Samhain

If you would like to see my ongoing compilation of Samhain information,


Date October 31st (Northern Hemisphere) May 1st (Southern Hemisphere)

Season First Day of Winter

Other Names All Hallows Eve, Celtic New Year, Day of the Dead, Feast of Spirits, Halloween, Hallowe'en, Hallowmas, Third Harvest. The Full Moon is also called the "Blood Moon".

Lore It is traditional that on All Hallows Eve a place of food is left outside the home for the souls of the dead. A candle in the window guides the souls of the dead to the lands of eternal summer. Buried apples feeds the souls upon their journey.

Bells: tolling of bells guide travelers to refuge to save them from faeries, cast protective spells.

Masks and Costumes: Invocation of gods, Animals, Spirits and the dead. Masks may be made to be positioned around the gathering's circle and/or worn by dancers.

Fire: For Celts, a Fire Festival similar to Beltane. Bonfires lit to welcome and warm, encourage sun to get through winter, guide travelers on this night. Fire was considered purifying by pagas and christians.

Divinations: A time when the veil between worlds of living and dead, past and present is thinnest, and so it is a good time for divining. Tarot, Runes, Candle Wax dripped into water, Apple Bobbing, Dream Interpretation.

Midnight Invocation on All Hallows Eve, putting out food for the spirits.
Wrong or Ragged Dressing: to amuse and confuse the spirits

Choosing a Priest and Priestess to represent the Goddess and Horned God

Activities Divination, Drying Winter Herbs, Meditation, Past-Life Recall, Spirit Contact

Animals Bats, Cats, Dogs, Owls

Deities Aged Gods, Death, The Dead God, Underworld

Symbolism of Samhain: Celebration of Reincarnation, Death of God, End of Summer, Honoring of the Dead, Pagan New Year, Rebirth through Death, Reflection on the Wheel of the Year, The Dark Mysteries, Third Harvest

Symbols of Samhain: Apples, Balefire, Besom, Black Cats, Cauldron, Gourds, Jack-O-Lanterns, Masks, Waning Moon

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

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

Incense of Samhain: Heliotrope, Mint, Nutmeg.

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

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


I will be adding more to this same entry rather than posting new entries.