This is the final post of things to do on Samhain! There are just so many different activities to participate in! As I said before, these are just a few of the wonderful things to do with your friends and little witchlings.
Eat a Pomegranate: The pomegranate is an ancient symbol of the Underworld thanks to Persephone’s choice to eat of its seeds.
Feast of the Dead/ Honoring the Dead: Food is set aside on the doorstep for ancestors and protective spirits, while rituals honoring the dead take place. Some celebrate with a ritual to guide the dead home by opening a western facing door or window and placing a candle by the opening. Other traditions involve wishing the gravestones of loved ones you have lost. Candles were lit at their gravestone as a sign of remembrance to the loved one. You could light a spirit candle which was a white candle anointed with patchouli oil. Food was also left with special drinks or wines that they would have liked. This was a sign of respecting those who have left this world and leaving an offering as a way to be sure those spirits are reminded they were loved in this world as they return during this night. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who were lost or had no descendants to provide for them. Another way to go would be to hold a rite remembering the forgotten dead. Drink apple cider warmed and spiced with cinnamon to honor the dead or leave food offerings on altars and doorsteps specifically for the wandering dead.
Gardening: What better way to represent new growth in the future than by planting some flowers. Decide where you want the flowers to bloom in the spring. Plant 10-12 flower bulbs in pots or around the house. Place some fertilizer into the bottoms of the hole or pot you are planting the bulbs in. Place the bulb, root side down, and cover with dirt. Water the area well. Just as the Dark God is not really dead, neither are the bulbs. They are warm and alive beneath the ground, in the womb of the earth, fathering strength for when they emerge next spring and bloom as bright as the sun.
Hagstones– Wear a hagstone threaded on string at Samhain or make a hagstone charm for your Samhain altar and harness its powers to protect you against the mischief of the fairies at this time of year. Their watery magic will wash away all evil and negativity from your path. In medieval times, they were credited with the power of protecting both people and animals from the influences of evil spirits and dark witches, and were often worn around the neck or hung on the key or door to cattle stalls and stables. In some parts of Britain the stones were fastened to the bows of boats to safeguard the crew’s voyage.
Light a lamp– It is an even older tradition to light a candle or a lamp on Samhain night and leave it at the window as a loving guide home for those who have passed. Both as a symbol of remembrance and also as a kind of ‘leaving lights on’ for those who may wish to ‘come home.’ The lamp was left on to illuminate the night and perhaps even the sadness that was felt because of the passing.
Masks: Create your own mask or don one already made to protect yourself from negative spirits. Ancient Celts would wear masks to avoid being recognized by ghosts of the recent dead.
Renewal Spell: On this Samhain night, we reflect on the past and look forward to the New Year; the time for renewal and new beginnings. The time to cast out that which no longer serves you is now. To prepare for your Samhain ritual, use rosemary, sage, lavender and/or patchouli essential oil in your home diffuser. On a piece of spell paper, write down that which you wish to change or banish from your life and cast the paper into a bonfire or burn with the flame of a candle. Your intention has now been released into the universe.
Invitation to the departed ritual: This is a ritual to invite the departed to sit with you and converse. You must first clean a sacred space. Your body should be freshly bathed with purifying herbs. Incense should be lit and filling the room with a rich aroma. Your ritual items are set out in the appropriate spots. Unfold a blanket, chair, or pillow in front of you to welcome and designate a spot for your loved on to sit. Place photographs and objects that remind you of your departed near you to help build the psychic bond. Spend several minutes remembering your loved one and activate all your senses to strengthen the connection (a favorite perfume, food, etc.) Stand in front of the blanket, chair, or pillow you have designated for the deceased. Sprinkle a circle of salt as you walk clockwise around the and repeat:
A circle of protection has become my home
For (name) to rest and feel safe to roam
Sprinkle a circle of salt around the outer edge of your work areas as you walk clockwise and repeat the following:
A circle of protection to chase away the fright
Protected by love and celestial light
Now take the time to sit and meditate and commune with your ancestor.
Samhain Altar: Some things you can include on your altar in celebration of Samhain: Pumpkins, gourds, besoms, crows, ravens, skulls, bones, black candles, crystal skulls, Indian corn, tarot deck, obsidian, onyx, patchouli incense, crystal ball, scrying mirror, apple offerings, bats, cats, and spiders
Soul Cakes- Soul cakes are a traditional food offering for the dead on Samhain night. If you’re planning to hold your own honorary ritual for your own ancestors or for the forgotten dead give one of these recipes a try.
Trick or Treat: Ancient peoples understood that there were both mischievous and perhaps nasty spirits wandering around at nightfall on Samhain as well as happier, more benevolent spirits. Faeries, witches, and demons roamed the earth on Samhain. Food and drink were customarily set out to placate them. Later, people began dressing as these creatures. They thought that if they dressed as spirits themselves or other frightening creatures then they would not be recognized as human and attacked.
The ancient Irish Druid priests known as the Muck Olla would walk door to door asking for food for the dead. If turned away, it was believed that their god, Muck, would play tricks or let loose livestock or start fires. Thus the tradition of Trick or treating was born. Eventually, they began claiming the treats for themselves with more than just the priests participating, sometimes the children would try performing antics or tricks in exchange for food and drink. This practice evolved into trick or treating. Children begged for cakes or money to buy them. Every eaten cake would be an attempt to save a lost soul and help the dead to find peace. The idea of causing a little chaos as one of these ‘spirits’ was part of the imitation and enjoyment of the night. The practice in medieval Britain was called ‘souling’ and gifts were given in exchange for prayers. Door to door trick or treating has only been around since the 1940s.
Let me know if any of you try any of these activities and what you thought of them!
From our altar to yours, with love from the sea,
