Samhain; the Yin to the Yang of the Changing Seasons ⋆ Earth and Water

Back in ye olden days, when Halloween was Samhain (pronounced “SAH-win”) and All Souls Eve, Children weren’t the ones going door to door in search of sweets. Instead, beggars and pranksters wondered the night.

Soul cakes were given to the beggars in exchange for their prayers for the loved ones that had passed and to pranksters in order to be left alone. Hence “Trick or Treat”

Soul cakes were small pastries, somewhere in between a cake and a cookie, sometimes with fruit filling like a tart.

The third and final harvest festival of the year, Samhain marks the darkness that will fall over the land as winter begins to settle in. This isn’t something to be feared, as darkness does not inherently equal “bad”. It must exist in order for light to be. As yin and yang are equal, both must be honored for balance.

This celebration marks the halfway point between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. Beltane being it’s spring counterpart in the balance of the wheel, both cross quarter festivals are associated with the thinning of the veil. Making this a great time for magick, divination and rituals.

This is a time to honor our ancestors. Taking note of their existence, hardships and time on this plane that ultimately led to us here in the present. Be sure to send their memories some gratitude.

Samhain Aspects

Death
Ancestry
Preservation
Protection
Darkness
Wisdom
Courage
Black
Orange
Yellow
Gold
Purple

Now is the time to honor the end of the cycle of life. Whereas Beltane honors birth, Samhain honors death. Everything is cyclical and everything eventually comes to an end.

Often times these things are feared or labeled evil. They simply exist though. A necessary part to all things. Remember, yin and yang.

Celebrating Samhain

Celebrating Samhain is going to look pretty similar to celebrating Halloween. The difference is the depth of thought. It’s not just sweets, games and costumes.

It’s an honoring of the necessity for the darkness that is present in all things good. Facing the mortality of life in it’s natural cycles with courage and strength and seeing the beauty in all that is not permanent.

Engage in the community Halloween happenings.
Get in touch with your dark side in a healthy, positive way.
Set up protection spells.
Visit, volunteer with and lend a hand to the elderly.
Do shadow work.
Honor your ancestors.
Have a bonfire (safely).

Shadow Work

There is never a bad time for shadow work. It should be done year around. With the shadows being honored now, though, there may be more power lending to your healing.

If you’re unfamiliar with or unsure of what shadow work is, it’s simply self exploration and seeking to understand why you do the things you do and why you are the way you are.

Answers may come easier to you during this time as the veil between what is seen and what is not thins, allowing for easier transmission and understanding.

Sit with the intention of healing and understanding. Meditate on your emotional wounds.

Where did they lead you?
Where did they come from? Go deeper and deeper with this question to find the origin of origins.
What good came from them?
What negative repercussions in your mentality did they create?
What would better behaviors look like for you?

When we heal these wounds, we stop them from being passed onto another. This, in turn, helps us to heal the world a little at a time. Creating a better future for us all.

Enlist the help of your crystals below.

Samhain Foods

Now, you know I always recommend a feast! Get your friends and family together and share a meal. Foods for these sabbats are going to be whatever is in season locally where you live.

Here’s a list for the south east U.S.

If you would like to know more about seasonal eating, no matter where you live, check out the Seasonal Sustenance course here!

Use these ingredients to make a stew. Enjoy some cider and of course, you can try your hand at soul cakes! Let us know how it goes!

Samhain Crystals

Obsidian
Onyx
Smokey quartz
Pyrite
Hematite
Rhodonite

Add your crystals to your alter, create a crystal grid for protection and use them in your shadow work.

Samhain Affirmations

I am safe
I am courageous
I honor the darkness within me as without it there can be no light
I am connected to all who came before me
I clear and transmute all negative energy that comes to me
I heal my ancestor’s wounds and will not pass them on from me to younger generations.

What affirmations can you come up with for this holiday? Share them with us below or in our Facebook group!

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