Samhain
Samhain marks the midpoint between the Fall Equinox and the Winter Solstice. In Pagan traditions it was celebrated as the summer’s end, the end of the growing season and the final harvest. It was a time to celebrate the abundant growing year, and begin to hunker down for winter. During this time, the veil between the living world and the spirit world is said to be at its thinnest, and thus it has become tradition to connect with the spirits of loved ones and ancestors to honour their lives, and the paths they paved before us.
Samhain and the Underworld within yourself
Samhain is also representative of the time where we spiritual descend to the Underworld. If you’re familiar with the Greek myth of Persephone traveling to the Underworld, this is very much mirrored to this time of year. (There is some belief that Persephone was not actually kidnapped by Hades as is told in traditional story, but went to the Underworld willingly…) When we talk here about the Underworld, I’m not actually referring to a physical place, but a metaphoric place within yourself. The Underworld is the deepest, most hidden parts of ourselves where we suppress, repress, and bury all that we don’t want to look at, see, deal with or heal. Jung would refer to this type of work as “shadow work”. In Yoga, it’s usually the work that needs to be done within the first 3 chakras.
During Samhain we descend into our shadows, to our own darkness, shedding what no longer serves us. As we approach the deepest part of our psyche, we have the opportunity to let go; to clear the old, stagnant and oppressive energy so that we may be born again into a more expanded version of ourselves.
transitional energy of Samhain
If you’re familiar with tarot, I often find that this time of year parallels to the Death card. People are often afraid of this card and perceive it as a “bad card” to come up in a reading. But I always get excited when this card comes up for others or myself because it reveals a transition- a rebirth. The ending of something old and the beginning of something even better.
The Universe is in constant expansion, so why would we ever want to stay the same? Just as we are not separate from each other, we are not separate from Nature or the Cosmos. Look all around you- the leaves are changing and dying. The trees are beginning to bare but they are not dead- they are in a time of transition where they will come back again to life in the Spring. See how this transition is actually occurring within yourself as well. Let this cycle move in you.
In the Darkness You Find the Answers
Don’t be afraid of your darkness and shadows. I really do believe we find the answers in the darkness and really get to know ourselves there. It can be icky, and you may find things you don’t want to see- but there is your opportunity to have awareness, heal and clear. We can’t evolve and grow if we don’t uncover what needs to be healed.
So this Samhain, I would recommend dropping into your metaphoric Underworld. Greet yourself there. Eat some pomegranate seeds to connect to that Underworld energy. But remember, you can’t enter the Underworld with baggage and masks. You must be stripped down to your purest essence so let go… let go… let go… to go down… down… down.
Give thanks. It is a miracle to be alive. It is a miracle that our beautiful Earth supports and nourishes us. Have deep love and gratitude for all parts of yourself. Go there.
To give you some guidance, here is a Samhain release ritual you can follow or use bits and pieces- follow your intuition and make it your own.
A Samhain Release Ritual
This is a time to ask for protection and guidance as we shed who no longer serves us. What do you want to release and free yourself from during this cycle?
Items You Will Need:
a candle (black is ideal)
a cauldron or fire-proof bowl
a pen and paper
Build Your Samhain Altar
To build your altar or sacred space, bring in anything that captures the beauty, magic and transition of the season. Some suggestions:
a pomegranate; to represent the seeds of the Underworld
squashes or pumpkins; to represent the final harvest
deer antlers or animal skulls and dried flowers; to represent the death of the season
photos of ancestors to honour those who came before you to make this life possible
candles to illuminate the darkness
Rosemary; for remembrance of the dead
Mugwort; for divination, dreaming and opening up your intuition
Create Your Sacred Space
Begin cleansing and clearing your space by burning incense, herbs or resins, diffusing essential oils, lighting beeswax candles, playing a singing bowl, etc. Then come to sit in your space.
Breathe, Ground + Connect
Close your eyes and connect to your breath; even out your inhales and exhales. Imagine a line of energy from your tail bone descending into the Earth. Let this be your lifeline into the core of the Earth, rooting and grounding you. Connect to the energy in Nature at this moment; the turning leaves, the trees beginning to bare, the dying flowers, and feel this transition happening within yourself.
Meditate
As you feel yourself descend into the Death of the season, and as you move deeper into your own sacred darkness, meditate upon what you would like to let go of and release this Samhain. Get quiet. Listen intently. What is asking to be healed? What are you through carrying around? What has run its course? In this quiet and dark place the answers will be revealed. If they’re not coming to you, ask for guidance. If you feel you need more assistance, feel free to pull some tarot or oracle cards, runes, or any other divination tool. (Remember- these are just tools! You are your best divining tool! The answers are always within). Write down your release on your piece of paper. (ie. “On this Samhain night, I release….”)
Light your Candle
If you’re working with a taper candle, carve your release into your candle. As you light your candle ask to be surrounded in Divine Light and protection to support and guide you through these dark days and nights.
Burn Your Release
If you have access to a cauldron or fire proof bowl, light your release on fire and watch it burn in the cauldron or bowl. Breathe and let go. Breathe and release. Breathe and feel a well of space open within you.
Gratitude
Before closing your ceremony, take a moment to give thanks and gratitude for the abundance of food this last harvest has provided. Send blessings to the Earth all her beings.
Offering
If you have any remaining wax from your candle, take that along with the ashes from your release (or if you didn’t burn your release, tear it up into many pieces) and bury these things somewhere in nature. It is always a good idea to leave an offering on top of where you buried your release. This could be an organic apple, seeds or nuts, tobacco, honey, a small bouquet of flowers etc. (Don’t leave anything that can’t either decompose or safely be eaten by animals!)
Wishing you so many blessings this Samhain. And may you truly see yourself in the darkness, and recognize the undying Divine light within you.