Samhain
Celebrating our ancestors, the completion of harvest season and our inner unknown.
There is no denying that as we near the end of October, there is a different feeling in the air. As the final leaves fall, the nights grow eerily quieter and shadows seem to lurk a little darker, we approach Samhain - and one of my favorite celebrations of the year.
Samhain (pronounced SAH-when) is an ancient Celtic festival dating back thousands of years, marking the halfway point between the Autumn Equinox (Mabon) and the Winter Solstice (Yule). While it’s primarily celebrated as night falls on October 31 through sunrise November 1, it is more than just a singular day. It is the full season that carries us into the darker part of the year. As one of the cross-quarter celebrations of the year, and also known as the “Witches’ New Year”, Samhain is a time to honor our ancestors, reflect on the past year, and embrace the symbolic cycle and lessons of death and rebirth.
As the third and final harvest festival, it marks the completion of the growing season and the entrance into the darker half of the year. The crops at this time are fully gathered, and the earth has signaled that it is time begin her rest. In ancient agricultural communities, this time of year was critical for ensuring that food stores were full enough to sustain the community through the harsh winter months, and just as the previous harvest celebrations, it was a time to give thanks for the abundance of the harvest season while preparing for the colder, leaner months ahead.
For the Celts, it was also a time when they believed the veil between the physical world and the spiritual realm was at its thinnest, allowing for communication with the dead, and protection from them (or other wandering wayward spirits). They saw the changes happening around them in the natural world, with the decline of nature’s abundance, and felt that this change in season mirrored a natural transition between spiritual realms, allowing spirits to cross between worlds. The change in landscape also brought about fear, given the uncertainty of colder days and survival. Therefore, they would perform rituals or communal activities that are the basis for many of our modern day Halloween activities and celebrations. For example:
Lighting bonfires to help ward off evil spirits and support the sun on it’s journey into the dark half of the year
Wearing costumes as a disguise from, and as a way to ward off, harmful spirits
Offering food (like soul cakes) or “treats” to those who would go door-to-door willing to pray for lost souls and those who had passed
Carving unsettling faces into root vegetables (originally turnips) to keep troublesome spirits and people away
Over time, Samhain’s traditions have evolved and merged with other cultural customs, but its core remains: a time for honoring the dead, celebrating the harvest’s end, and preparing for winter’s inward journey.
From an astrological perspective, Samhain occurs during Scorpio season, a time of intense transformation and deep introspection. Scorpio, ruled by Pluto in modern astrology, governs themes of power, death, and rebirth - making this astrological energy perfectly aligned with Samhain’s focus on the cycle of life and death. Pluto, considered “Lord of the Underworld”, encourages us to embrace the profound transformation that occurs through endings and beginnings, and recognizes that we cannot know light unless we also know darkness.
Common Themes of Samhain Celebration
Death and Rebirth:
Samhain is a time to honor the natural cycle of life and death, both in the physical world and within ourselves. As gardens come to a close and the earth transitions into winter, we’re reminded that death is a necessary part of the cycle of rebirth. In our own lives, this is a time to think about what we are ready to move away from… what we are ready to release in order to allow space for new growth and new opportunities in the coming year.
Honoring Ancestors:
Central to Samhain is the theme of ancestor veneration. As the veil thins, many people feel a stronger connection to those who have passed on. Whether through rituals, offerings, or quiet reflection, Samhain encourages us to remember our ancestors, seek their guidance, and to take time to honor the lineage from which we come and the people who made it possible for us to be here.
Preparation for Winter:
While Samhain marks the end of the growing season for many, it also signals the beginning of a period of introspection and rest - the dark half of the year. Just as ancient peoples prepared their homes for the colder months, Samhain asks us to prepare ourselves mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for the inner work that winter invites. It’s a time to reflect on the year’s lessons, gather inner strength, and set intentions for the new cycle ahead.
Rituals and Activities
Simple Rituals:
Ancestral Altar: Create an altar dedicated to your ancestors by placing photographs, mementos, candles, and offerings like apples or bread. Find a few moments here and there for quiet reflection, acknowledging their place in your existence and asking for their guidance. (Tip: I always start with a caveat to them by welcoming those only “with my best interests at heart”).
Candle Ceremony: Light a candle for each loved one who has passed, or one for them all. As you light the candle, send them love and recognition for the role they’ve played in your life.
Burning Ritual: Write down habits, thoughts, or emotions you wish to let go of as the year ends. Safely burn the paper in a fireproof dish or bonfire, symbolizing your willingness to let go and make space for new growth.
Outdoor Activities:
Nature Walks: Take a slow and intentional walk, observing the natural world as it transitions into winter. Collect symbols of the season, such as acorns, fallen leaves, stones or sticks, and reflect on the cycle of death and rebirth in nature.
Harvest Feasts & Dumb Suppers: Seasonal foods can be such a simple way to honor the season. Things like root vegetables, apples, and pumpkins make for perfect flavors in a meal this time of year. As you gather with loved ones (or choose to dine solo), express gratitude for the year’s abundance and the support you’ve received from both the earth and those around you. Or, embrace the idea of a “Dumb Supper”, where you dine in silence alongside a place setting for those who have passed, giving them an invitation to share another meal with you.
Creative Projects:
Seasonal Crafts: Create a Samhain wreath using natural materials like dried herbs, corn husks, and autumn leaves. This can serve as a symbol of the seasonal transition and a reminder of the cycle of life and death. Or simple adorn places in your home with symbols of the season (leaves, pumpkins, squash, etc.)
Carving Jack-o-lanterns: A tried and true favorite, so this one probably goes without saying. Gather pumpkins (or other root vegetables) and carve protective faces and festive designs into them to place near your front entrance as a way to ward off lost souls and troubled spirits. And also as a delight to trick-or-treaters who visit.
Personal Reflection:
Journaling: What does “harvest” mean to you and in your life? Take a few moments to think about that, and how it showed up for you this year. What have you achieved? What challenges have helped you grow? What are you ready to say good-bye to? Use this journaling as a way to close the old year and set intentions for the new. Also, if writing isn’t your thing, “journaling” into a voice note can be helpful, as could drawing symbols onto paper, sharing a conversation with a close confidant, etc. There’s no right or wrong way to journal.
Divination (a personal favorite of mine): Use tarot, oracle cards, or other divination tools to seek guidance for the coming year. The energy of Samhain is ideal for gaining clarity and insight as you move into a new spiritual cycle, especially if you’ve established a connection with your guides and ancestors.
Samhain is a powerful time for honoring the cycles of life, death, and rebirth - not in a morbid or scary way but as a magical and powerful symbol of transformation. Just as the natural world dies back in preparation for winter, we get to let go of old patterns and energies that keep us stuck instead of growing… evolving.
No matter which practices or intentions you feel called to this time of year, Samhain (and it’s season) offers us the space to connect with the unseen - renewing our spirits for the new year, our trust in the divine and our visions for the future.
So as the veil between worlds thins, may you find guidance from your ancestors and may you embrace the opportunities for renewal that lie ahead.
Samhain blessings to you!
