SAMHAIN

Samhain Fact Sheet

Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year, for the Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark, at Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on November 1st. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle, just as the Celtic day began at night. For it was understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed below the ground. Whereas Beltane welcomes in the summer with joyous celebrations at dawn, the most magically potent time of this festival is November Eve, the night of October 31st, known today of course, as Halloween.

Samhain (Scots Gaelic: Samhuinn) literally means “summer's end.” In Scotland and Ireland, Halloween is known as Oíche Shamhna, while in Wales it is Nos Calan Gaeaf, the eve of the winter's calend, or first. With the rise of Christianity, Samhain was changed to Hallowmas, or All Saints' Day, to commemorate the souls of the blessed dead who had been canonized that year, so the night before became popularly known as Halloween, All Hallows Eve, or Hollantide. November 2nd became All Souls Day, when prayers were to be offered to the souls of all who the departed and those who were waiting in Purgatory for entry into Heaven. Throughout the centuries, pagan and Christian beliefs intertwine in a gallimaufry of celebrations from Oct 31st through November 5th, all of which appear both to challenge the ascendancy of the dark and to revel in its mystery.

In the country year, Samhain marked the first day of winter, when the herders led the cattle and sheep down from their summer hillside pastures to the shelter of stable and byre. The hay that would feed them during the winter must be stored in sturdy thatched ricks, tied down securely against storms. Those destined for the table were slaughtered, after being ritually devoted to the gods in pagan times. All the harvest must be gathered in -- barley, oats, wheat, turnips, and apples -- for come November, the faeries would blast every growing plant with their breath, blighting any nuts and berries remaining on the hedgerows. Peat and wood for winter fires were stacked high by the hearth. It was a joyous time of family reunion, when all members of the household worked together baking, salting meat, and making preserves for the winter feasts to come. The endless horizons of summer gave way to a warm, dim and often smoky room; the symphony of summer sounds was replaced by a counterpoint of voices, young and old, human and animal.

In early Ireland, people gathered at the ritual centers of the tribes, for Samhain was the principal calendar feast of the year. The greatest assembly was the 'Feast of Tara,' focusing on the royal seat of the High King as the heart of the sacred land, the point of conception for the new year. In every household throughout the country, hearth-fires were extinguished. All waited for the Druids to light the new fire of the year -- not at Tara, but at Tlachtga, a hill twelve miles to the north-west. It marked the burial-place of Tlachtga, daughter of the great druid Mogh Ruith, who may once have been a goddess in her own right in a former age.

At all the turning points of the Celtic year, the gods drew near to Earth at Samhain, so many sacrifices and gifts were offered up in thanksgiving for the harvest. Personal prayers in the form of objects symbolizing the wishes of supplicants or ailments to be healed were cast into the fire, and at the end of the ceremonies, brands were lit from the great fire of Tara to re-kindle all the home fires of the tribe, as at Beltane. As they received the flame that marked this time of beginnings, people surely felt a sense of the kindling of new dreams, projects and hopes for the year to come.

The Samhain fires continued to blaze down the centuries. In the 1860s the Halloween bonfires were still so popular in Scotland that one traveler reported seeing thirty fires lighting up the hillsides all on one night, each surrounded by rings of dancing figures, a practice which continued up to the first World War. Young people and servants lit brands from the fire and ran around the fields and hedges of house and farm, while community leaders surrounded parish boundaries with a magic circle of light. Afterwards, ashes from the fires were sprinkled over the fields to protect them during the winter months -- and of course, they also improved the soil. The bonfire provided an island of light within the oncoming tide of winter darkness, keeping away cold, discomfort, and evil spirits long before electricity illumined our nights. When the last flame sank down, it was time to run as fast as you could for home, raising the cry, “The black sow without a tail take the hindmost!”

Even today, bonfires light up the skies in many parts of the British Isles and Ireland at this season, although in many areas of Britain their significance has been co-opted by Guy Fawkes Day, which falls on November 5th, and commemorates an unsuccessful attempt to blow up the English Houses of Parliament in the 17th century. In one Devonshire village, the extraordinary sight of both men and women running through the streets with blazing tar barrels on their backs can still be seen! Whatever the reason, there will probably always be a human need to make fires against the winter’s dark.

Samhain, (pronounced SOW-in, SAH-vin, or SAM-hayne) means "End of Summer", and is the third and final Harvest. The dark winter half of the year commences on this Sabbat.

It is generally celebrated on October 31st, but some traditions prefer November 1st. It is one of the two "spirit-nights" each year, the other being Beltane. It is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted. Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easy at this time, for they journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands. It is a time to study the Dark Mysteries and honor the Dark Mother and the Dark Father, symbolized by the Crone and her aged Consort.

Originally the "Feast of the Dead" was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food offerings on altars and doorsteps for the "wandering dead". Today a lot of practitioners still carry out that tradition. Single candles were lit and left in a window to help guide the spirits of ancestors and loved ones home. Extra chairs were set to the table and around the hearth for the unseen guest. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who were lost or had no descendants to provide for them. Turnips were hollowed out and carved to look like protective spirits, for this was a night of magic and chaos. The Wee Folke became very active, pulling pranks on unsuspecting humans. Traveling after dark was was not advised. People dressed in white (like ghosts), wore disguises made of straw, or dressed as the opposite gender in order to fool the Nature spirits.

This was the time that the cattle and other livestock were slaughtered for eating in the ensuing winter months. Any crops still in the field on Samhain were considered taboo, and left as offerings to the Nature spirits. Bonfires were built, (originally called bone-fires, for after feasting, the bones were thrown in the fire as offerings for healthy and plentiful livestock in the New Year) and stones were marked with peoples names. Then they were thrown into the fire, to be retrieved in the morning. The condition of the retrieved stone foretold of that person's fortune in the coming year. Hearth fires were also lit from the village bonfire to ensure unity, and the ashes were spread over the harvested fields to protect and bless the land.

Various other names for this Greater Sabbat are Third Harvest, Samana, Day of the Dead, Old Hallowmas (Scottish/Celtic), Vigil of Saman, Shadowfest (Strega), and Samhuinn. Also known as All Hallow's Eve, (that day actually falls on November 7th), and Martinmas (that is celebrated November 11th), Samhain is now generally considered the Witch's New Year.

Symbolism of Samhain:
Third Harvest, the Dark Mysteries, Rebirth through Death.

Symbols of Samhain:
Gourds, Apples, Black Cats, Jack-O-Lanterns, Besoms.

Herbs of Samhain:
Mugwort, Allspice, Broom, Catnip, Deadly Nightshade, Mandrake, Oak leaves, Sage and Straw.

Foods of Samhain:
Turnips, Apples, Gourds, Nuts, Mulled Wines, Beef, Pork, Poultry.

Incense of Samhain:
Heliotrope, Mint, Nutmeg.

Colors of Samhain:
Black, Orange, White, Silver, Gold.

Stones of Samhain:
All Black Stones, preferably jet or obsidian.

Samhain. All Hallows. All Hallow’s Eve. Hallow E’en. Halloween. The most magical night of the year. Exactly opposite Beltane on the wheel of the year, Halloween is Beltane’s dark twin. A night of glowing jack-o’-lanterns, bobbing for apples, tricks or treats, and dressing in costume. A night of ghost stories and séances, tarot card readings and scrying with mirrors. A night of power, when the veil that separates our world from the Otherworld is at its thinnest. A “spirit night”, as they say in Wales.

All Hallow’s Eve is the eve of All Hallow’s Day (November 1). And for once, even popular tradition remembers that the eve is more important than the day itself, the traditional celebration focusing on October 31, beginning at sundown. And this seems only fitting for the great Celtic New Year’s festival. Not that the holiday was Celtic only. In fact, it is startling how many ancient and unconnected cultures (the Egyptians and pre-Spanish Mexicans, for example) celebrated this as a festival of the dead. But the majority of our modern traditions can be traced to the British Isles.

The Celts called it Samhain, which means “summer’s end”, according to their ancient twofold division of the year, when summer ran from Beltane to Samhain and winter ran from Samhain to Beltane. (Some modern covens echo this structure by letting the high priest “rule” the coven beginning on Samhain, with rulership returned to the high priestess at Beltane.) According to the later fourfold division of the year, Samhain is seen as “autumn’s end” and the beginning of winter. Samhain is pronounced (depending on where you’re from) as “sow-in” (in Ireland), or “sow-een” (in Wales), or “sav-en” (in Scotland), or (inevitably) “sam-hane” (in the U.S., where we don’t speak Gaelic).

Not only is Samhain the end of autumn; it is also, more importantly, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. Celtic New Year’s Eve, when the new year begins with the onset of the dark phase of the year, just as the new day begins at sundown. There are many representations of Celtic Gods with two faces, and it surely must have been one of them who held sway over Samhain. Like his Roman counterpart Janus, he would straddle the threshold, one face turned toward the past, in commemoration of those who died during the last year, and one face gazing hopefully toward the future, mystic eyes attempting to pierce the veil and divine what the coming year holds. These two themes, celebrating the dead and divining the future, are inexorably intertwined in Samhain, as they are likely to be in any New Year’s celebration.

As a feast of the dead, this was the one night when the dead could, if they wished, return to the land of the living, to celebrate with their family, tribe, or clan. And so the great burial mounds of Ireland (sidhe mounds) were opened up, with lighted torches lining the walls, so the dead could find their way. Extra places were set at the table and food set out for any who had died that year. And there are many stories that tell of Irish heroes making raids on the Underworld while the gates of faery stood open, though all must return to their appointed places by cockcrow.

As a feast of divination, this was the night par excellence for peering into the future. The reason for this has to do with the Celtic view of time. In a culture that uses a linear concept of time, like our modern one, New Year’s Eve is simply a milestone on a very long road that stretches in a straight line from birth to death. Thus, the New Year’s festival is a part of time. The ancient Celtic view of time, however, is cyclical. And in this framework, New Year’s Eve represents a point outside of time, when the natural order of the universe dissolves back into primordial chaos, preparatory to reestablishing itself in a new order. Thus, Samhain is a night that exists outside of time and, hence, it may be used to view any other point in time. At no other holiday is a tarot card reading, crystal reading, or tealeaf reading so likely to succeed.

The Christian religion, with its emphasis on the “historical” Christ and his act of Redemption 2000 years ago, is forced into a linear view of time, where seeing the future is an illogical proposition. In fact, from the Christian perspective, any attempt to do so is seen as inherently evil. This did not keep the medieval church from co-opting Samhain’s other motif, commemoration of the dead. To the church, however, it could never be a feast for all the dead, but only the blessed dead, all those hallowed (made holy) by obedience to God—thus, All Hallow’s, or Hallowmas, later All Saints and All Souls.

There are so many types of divination that are traditional to Hallowstide, it is possible to mention only a few. Girls were told to place hazelnuts along the front of the firegrate, each one to symbolize one of her suitors. She could then divine her future husband by chanting, “If you love me, pop and fly; if you hate me, burn and die.” Several methods used the apple, that most popular of Halloween fruits. You should slice an apple through the equator (to reveal the five-pointed star within) and then eat it by candlelight before a mirror. Your future spouse will then appear over your shoulder. Or, peel an apple, making sure the peeling comes off in one long strand, reciting, “I pare this apple round and round again; / My sweetheart’s name to flourish on the plain: / I fling the unbroken paring o’er my head, / My sweetheart’s letter on the ground to read.” Or, you might set a snail to crawl through the ashes of your hearth. The considerate little creature will then spell out the initial letter as it moves.

Perhaps the most famous icon of the holiday is the jack-o’- lantern. Various authorities attribute it to either Scottish or Irish origin. However, it seems clear that it was used as a lantern by people who traveled the road this night, the scary face to frighten away spirits or faeries who might otherwise lead one astray. Set on porches and in windows, they cast the same spell of protection over the household. (The American pumpkin seems to have forever superseded the European gourd as the jack-o’- lantern of choice.) Bobbing for apples may well represent the remnants of a Pagan “baptism” rite called a seining, according to some writers. The water-filled tub is a latter-day Cauldron of Regeneration, into which the novice’s head is immersed. The fact that the participant in this folk game was usually blindfolded with hands tied behind the back also puts one in mind of a traditional Craft initiation ceremony.

The custom of dressing in costume and “trick-or-treating” is of Celtic origin, with survivals particularly strong in Scotland. However, there are some important differences from the modern version. In the first place, the custom was not relegated to children, but was actively indulged in by adults as well. Also, the “treat” that was required was often one of spirits (the liquid variety). This has recently been revived by college students who go ‘trick-or-drinking’. And in ancient times, the roving bands would sing seasonal carols from house-to-house, making the tradition very similar to Yuletide wassailing. In fact, the custom known as caroling, now connected exclusively with Midwinter, was once practiced at all the major holidays. Finally, in Scotland at least, the tradition of dressing in costume consisted almost exclusively of cross-dressing (i.e., men dressing as women, and women as men). It seems as though ancient societies provided an opportunity for people to “try on” the role of the opposite gender for one night of the year. (Although in Scotland, this is admittedly less dramatic—but more confusing—since men were in the habit of wearing skirtlike kilts anyway. Oh well...)

To Witches, Halloween is one of the four High Holidays, or Greater Sabbats, or cross-quarter days. Because it is the most important holiday of the year, it is sometimes called “The Great Sabbat”. It is an ironic fact that the newer, self-created covens tend to use the older name of the holiday, Samhain, which they have discovered through modern research. While the older hereditary and traditional covens often use the newer name, Halloween, which has been handed down through oral tradition within their coven. (This often holds true for the names of the other holidays, as well. One may often get an indication of a coven’s antiquity by noting what names it uses for the holidays.)

With such an important holiday, Witches often hold two distinct celebrations. First, a large Halloween party for non- Craft friends, often held on the previous weekend. And second, a coven ritual held on Halloween night itself, late enough so as not to be interrupted by trick-or-treaters. If the rituals are performed properly, there is often the feeling of invisible friends taking part in the rites. Another date that may be utilized in planning celebrations is the actual cross-quarter day, or Old Halloween, or Halloween O.S. (Old Style). This occurs when the sun has reached fifteen degrees Scorpio, an astrological “power point” symbolized by the Eagle. The celebration would begin at sunset. Interestingly, this date (Old Halloween) was also appropriated by the church as the holiday of Martinmas.

Of all the Witchcraft holidays, Halloween is the only one that still boasts anything near to popular celebration. Even though it is typically relegated to children (and the young-at heart) and observed as an evening affair only, many of its traditions are firmly rooted in Paganism. Incidentally, some schools have recently attempted to abolish Halloween parties on the grounds that it violates the separation of state and religion. Speaking as a Pagan, I would be saddened by the success of this move, but as a supporter of the concept of religion-free public education, I fear I must concede the point. Nonetheless, it seems only right that there should be one night of the year when our minds are turned toward thoughts of the supernatural. A night when both Pagans and non-Pagans may ponder the mysteries of the Otherworld and its inhabitants. And if you are one of them, may all your jack-o’-lanterns burn bright on this All Hallow’s Eve.

Samhain , pronounced Sow-en, is the Sabbat 6 months from Beltane, and the most important Sabbat. Together Beltane and Samhain cut the Witches year in half. In addition Samhain is the last of the three harvest Sabbats. This holiday is considered the Witches New Year, representing one full turn of the seasonal year. This day is a celebration of the end of the Goddess ruled Summer and marks the arrival of the God ruled Winter. The name Samhain means Summers End.

At one time it was believed that the ghosts of all persons who were destined to die in the coming year could be seen walking through the graveyard at midnight on Samhain. Perhaps this is because it is on this night that the veil between this and the spirit world is weakest. Many of the ghosts were thought to be of an evil nature and so for protection, jack-o-lanterns with hideous candle-lit faces were carved out of pumpkins and carried as lanterns to scare away the malevolent spirits.

Samhain is also the Celtic/Druid New Year, the beginning of the cider season, and a solemn rite and festival of the dead. At this time Witches honor deceased loved ones who have journeyed to the Summerland. It is not uncommon for the celebration to include a feast for the dead. For example in Belgium an old custom was to prepare ' Cakes for the Dead ' , small white cakes or cookies. A cake was eaten for each spirit honored with the belief that the more cakes you ate, the more the dead would bless you.

It was also customary to light a fire on the household hearth which would burn continuously until the first day of the following Spring. Huge bonfires were lit on the hilltops at sunset in honor of the old Gods and Goddesses, and to guide the souls of the dead home to their kin.

Samhain is also the time of the year for getting rid of weaknesses. On a piece of parchment write weaknesses or bad habits you would like to loose. Meditate on these weaknesses and how your life will be improved on loosing them. Then burn the parchment paper, preferably in the ritual fire, thank the Lord and Lady, and continue on with your celebration.

Traditional Pagan/Witchy foods for this holiday include:

Apples,
Pumpkin Pie,
Hazelnuts,
Cakes for the Dead,
Corn,
Cranberry Muffins and Breads,
Ale,
Cider, and
Herbal Teas

At the family dinner you could set an empty place for those who have departed who were dear to you. In this way you both honor the departed and teach your family about how a real Witch celebrates Samhain. If you are planning on a Samhain Ritual let all participants know they can, and when they can, state aloud the name(s) of loved departed ones they wish to remember. In doing so the departed individual(s) are honored and thanked for the special way they touched the participants life. What could be more beautiful on this night when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest? At the same time the Lord and Lady should be thanked for a bountiful harvest.

Blessed Be.

A Brief History of Hallowe'en

Author: Wren
Posted: October 5th. 1998
Times Viewed: 129,050

The Celtic peoples called the time between Samhain (pronounced "SOW-in" in Ireland, SOW-een in Wales, "SAV-en" in Scotland or even "SAM-haine" in non Gaelic speaking countries) and Brigid's Day "the period of little sun." Thus, Samhain is often named the "Last Harvest" or "Summer's End".

While almost all Celtic based traditions recognize this Holiday as the end of the "old" year, some groups do not celebrate the coming of the "new year" until Yule. Some consider the time between Samhain and Yule as a time which does not even exist on the Earthly plane. The "time which is no time" was considered in the "old days" to be both very magickal and very dangerous. So even today, we celebrate this Holiday with a mixture of joyous celebration and 'spine tingling" reverence.

The Samhain Holiday begins at sundown on October 31st. The nightide was always a time to be wary of walking alone in the countryside. So much more on this Night when the veils between the worlds of humans and spirits was at its thinnest. Traditional lore speaks of the dead returning to visit their kin and the doors to the Lands of the Sidhe (pronounced "shee") or Faery Realm being opened.

"The Feast of the Dead" ("Fleadh nan Mairbh") is laid out by many to welcome these otherworldly visitors and gain their favor for the coming year. Many folks leave milk and cakes ("Bannock Samhain" ) outside their door on Samhain Eve or set a place at their table for their ancestors who may want to join in the celebrations with their kin and family.

Some Witches use a chant at the beginning of the Feast to welcome their ancestors.

One of these, for example goes like this:

And so it is, we gather again,
The feast of our dead to begin.
Our Ancients, our Ancestors we invite, Come!
And follow the setting of the sun.

Whom do we call? We call them by name
(Name your ancestor that you wish want to welcome.)

The Ancients have come! Here with us stand
Where ever the country, where ever the land
They leave us not, to travel alone;
Flesh of our flesh, bone of our bone!

Grandmothers, Grandfathers, Great be their Power!
Past ones and present-at this very hour!

Welcome within are the dead who are kin,
Feast here with us and rest here within
Our hearth is your hearth and welcome to thee;
Old tales to tell and new visions to see!

It is also customary to light a new candle for the "new year". This ritual harkens back to the days when Samhain was one of only two days- the other being Beltaine-when it was considered correct to extinguish the "hearth fire" and then to re-light it. If your fire failed at any other time of the year, it was thought to be very bad luck indeed.

Upon the rekindling of the fire in the morning, this blessing was often said:

We Call Upon The Sacred Three:
To Save... To Shield... To Surround
The Hearth... The House... The Household
This Night, Each Night, Every Night.!

Many Witches of the Old Ways, actually celebrate "two" Samhains or Halloweens (Yes, some older traditions DO use the term "halloween"!). The "Old" date for Samhain occurs when the sun has reached 15 degrees Scorpio. (As a side note, the Catholic Church has "borrowed" this same day to celebrate the holiday of "Martinmas".) So if you follow this Way, you can always celebrate the "party aspect" with your friends on one date and the "worship" part with your kin on the other.

SAMHAIN
by Sig Lonegren

The Sun marks the year at four clear points called the Quarter Days - in the Northern Hemisphere - the Winter Solstice (longest night), Spring Equinox (equal night and day), Summer Solstice (longest day), and Autumnal Equinox (once again, equal day and night). The Celts divided the year in to eight by inserting the four Cross Quarter Days at roughly November 1st (Samhain), February 1st (Imbolc), May 1st (Beltane) and August 1st (Lughnasad). These points are roughly half the number of days between the Solstices and the Equinoxes.

Samhain (Halloween/All Saints Day) is the end and beginning of the Celtic year. By November 1st, the harvest is in and the seeds of the winter crops are planted. These seeds will lay dormant until Imbolc, called Candlemas by the Church, at the beginning of February when (in the British Isles) they move by themselves for the first time. The seed now has demonstrated that it is a living entity on its own. By Beltane, May Day, the plants are up and fertility is of extreme importance. Then at August 1st there is Lughnasad, Lammas in the Christian calendar, when the harvest begins. All the crops should be in by Samhain (pronounced "Sow-an") when the cycle begins once again.

If the Quarter Days start a season on the cycle (Winter Solstice starts winter, Spring Equinox starts spring, etc.), the Cross Quarter Days mark the high point of each season. For example, in Vermont (USA) where I come from, the old-timers say that you should have half your hay and half your wood by Candlemas (Imbolc). We also have our coldest nights (40 to 45 degrees below zero) just before the first of February.

The Celtic New Year

Samhain (Sow-an) marks the end of the old and the beginning of the new. All the crops are in, the animals have been brought in from the highlands, and we're battening down the hatches for winter. The seed that was planted last Samhain, that moved for the first time at Imbolc, sprouted and was up and growing at Beltane, and began to be harvested at Lughnasad/Lammas is now in the barn and ready to be planted anew as a winter crop for the next year - to start the cycle over again

With this end/beginning cusp, Samhain is the time in the yearly cycle of the Celts when the veil to the other side is the thinnest. It is the time of ghosties and ghoulies and things that go bump in the night. All Saints Day is on the 1st of November. It is a time to remember the dead - all the Saints. And of course the night before is Hallow 'een.

Samhain in Chagford

I'll never forget a Samhain in Chagford, a small country town at the edge of the northeast corner of Dartmoor in Devon. In the mid-eighties I had the good fortune to live in Glastonbury for almost two years. I went down to Dartmoor to visit old friends - the sacred sites of that magical moor. In the afternoon of the of 31st of October I was out on one of my most favorite sacred landscapes in all of Britain - Gidleigh Common with Kestor (a massive natural rock outcrop at the edge of the moor), the Shovel Down Stone Rows, the Teign River with its Iron Age Clapper Bridges and massive holey stone, and lovely Scorhill Circle on the side of the hill beyond the river. All of these ancient sites were folded gently in to the rolling hills of Dartmoor. I've been on Gidleigh Common in all kinds of weather from barefoot and shorts to hail coming in sideways.

On this particular Autumn afternoon, the Sun was shining brightly as I was walking from Shovel Down towards the River Teign. Some clouds scudded along the rocky outcroppings, called tors, to the West. As I crossed the Common, I became aware that the farmers were bringing in their sheep. First, all I heard was their whistling, as they instructed their sheep dogs. Then I saw them, riding ponies with nothing but a bridle and a girth with stirrups, the herdsmen and their tireless dogs were driving their sheep off the moor down to more hospitable terrain for the winter. According to Celtic tradition, Samhain was the day by which this task should be completed.

Chagford is a wonderful little town just off Dartmoor that has a marvelous village square with a nationally known bank with a thatched roof, one of the best hiking goods stores I've ever seen anywhere, The Three Crowns (an ancient inn with funky rooms and interesting food), and other typically British shops like a chemist, veg store, several small tea rooms, and the Post Office. Just around the corner from the village square was the Chagford Church, a fine Anglican sacred space whose age would have been reckoned in multiples of hundreds of years.

That same day I saw the sheep being herded off the moor, after a fine evening meal of Vitamin M at the Three Crowns, I went for a walk through the village, and took a short cut through the Church yard with it's ancient tomb stones. By that time, it was quite dark with the streetlights blinking through the grave yard trees and illuminating only a few of the old grave stones. Needless to say, every costumed kid in town was hiding in that cemetery, and they had been waiting all evening for a sucker like myself to walk through the grave yard. At least ten ghosties and ghoulies jumped me from behind various stones! It was great to encounter the startling "Boo!" and the ensuing peals of laughter. What a way to experience Samhain!

The Celtic Goddess

Goddess was found in a trinity in the Celtic world. As a Virgin, we first see her at Imbolc as Bride/Bridget. In her Mother aspect, we see her at both Beltane and Lughnasad. But it is here at Samhain that we meet the Goddess in Her third aspect, one that causes the most problems for many of us: the Crone. Our patriarchal society (of which the Celts were an earlier part) has consistently devalued women, and, today, as never before, the focus is on youth while our elders are ignored. During the early Renaissance, older women - especially if they lived alone or if they were a bit eccentric - were many times singled out as witches and burned at the stake.

Now there is an aspect of the Crone that is unpleasant to contemplate. The Hindus - at the other end of the Indo European empire - called her Kali (Ka-lee), the Death Goddess. The Celts in Scotland called her Cailleach (Kal-eh) which simply means "old woman." Images of her can make any night unpleasant. She had a blue-black face, one eye in the middle of her brow, and protruding teeth. A real beauty! Yet Cailleach is an important part of the cycle of birth, life, death, and regeneration. Her power animal was the Boar. The pig was always seen as a sacred animal to the Celts. For this reason, some Highland Scottish people, the Caldones or Kaledonioi, do not eat pork. And Samhain is both the time of death, and the time to sow the seeds. Interesting linguistic coincidence.

There is another, more agreeable aspect of the Crone that we must not forget: that of the wise old woman. Our Grandmothers (and Grandfathers) carry the wisdom of our people. Just as the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) of New York whose older women, the Clan Mothers, pick the Chiefs, all of the Celts from the Gaels and Picts of Ireland and Scotland down to the Gallacians in Turkey had a councils of elder women who chose their kings and war leaders. We need to redevelop ways of incorporating Crone energy in to our lives as well.

Taliesin, the most famous of the Welsh Celtic magicians, received his magic and inspiration from the Crone Cerriddwen. While she had her devouring aspects, she also had a cauldron of plenty. (An archetype of the Holy Grail.) Cerriddwen had hired a local lad, Little Gwion, to stir her cauldron for a year and a day (thirteen lunar months plus one day equal 365). On the last day, the potion boiled over and three burning drops fell on Little Gwion's hand. As he licked his burnt hand, the boy received the full dose of knowledge and wisdom that had been brewing in that cauldron for a year (and a day). After many adventures including a breathtaking chase scene and a miraculous rebirth, Little Gwion was transformed into Taliesin, the greatest Magician in all of Wales.

We all come from Goddess
And to her we shall return
Like a drop of rain
Flowing to the ocean.

All of the Celtic Cross Quarter Days are Fire Festivals. Shortly after November first is Guy Fawkes Day on the 5th of November. Fawkes tried to blow up Parliament when King James I was in the building. The gunpowder was in place when the plot was discovered. Now Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated with fireworks (it's like the 4th of July in the US), and big fires are lit and effigies of this poor guy Fawkes are burned all over England - shades of the wicker man.

While all of these Cross Quarter Days are all Fire Festivals, I feel each of the Celtic Cross Quarter Days is also associated with one of the four elements for the purposes of scrying. At Imbolc one looks at a bowl of Water to scry the future. Beltane is the time to look in to the Fire and burning embers to ruminate about the past. Lughnasad/Lammas uses a bowl of Earth to look at the now. The element of Samhain is Air. The veil to the other side is so thin at this time that you can see the spirits in the Air. You don't need any scrying tools! Use the intuitive skills you already have inside. Be sure to use protection if you plan to scry at this time. You can do this by surrounding yourself with Love. Only Love may enter. All else will be turned away.

Just Exactly When Is Samhain?

There are a number of different answers to this question. In these four articles on the Cross Quarter Days, we will be exploring a number of different ways to determine this day.

1. Of course, the most commonly accepted date is November 1st.

2. Half the number of days between the Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice this year (1996) is November 6th.

3. Astrologically, the half-way point is Fifteen Degrees Scorpio is also on November 6th this year!

4. Serena Roney-Dougal has told me about the Coligny Celtic Calendar that was found as a bronze plate in Brittany that dated, I think, from about the first century CE. This cycle of the year is linked to the quarter of the Moon and the time of the day. Imbolc is celebrated at midnight at the new Moon nearest the beginning of February, Beltane at dawn on the First Quarter Moon nearest the beginning of May, Lughnasad at mid day on the Full Moon closest to the first of August, and Samhain was celebrated at sunset on the Last Quarter Moon closest to the first of November. For example, u sing this system, Samhain 2002 is at sunset on October 28th.

5. In the US, MapleDragon has agreed to meet at the weekend closest to the first of those four months. And there are more. . .

Remember, there is no right date for these moveable feasts. It is a window in time. Which day resonates best with you? Go with your guts on the choice.

There is one thing to be said about the Cross Quarter Days regardless of exactly when you place them. These are the times of year when most everyone really becomes aware that the length of the daylight is changing. At Samhain, the days are getting shorter. At Imbolc the darkness breaks, the daylight hours are getting longer. At May Day you first become aware of how much later the Sun is setting in the evening, and at Lughnasad, for the first time you really begin to notice that those long summer evenings are beginning to get a bit shorter. The Quarter Days mark the beginnings of the seasonal changes, and the Cross Quarter Days mark the midpoints.

Jus' Bobbin' Along. . .

There is a traditional activity associated with Halloween that can be a very effective ceremonial tool at Samhain. It's bobbing for apples. This is an age old tool for communicating with the other side. Water represents that veil that is so thin at that time. Apples have always been associated with Goddess and temptation. Let me tempt you if I may with a technique that might yield some interesting results. At your Samhain gathering, have a big bucket or cauldron, some room temperature water, and a number of largish apples.

Before you begin, you need to have a question. Pick something that is happening for you at that moment that you relate with Samhain - perhaps some part of your life that is over, or another area where you need to sow some new seeds. Then bob for apples as usual. The only difference is when you finally get an apple in your teeth, instead of triumphantly pulling your head out of the water, even though your lungs might be screaming, "Air! Air!", keep your head under the water for a moment longer and pay attention. You will see or hear or experience something relevant to your question. This can be a very divinatory activity, and it is fun as well. Have lots of dry towels. ; )

So as this Samhain approaches, what is ending in you? What do you have inside that it is time to let go of? No healing is complete until you get beyond recovery. Use Samhain to take the thirteenth step: Transformation. In the Tarot, the thirteenth card of the Major Arcana is Death, and it is ruled by Scorpio. Samhain occurs in Scorpio. The card of Death doesn't necessarily mean physical death (though it can mean that), but more productively, it can be seen as an inevitable heavy change or transformation. Something old must be gotten rid of to make room for something new to be able to come in. Use the magic of this time to say good-bye to an old habit or addiction, an old relationship, or anything else it is time to leave behind.

At the same time, be ready to plant the seeds of the new. What would you like to become involved with? A new type of job? A more meaningful spiritual path? A better way of relating with your partner? While something old is gone, also use the energies of Samhain to plant the seeds of the new.

Happy New Year!