Samhain is the most important of all eight of the Witch's Sabbats and is the most well known outside of the pagan community. Samhain, in medieval Irish is pronounced "sow-en", and means the "summer's end". It is a time of assembly, a time to gather with friends and family and celebrate our ancestors. This is well known as the festival of the dead. Samhain is the one day of the year when no pagan is alone, if you have no living beings to celebrate with, your ancestors will be there.
Some traditions of Samhain are trick or treating and jack-o-lanterns. Trick or treating seems to have developed from the idea of assembling and sharing/giving the things we have. This is a time of year when all the crops are gathered, the stock is slaughtered and the storage room is plentiful. It was the perfect time of year to share with your neighbors. Jack-o-lanterns were originally carved into frightening images to scare away any evil spirits that may be lurking in the night. This was after all, the night of the walking dead. Now they stand as a symbol of our awareness that spirits exist, and as pagans, we welcome them into our homes. I like to carve friendly faces to show my home as a friendly and welcoming place.
Samhain is also the Celtic/Druid New Year. This is the end of the year's growth and the end of the farmer's year. This is a great time to pay old debts and to get things done that you've been putting off. Free yourself now so you can look forward instead of back.
In ancient Ireland, Samhain was actually part of a weeklong celebration, divided into three parts. First is the seasonal part. A time of year when things die. Second is the placating of the spirits of animals that we have eaten during the year. This is recognition that we live by killing and vegetarians are not excused, death is death and we must show respect for the spirit. The third part is to honor our ancestors and to face our personal mortality. Ritual should last minimum of three days, one day for each part. On the first day, set up an extra table to use as your Samhain altar. Since this is the most important of all Sabbats, and the longest, it deserves it's own table. These three rituals can be rearranged to suit your schedule, but it is best to perform the third part, honoring our ancestors, on the eve of Samhain (Oct. 30th). I begin on the 28th, with Harvests End and do ritual each night, the 29th and the 30th, and leave the actual day of the 31st, Samhain (Halloween) open for actives that Halloween bring to us.
THE NIGHT OF HARVESTS END
After the meal, we'll be making a winter figure and you may want to gather your materials before you eat. For your materials, you'll be using stuff from your garden, or window garden, or even flower boxes. If you don't have any of the previously mentioned things, a walk down the road to gather dried weeds and grass will do. For the gardeners, get your garden ready for winter by cutting down your plants and bring in the last of your harvest. After you've finished in your garden, stand there, facing west, the direction of the dying sun and of the journey made by the dead and say:
If you have children, give them a small patch or pot to call their own and have them say their own ritual, something simple, like: "Goodbye Summer. Goodnight garden." If you do not have a garden or flower pots, stand where you've gathered your dried weeds and say: "Goodbye Summer. I've enjoyed watching you grow and flourish and now it's time to slumber." Prepare a meal including fruits and vegetables. Also include bread, which well be eaten all three nights. Decorate your table with symbols of fall and when dinner is ready to eat, gather at the table and after the sacred time is established, say:
After dinner, it is time to make your winter figure. He will rule over your household until May Day. To make the figure, make two bundles of the plants you've gathered. Make a cross and tie it together. Then split the bottom of the cross into two sections (legs) and tie them. You may want to finish your figure by rapping all parts to ensure it stays together throughout the winter.
Place the winter figure on your alter, facing the north, the direction of dark, cold and death, and say:
At the end of the evening, you'll want to find a place of honor for the figure. If it's safe, you could place him in your garden on a pole, or find someplace in your home. Remember if you have cats, they like to munch on dried grasses, so put it up someplace safe.
Prepare a soup made of the kind of meat you've eaten throughout the year. A beef base works best if you have a variety of meat. Vegetarians should use a variety of plants and adapt the ritual accordingly. If you have animals, including pets, all animals should be fed first.
When you sit sown to eat, establish that the sacred time has begun and say:
Someone else says:
Everyone repeats: "Thank you." Eat your meal, enjoy it and make sure none is wasted.
It is important to remember our ancestors and respect them. They are who we are. So on this night, the night of Samhain, we honor those who have gone before us.
Prepare a meal of pork, the sacred feast animal of Northern Europe and include some apples, food of the dead.
Place on your altar belongings once owned by an ancestor. Photographs and grave stone rubbings can also be used. If you have nothing, write a name of a piece of paper and if you don't know any of your ancestors, just write: "My Ancestors." On your alter, place a candle for each relative who has died since last Samhain, and place additional candles around your house and in the window for all other ancestors. These candles are said to help the spirits find their way home. If your as clueless as me about your ancestors, still place any amount of candles around your home, even if you don't know who they are, they still exist. After all the candles are lit, the eldest says:
Eat your meal and after the dishes are cleared away, say:
At this point, I feel I should mention that you do not necessarily have to be blood related to someone to include them on this evening. If they helped make you into who you are, they are apart of you. You may want to take this time to talk about those past, tell stories and name names.
Blow the candles out before you turn in for the night. They day of Samhian
is usually quite busy, being that it is Halloween, but you may want to try to
visit a cemetery during the day and leave offerings at the graves of your
ancestors. Whatever you choose to do, enjoy this very special day and respect
the spirits of those who lived before you.
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