children (Halloween or All Hallow's Eve originated from Samhain)
- Prepare for new beginnings, release old things, and make preparations for your future.
- Make a sacrifice (in older days, the cattle that was not strong enough to survive the winter was sacrificed, and old folk tales tell that the Druids even sacrificed humans by burning them.)
- Put pictures of your passed loved ones on your altar
Fun facts
- On a Gallic calendar found at Coligny dating back to the first century after Christ, there is a reference to Samhain (Samainos).
- In Gaelic and Irish, November is called Mi na Samhna (Month of Samhain).
- One of the explanations for the word Samhain comes from old Irish and is thought to mean Summer's end.
The world becomes quiet; everything dies, all will be reborn.
Colors
The colors associated with Samhain often reflect the autumnal and harvest themes as well as the mystical aspects of the festival. Colors associated with Samhain are:
- Orange:Symbolizing the autumn harvest, pumpkins, and the changing leaves.
- Black: The darkness of the season and the thinning of the veil between the physical and spiritual realms.
Crystals
How to Choose a crystal on your altar or to cary with you around this festival? Samhain celebrates themes as introspection, transition and connecting to the spiritual realm.
- Obsidian: Protection and grounding. It can assist in connecting with the spirit.
- Labradorite: Can be used to improve your connection to the spiritual realm.
- Smokey Quartz: Grounding and protection.
Goddess
It is the time of the dark goddess as well as the time of the crone. The goddess that i connect with Samhain is the Crone of the Triple Goddess. The Triple Goddess represents the three stages of a woman's life: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Samhain is considered a time when the veil between the physical world and the spirit world is thin, making it a time for honoring ancestors and the deceased. The Crone aspect, represents wisdom, death, and the transformative aspects of life.
The Celtic goddess often associated with the Crone aspect is Cerridwen. Cerridwen is a Welsh goddess associated with transformation, inspiration, and the cauldron of wisdom. She is linked to the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Her stories are a part of the Welsh and Celtic folklore.
