Celebrating Samhain

Honoring the seasons has been a part of my personal spiritual practices for more than 20 years. Connecting with the nuances of the eight holidays associated with the Celtic Calendar or the Wheel of the Year, has been a way for me to access my spiritual practices, throughout the year, with a specific energetic theme to each event. Below are some suggestions for celebrating the season of Samhain (pronounced Sow-wain), the third of three harvest celebrations. Samhain happens on October 31st. Enjoy the turn of the wheel of the seasons!

Energies of the Season

• Contemplating ancestor connections

• Thinning of the veil between worlds

• Travel between worlds

• Lean into the darkness

• Turning towards introspection

• Easier access to divination, psychic abilities and spirits.

Colors-Deep golds, scarlet, brown.

Crystals- Smokey quartz, jet, obsidian, amber, ruby, hematite

Herbs- Rosemary, Hawthorne leaves and berries, pumpkin seeds, mullein seeds, sage, nettle, garlic, mushrooms,

Decorating for the final Fall harvest has been made easier by the secular holiday of Halloween. Bringing elements of nature indoors, such as fall leaves, squash and pumpkins, even spider webs can help you get into the energy of the season.

This time of year many people feel the thinness of the veil between the material world and the spiritual world. Some people find it easier to hear the messages of the dead or other spiritual helpers during this season. Practicing divination skills can be more fruitful when practiced during the Fall. Creating a daily practice of pulling tarot or oracle cards can increase your confidence in your intuitive skills. I believe everyone is psychic and it is just a matter of developing this skill.

Practice Ideas:

Ancestor Dinners

Ancestor research

Ancestor Altars (see my blog post here)

Release Ritual