Author Unknown
This is the favorite season for most Pagans and Witches. Or it might be the most irritating. Samhain is perhaps the most important holiday for both Witches and Irish Pagans; but it is also the Christian holiday of All Saint's Eve, which is not heavily celebrated in our country, and the secular holiday of Halloween, which is.
Can you take one more year of cutesy green-faced "Witches" all over the place? Not to mention the yearly media circus of "evidence of Satanic activity," often mocking articles on "real Witches," and discussions of the Celtic "Lord Samhain: God of the Dead." Oh, no here come the kids, ringing the doorbell in the middle of ritual!
Samhain (pronounced "sow-en" or "sav-an") was the old Irish New Year, the beginning of the dark time, and a "twilight" period between both the years and the seasons. The name likely means "summer's end," although there is some debated about this among the more linguistically inclined; it does indeed mark the transition from summer to winter. Like twilight and all in between times, it was (and is) a time when our world was very near the Underworld and the Otherworld; when we and those who inhabited the other two worlds could travel between them, whether we wanted to or not. It is a time when the Sidhe, the Gods and the Ancestors might come visiting and should be offered proper hospitality; food, drink, a place to rest. Or the time when those less kindly had to be held at bay or destroyed.
This is the time when cattle and sheep where brought in from summer pasture, all but breeding stock being killed for winter food and to make fewer mouths to feed. The last fruit was picked, except that which would be left for the Sidhe, and the grain was already gathered and had been processed for fodder, flour, and beer.
Fishermen put up their boats and stored their gear. Debts would be paid up. Young people who hired out as farm or herder help would return home, as would the warriors of the not-totally-mythological Fianna and any Bards or poets traveling about would find a household to attach themselves to. The people would begin preparing for the long, dark winter of living almost constantly indoors in often crowded conditions.
The festival itself would be celebrated with bonfires, feasts, and animal sacrifices (which would be the killing of the livestock for the feasts and to be cured for later) at large gatherings as well as smaller local ones. The Gods, Sidhe, and Ancestors would be welcome and fed in ritual, as they would be by individuals at home and hall. Divination would be important, for not only was this a major turning point in the year but such things would be easier with the nearness of Otherworldly help. The fires of the old year would be extinguished to be replaced by new ones.
Story telling started at this time and in many chieftains' halls it was mandatory that a story be told every night during the dark half of the year --from Samhain to Beltaine. After all, except for an occasional hunting expedition and the fixing of weapons and tools, there wasn't a lot to do at this time; while temperatures in the British Isles are kept relatively mild by the Gulf Stream it is dark most of the day during the winter months. Undoubtedly, not being driven by "Christian work ethic," the need for capitalistic gain, or artificial lighting people slept a lot through the winter.
What about those horrible green faced Witches every where and the annoying Trick or Treaters? Well, this is the time of year that the Scots believed that the Cailleach, the Hag, arises from stone to walk the Earth. She actually had a blue-gray or almost black face (a recent corpse turns bluish-gray when the blood pools to the lowest point, one dead longer in moist climates will often develop a blue-black mold), the change to green probably comes from a confusion of the word "glas" which means "green" when speaking of land, but "blue-gray" in reference to other things. As She is an important supernatural being in Gaelic myth, I chose to revel in Her representation at this time of year ---how little "they" know that they are honoring a Pagan idol. And yes, she was often considered both scary and reverently comical, for winter was a fearful time and best faced with humor. (You might leave some water for Her as She is thirsty when She awakens.)
The other modern "secular" annoyance for some Pagans, Trick or Treat, seems to have been started in Pagan times by young people who disguised themselves and requested hospitality from all they met (this appears to have been a practice at all Fire Festivals in some variation). It is always important for us as Pagans to Treat them well even today, for we can never be sure that on really is a costumed child and we don't want to deal with one of Their Tricks if they should be our Ancestors or a supernatural entity. There is also speculation that this might have been a way for widows and orphans to procure their winter stores.
The "Trick" aspect that we still have when young people vandalize and create general chaos irrespective of getting "Treats" is of some antiquity; in Scotland at least, the youths would break things, tear up gardens, and run rampant to destroy the past year (again, how little "they" know why they do what they do today). This represented the actions of the Otherworldly beings and rendered that which was left useless to humans, therefore only of value to those of the Otherworld. Samhain is really the time in between two years and is therefore a time of Chaos, a time when the Otherworld rules. Afterwards a new order would be created for the New Year.
For modern Pagans it is a bit harder to really understand the importance of the seasonal changes to our ancestors, for we are so insulated from the realities of cold and darkness by central heating and electric lights. If you farm or raise livestock, it is, of course, much more real; I know that since I moved back to the city I feel very disconnected now that I don't have horses to bring to the barn paddock or the last apples (for us, with some left for Others of course) to gather up for storage. We are no longer dependent on what we gather and preserve throughout the winter; we can get fresh produce and meat year round. Although this is a big party time for most Pagans, it no longer has the feel of desperation that comes from this being the last time that we get to gather and travel for many months --when the party would have been more important, on the level of Mardi Gras. Certainly few of us get to enjoy the benefit of extra sleep during this time, despite the fact that many of us are afflicted with Seasonal Affective Disorder and probably should.
Modern Halloween is strongly connected with fear, something that, as one of the very things that non-Pagans are supposed to fear according to their "myths," we as Witches and Pagans often try not to link with our celebration of Samhain. But it was a truly scary time for our Iron Age and early Christian ancestors. There was some real fear of the supernatural beings, especially if one was foolish enough to not offer food or to wander about near Sidhe (the Hills the Sidhe as beings live in and are named for) where one might end up in the Otherworld unable to return to family and friends. Many of the legends of Samhain involve the destruction of a settlement by an Otherworldly Outsider. But there was also fear of the starvation, cold, and loneliness of winter. If the food didn't last, if you got sick, if you left shelter for too long you would likely die or, worse, these things may happen to someone you love. Every Iron Age person would most likely have faced losing at least one member of family or tribe during every winter.
As most of us are so sheltered from the seasonal changes we celebrate we need to consciously reconnect ourselves to the season. These are a few suggestions you might like to try: Pick or buy local fruit, prior to Samhain, and can some of it as well as make pies, cobbler or what you wish for the Samhain feast. Yes, this takes time and planning, but that is kind of the point. We take food for granted and we should remember that someone has to work for it and there are always people who can't take it for granted. After Samhain, if there is any fruit left on local trees, do not touch it --- respect that it now belongs to those of the Otherworld.
If your group can be a bit spontaneous (or you celebrate alone) then watch the weather carefully to plan the Samhain date, instead of going by the calendar. If you pay attention you might be able to feel the change at the time it happens, both in the changes in the weather and the opening of the gates between our world and the others. If not this year, perhaps the next one will be noticeable, or the next. Keep seeking it. If at no other holiday this is the time to make divination part of your celebration, this is the time when the whole next year can be revealed.
Likewise, you may wish to carry on the tradition of the Need Fires at Samhain and Beltaine. This is not as necessary or as convenient for many of as few have fires we can keep burning constantly --I know some who try it with candles but this could get dangerous. Thanks to a comment from my esteemed editor, Brian, Tuath nan Sgan decided to light our Beltaine fire with a bow drill and brought it home to relight our pilot on our stove. We light our altar candles from the stove. This was repeated at Samhain.
As a ritualization of a New Year's resolution you might dress as what you want to be or feel you are becoming, either for ritual or a party. One idea for circle is for everyone to dress in a way that represents their past and include in the ritual a time to change into something for the New Year; or leave yourself open to new changes by either changing to very plan robes or going skyclad as your group prefers.
Allow for Chaos to take over for a time, perhaps reenacting a myth of Destruction such as the burning of Tara in the Fianna stories. Spend at least some time realizing you are out of control of what is around you. If you have a garden, perhaps you can have the group run through and pull up all annuals, smash pumpkins and melons (no there were no pumpkins or melons in Iron Age Ireland or Europe in general, despite popular imagery --but they do smash quite nicely). Create disorder, then create order again. (And remember this doesn't include vandalizing cemeteries, other people's homes, or putting your neighbor's VW on a roof --although the last is an entertaining Urban Myth.)
Sacrifice something ---a belonging that held importance to you in the past but you realize now no longer is connected to who you are becoming. You can choose to do this privately or with your group. The sacrifice can be to break and burn or bury it as a direct offering to the God/desses or to give it away (perhaps to charity rather than to a friend so you don't encounter it later). This too should be difficult, or it isn't a sacrifice.
Meditate on the Cailleach or a psychopomp that is more appropriate for you. Acknowledge your mortality and that of those around you. (Hey...I didn't say this was all going to be fun)
Connect with your ancestors. Do offerings for them at Samhain ritual, but also consider that winter is a wonderful time to work on your genealogy, gather stories from the elders in your family, and dig through old photographs and diaries.
Spend time throughout the winter helping out at soup kitchens, shelters, suicide hotlines.... This is a very hard time a lot of people. It's depressing for almost everyone. As we are no longer a tribal or small-village people, there are many who are disenfranchised who would have been cared for by family and community in our ancestors' times. And as the old tales show us, the "person" you help may be of the Kindred. And remember there is no need to quit once winter has passed ---some times may seem worse than others, but there are people in need year round.
Tell stories. Learn old tales and tell them to your friends, and/or make up new tales. They should be told with great energy, drama, and mirth. Remember the stories you told as kids at camp or slumber parties. Scary stories are, of course, very appropriate and many of the Irish myths are specifically related to Samhain and winter. Have any children around you listen and tell their own stories ---you'll be amazed what you can learn from them. While TV and movies are not a good substitute, you may want to ponder some of the better quality offerings to see what stories influence and are influenced by modern life.
Try to get more rest. It's natural for our bodies to quiet down with the lessening of sunlight. Our job or school obligations force us to counter this natural rhythm, causing fatigue and depression (Seasonal Affective Disorder) that our ancestors probably dealt with by sleeping more and comforting each other. In fact, this condition probably helped our ancestors get through the winter with little to do by keeping them asleep and not stir-crazy. While we may have to use exercise and light therapy to counter the problematic affects of SAD, it may also be healthier for our bodies just to schedule in a bit more sleeping and relaxing time than we might give ourselves in the summer.
This is the slow time of the year, the time to regroup and reset our priorities and that's simply the way it is. So curl up in your favorite chair with a good book and some herb tea. Spring will come in Her own time, so try to enjoy some sharing of the Earth's rest.
Bibliography
Kevin Danaher. "Irish Folk Tradition and the Celtic Calendar." The Celtic Consciousness Robert O'Driscoll, ed. New York: George Braziller, Inc., 1981
Anne Ross. The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands London: B.T. Batsford Ltd., 1990
-- The Pagan Celts London: B.T. Batsford Ltd., 1986
-- "Material Culture, Myth and Folk Memory" The Celtic Consciousness
T.G.E. Powell. The Celts New York: Thames and Hudson, 1980
Alwyn and Brinley Rees. Celtic Heritage New York: Thames and Hudson, 1990
May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee,
O Mother, O Woman Eternal
who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters
between the hands upon Her Heart
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We swear by Peace and Love to stand,
Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand.
Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
confirming this, our Sacred Vow.
~Druidic Prayer of Unity~
This is the favorite season for most Pagans and Witches. Or it might be the most irritating. Samhain is perhaps the most important holiday for both Witches and Irish Pagans; but it is also the Christian holiday of All Saint's Eve, which is not heavily celebrated in our country, and the secular holiday of Halloween, which is.
Can you take one more year of cutesy green-faced "Witches" all over the place? Not to mention the yearly media circus of "evidence of Satanic activity," often mocking articles on "real Witches," and discussions of the Celtic "Lord Samhain: God of the Dead." Oh, no here come the kids, ringing the doorbell in the middle of ritual!
Samhain (pronounced "sow-en" or "sav-an") was the old Irish New Year, the beginning of the dark time, and a "twilight" period between both the years and the seasons. The name likely means "summer's end," although there is some debated about this among the more linguistically inclined; it does indeed mark the transition from summer to winter. Like twilight and all in between times, it was (and is) a time when our world was very near the Underworld and the Otherworld; when we and those who inhabited the other two worlds could travel between them, whether we wanted to or not. It is a time when the Sidhe, the Gods and the Ancestors might come visiting and should be offered proper hospitality; food, drink, a place to rest. Or the time when those less kindly had to be held at bay or destroyed.
This is the time when cattle and sheep where brought in from summer pasture, all but breeding stock being killed for winter food and to make fewer mouths to feed. The last fruit was picked, except that which would be left for the Sidhe, and the grain was already gathered and had been processed for fodder, flour, and beer.
Fishermen put up their boats and stored their gear. Debts would be paid up. Young people who hired out as farm or herder help would return home, as would the warriors of the not-totally-mythological Fianna and any Bards or poets traveling about would find a household to attach themselves to. The people would begin preparing for the long, dark winter of living almost constantly indoors in often crowded conditions.
The festival itself would be celebrated with bonfires, feasts, and animal sacrifices (which would be the killing of the livestock for the feasts and to be cured for later) at large gatherings as well as smaller local ones. The Gods, Sidhe, and Ancestors would be welcome and fed in ritual, as they would be by individuals at home and hall. Divination would be important, for not only was this a major turning point in the year but such things would be easier with the nearness of Otherworldly help. The fires of the old year would be extinguished to be replaced by new ones.
Story telling started at this time and in many chieftains' halls it was mandatory that a story be told every night during the dark half of the year --from Samhain to Beltaine. After all, except for an occasional hunting expedition and the fixing of weapons and tools, there wasn't a lot to do at this time; while temperatures in the British Isles are kept relatively mild by the Gulf Stream it is dark most of the day during the winter months. Undoubtedly, not being driven by "Christian work ethic," the need for capitalistic gain, or artificial lighting people slept a lot through the winter.
What about those horrible green faced Witches every where and the annoying Trick or Treaters? Well, this is the time of year that the Scots believed that the Cailleach, the Hag, arises from stone to walk the Earth. She actually had a blue-gray or almost black face (a recent corpse turns bluish-gray when the blood pools to the lowest point, one dead longer in moist climates will often develop a blue-black mold), the change to green probably comes from a confusion of the word "glas" which means "green" when speaking of land, but "blue-gray" in reference to other things. As She is an important supernatural being in Gaelic myth, I chose to revel in Her representation at this time of year ---how little "they" know that they are honoring a Pagan idol. And yes, she was often considered both scary and reverently comical, for winter was a fearful time and best faced with humor. (You might leave some water for Her as She is thirsty when She awakens.)
The other modern "secular" annoyance for some Pagans, Trick or Treat, seems to have been started in Pagan times by young people who disguised themselves and requested hospitality from all they met (this appears to have been a practice at all Fire Festivals in some variation). It is always important for us as Pagans to Treat them well even today, for we can never be sure that on really is a costumed child and we don't want to deal with one of Their Tricks if they should be our Ancestors or a supernatural entity. There is also speculation that this might have been a way for widows and orphans to procure their winter stores.
The "Trick" aspect that we still have when young people vandalize and create general chaos irrespective of getting "Treats" is of some antiquity; in Scotland at least, the youths would break things, tear up gardens, and run rampant to destroy the past year (again, how little "they" know why they do what they do today). This represented the actions of the Otherworldly beings and rendered that which was left useless to humans, therefore only of value to those of the Otherworld. Samhain is really the time in between two years and is therefore a time of Chaos, a time when the Otherworld rules. Afterwards a new order would be created for the New Year.
For modern Pagans it is a bit harder to really understand the importance of the seasonal changes to our ancestors, for we are so insulated from the realities of cold and darkness by central heating and electric lights. If you farm or raise livestock, it is, of course, much more real; I know that since I moved back to the city I feel very disconnected now that I don't have horses to bring to the barn paddock or the last apples (for us, with some left for Others of course) to gather up for storage. We are no longer dependent on what we gather and preserve throughout the winter; we can get fresh produce and meat year round. Although this is a big party time for most Pagans, it no longer has the feel of desperation that comes from this being the last time that we get to gather and travel for many months --when the party would have been more important, on the level of Mardi Gras. Certainly few of us get to enjoy the benefit of extra sleep during this time, despite the fact that many of us are afflicted with Seasonal Affective Disorder and probably should.
Modern Halloween is strongly connected with fear, something that, as one of the very things that non-Pagans are supposed to fear according to their "myths," we as Witches and Pagans often try not to link with our celebration of Samhain. But it was a truly scary time for our Iron Age and early Christian ancestors. There was some real fear of the supernatural beings, especially if one was foolish enough to not offer food or to wander about near Sidhe (the Hills the Sidhe as beings live in and are named for) where one might end up in the Otherworld unable to return to family and friends. Many of the legends of Samhain involve the destruction of a settlement by an Otherworldly Outsider. But there was also fear of the starvation, cold, and loneliness of winter. If the food didn't last, if you got sick, if you left shelter for too long you would likely die or, worse, these things may happen to someone you love. Every Iron Age person would most likely have faced losing at least one member of family or tribe during every winter.
As most of us are so sheltered from the seasonal changes we celebrate we need to consciously reconnect ourselves to the season. These are a few suggestions you might like to try: Pick or buy local fruit, prior to Samhain, and can some of it as well as make pies, cobbler or what you wish for the Samhain feast. Yes, this takes time and planning, but that is kind of the point. We take food for granted and we should remember that someone has to work for it and there are always people who can't take it for granted. After Samhain, if there is any fruit left on local trees, do not touch it --- respect that it now belongs to those of the Otherworld.
If your group can be a bit spontaneous (or you celebrate alone) then watch the weather carefully to plan the Samhain date, instead of going by the calendar. If you pay attention you might be able to feel the change at the time it happens, both in the changes in the weather and the opening of the gates between our world and the others. If not this year, perhaps the next one will be noticeable, or the next. Keep seeking it. If at no other holiday this is the time to make divination part of your celebration, this is the time when the whole next year can be revealed.
Likewise, you may wish to carry on the tradition of the Need Fires at Samhain and Beltaine. This is not as necessary or as convenient for many of as few have fires we can keep burning constantly --I know some who try it with candles but this could get dangerous. Thanks to a comment from my esteemed editor, Brian, Tuath nan Sgan decided to light our Beltaine fire with a bow drill and brought it home to relight our pilot on our stove. We light our altar candles from the stove. This was repeated at Samhain.
As a ritualization of a New Year's resolution you might dress as what you want to be or feel you are becoming, either for ritual or a party. One idea for circle is for everyone to dress in a way that represents their past and include in the ritual a time to change into something for the New Year; or leave yourself open to new changes by either changing to very plan robes or going skyclad as your group prefers.
Allow for Chaos to take over for a time, perhaps reenacting a myth of Destruction such as the burning of Tara in the Fianna stories. Spend at least some time realizing you are out of control of what is around you. If you have a garden, perhaps you can have the group run through and pull up all annuals, smash pumpkins and melons (no there were no pumpkins or melons in Iron Age Ireland or Europe in general, despite popular imagery --but they do smash quite nicely). Create disorder, then create order again. (And remember this doesn't include vandalizing cemeteries, other people's homes, or putting your neighbor's VW on a roof --although the last is an entertaining Urban Myth.)
Sacrifice something ---a belonging that held importance to you in the past but you realize now no longer is connected to who you are becoming. You can choose to do this privately or with your group. The sacrifice can be to break and burn or bury it as a direct offering to the God/desses or to give it away (perhaps to charity rather than to a friend so you don't encounter it later). This too should be difficult, or it isn't a sacrifice.
Meditate on the Cailleach or a psychopomp that is more appropriate for you. Acknowledge your mortality and that of those around you. (Hey...I didn't say this was all going to be fun)
Connect with your ancestors. Do offerings for them at Samhain ritual, but also consider that winter is a wonderful time to work on your genealogy, gather stories from the elders in your family, and dig through old photographs and diaries.
Spend time throughout the winter helping out at soup kitchens, shelters, suicide hotlines.... This is a very hard time a lot of people. It's depressing for almost everyone. As we are no longer a tribal or small-village people, there are many who are disenfranchised who would have been cared for by family and community in our ancestors' times. And as the old tales show us, the "person" you help may be of the Kindred. And remember there is no need to quit once winter has passed ---some times may seem worse than others, but there are people in need year round.
Tell stories. Learn old tales and tell them to your friends, and/or make up new tales. They should be told with great energy, drama, and mirth. Remember the stories you told as kids at camp or slumber parties. Scary stories are, of course, very appropriate and many of the Irish myths are specifically related to Samhain and winter. Have any children around you listen and tell their own stories ---you'll be amazed what you can learn from them. While TV and movies are not a good substitute, you may want to ponder some of the better quality offerings to see what stories influence and are influenced by modern life.
Try to get more rest. It's natural for our bodies to quiet down with the lessening of sunlight. Our job or school obligations force us to counter this natural rhythm, causing fatigue and depression (Seasonal Affective Disorder) that our ancestors probably dealt with by sleeping more and comforting each other. In fact, this condition probably helped our ancestors get through the winter with little to do by keeping them asleep and not stir-crazy. While we may have to use exercise and light therapy to counter the problematic affects of SAD, it may also be healthier for our bodies just to schedule in a bit more sleeping and relaxing time than we might give ourselves in the summer.
This is the slow time of the year, the time to regroup and reset our priorities and that's simply the way it is. So curl up in your favorite chair with a good book and some herb tea. Spring will come in Her own time, so try to enjoy some sharing of the Earth's rest.
Bibliography
Kevin Danaher. "Irish Folk Tradition and the Celtic Calendar." The Celtic Consciousness Robert O'Driscoll, ed. New York: George Braziller, Inc., 1981
Anne Ross. The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands London: B.T. Batsford Ltd., 1990
-- The Pagan Celts London: B.T. Batsford Ltd., 1986
-- "Material Culture, Myth and Folk Memory" The Celtic Consciousness
T.G.E. Powell. The Celts New York: Thames and Hudson, 1980
Alwyn and Brinley Rees. Celtic Heritage New York: Thames and Hudson, 1990
May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee,
O Mother, O Woman Eternal
who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters
between the hands upon Her Heart
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We swear by Peace and Love to stand,
Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand.
Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
confirming this, our Sacred Vow.
~Druidic Prayer of Unity~
f1@aol.com; edited by Triton3607@aol.com (thanks Steve!) All rights reserved by the author. This article is protected under copyright laws. Should you wish to reproduce this article, in part or whole, please E-mail the author with specifics and authorization.
that dotted the Irish and Scottish countryside. Samhain was the new year to the Celts. In the Celtic belief system, turning points, such as the time between one day and the next, the meeting of sea and shore, or the turning of one year into the next were seen as magickal times. The turning of the year was the most potent of these times. This was the time when the "veil between the worlds" was at its thinnest, and the living could communicate with their beloved dead in Tir nan Og. 
