SAMHAIN

May 1st (Southern Hemisphere)
October 31st (Northern Hemisphere)

Pronounced: "SOW-in" in Ireland, SOW-een in Wales, "SAV-en" in Scotland or even "SAM-haine" in non Gaelic speaking countries.

Other names for this holiday include: All Hallows Eve ("hallow" means "sanctify"); Hallowtide; Hallowmass; Hallows; The Day of the Dead; All Soul's Night; All Saints' Day; Witches' New Year.

Magick associated with Samhain: ancient wisdom, death, dark magick, divination, ending, hidden beginnings, initiation, insight, loss, mourning, mysteries, neutralization, past-life recall, release, rebirth, rest, scrying, spirit contact, teaching, transformation, understanding, and wisdom.

Altar decorations: apples, berries, besom, black mirror, candles, cauldron, crystal ball, divination tools, dried flowers, gourds, grains, masks, nuts, photographs of the deceased, pine cones, pumpkins, representation of the Goddess in Crone form.

Colours: black, brown, golden yellow, orange, red, silver, and white.

Foods: ale, apples, beets, cider, corn, cranberries, fresh meats, gingerbread, herbal teas, mulled wine, nuts, pomegranates, pumpkin pie, squash, turnips.

Herbs / Incense / Oils: acorn, allspice, almond, apple, basil, bay, broom, calendula, camphor, catnip,  chrysanthemum, cinnamon, clove, dittany of Crete, fern, flax, frankincense, fumitory, garlic, ginger, hazelnut, heather, heliotrope, hemlock, henbane, lilac, mandrake, mint, mugwort, mullein, mushrooms, nettle, nutmeg, nuts, oak, passion flower, pine, pumpkin, rosemary, rue, sage, straw, sunflower, tarragon, thistle, turnip, yarrow, and ylang-ylang.

Stones: obsidian, onyx, carnelian, jet, and any other black stone.

HISTORY OF SAMHAIN

The ancient Celts saw Samhain as a very spiritual time. Because May 1st (Southern Hemisphere) lies exactly between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice, it is theorized that ancient peoples, with their reliance on astrology, thought it was a very potent time for magic and communion with spirits. The "veil between the worlds" of the living and the dead was said to be at its thinnest on this day; so the dead were invited to return to feast with their loved ones; welcomed in from the cold, much as the animals were brought inside. Ancient customs range from placing food out for dead ancestors, to performing rituals for communicating with those who had passed over.

Communion with the dead was thought to be the work of witches and sorcerers, although the common folk thought nothing of it. Because the rise of the Church led to growing suspicion of the pagan ways of country dwellers, Samhain also became associated with witches, black cats ("familiars" or animal friends), bats (night creatures), ghosts and other "spooky" things...the stereotype of the old hag riding the broomstick is simply a caricature; fairy tales have exploited this image for centuries.

Divination of the future was also commonly practiced at this magically-potent time; since it was also the Celtic New Year, people focused on their desires for the coming year. Certain traditions, such as bobbing for apples, roasting nuts in the fire, and baking cakes which contained tokens of luck, are actually ancient methods of telling fortunes.

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. According to the later four-fold division of the year, Samhain is seen as 'autumn's end' and the beginning of winter.

Not only is Samhain the end of autumn; it is also, more importantly, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. Celtic New Year's Eve, when the new year begins with the onset of the dark phase of the year, just as the new day begins at sundown.

As a feast of the dead, it was believed the dead could, if they wished, return to the land of the living for this one night, to celebrate with their family, tribe, or clan. And so the great burial mounds of Ireland (sidh mounds) were opened up, with lighted torches lining the walls, so the dead could find their way. Extra places were set at the table and food set out for any who had died that year. And there are many stories that tell of Irish heroes making raids on the Underworld while the gates of faery stood open, though all must return to their appointed places by cock-crow.

The custom of dressing in costume and 'trick-or-treating' is of Celtic origin with survivals particularly strong in Scotland. However, there are some important differences from the modern version. In the first place, the custom was not restricted to children, but was actively indulged in by adults as well. Also, the 'treat' which was required was often one of spirits (the liquid variety)'. And in ancient times, the roving bands would sing seasonal carols from house to house, making the tradition very similar to Yuletide wassailing. In fact, the custom known as 'caroling', now connected exclusively with mid-winter, was once practiced at all the major holidays. Finally, in Scotland at least, the tradition of dressing in costume consisted almost exclusively of cross-dressing (i.e., men dressing as women, and women as men). It seems as though ancient societies provided an oportunity for people to 'try on' the role of the opposite gender for one night of the year.

WITCHES AND SAMHAIN

To Witches, Halloween is one of the four High Holidays, or Greater Sabbats, or cross-quarter days. Because it is the most important holiday of the year, it is sometimes called 'THE Great Sabbat.'

Samhain is an important holiday for Witches. Witches are diverse, and practice a variety of traditions. Many of us use this time to practice forms of divination (such as tarot or runes). Many Witches also perform rituals to honor the dead; and may invite their deceased loved ones to visit for a time, if they choose. This is not a "seance" in the usual sense of the word; Witches extend an invitation, rather than summoning the dead, and we believe the world of the dead is very close to this one. So on Samhain, and again on Beltane, when the veil between the worlds is thin, we attempt to travel between those worlds. This is done through meditation, visualization, and astral projection. Because Witches acknowledge human existence as part of a cycle of life, death and rebirth, Samhain is a time to reflect on our mortality, and to confront our fears of dying.

Some Witches look on Samhain as a time to prepare for the long, dark months of winter, a time of introspection and drawing inward. They may bid goodbye to the summer with one last celebratory rite. They may have harvest feasts, with vegetables and fruits they have grown, or home-brewed cider or mead. They may give thanks for what they have, projecting for abundance through the winter. Still others may celebrate with costume parties, enjoying treats and good times with friends. There are as many ways of observing Samhain as there are Witches in the world!

(These are adaptions from Mike Nichols and Peg Aloi's articles - found at The Witches Voice (look on the links page), as well as my own writings)