Welcome to our Spell Book here at MoonCrafted Essentials. We are a family business of witches who make handmade ritual bath products and invocation candles while helping mystical people learn and embrace their love of magick and the moon.
Today, lets talk about Samhain- Spirits & Ancestor Magick in October. I love October. It’s the height of autumn in all her colorful glory. It’s cool enough out to be active from sunup to sun down if you want. Soups and braised foods adorn menus (which are my favorites) and it’s cool enough to bake whenever you want. Halloween is in October, which as a kid was by far the best day. Terri and I were married in October (ummm…Halloween wedding? Yes!). Everything slows down from the frenetic pace of summer.
I like to think of the earth’s trip around the sun is equitable to a day for humans. Spring is early morning. You begrudgingly wake up, struggling to shake away the sleep and get going with #allthethings. Summer is the peak of the day. Running around, finite time to get everything done. Autumn is the end of the day. You get to slip out of your work close, get comfy, and wind down. Winter is the night. Cool and dark, you snuggle down for deep sleep; taking the opportunity to rest while dreaming of what may come.
In ancient traditions, everything begins with darkness. Light is born from the dark, they are inseparable and necessary. Darkness is fertile, holding the potential of everything within until the light bursts forth from her center. As darkness is the beginning of all things, so is the dark part of the year the beginning of the calendar.
Samhain is, arguably, the most important of the Sabbats practiced by modern and ancient pagans. The end of summer (literally, that’s what it translates to) is here, the fields are bare and the cold is coming. It is a time for culling herds, hunting, final foraging, and preparation. The cycle of growth is over, the time of death is here. The seeds of the harvest are nestled within the earth, lifeless for now but holding the promise of the future.
Many traditions speak of the ‘veil’ thinning between the worlds. This means the energetic barriers between the world of man, faerie, and the dead are weak, allowing the worlds to blend as one. The only other time of year this happens is at Beltane, the mirror of Samhain in the calendar.
Since the spirits of the dead are less separate, many cultures and traditions honor the dead. Many tell stories of those who have passed, make offerings to them on altars, set places for them at dinner tables. Honoring your ancestors is a very special thing to do.
One of the ways we honor our dearly departed is with a simple candle ceremony. Rituals designed to honor your roots or ancestors don't need to be complicated. My favorite way takes less than 10 minutes to set up and will grow with you over time. All you need is a heat-proof glass, a marker, and a tea-light candle.
Get all the ritual details in a printable PDF right here.
How do you celebrate Samhain? Stay tuned for our next post where I share our Sabbat Feast recipes!