Samhain

By Ishtar Tariel Nimara Ebonwing

A Celebration to Honor Samhain the Festival of Spirits & Wiccan New Year.

Samhain (pronounced Sow-en) is when we honor our ancestors and the spirits that surround and protect us. You can decorate with pictures or representations of those who have gone Beyond. Halloween is also celebrated on this day. Decoration is often black with fall crops such as pumkins, corn and squash enhancing the altar. Because Samhain is the last of the harvest festivals, it is best to decorate with late season fall crops. You can also decorate with Happy New Year decorations since this is the Wiccan Liturgical New Year. It is best to decorate in a way that is meaningful to you that makes the space your own and makes you feel right.

This is the time of the crone goddess. She is known as an individual goddess by many names, such as the Dagda, the Cailleach, the Morrigu and many other names. This is a time to honor the wisdom and darkness of your elders, and those of the ancient gods. This is also the time to recognize fate and death. This is not just a time for death though, but also a time for rebirth. This is reflected in a ritual fire that is often used to burn or consume problems and issues. This is also the time for divination and occult training. Samhain is a great time for divination and it is common to conduct a divination as part of the ceremony or afterwards.

This is a time to honor ancestors and those who had bassed away. If you have a feast, you should have a setting for ancestors or hold a Silent Supper. A silent supper is an old ritual to honor the ancestors. Supper is eaten in silence and sometimes the dishes are served in reverse order. People leave the room backwards to represent communications with the Other Side. Candles were lit and left in windows to lure those who had passed away back to their family’s homes. By honoring spirits and feeding them, they ensured the spirits would be happy and beneficial. Jack o’ lantnerns started with the carving of turnips or cabbages and when the festival moved to the Americas, it was pumkins that began to be carved.

If people had disreguarded these spritis, they would find their possessions damaged, stolen or left in fields. “Trick or Treat” comes from this legend, as tricks were played on those who did not leave treats behind for their ancestors. It was believed that children were often the reincarnations of these ancestors, so sometimes the treats were given to them. At other times, the treats were left on an altar. In the ancient times, more adults were often involved in the disguise and it was believed they could walk among the dead and not be noticed.

It is at this time when the veil between worlds is very thin. It is not just the dead that walk this night, but the fae and faeries as well. It is believed that in the ancient times, the faerie mounds would open up and the fae would ride through the countryside, or go on rades, or ceremonial rides. People would wear masks to conceal themselves from the fae and trick negative or trickster spirits so they would not play their tricks on them.

Colors: Black, orange, red for candles,

Other names: Nos Galen-gaeof (Welsh as the Night of the Winter Calends), Samhna (modern Irish), Laa Houney (Manx as Hollantide Day), Sauin, Souney, Samana, and Samhuinn, All Saints Day (Catholic), Halloween (Contemporary)

Themes: Ancestors, spirits, harvest, pumpkins, corn, gourds, haystacks, scarecrows, divination & scrying, the Other Side, New Year, rebirth, death, regenerations, fate, caldron, feasting, drumming and chanting, carving turnips, cabbages, apples or pumpkins, offerings to spirits, the dead, passing of the Lord of the Sun, apples, hazelnuts, the “wild hunt”

Dieties: The Crone, the Sorcerer, the Dagda, the Cailleach, the Morrigu, dying God, Hectate, the "Carlin"

Ingredients:

l Smudge supplies (either a smudge brush or charcoal in a fire proof container that has heat proof handles and incense)

l Incense/herbs: sage, cedar, sandalwood

l Altar Decorations

l Ritual Tools

l Athame (you can use your finger instead)

l Besom (Optional)

l Altar

l Tools you will need for any personal spells

l Divination supplies

l Chalice

l Bowl

l Candles (black, orange, any colors you'll need for your spell/divination, altar and an additional white candle)

l Supplies for any other spells you will be casting

l Something to mark the directions is handy (such as a blue candle in the west, ect), or even a symbol, totem or other item to help you remember which direction is which.

l Bread (or cakes, cookies etc, natural is preferred though)

l Ale (or other natural liquid, milk during the full moon, grain based during lesser sabbats)

l Plate

Samhain Ritual

Begin by clearing and releasing all excess energy from yourself then stand in or near the place you first wish to cleanse for your ritual. You can invite any of your Spirit Guides if you like. Before beginning, light the charcoal or smudge and make sure it is burning well and make sure everyone is outside of the circle. Have them assemble outside the circle but nearby.

Burn the incense in the censor (or get the smudge) then carry it tuathal around the ritual area and fan the smoke by hand or fan. Imagine all of the negative energy being pushed away and the area suffusing with golden-white light. Once cleansed, turn and walk deosil around the area. Fan the smoke and imagine a blue white light filling the area now.

Chant softly:

I bless this sacred place….

I bless this sacred place….

I bless this sacred place….

Let people in one by one. Cleanse them each individually by holding the censor over them and fanning the smoke. Do it up and down the front of the person, then turn them around and repeat. Once everyone has been cleansed, cast the circle from hand to hand. Turn to the person deosil to you and take their hand and say:

From hand to hand I cast this circle.

This happens from person to person deosil until everyone is holding hands. Then say:

Behold, in joining hands we cast this circle.

A bond of perfect love and perfect trust

Imagine a potent clear white energy filled with strength and love pouring form person to person. It grows and strengthens, expanding into a circle to fill our sacred space and form a barrier. Behold, we cut a part between the realms of humankind and of the mighty ones. This circle shall be used to raise power. The circle is cast! So mote it be!

Everyone:

So mote it be!

Release hands.

For this ritual, you will be summoning animal Guardians using the power of fire. This is good for Shamanic people and is a very ancient idea. We will be summoning mythological creatures in this rite. Begin in the East and hold up the wand. This is the sacred symbol of fire (you can use your finger instead).

Now you call the quarters. You begin by letting brilliant alabaster light fill the circle.

Start at the east and raise your wand and say:

I Call to the

Powerful griffin of Air's might

Clever mind and sharp sight

Hail and Welcome!

Everyone:

Hail and Welcome!

Step to the South, raise your wand and say:

I Call to the

Passionate Dragon of flame

Manifestation in the Goddess’s name

Hail and Welcome!

Everyone:

Hail and Welcome!

Step to the West, raise your wand and say:

I Call to the

Water-Purifying Unicorn

From whom Love and Empathy are born

Hail and Welcome!

Everyone:

Hail and Welcome!

Step to the North, raise your wand and say:

I Call to the

Faeries and beings of land

Integration realized in your motley band

Hail and Welcome!

Everyone:

Hail and Welcome!

As this is a greater sabbat, you summon the goddess first. Say this(or invoke the goddess however you prefer):

Crone Goddess celestial and above

I ask for protection, power and love

Hail and Welcome!

Everyone then repeats:

Hail and Welcome!

Next, imagine the goddess entering the circle in whatever way feels comfortable to you.

Now, go stand in front of your altar and raise your wand skyward and say (or invoke the god however you prefer):

Sorcerer God celestial and above

I ask for protection, power and love

Hail and Welcome!

Everyone then repeats:

Hail and Welcome!

Next, imagine the god entering the circle in whatever way feels comfortable to you.

Now, go stand in front of your altar and raise your wand skyward and say (or invoke the ancestors however you prefer):

Ancestors powerful and above

I ask for protection, power and love

Hail and Welcome!

Everyone then repeats:

Hail and Welcome!

Next, imagine the ancestors entering the circle in whatever way feels comfortable to you.

Now you are ready to progress with the Samhain Festival itself. You begin by talking a little about Samhain and its meanings.