Samhain (pronounced: sa:win) – 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. Associated with them are eight significant holidays through which we celebrate various aspects of life, growth, abundance, death and rebirth. Samhain is a time to think of and remember our ancestors, a time when the line between the living and the dead is believed to be the thinnest, allowing communication with spirits and ancestors. It is also considered to be the forerunner of modern Halloween.

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

Traditional precious stones

What is the best way to experience 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.

For our altar we used scoryl (black tourmaline), amethyst and carnelian.

Remember your ancestors

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

Samhain is a time of magical rituals, an occasion for magic that is associated with ending old cycles and welcoming new ones. Rituals are suitable for abandoning old habits and negative energies that block us, it is time to set new plans and goals for the winter season.

Take a walk in nature, take a trip to the forest or park, and observe how nature changes with the coming winter. Collect moss, chestnuts, rosehips, bark, pine cones and decorate the altar with them.

Use this magical period to cleanse your home of negative energies. Smokers, especially herbs such as white sage or rosemary, are useful for this. You can burn them in a censer, or walk around the apartment with a smoldering bundle. If you prefer an unscented cleansing, light a black candle on the altar to symbolize light in the darkness of the coming winter, in the shortening days and lengthening nights. Incense lovers will appreciate our special Samhain Incense , invented and mixed in our magical workshop in Nefertitis. I have carefully selected herbs and resins for it that are closely associated with the season when the holiday is taking place and that are traditionally used for their cleansing effects.

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

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

Meditate

Find a quiet corner 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 bring into your life. Light a candle and meditate.

Samhain is a deeply spiritual holiday that promotes connection with nature, the ancestors, and the cycles of life. Let this time lead you to reflect and prepare for a 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 holidays associated with nature. The reason for this is the fact that they are traditionally associated with magic, protection and strengthening rituals, and many of them are still used as medicines today.

Sage – an herb for purification, protection and suppression of negative energies. Its smoke is used for cleaning the space, but also for people and various objects, it is part of many incense burners for protection against negative energy and for a whole range of rituals. Its aroma is intense, herbal, camphorous. White sage is part of incense sticks, bricks and cones, essential oil and incense bundles are made from it.

Rosemary – herb for honoring ancestors, part of 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 St. John's wort. John, because it broke at midnight on St. John the Baptist (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 aroma is spicy, herbal, slightly woody.

Lavender – a symbol of peace and tranquility. It is used for calming the mind, meditation and to promote connection with spirits. It is a part of purification rituals, but also of rituals to promote love. Calms and suppresses stress and tension. Its fragrance is floral with fresh citrus-camphor tones.

Calendula - protective magic and rituals. It is a traditional part of amulets and mixtures intended for the period of Samhain. Its fragrance is floral.

Black Elder – a sacred herb, used to protect the home and in mixtures for rituals associated with the ancestors. Elder flowers, either alone or as part of tea mixtures, are used for cold symptoms, especially in winter.

Other herbs associated with Samhain include holly or yarrow.

How best to use herbs?

In the first place are fumigation and purification rituals.

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

In our magical workshop in Nefertitis, we have invented and mixed for you a special Samhain incense full of positive energy of herbs and resins, with a warm, sweet balsamic fragrance with floral and vanilla notes, for the 7th festival of the Wheel of the Year. The incense burner is perfect for a cleansing ritual.

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

Ritual for Samhain - Connecting with the Ancestors - 10/31 to 11/1

Prepare seasonal food - pumpkin dishes, root vegetables or apple pie

Pumpkin soup

Hokkaido pumpkins – cut in half and remove the seeds. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and boil with a little water. Once the pumpkin is soft, blend it with a stick blender, add salt, pepper, whipping cream, smoked meat cut into pieces. Place the ox eye 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 purification, Rosemary for ancestor remembrance, and Samhain incense for a cleansing ritual.

You can perform the ritual outdoors or at home, on the night of October 31st to November 1st. Place candles, gemstones, herbs and seasonal food.
Clear the space around you - light a bundle of white sage and disperse the smoke around you. You can use a Samhain incense burner and burn it on charcoal in a censer.
Light the candles. Take the precious stones in your hand - one at a time and meditate with them briefly.
Commemorate your ancestors. You can prepare a small bowl of food for them to show 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 natural forces, blow out the candles and leave the food for the ancestors on the altar for several hours.

The ritual will help you connect more deeply with the magical energy of Samhain. Precious stones are powerful symbols that allow you to experience the holiday in connection with ancestors, nature and realize the cycles of life. After the ritual is over, you can carry the stones with you as a reminder of your intentions and for protection in the coming period.

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

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - Mexico: November 1st and 2nd, celebrates deceased ancestors, believing that the souls of the dead return to earth to visit their loved ones. Families build altars (ofrendas) where they put photos, favorite food and objects of the deceased, and hold feasts for their number. The connection between the world of the living and the dead is celebrated.

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

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

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

Pchum Ben - Cambodia: late September and late October. It 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 the temples and prayers are offered to the ancestors.

Oingming (Purity and Brightness Day) - China: April 4th or 5th. 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, ancestors are worshiped, offerings are made to the deceased, and tributes are paid.

Obon - Japan: August 13-15 (July in some areas). It is a Buddhist festival to worship the souls of ancestors, who are believed to return to the earth during this period. Lanterns are lit everywhere to guide souls home. After the festival is over, they are released into the water or air so that the souls can return back to the spirit world. The holiday celebrates ancestors and their influence on contemporary 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 Die de los Muertos and Samhain. People bring offerings to the graves of their ancestors, celebrate and dance.

Velja noč - Slovenia: 1 November. The Slavic holiday "Great Night" commemorates the dead, ongoing celebrations are connected with rituals dedicated to ancestors. Feasts are prepared, fires are lit to give light to the spirits on their way back to the world of the dead.

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Whatever the name of the holidays, 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 10/14/2024.

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