At the end of October, it truly feels like Autumn. We can see the leaves yellowing, drying, curling and falling to the soft, damp, dark earth below. The brent geese are arriving here to Co. Kerry to spend their winters after the long flights from Canada and other far flung places. The natural world is changing, withdrawing and dying off around us in preparation for the Winter ahead. The nights are drawing in, animals are brought in from the fields and winter inside with extra feed and the harvest has been gathered. We are preparing for the stillness and reflection of Winter.
Our long ago ancestors understood that death was as necessary as birth. Today, we celebrate birth but we shy away from talking or thinking about death. Yes it is the one true certainty for us all. It is a part of the cycle of life. It’s seen a sad occassion, a loss, a life-altering change. It is not talked about in same positive light as birth. Yet our ancestors lived different lives and would have seen death on a daily basis, which naturally made them more conscious of its place in their lives.
Later, when Samhain was adopted by Christians, they celebrated it as All Hallows’ Eve, followed by All Saints Day, though it still retained elements of remembering and honouring the dead. In Ireland, it was once widely believed that the souls of the dead would return to their family home on All Souls’ Night and great care was taken to make sure they felt welcome. No matter your belief system or culture, it feel to me like it’s a good time to remember departed loved ones. If it feels right, it might also be a time to have a feast for friends and family and invite the spirits of loved ones to join you. Traditionally, it is also a time to welcome those born in the last year into the community.
Samhain is a time of reflection but it is also a time of celebration. Games like apple bobbing celebrate the recent harvest. I remember face planting into a plate of flour after loosing the game of balancing a grape on the mountain of flour whilst the flour is carved away (an old skool Jenga!) or trying to bite an apple swinging wildly from a door jam dressed in a black refuse sack as a “witch”! Ahhhhhh the 80’s!
In olden times, Harvest feasts were an integral part of the gatherings. Fires and candles are lit at this time of year. There’s something primally comforting in a flickering flame or the warmth from a fire that makes us feel connected, drawn together and safe. It brought hope and belonging in times before electricity in the darker times of the year. I would argue, it still does.
Samhain marks a new chapter of the year - it is a time for taking stock of the year gone by, things we have surrendered and things we have gained. Then we are ready to make plans and dreams for the coming year, plant them in the dark earth within, tend them through the quiet months, and bring them bursting into life in Spring.
10 ways to celebrate Samhain
1). Have a feast of harvest goodies. Invite family, friends and neighbours – get them to bring a seasonal dish to share. Butternut squash, carrots, potatoes, kale, beetroot, mushrooms, peppers are all in season and much more! Spend time with your community.
2). Make a memory table honouring loved ones who have passed away. Decorate it with pretty nature objects, coloured cut outs, photos, drawings, anything you like. On Samhain, light a candle and offer gratitude and love. Or consider setting a place for them at the dinner table that evening, invite their spirit and memory to be present with you
3). Gather together, play music, tell stories and dance around it with your family and friends
4). Write down the habits, activities, feelings etc. that you want to let go of and burn your list in the Samhain fire, stating your intentions. Then write a list of ideas and dreams for the coming year – you can either share them as a family or keep them safe until Spring, making sure you give them tender attention over the Winter months.
5). Make your own Harvest wreath for your door or a table centre piece. Gather brightly coloured leaves, acorns, pine cones etc from the forest floor and cluster them together. Bring nature into your home.
6). Get outside in the brisk Autumn air and have a run around to get the blood pumping. Often we tend to begin to slow down and get more sedentary at this time of year. That does, of course, make sense but it is also good to move around and enjoy the outdoors to keep energy levels high and your body and mind healthy.
7). Have a bonfire under the stars, toasting marshmallows and sharing stories! Make sure you carefully check through anything you’re going to burn carefully to make sure there are no hibernating animals.
8). Give thanks to the beautiful Autumnal world around you in whatever way feels right for you. Whether it’s a private prayer of gratitude or a howl at the night sky, take time to look around and see the world on the cusp of magical change.
9). Take some time to reflect, as nature slows down, so too should we. Set some time aside to nestle by the fire, sit still, write in your journal and consider how you’re feeling right now. Here’s a prompt for you to try. At the top of a page in your notebook write “In this season of Autumn I am feeling…….” and you may also like to try this one “This Samhain, the lessons from my past I am taking forward are…..”
10.) Check out my events page to see if I have an special and unique events coming up for this year’s Samhain - I usually do! You’re so very welcome to come and join us :)
Enjoy the wonderful season of Autumn, the special atmosphere of Samhain - a time of tradition and transition.
Oíche Shamhna shona daoibh x