Samhain

Samhain: pronounced (SOW-in)

Samhain is of irish celtic origins and is viewed as part of the Wheel of the Year. It is also considered the Witches’ New Year. Today, it coincides with several known holidays— Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead, as well as All Saints Day. This time of year is said to be when the veils between the spirit realm and earth are at its thinnest; therefore, more interaction between the dead & living are more frequent. This also allows communication between both as well. There are so many activities for Samhain and many can be done if you are alone, or with groups.

Build an Altar

Offerings such as acorns, dried leaves, dried flowers, pine cones, gourds are all perfect for this holiday. I have also seen other items such as animal bones & hides (as Samhain was a marker for harvesting livestock), crystals, a cup of preferred beverage, ancestor belongings, talismans, corn dollies and photos of loved ones.

Below are several correspondences for Samhain:

Herbs & Plants

Rosemary, mugwort, rue, calendula, pumpkins, turnips, sage, wormwood, tarragon, bay, passionflower, garlic, mandrakes, valerian, poppy seeds, marigolds, fumitory, blackthorn, and apples.

Crystals

Smoky quartz, obsidian, black tourmaline, amethyst

Incense

Sage, Cedar, Patchouli, are commonly used incenses. I prefer to make my own loose incense and burn on charcoal discs.

• Autumn Blend: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Black pepper, allspice, ginger (pumpkin spice blend basically). Cinnamon for luck, Nutmeg for clairvoyance, black pepper to protect from evil eye or negative entities, allspice to increase energy and success, and ginger to quicken spell work.

• Spirit Blend: Cedar, wormwood, marigold, poppy, valerian root, fumitory [and catnip if honoring pets].

• Divination Blend: Bay, dandelion, mugwort, eyebright, yarrow, lemongrass

• Protection Blend: [use in place of incense]: Rosemary, Marjoram, Meadowsweet, Salt, Burdock, Agrimony, Valerian root.

Celebrate the Harvests by baking plenty of Autumn Goods

The best food items would be pumpkin pie, roasted meats, root vegetables, dark wines and cider. There will be a few recipes passed onto me down below.

Silent Dinner

Cook dishes commonly cooked in the family or of one of your heritage. If unknown, simply cook a dish you put a lot of love into. Add mementos to the table or even a small altar on the table. Remember to cleanse the space, protect it, and then invite the ancestors in and proceed to eat in silence (to take notice of anything going on) or spend the time chatting about memories of loved ones. I recommend to open a window during this all.

Ancestor altars can contain items such as apples, marigolds, bread & beverages, family heirlooms or photos of them.

Practice your Divination Skills

Many use the thinned veil as an opportunity to hone their divination skills. Just make sure you are well protected before it.

• Pendulums:

  • You can use a wooden pendulum board, a pendulum cloth or simply a piece of paper with yes/no or simple letters/numbers

• Oujia Boards:

  • I have never utilized one, though I would recommend creating a properly cleanse and protected space before using. As well as preparing yourself spiritually to ensure nothing malevolent shows up from using one of these!

• Scrying:

  • Black Mirrors can be used for scrying with a candle to receive messages.

• Tarot Cards:

  • Below are some simple spreads you may want to try!

Past, Present, Future Spread

• Simple 3 card spread to help you reflect on past, asses your current situation, and look ahead to the future.

Ancestor Spread

• Ancestor spread: This spread is designed to help you connect with your ancestors and receive guidance from them. It involves drawing four cards, each representing a different aspect of your relationship with your ancestors: the past, the present, the future, and the advice or message they have for you.

Shadow Work Spread

• Shadow Work spread: It involves drawing three cards: the first represents a fear or shadow that you need to confront, the second represents the lesson or gift that you can learn from facing that fear, and the third represents the outcome or resolution.

Wheel of the Year Spread

• Wheel of the Year Spread: This spread is designed to help you reflect on the past year and prepare for the year ahead. It involves drawing eight cards, each representing a different sabbat or seasonal milestone on the Wheel of the Year. You can use this spread to reflect on what you’ve accomplished in the past year, what you need to release or let go of, and what you want to focus on in the year ahead.

Tips & Tricks

As the veil is thin, more malevolent spirits & enteties may be up to trickery (not always harm).

- Keep iron near to ward off the fae from tricker (they hide things... a lot).

- Keep space cleanse and clean

- Leave offerings to appease spirits that pass through.

- Cleanse yourself often

Consider using candlelight if safe & your space allows

- Fire is the traditional marker for this festival

- The light is softer and allows our minds to relax

Spells

The most common spells this time of year are ones regarding removal, harvest, and the darker time of year. It is a great time to work on protection, banishing, or cleansing.

Cord Cutting: A popular spell that can be done in order to sever ties with someone or something that you unhappy with. Samhain is a great time to release negative energy, and a cord cutting spell will help you do that quickly and effectively.

Simple Wishes: As it is the new year, I personally like to burn off expired herbs or herbs/flowers passed their usage. Many people today enjoy writing down simple 1 word wishes for the new year on bay leaves to burn into a fire. However, bay leaves do not burn easily unless placed in a bonefire. I simply write my new years wishes onto paper to burn into the fire. Simple yet effective way to get your next years wishes and goals into the universe.

Deities Commonly Associated with Halloween

Hecate, Cerridwen, Morrigan, Anubis, Persephone, Hades, Demeter, Odin, Baba Yaga, Hel, Osiris, Kali