The Witch's Guide to Samhain

As the cool air swaddles nature, welcoming the fall with a crisp autumnal embrace, the scent of magick permeates the atmosphere. We sense it in the trees, the way their orange leaves sway upon the branches one last time before taking flight, fluttering to the ground in a ritualistic dance of fall-painted beauty. We can feel it on our skin as the weather turns dry and nature softly exhales, hinting at the impending winter with sacred, frost-laced breath. Above all, we feel it in our souls, the way The Wheel churns around us, humming with life as the veil thins and the world brims with magick just before its winter slumber.

Autumn is undoubtedly a special time of year. It's a cozy cluster of days celebrated with the comfy aspects of life—luscious slices of gooey apple pie, soft woolen blankets clutched across our shoulders on dreary October nights, pumpkin bread and cinnamon coffee and hay rides and corn mazes and haunted houses!

Whew, getting a bit winded over here. Just so darn pumped!

If you're new to Paganism or simply need a brush-up, let's sit down together over a mug of London fog tea and a slice of banana bread while we discuss The Witch's Guide to Samhain!

Samhain (pronounced sow-in) is a cross-quarter sabbat that is celebrated on October 31st. On this sabbat we honor the death of the God, acknowledge death as a necessary stage in the cycle of life, and celebrate our ancestors and those loved ones who have transcended before us. Just as The Wheel turns, demonstrating that nothing in this realm is constant, our lives too will eventually cease, though our souls remain eternal. We acknowledge this unconditional truth on Samhain and address our own discomfort that often accompanies our mortality.  

As Samhain nears, the veil between our plane and then next thins to near transparency, granting us easier communication with those beyond. Now is the time to honor your loved ones, letting them know their life on this earth may have ended but your love for them has not. This post has five meaningful (and cost-free!) ways you can honor your ancestors on this sacred night. In an altar kind of mood? Check out my Natural Samhain Altar and let nature guide you! Or make a super simple Souls' Feast Pumpkin Sacrifice.

Although we are honoring the proverbial death of the God (who will be reborn on Yule, the Winter Solstice), we are also aware every ending is a new beginning. Thus, Samhain is often referred to as the Witches' New Year. And because the veil is thin, gifting us with heightened energies from the other side, Samhain is commonly seen as a time for divination and foretelling. Cast runes, try your hand at scrying, or break out your tarot deck to see what the coming year holds. Looking for some inspiration? Take a peek at the Autumn Moon Pumpkin Tarot Spread!

Just as we observe in nature, life is about balance, which is why this somber sabbat doesn't have to be all melancholia and sorrow. Decorate your home in red, orange, and yellow hues (representing the sun, which represents the God) as well as black and brown, which signifies death and our return to the earth. Seasonal vegetables such as pumpkins, winter squashes, apples, pears, and cranberries are all appropriate treats for your Samhain feast. Feeling sentimental? Treat yourself to the tart red flesh of a pomegranate, which is a Greek mythological symbol for the underworld. Legend says leaving a pomegranate outside your door on Samhain night protects your home and family from evil in the coming year.

If the fresh scents of autumn put you in the mood to conjure, whip up a batch of Samhain Protection Salt, a spell that keeps giving all year long!  And it's pretty. See:

Lastly, I just wouldn't be the Penniless Pagan if I didn't give you a few good tips on how to celebrate without spending a dime. And since I like you, I'll do you one better! Here's ten ways to celebrate without spending a dime!

If you simply can't get your fill of Samhain, make merry with meaning and simplicity by picking up a copy of Samhain Traditions: 13 Simple & Affordable Halloween Spells & Rituals for the Witches' New Year. Available in e-book and paperback! Every sale helps keep the blog stocked-up on free material, so thank you for your support! ♥

Whether you choose to spend your Samhain with candied apples and rowdy children, or you settle in for a quiet evening of deeply spiritual ritual, I hope you have a wonderfully magickal Samhain eve!

Happy Samhain, everyone! 

How do you celebrate Samhain: fun and gleeful, sweet and somber, or a little of both?

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5 Ways to Honor Your Ancestors This Samhain

While I firmly believe in the sugar-laden fun of Samhain (hence my annual Treehouse of Horror marathon), I also think it's important to remember the core of this Sabbat—honoring our transcended loved ones. Now, I'm the first person to admit death is one of the shittiest parts—Nay! THE shittiest part— of life. Trust me, you don't want to see me at a funeral. It's UGLY! I'm just a curly-headed blob of tears and Kleenex topped with a touch of hyperventilation. It's quite the spectacle. 

But regardless of the snot-fest that is mourning, there are ways to honor our loved ones that don't need to be so painfully miserable. Here are 5!

Reflect on the lessons you learned from them

Oh sheesh. I could go on for hours about things I learned from my transcended loved ones. The honor of hard work from my Grandpa Raymond. The gift of embracing life with positivity from my Grandpa Mario. Self-love, self-acceptance, gratitude, and compassion from my beloved and sorely missed furry soulmate, Barley. 

Losing someone who brought you so much happiness is an excruciatingly painful thing. Okay, that's an understatement. It f#@&ing blows, and I don't much appreciate it! I doubt you do either. But it IS part of life. It's the one surefire promise we are given upon our first breath. 

Take this time to reflect on what their time on this planet has taught you. Maybe it was a direct lesson, like learning to drive or sew. Maybe it was something you gleaned from watching them live. Most-likely it's a mixture of both. Spend time this season honoring their lives, not mourning their deaths. It's okay to miss them, but they don't want you to be sad. The best way we can honor our loved ones is by living our lives! Which brings me to my next point...

Do an activity they enjoyed

My Grandpa Raymond loved bird watching. My Grandpa Mario loved music. My beautiful Barley lived to walk, ala Forest Gump. Whether it was crocheting, cooking, dancing, or just having a beer, take some time to remember your loved ones by doing what they most enjoyed! It's a fantastic way to feel connected to them, to remember them, and to ultimately honor them. And while you're doing so, keep an eye out! It's very likely they will send you a sign that they appreciate your nod to their happiness, especially as the veil between the physical plane and spiritual plane thins. 

Write about how they influenced your life in a journal

...Or social media. Or on a piece of paper you can tuck away someplace special. Writing is cathartic and can often reveal emotions we didn't know we were repressing. Don't judge your handwriting, your spelling, your verbiage. Just write down what your heart is expressing and reflect on how your loved ones influenced your life. 

Tell the younger generation a story about your loved one (or write it down for them to keep!)

I was two when my great grandmother died, but that doesn't mean I don't miss and think about her. Throughout my life, I've always felt a strong connection to a woman I essentially never knew. And yet, I did. Through the stories my family told me about her, I developed a connection to her and learned we both have a lot in common. Not only did this allow me to feel close to her, but it ensured her spirit would be remembered even after the people who knew her personally are gone. 

Take a few moments to tell your child, niece, or nephew those fond memories so they can feel connected to their ancestors. Better yet, write them down for posterity! One day they will cherish those memories the way I cherish stories of flour-covered aprons and massive Sunday breakfasts. Even if they are too young to truly appreciate the gesture now, they will some day. =D

Prepare their favorite meal or a dish that reminds you of them

When I think of my Grandpa Raymond, I immediately think of rhubarb. It was one of the stranger things he had in his vegetable garden. I mean, who the heck actually eats rhubarb? But every summer he made rhubarb pies and rhubarb jam. Being a highly picky eater as a child, I never tried either, and I sorely regret it now.

My other grandfather, Grandpa Mario, loved food but had to watch his diet after his first heart attack. Well, my Nana watched it. He just sort of went along with it, though he never complained. It just wasn't in his nature to do so. But on holidays he'd indulge and my Nana would pretend not to notice. What was his favorite holiday treat? Without question, chocolate-covered cherries.

You see, just like me, my mother was the only daughter. And my mother and Grandfather shared a very close bond (as did he and I!) Every Christmas—Every. Single. Christmas—my mother would give him one individually-wrapped chocolate-covered cherry on the sly. "Don't tell Mom!" she'd warn. He'd wink. And the two would laugh quietly over their nefarious, yet not so devious, secret. 

The first Christmas after my Grandfather passed, just ten short weeks after his death, I knew my mother's heart would sink every time she saw those individually-wrapped chocolate-covered cherries on the checkout counter (a common thing in New England). When she called on Christmas Eve, she told me her and my heartbroken Nana were toasting my Grandfather with chocolate-covered cherries. 

"Do you remember how I used to give him one?" she asked. But how could I forget? It was something I looked forward to every year, watching those two giggle like they had just committed a high-risk crime.

"I made a batch from scratch," I'd told her. "I'm eating one right now."

And so now, every December, I break out the candy molds and remember my dear Grandfather.

Food is such a prominent part of mingling and bonding with friends and family. And while you may never have deeply thought about it before, I bet there's a particular food or dish that reminds you of your transcended loved one. Take the time to make that special something this October. It's a way for us to honor and remember them through something that brought them joy. 

And while you prepare that special dish, think about all the lovely memories you have of them. Dismiss the sad, heavy thoughts. Let go of the what-if's. Forget any painful memories of seeing them ill. They don't want you to reflect on that. They want you to remember their LIFE, not their death. Death is merely a mechanism for moving on to other planes; it's not a defining characteristic of that person's life. Steep yourself in the love, the happiness, the goofy stories, that crazy time Aunt Hilda locked herself out of the house and you pulled up just in time to see her bright yellow underwear as she crawled in through a casement window. Those are the moments they want you to treasure. Those are the gifts they gave us to cherish. 

Yes, life comes with blistered memories. Yes, there are things we could have done differently and probably a few things we wish we'd never said. But that's the purpose of us being here—to learn and grow from our mistakes. Departed souls don't hold these lessons against you. They made mistakes themselves! Like us, they were human and bumbled through life. Except now, they can see the grand scheme. They understand that the ultimate gift we can give to anyone—including ourselves!—is to offer them love, and love includes forgiveness. Samhain is a time to embrace those cherished memories, not a season to berate yourself. Honor them! Remember them with love! ♥

...and maybe just a little bit of rhubarb pie. ;)

Blessed Samhain! 

What was your loved one's favorite dish or pastime? 

Looking for more ways to celebrate Samhain? Check out Samhain Traditions: 13 Simple & Affordable Halloween Spells & Rituals for the Witches' New Year!

By using this site, you agree you have read the full DISCLAIMER.