Origin of Halloween (Samhain)

Hello Everyone

This coming weekend is a very special weekend, it is the Halloween or Samhain weekend, my personal favourite time of the year and my personal favorite holiday!  It is also one of the best times of the year to cast darker, black magic spells as the energies are perfect.

Samhain is one of the two “spirit nights”  the other being Beltane (May)  It the time when the laws of space and time are suspeded and the veil between our world and the spirit world is thinnest (Some say it is lifted completely).  This is the time of the year for Black Magic, Spell craft, Invocation, Evocation and Rituals as is easy to manipulate the energies and call summon entities to aid in getting what you desire.  Spells of a darker nature are easier to cast as the energies of the world are tuned to darkness.

Communication with the ancestors and departed love ones is easier.  In fact two years ago today I love my dear Oma, she was 90 years old.  I light a candle for her on this night and chanted that she would find her way to other side.  I slipped into a dream like state and was in her old suite.  It had clanged slightly,   and there was a large black dog sitting on the kitchen floor.  I followed the Dog outside and there was my Oma,  she looked at me and said “It is amazing, I am not in pain anymore”  She asked me to take her to a bridge, on the condition that when we arrive I let her cross and not follow.  I agreed and we walked together through the fog.  We came to an old gothic looking bridge, and she looked at me and said “I love you and the family very much”  She gave me a hug then her and the black dog crossed the bridge.  I could only see half way as there was a think fog that shrouded the other side.  But I knew she had crossed over, and was safe.  It was a very positive experience for me as I got to say goodbye and see that she was no longer in pain.

Samhain is a time to study Darkness, and the mysteries surrounding it.  It is also a time for the witches to honor the Dark Mother and the Dark Father.

It was originally called the Feast of the Dead and was celebrated by Celtic countries.  People would leave food offerings on altars and doorsteps for the dea who still wandered on the Earth.  Canldes were lite and left in windows to help guile the spirits of the ancestors and the decest loved ones so they could find their way home.  Extra chairs were set at the table for those unseen ancestors.  Apples were also left alongthe roadside for lost spirits who had no loved ones to leave them food.

As this was the final harvest, livestock and cattle were slaughtered to eat so that there would be enough food in the coming cold months.  The Darkest time of the year when the bitter cold would chill the hearts of men.  Any crops that were not harvested on Samhain were left as an offering to the Nature Spirits.  It was the final Harvest.  Bonfire were build to ensure warmth.  An interesting fact, they were originally called Bone Fires as the bones of the animals were thrown in as an offering to Nature to ensure healthy livestock next year.

Peoples names were marked on stones and thrown into the fire.  When they were retrieved in the morning the stone foretold that persons future in the coming year.  Individual Hearth fires were lit from the large bonfire to ensure unity and the ashes were spread on the harvested fields to bless and protect the land in the coming year.

Halloween/Samhain has many names, some of them are….

Third Harvest

Samana

Day of the Dead

Old Hallowmas (Scottish/Celtic)

Vigil of Saman

Shadowfest (Strega)

Samhuinn

All Hallow’s Eve, (November 7th)

Martinmas (November 11th)

 

Here are some ideas of Tools to use if you would like to create a ritual for Samhain.  

Samhain Symbols – Dark Mysteries, Rebirth through Death, Cycle of Life and Death, Death, Pumpkins, Squash, Fire, Candles, Gourds, Apples, Black Cats, Jack-O-Lanterns, Besoms.

Herbs to be used in Samhain rituals –  Mugwort, Allspice, Broom, Catnip, Deadly Nightshade, Mandrake, Oak leaves, Sage and Straw, Acorn/Oak, Hazel, Fumitory, Dittany of Crete, Mullein, Wormwood, Yellow Cedar, Rosemary, Rue

Candle Colours to use in Samhain Rituals  – Black, Orange, White, Silver, Gold.

Stones to use is Rituals around Samhain – All Black Stones, preferably jet or obsidian.