Celebrating Halloween and Samhain

Halloween is one of my favourite festivals of the year.  It is the time for preparation for the winter that is coming.

By the Celts it is considered one the times of the year when both our earthly world and the spiritual world have a thin barrier.  This festival is called Samhain.  It is the end of the year.  The harvest is complete, and everyone is preparing for winter.  Each year nature shows us the cycle of life.  Life, death and rebirth.  Samhain is the cycle of death.

The Celts told each other about their fortunes on this night while wearing animal costumes.  They would re-light the fires in their homes that they had burnt out until the ceremony was over.

The tradition of Halloween has shifted over the years from the Celtic to the present that is about having parties at home and going around to neighbourhood homes to collect candy and treats.

Back in the day wearing costumes was a necessary out of fear.  Costumes were worn to confuse the wandering spirits at night so that they could not recognize you by what you were wearing.  Hence the wearing of costumes at Halloween.

Providing food Halloween evening was also important.  Bowls of food would be left outside the door in order to appease confused and angry spirits.  The tradition has changed to handing out goodies at Halloween. I rarely miss this and continue to do this.  It feels like an important spiritually connecting ritual. It is also community and neighbourhood connecting as well.

Now a little bit of what you can do for yourself.  Release and let go.  Let go of all that has seemed to have ended.  It is a time to cleanse and release. You can take an Epsom salt bath or release with cleansing meditations.  It is time to prepare for the quiet and stillness which is arriving.  Winter is about hibernation and going within.  It is during this stillness that we prepare for the rebirth of Spring!  Let’s not get ahead of ourselves – that is about 6 months away.

Enjoy Halloween and the preparation it holds for the next season coming which is Winter.

Prepare, release, let go and cleanse.

In peace

Rho