In the pagan calendar or Wheel of the Year, Samhain marks the beginning of a new year. This celebration in honor of the dead, set on October 31st, is the ancestor of All Saints' Day and Halloween. Here are some ideas to celebrate this pagan holiday while respecting tradition.
Samhain is the Gaelic word that means the end of summer. In the pagan calendar, this festival marks the transition from the beautiful season to winter, the end of the harvest, and the decrease in brightness.
Among the 8 sacred festivals of the pagan calendar, the night of October 31st holds a special significance as it signifies the end of a cycle.
Even though the date has remained the same, this celebration among the Celts was different from the current Halloween festival. If you want to return to the original meaning of this pagan festival, you should take advantage of this pivotal date:
• to pay tribute to your deceased loved ones and ancestors
• to celebrate the cycles of life and death on the occasion of the transition from summer to winter.
In the Celtic tradition, the night of Samhain is the one where the veil separating the world of the living and the world of the dead is thinnest.
Those who have passed away during the year enter the realm of the dead on the night of October 31st. Conversely, this night is also the time of year when ancestors and fantastical creatures from the realm of the dead come to visit the living.
One of the ancestral rituals associated with this date involved letting the fire go out in the hearth. The druid would then perform a ceremony to relight the sacred fire, which was meant, among other things, to guide the spirits so they could find their way.
Most pagan traditions refer to the cycle of seasons. To celebrate Samhain in the purest tradition, it is therefore advisable to cook local and seasonal products, typical of the end of summer.
On the menu for your festive meal, highlight vegetables such as pumpkin and squash, and fruits such as apples, pears, and chestnuts for dessert.
Choose the most natural products possible to reflect the cycle of nature that gently slides into winter at this time of year.
If you want to celebrate Samhain in the Celtic tradition, on that day you must pay homage to the deceased. Take advantage of October 31st to remember loved ones you have lost, but also to become aware of your own mortality.
You can visit the cemetery or places that your departed loved ones particularly enjoyed.
There are several ways to commune with the dead. One custom, for example, is to prepare food for those who have died in the past year and place this offering near the door or a window so they can take it to the other world.
Another ancient custom is to eat in silence during the night of Samhain and/or set an extra place at the table for the deceased.
You can also, as practiced in certain cultures, create a sacred altar in honor of your deceased loved ones. Choose a location in your home and cleanse it to purify it. You can also perform a smudging with sage, bay leaves, or lavender.
Once your altar is purified, you can place candles, stones like amethyst or onyx, and dried flowers on it. To perpetuate the memory of your departed loved ones, you can also place photos or personal objects that belonged to them.
In addition to expressing your respect for the dead, this altar dedicated to the memory of your deceased loved ones will help you move forward in the grieving process.