Extra, extra, I’m writing another newsletter this week—the Samhain Edition!
Happy Samhain, or Halloween, or New Year, depending on which suits your elemental self.
If you’re about loving Halloween for the spooky aesthetic, as a fabulous excuse to watch horror movies (that’s every day for me), or the chance to be someone else for a night, yay! Enjoy and be safe out there!
Samhain (pronounced SAW-win or SOW-win) and the idea that the holiday is the actual reset of the Wheel of the Year follows more of a witchy/pagan sensibility, and if that’s you—or also you–or you want to explore more about that, I’d like to offer up some great ways to create a more intentional celebration.
There are multiple meanings and themes to this highly spiritual holiday. Samhain marks the transition from the lighter part of the year to the darker cycle. It’s about embracing the dark and the idea of death as a natural transition we all must face. It’s also a time to remember our ancestors and where we came from, as legend holds that these spirits are closer to the corporeal world on this night than on any other.
Employ Fire
Samhain and bonfires kind of go together like a witch and her broom. If you can make one, it’s a wonderful time and place to burn things that no longer serve you. On a small piece of paper, or many, write down a statement or two declaring the release of any emotional baggage or harmful habits you’d like to be rid of, and then throw them into the fire and watch them burn. If you have no paper and pen around, any old leaf, stick, or even a candy wrapper (you know you’re eating some of that candy) will do. Whispering intentions into something is some old-school serious magick, and it works wonders.
Can’t build a big fire? Light a little one. Your fireplace will do, and even lighting a candle invites the same energy. Fires burn but also cleanse, and help you welcome the darkness with warmth and light. You can also burn intentions with a candle, or in a tiny cauldron (yup, I have one of those—highly recommended), but please! Remember safety! Even just speaking into a candle flame sets your intentions ablaze.
Make Food and Offerings
Candy counts, even if you don’t make it. It’s time to fatten up for the cold season, right? Cook something warm and nourishing, and bake sweet treats to please the senses. As you eat, put away your phone and truly savor the food. Close your eyes and be grateful for this harvest—whether you grew the ingredients or not. Someone put their blood, sweat, and tears into the nourishment you are giving your body. (Okay, hopefully not literally, but you know what I mean.) If you have an altar, place a yummy offering (yes, candy counts) for a beloved ancestor and a deity whose energy you celebrate and invoke.
Cleanse the House
Many people think of a good ol’ baseboard cleaning as something we do in the spring, and refreshing your home is a wonderful way to welcome the warmer season. It’s also the perfect way to make your living space a warm and welcoming sanctuary as you prepare to spend more time inside it. As you vacuum, mop, or dust, think about what you want to release with that old dirt and skin particles. (heh) Wipe away those pesky limiting thoughts, or the remnants of anyone who spent time in your space that may no longer be welcome. For a real witchy feeling, use a broom! Spritz some kind of energy-cleansing spray on the bristles and literally sweep away any negative energy. (I highly recommend a homemade broom created by a real witch who also makes smaller hand brooms for all kinds of purposes! See below!)
Practice Your Form of ‘Divination’
Divination is a practice that attempts to uncover hidden or arcane knowledge, and it comes in many personal forms. As you know, I love to use my tarot cards as a form of elemental revelation, but that is just one of many practices. Oracle cards, gazing into crystal balls or mirrors, using crystals or stones, reading runes, throwing bones, and even dreamwork are forms of divination. Because of the ‘thinning of the veil’ between worlds, you may experience some serious aha moments and breakthroughs during Samhain night.
And Of Course, Write
You knew this was coming. Putting words on the page is definitely a form of divination when you set your logical, communication-focused mindset free to engage more exploratory musings. One way to do that is to use tarot or oracle cards to explore prompts, but you certainly don’t need the cards to do so. Free-writing–allowing yourself to write whatever comes to mind, whether it makes sense or not–is pretty much an act of divination on its own.
Vibe With the Last Quarter Moon
I can’t think of a better moon phase for welcoming the darkness and greeting it with light of our own making than the last quarter moon, which begins on October 31st and lasts until November 2nd. With this cycle’s symbolic themes of release and reevaluation, here are a few writing prompts that align perfectly with the last quarter moon and the spirit of this spirit-filled holiday.
· What can I let go of?
· What lesson can I take with me?
· How can I stay open for what’s next?
I’d love to hear how you celebrated the culmination of spooky season and whether this helped you feel more connected to its authentic, original spirit.
Blessed F’kn’ Be, Susie
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