Samhain

Hello my lovely waywards, I am so happy that we are in October! Autumn is one of my favourite seasons. I love celebrating the last harvest, having more stews and soups - plus not to mention spirit work has a lot more power then it usually does!

So where to start? Well, Samhain is a Gaelic festival spanning back to the Druid times that symbolises the end of the harvest season. It might surprise you that Halloween is considered a younger festival as it only started only a few hundred years ago. There are plenty of Witches out their who fuse their beliefs with both practices. Frankly, I love both of these festivals and I always enjoy what everyone gets up to!

Side note: Samhain has many interpretations, and my beliefs lean toward the Wiccan point of view. If you would like to know more about other rituals performed by other factions, then I recommend you start with Wikipedia and go from there. My information is based on my current belief system, and I don’t want you to miss out on other cultures celebration!

The Wiccan tradition (and other factions) recognise that this is the time when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. It is a perfect time to connect with your passed loved ones and spirit guides. The day is celebrated on the 31st of October, where rituals are performed to pay respects to the spirits.

So what are a few things you can do to celebrate Samhain in your own home? Well, the first thing you can do is decorate your altar with Samhain themed items, this could be rosemary (which you could leave drying) or even burn rosemary incense on the night. Sticking with plants you could place vases of Marigolds or Chrysanthemums throughout your home. In some traditions, these flowers are used during funerals, so it makes sense to help invoke your love ones into your mind by having these flowers throughout the place.

Moving away from plants (well sort of), funny enough you might think that pumpkin carving was an idea made up by marketers. But you’re wrong! Many traditions view pumpkin/squash as an object which you can enhance your psychic awareness. The most common way for you use your pumpkin would be to carve sigils or symbols of protection and place them in your window. Setting a tea light in the middle of these pumpkins will wards off any negative vibes.

Now it wouldn’t be a celebration without a Tarot reading! So for this Sabbat, I have created a spread based around releasing and planning. What served us during Summer might not serve us during the Autumn. We also need to take into consideration what the cooler months might bring us and how we should approach it.

Well I hope I have wet your palette when it comes to the Samhain celebrations, it is such a beautiful day and I love connecting with my guides and family.

What do you do to celebrate Samhain (or Halloween?) I would love to hear from you in the comments below or on social media.

Love & Light,