Samhain (pronounced: sa:win) – a celebration of the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. Samhain is an ancient Celtic holiday, and is considered one of the most magical days of the year. It is celebrated from October 31 to November 1. It is the 7th holiday of the Wheel of the Year, a cycle that represents the natural transition of the seasons. There are eight significant holidays associated with them, through which we celebrate various aspects of life, growth, abundance, death and rebirth. Samhain is a time to think about and remember our ancestors, a time when it is believed that the line between the world of the living and the dead is the thinnest, allowing communication with spirits and ancestors. It is also considered the predecessor of the modern Halloween.

Colors characterizing the Samhain period: black, orange, white, gold and silver.

Traditional gemstones

How best to spend this holiday?

Create a Samhain altar

Use seasonal elements such as pumpkins, apples, chestnuts, dried leaves, moss, heather, and candles. You can dedicate the altar to ancestors or spirits.

We used scoryl (black tourmaline), amethyst , and carnelian for our altar.

Remember your ancestors

Light a candle in their memory, prepare their favorite meal, look at photos and remember experiences with them or stories about them.

Samhain is a time of magical rituals, an opportunity for magick, which is associated with ending old cycles and welcoming new ones. Rituals are appropriate for letting go of old habits and negative energies that block us, it is a time to set new plans and goals for the winter season.

Take a nature walk, take a trip to the forest or park, and watch how nature changes with the coming winter. Gather moss, chestnuts, rose hips, bark, pine cones and decorate your altar with them.

Use this magical time to cleanse your home of negative energies. Use incense, especially herbs such as white sage or rosemary. You can burn them in an incense burner or walk around your apartment with a smoldering bundle. If you prefer a scent-free cleansing, light a black candle on your altar, which symbolizes light in the darkness of the coming winter, in the shortening days and lengthening nights. Smoke lovers will appreciate our special Samhain incense , which we invented and mixed in our magical workshop at Nefertitis. We carefully selected herbs and resins that are closely related to the period when the holiday takes place and which are traditionally used for their cleansing effects, or our unique, ritual blend of 100% natural essential oils SAMHAIN BY NEFERTITIS.

Samhain is a time of divination. You can use tarot cards, runes, but also a pendulum with a mat as a tool, where through the interpretation of its movements we seek answers to various questions. It helps us in decision-making, judgment and supports intuition.

Prepare traditional seasonal dishes like pumpkin dishes, apple pies, or root vegetables. Share the dishes with loved ones as a symbol of family togetherness and the abundance of the last harvest before winter.

Meditate

Find a quiet place where you will be alone and nothing and no one will disturb you. Remember past cycles, be grateful for what you have, think about what changes you want to make in your life. Light a candle and meditate.

Samhain is a deeply spiritual holiday that encourages connection with nature, ancestors, and the cycles of life. Let this time lead you to reflect and prepare for the quieter part of the year.

Do you like and use herbs? We have a great tip for you!

All of the following herbs will help amplify the energy of Samhain, protect your home, and facilitate connection with spirits and ancestors .

Herbs play an important role not only in the celebration of nature-related holidays. The reason is that they are traditionally associated with magic, protection and strengthening rituals, and many of them are still used medicinally today.

Sage – an herb for cleansing, protection and suppression of negative energies. Its smoke is used for cleansing space, but also people and various objects, it is a part of many incense sticks for protection against negative energy and for a whole range of rituals. Its aroma is intense, herbal, camphor. White sage is a part of incense sticks, bricks and cones, it is used to make essential oil and incense bundles.

Rosemary – an herb used to honor ancestors, used in incense for rituals to promote communication with spirits. Its aroma is spicy, herbal with camphor and citrus notes.

St. John's wort – an herb for protection against evil spirits, a talisman for good luck. St. John's wort is known as the flower of St. John, because it was picked at midnight on St. John the Baptist's Day (June 24). It is an herb used in pharmacy and healthcare in general.

Wormwood – an herb traditionally used in rituals dedicated to ancestors and to connect with the spiritual world. Its scent is spicy, herbal, and slightly woody.

Lavender – a symbol of peace and tranquility. It is used to calm the mind, meditate and to support connection with spirits. It is part of cleansing rituals, but also rituals that are intended to support love. It soothes and suppresses stress and tension. Its scent is floral with fresh citrus-camphor notes.

Marigold – protective magic and rituals. It is a traditional part of amulets and mixtures intended for the Samhain season. Its scent is floral.

Elderberry – a sacred herb, used for home protection and in blends for rituals associated with ancestors. Elderberry flowers, either alone or as part of tea blends, are used for cold symptoms, especially in the winter.

Other herbs associated with the Samhain holiday include holly and yarrow.

How best to use herbs?

First and foremost are the fumigation and purification rituals.

Use a bundle of white sage, rosemary, or a combination of both to cleanse the space of negative energy.

In our magical workshop in Nefertitis, we have created and mixed a special Samhain incense for you, full of positive energy of herbs and resins, with a warm, sweetly balsamic scent with floral and vanilla tones, designed for the 7th holiday of the Wheel of the Year. The incense is perfect for a cleansing ritual.

Herbs can be used to decorate an altar. Use fresh or dry herbs for this. They are a protective element of the altar and a memory of ancestors. In the form of teas, herbs are intended for traditional effects such as relaxation, meditation, calming, sleep support, etc., but also for ritual baths, in which they help to cleanse the mind.

Ritual for Samhain – connecting with ancestors – 31. 10. to 1. 11.

Prepare a seasonal meal – pumpkin dishes, root vegetables or apple pie

Pumpkin soup

Hokkaido pumpkin – cut into pieces and remove seeds. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and boil with a little water. Once the pumpkin is soft, blend it with a stick blender, season with salt, pepper, add whipping cream, smoked meat cut into pieces. Place the oxtail in a bowl, pour the soup over it and garnish with fried bacon or pieces of blue cheese.

Stones

Candles: black, white or orange, which symbolize protection, spirituality and autumn.

Herbs: sage for cleansing, rosemary for remembering ancestors, and Samhain incense for a cleansing ritual.

You can perform the ritual outdoors or at home, on the night of October 31 to November 1. Arrange candles, gemstones, herbs, and seasonal food.
Cleanse the space around you – light a bundle of white sage and diffuse the smoke around you. You can use a Samhain incense burner and burn it on charcoal in a censer.
Light the candles. Take the gemstones in your hand – one at a time and meditate with them briefly.
Remember your ancestors. You can prepare a small bowl of food for them to show your respect. Accept the food yourself with gratitude for the fruits of nature and the cycles of life.
Closing the ritual: thank the ancestors, spirits and forces of nature, blow out the candles and leave food for the ancestors on the altar for several hours.

The ritual will help you to establish a deeper connection with the magical energy of Samhain. Gemstones are powerful symbols that allow you to experience the holiday in connection with your ancestors, nature and become aware of the cycles of life. After the ritual is complete, you can carry the stones with you as a reminder of your intentions and for protection in the coming season.

There are similar holidays around the world that, like Samhain, celebrate the end of the harvest, honor ancestors, and the transition between worlds or spiritual transformation.

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) – Mexico: November 1 and 2, celebrates deceased ancestors, with the belief that the souls of the dead return to earth to visit their loved ones. Families set up altars (ofrendas) with photographs, favorite foods, and objects of the deceased, and hold feasts in honor of their number. The connection between the worlds of the living and the dead is celebrated.

All Souls' Day - Christianity - Worldwide: November 2nd, celebrates the dead, praying for their souls. The holiday has roots in Christian tradition and is celebrated in various cultures around the world.

Halloween – USA, UK, Canada and other countries: October 31. The pagan holiday of Samhain has evolved into a commercial and entertaining event in the form of Halloween. Costumes symbolizing rainbows and death are worn, and pumpkins (Jack-o'-lanterns) are carved, which have a tradition of using turnips to protect against evil rainbows.

All Hallows' Eve – Christian holiday: October 31. Celebrated on the evening before All Saints' Day (November 1), the holiday commemorates the dead, including saints (hallows) and all those who have attained eternal bliss. The main message is the veneration of the dead and protection from evil. Like Halloween, this holiday is based on Samhain.

Pchum Ben – Cambodia: late September/early October. This is a Buddhist holiday dedicated to deceased ancestors. It is believed that during the holiday, the souls of the deceased can visit their relatives. Food and gifts are brought to temples and prayers are held for the ancestors.

Oingming (Purity and Brightness Day) – China: April 4 or 5. As a sign of respect, people take care of the graves of their ancestors, bring them offerings – food and flowers, and light incense sticks.

Chuseok – South Korea: 15th day of the 8th lunar month (September/October). The holiday celebrates the harvest, honors ancestors, makes offerings to the dead, and pays tribute.

Obon – Japan: August 13-15 (July in some areas). This is a Buddhist festival to honor the souls of ancestors, who are believed to return to the earth during this period. Lanterns are lit everywhere to guide the souls home. After the festival, they are released into the water or air so that the souls can return to the spirit world. The holiday celebrates ancestors and their influence on current life.

Fèt Gede – Haiti (Voodoo tradition): November 1st and 2nd. The Haitian Voodoo festival celebrates the rainbows of the dead (Gede) and is similar to Dia de los Muertos and Samhain. People bring offerings to the graves of their ancestors, celebrate, and dance.

Velja noč – Slovenia: November 1. The Slavic holiday “Velka noč” commemorates the deceased, the ongoing celebrations are connected with rituals dedicated to ancestors. Feasts are prepared, fires are lit to provide light for the spirits on their journey back to the world of the dead.

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Whatever the holidays are called, they are a time to remember our ancestors, celebrate the harvest, and look forward to the season ahead.

We wrote the article for you on October 14, 2024.

Articles about other holidays in the Wheels of the Year series can be found here.

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