What is Samhain?
Samhain is the Wiccan and Pagan festival that is known to most as Halloween - the night forever more associated with witches! While Halloween is largely celebrated by most as a bit of light hearted fun there is actually a more serious and in fact historical side to this important festival. Samhain is the old Irish word for summer's end and to the Celts this marked the start of a new year. It was on this night that the veil between the worlds of the living and the departed were said to be at their thinnest so it was regarded as the festival of the dead. To our modern sensibilities this may seem a little morbid but in fact this was a evening of celebration; a time to be reunited with lost loved ones.
However, this was not only a festival for the spirit world, it was also to mark the change of the season and the symbolism of death was called upon heavily. The onset of winter means that life withdraws back into the ground and the people prepare themselves for the harsh and baron months of winter.
What is Samhain to Wiccans/Pagans?
Samhain is one of the 8 witch's Sabbats, or more specifically a cross quarter festival. For many, particularly those of Celtic traditions, it is the biggest celebration of the year. It is both a time to honour the universe and for merry making. To Wiccans, Samhain is also very important for its part in the Wheel of Life. This is the legend of the God and Goddess who are in an endless cycle of birth, growth, death and rebirth as exemplifies the changes of the seasons. At Samhain, the God dies and his life is celebrated.
How to Celebrate Samhain
For Wiccans and witches it is common to change the layout, tools or colours of your altar from the beginning of October to welcome in the new season. But for Samhain itself you can arrange your altar with a display of photos, heirlooms or tokens of affection for lost loved ones in order to honour and remember them.
If you are not a Wiccan or are looking for a more general way of celebrating, you can use the mood and character of this time of year to inspire some thoughtful contemplation. As the earth seems to go into hibernation to conserve its energy until spring, so you can decide to spend an evening taking stock of what has happened over the previous 6 months. As the sun leaves our lives, so too is it useful to look at the shadows of your mind and heart, to reflect on what needs to be done to turn things around.
To brighten up your home or altar, you cannot beat the warm glow of gold and orange candles to signify the colours of autumn. It represents the colours of the leaves as they fall from the trees and candles also bring light to the evenings that are quickly drawing in.
This is also a perfect time for scrying. If you are not familiar with this method of divination, using a mirror or reflective surface, it may not be the time to start it as it does take a little practise. But it can connect you with the spirit world and this of course is in keeping with the spirit of the evening!
If you will be performing spells for Samhain you should be focusing on banishing spells. The stillness of the earth during winter is also a time of recuperation and so getting rid of negativity in your life should be where you concentrate your energies.
For Wiccan info, free spells - including Samhain and other festival spells - please come to my blog http://frans-free-spells.blogspot.com/
Blessings to you!
Francesca
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francesca_Ashcroft
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