Since the dawn of early man, countless methods of interpreting the
future and the unknown by omens have been devised. Omen reading,
which satisfies to some extent the natural human desire to gain
insight to one's destiny, is an "occult science" that has been and
continues to be practiced the world over.
Samhain has its fair share of omens, some good and some not so good. Such is the ways with omens. Unfortunatley, there is no way of knowing the actual means by whcih most of Samhain omens came to be. Their illusive orginis add to the mystery of the ancient mind and it's working.
In the following you will see superstition and omens that have been around for a very long time.
Many people also believe that mirrors are the gateways to the other worlds, and cover mirrors with black cloths to keep the gateway closed.
For good luck, burn black and orange candles on Samhain. Black and Orange are the traditional colors of Samhain and Halloween. On this day their magickal vibrations are at their peak.
If a candle should suddenly go out by itself on Samhain, as thought being blown out by wind or by breath, this is said to be a sign that a ghost has come to call.
Always burn new candles at Samhain to ensure the best of luck. Likewise, iti s not a good idea to burn Samhain candles at any other time of the year. To do so may cause you to experience bad luck and/or strange happenings over which you will have no control.
Gazing into the flame of a candle on Samhain will enable you to peer into the future. Many witches traditionally scry candle flames on Samhain to receive clairvoyant visions.
It is believed that if a person lights a new orange-colored candle at midnight on Samhain and lets it burn until the sun rises, he or she will be the recipient of good luck. However, according to an old legend from Europe, any person who bakes bread or journeys after sunset on Samhain (Halloween) runs the risk of conjuring forth bad luck in great abundance.
If the moon is new on Samhain, this indicates that the coming year
will be fertile ground for new beginnings to take place, such as the
start of a new project, a new career, or even a new way of thinking.
For those desiring children, a new moon at Samhain is a lucky omen,
indicating a new birth within a year's time.
If the moon is waxing on Samhain, this indicates good luck throughout the coming year. It also indicates growth and an increase of all things that are positive nature.
If the moon is full on Samhain, this ensures the that the powers of all forms of magick and divination practiced on this night will be at their greatest. A secret wish made at midnight will be realized within the coming year., and do not be surprised if an experienced of a psychic nature awaits you in the very near future.
If the moon is waning on Samhain, this can be an omen of either good or bad consquences. It can indicate the elimination of such things as bad habits, unhealthy realtionships and obstacles within the coming year. Or it can point to a decrease (such as in one's health) or a loss of some kind soon to take place.
If the moon is in the dark phase on Samhain, this is believed to be a very negative omen. Exercise extrememe caution in all oof your endeavors within the next twelve months, and it wouldn't hurt to protect yourself by wearing or carrying any type of amulet or talismean designed to ward off bad luck and misfortune.
You can find more information about Samhain aka Halloween in The Pagan Book of Halloween by Gerina Dunwich and Silver RavenWolf Book, Halloween.
Also, see http://www.witchway.net/halloween.html for more information.
