The shadows are growing longer, and darkness falls a little earlier each night. Already passed into memory are the long golden days of summer, and in their place are the deeply evocative earthy smells of ripe apples, the heady scent of turning leaves, and the intoxicating waft of wood fire.
The next seasonal turning point is almost upon us, as Halloween, or the ancient living tradition known as Celtic New Year, Samhain (pronounced saw-win). Samhain is the third and Final Harvest, and is midpoint between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice, and is considered a “cross quarter” festival. It is a sacred time to honor those who have gone on before us, and the veil between the worlds is said to be at its thinnest. Because of this, it is an auspicious time for such activities as scrying, divination, and anything which requires going within and accessing wisdom from the Otherworld.
The roots of what many today celebrate as Halloween are firmly embedded and nourished by ancient Celtic soil. Samhain was the last of the three great Harvest festivals; the first and second being Lughnasadh and the Autumn Equinox. The ancients observed that by Samhain, most of the once green and fertile fields had been reduced to brown stubble, and the very last of the crops were brought in for drying and preserving in order to see the people through the cold and dark half of the year. Animals were brought down from the high summer pastures, and some were sacrificed to the tribe for the Harvest feast, while others were smoked and dried for the coming dark months ahead. Burnished red apples and earthy root vegetables were collected for future suppers on nights when the winter wind would howl fiercely, and the abundant fertile bounty of summer was but a distant dream of a far off land.
The ancient peoples of northern Europe were much more tuned into the cycles of the year, because their very survival was tied inextricably to the land. To them, it was apparent that Samhain was the end of one cycle, and therefore naturally the beginning of the next. This time of year was literally their “New Year”. The Celts did not fear death, seeing it as a fundamental part of the sacred spiral of life/death/rebirth. Samhain was the time of year when the ancients observed that the veil between the worlds was at its thinnest, and that they were able to communicate with the ancestors easily on this night. The practice of putting out a plate of food as an offering for the honored ancestors on this evening was common.
The Celts did not have a heaven or hell in their belief system; instead the land of the dead was called Tir na n’Og , also known as the Otherworld, or the Summerland. It was an ethereal place thought to be perpetual summer, and it ran alongside the everyday world that humans made their home. It was here that the dead resided along with various other beings such as the Sidhe, or faery folk. The belief that the veil between the worlds was thin at this time of the year meant, among other things, that the Sidhe were able to cross over into the human world and if they chose, to make mischief.
This is likely the origin of the “scary” element of Halloween, and possibly when people began to carve turnips and squash into spooky faces in order to scare away the faery folk and their mischievous prank making.
Samhain and Scorpio – The Astrology of Halloween
On October 31st, the Sun is in the depths of Scorpio. As with all signs, Scorpio is an archetype of the season that it presides over. It is unfathomably deep, with nothing less that the mystery of life/death/rebirth as its raison d’êtres. In human terms, Scorpio is complex, transformative, and regenerating, while its shadow side can be deceptive, possessive, and secretive. The entire spectrum of human sexuality is ruled by Scorpio, from its most debased forms to the most transcendent heights of spiritual ecstasy. To know God or Goddess through the mystery of sex is Scorpio territory. The ultimate quest of the Scorpio archetype is to penetrate the veil of illusion to get to whatever it perceives to be the truth within the truth with the goal of deep alchemical transformation. This seeking of truth can be done consciously and constructively, or through the sign’s shadow side with manipulation, deceit and power games.
Samhain, the festival, is deeply resonant with the symbolism of the sign Scorpio, as both are concerned with the deepest mysteries of life and death, and both are about intense transformation at the most fundamental levels.
A Simple Ritual For Samhain - Winnowing
Ritual is simply a way of focusing our intent. It can be as easy as a private matter of repeating our intention in our own minds as we walk to work or as elaborate as our imaginations and creativity can dream up. Both are effective, and both can produce results. I have deliberately designed this ritual so that it can be used by anyone, regardless of individual spiritual traditions. You may add your own flavor to it as you wish.
Because Samhain is about endings and beginnings, it makes sense to include components of both aspects of this festival in your ritual. And, as Samhain is traditionally a harvest festival and most of us do not literally live on a farm where we can harvest plants – this ritual is for harvesting or winnowing on a spiritual level. Winnowing is an old word that means to separate the grain from the chaff; or what is important and what we want in our lives versus that which no longer serves us. You can do this alone, or with a group. You can do it indoors, or outside. You will need a heat proof container such as an abalone shell, one black candle, one green, 2 pieces of paper, pen, and matches.
As is the time honored tradition, you may set up an altar with pictures or keepsakes of loved ones who have gone on before, to honor them and also to bring their wisdom to your ritual. These can be of people, but it is perfectly alright to include animal friends who have passed to the Otherworld. Again, your altar can be as simple or elaborate as you would like. If you wish to formally cast a circle, you may do this now; otherwise you can open the ritual by ringing a bell, banging a drum, or any other way that feels right for you.
Light candles, the color does not matter, but try and make sure they are of a natural material such as soy or beeswax.
Take a moment for some deep centering breaths. If you have a meditation practice for grounding and centering, do this now. Take some time to review the passing year.
When you feel ready, write on one piece of paper something in your life that you would like to let go of. (No one need see this but you) This can be anything you choose: maybe your fear of expressing your true feelings; an unhealthy habit; your need to over-control. You can write as many things as you want, or just one. Light the black candle.
Read what you have written over to yourself. Let it sink in. Draw on the power of this season that is all about necessary endings, and let it carry away that which you no longer need in your life. Call on those who are on the other side of the veil for their assistance and wisdom in letting go. If you wish, you can say some variation of “I hereby release this (whatever it is) from my life, it has served its purpose, and I am thankful for the lessons it has provided.”
When you feel ready to part with that which has outlived its usefulness to your continued growth, put the paper into the shell and light it on fire. Watch as the fire transforms the unwanted thing to ash, cleansing, changing. Sit for a moment and breathe in the new reality. Witness the change. Put the shell on the altar.
Remember, Samhain is about endings and beginnings, death and rebirth; it is New Year’s, after all. Pick up the other paper, and on it write something that you would like to call into being for the coming year - Prosperity; courage to be yourself; compassion. Visualize yourself living with this new energy. Light the green candle, the color of new growth. Again, using your own words say: “I hereby draw this into my life, for the good of all, easily and joyfully”.
End the ritual either by formally closing the circle, or simply by ringing the bell or banging the drum.
Afterwards, the ashes from the banished list and the paper containing your wishes for the coming year may be used as mulch in a plant pot, or buried under a tree outdoors. You can now celebrate with the traditional cakes and wine, or whatever goodies appeal to you!
I am also on the edge of my seat waiting for my new column in SageWoman Magazine, which will arrive on the shelves any day now! I feel honored to be part of this magazine, which is celebrating its 25th year in print with this special issue. My column is titled, "Turning the Wheel, Astrology from a Goddess Perspective." Far from a traditional astrological "Sun Sign" column, Turning the Wheel is about learning to align ourselves with the natural rhythms of the seasons, so that as women, we may reclaim our rightful relationship with the earth, and our creative soulful selves.
