Samhain Tradition: The Veil
Connecting with the dead during the dark time of the year and how this tradition has changed how we celebrate Halloween.
Halloween is approaching us and in the Celtic corner of the world, we are getting ready to celebrate not only this beautiful holiday but also our New Year. Halloween is approaching us and in the Celtic corner of the world, we are getting ready to celebrate not only this beautiful holiday but also our New Year.
Oct. 31st caps off the end of the harvest season while Nov. 1 - 2 (All Souls Day) begins our New Year. There is much to prepare for!
Some of my favorite Halloween traditions include pigging out on chocolate, greeting trick-or-treaters, and watching scary movies. But as I've grown older, I've come to learn how to celebrate this holiday through the traditions of my Celtic ancestors.
Samhain, or Halloween, is the most important day of the year for Celts, witches, and pagans. This is the day when "the veil" is at its thinnest and we can access the portals to other worlds. Spirits that we didn't know existed come to say hi to us as they pass through the veil before returning to eternity.
What exactly is "the veil?"
Imagine the veil as a long thick string that hangs horizontally. This string is enshrouded by fog for you cannot see what is on the other side - but you feel something is there. On All Hallows Eve that string becomes so thin that it breaks and what couldn't be seen by your naked eye is now revealed.
We Celts believe that spirits cross over the veil twice a year. The first at Samhain and the second in the light season, Beltane. This veil brings back ancestors we want to connect with and other unearthly spirits we may or may not want to be in contact with.
If you've ever felt spiritually drawn to the darker months of the year or you feel a bit more emotional during the month of October - you may be feeling the effects of the "veil." Spirits linger all around us and the most sensitive of souls feel their presence whether they choose to recognize it or not.
There are many ways to connect with your ancestors during this time before they return to the otherworld:
1) Dumb Supper: "Dumb" means silent. A dumb supper is a dinner to commemorate and celebrate the dead as if they were still here. Set out a plate of their favorite dish or drink. Then eat your own meal in silence and wait. Write down your thoughts afterward to see how much of a connection you were able to find.
2) Cemetary Walks: There may be no other place more haunted than a cemetery. Taking a walk to your ancestors' gravestones and asking them for help is a tradition during this holiday. It also acts as a form of necromancy, the art of communicating with the dead. Do this safely and quietly, feeling the emotions of your loved ones embracing you once again.
3) Divination Spells: For those witches out there who love to spell cast this holiday season, say a spell, and light a white candle to welcome those you wish to communicate with. Place their picture on your altar and stay in silence writing down your thoughts along the way.
This is still the most important time of the year for the Celts and if you choose to celebrate this Halloween the pagan way, know that we are praying for you too!
Happy Samhain, (pronounced soa-wen),
Hawthorn (Michelle) 🎃
lts believe that spirits cross over the veil twice a year. The first at Samhain and the second in the light season, Beltane. This veil brings back ancestors we want to connect with and other unearthly spirits we may or may not want to be in contact with.
If you've ever felt spiritually drawn to the darker months of the year or perhaps you feel a bit more emotional during the month of October - you may be feeling the effects of the "veil." Spirits linger all around us and the most sensitive of souls feel their presence whether they choose to recognize it or not.
There are many ways to connect with your ancestors during this time before they return to the otherworld:
1) Dumb Supper: "Dumb" means silent. A dumb supper is a dinner to commemorate and celebrate the dead as if they were still here. Set out a plate of their favorite dish or drink. Then eat your own meal in silence and wait. Write down your thoughts afterward to see how much of a connection you were able to find.
2) Cemetary Walks: There may be no other place more haunted than a cemetery. Taking a walk to your ancestors' gravestones and asking them for help is a tradition during this holiday. It also acts as a form of necromancy, the art of communicating with the dead. Do this safely and quietly feeling the emotions of your loved ones embracing you once again.
3) Divination Spells: For those witches out there who love to spell cast this holiday season, say a spell and light a white candle to welcome those you wish to communicate with. Place their picture on your altar and stay in silence writing down your thoughts along the way.
This is still the most important time of the year for the Celts and if you choose to celebrate this Halloween the pagan way, know that we are praying for you too!
Happy Samhain, (pronounced soa-wen),
Hawthorn 🎃