Happy Halloween! For ancient Celts, this day of Samhain (sow -en) marked a pause between the end of one year and the beginning of the next. It was a crack in time that allowed spirits of the departed and fairy folk to walk abroad freely. Ordinary humans huddled inside for safety. Such behavior has a […]
Welcome to the intersection of time and eternity! Blessed Samhain (sow-en). Thankfully, in Gaelic this word is the name for the month of November since for me Halloween slipped by in an after-senior-flu-shot malaise. October 31 is a day out of time, the extra day in the ancient Celtic calendar, which is the source of […]
Reflections Happy Halloween! The eve of All Hallows, has far outpaced the day set apart to commemorate Christian saints. Samhain (sow -en), October 31, has become one of the most recognizable neo-pagan holidays. It is the “day” from the familiar folk tale phrase “a year and a day,” which was added to even out its […]
Come for a walk between the worlds this Halloween, or Celtic Samhain (sow-en). Reflections Halloween, the Wiccan sabbat known as Samhain, marks the end of harvest and limits possibility. The growing world is dying. Withered leaves scratch a death knell as the wind drives them over rough pavement. This is the season of the crone, […]
Reflections “Scary, scary, Halloween! Am I the scariest thing you’ve ever seen?” so go the opening lines of one of my children’s favorite picture books. As a crone, I am more interested in the hallowedness of this season than its fear factor. Halloween derives from the ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain (SOW-in), “summer’s end.” For […]
In Irish and Scots Gaelic, Samhain is the name for the month of November. It is a Celtic tradition to honor one’s ancestors during this time. A few years ago I began placing pictures of deceased family members on my altar around Halloween. Now I leave their pictures up until I am ready to decorate […]
Enter the mystery of Samhain, when the veil between the worlds is thin. Samhain, October 31, is the cross quarter day between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. It ushers in the darkest period of the year in the northern hemisphere. November 1 marked the new year in the twelve month Celtic calendar which […]
