How to Create a Samhain Ritual (and why you should)
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Creativity, Spirit, and Samhain
To say a lot going on in the world right now is an understatement. I’m not sure where the stars are aligned, but I’m guessing there’s some wonkiness at play in the universe.
The veil is thin. Samhain, Halloween, Day of the Dead, All Saints/Souls Day, and a new year are upon us. And unless you’ve been on a sabbatical for 20 years, you are well aware there’s an election coming that will determine the fate of our country. Emotions are high, and energy is lit.
Let’s focus on the current time of year. What does the thinning of the veil actually mean? It is the period when our departed loved ones and our ancestors are closest to us. It’s a holy time of connection.
The ancient Celtic festival of Samhain was a celebration of the end of the harvest season and the midpoint between the summer and winter solstice. The space between October 31 and November 2 was considered an end and a beginning. Our ancestors are here to help us find inner light during these darkening days.
Last year at this time, I spent a quiet night alone writing to my dad and a brother who died years ago. I also wrote to grandparents and other loved ones. I didn’t know it then (or maybe I did), but the coming year would be my mother’s last. I now believe that my ritual during Samhain helped me connect to the energy I needed during a transition year. It wasn’t easy. Mom had falls. She had resistance. She also had acceptance, love, grace, and connection. On some level, she knew her loved ones were with her.
It all sounds a bit woo-woo, so let’s put this into practical magic. Focusing on a ritual honoring death and life while connecting with our loved ones can be a creative, nurturing, and spiritual experience. Here are my top 10 suggestions to create the space.
1. Find a quiet time and space to create a Samhain ceremony.
2. Light a candle and dim all other lights.
3. Place a photograph of a loved one next to the candle and add photos of ancestors you never met.
4. Forage a pinecone, an acorn, or a branch to add to your altar.
5. Bring a small, sweet treat or warm drink to the table as an offering.
6. Play a Samhain soundtrack.
7. Spend time reflecting on a few memories with your loved ones.
8. Write a letter to one or more of your deceased relatives.
9. Draw, paint, or journal with your loved ones in mind.
10. Release what no longer serves you and offer gratitude for yourself, your ancestors, and the cycle of life.
Quotes
“Life and death are one thread the same line viewed from different sides.”
“October is the fallen leaf, but it is also a wider horizon more clearly seen. It is the distant hills once more in sight, and the enduring constellations above them once again.”
“I feel the nights stretching away
thousands long behind the days
till they reach the darkness where
all of me is ancestor.”
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Thanks for reading. Creativity is not a command performance, but I hope you’ll stay and become inspired. If you know someone interested in creative endeavors, please forward this on!
Yours in spirited creativity,