Celebrating Samhain

Now that we have an understanding to what Samhain is all about, you'll be learning the different ways of how to celebrate. Remember, these are just ideas for you to follow up on, because you can celebrate in anyway you want. Le't begin!

Create an Ancestor Altar -  Create an ancestor altar using a collection of photographs, displaying your various relatives, ideally going back a few generations to illustrate and show respect for your history. Besides photos, you could also decorate your altar with any other items that belonged to your relatives or even just things that remind you of them. Jewelry, clothing, or other heirloom items could all be used. What matters most is that these items mean something to you and represent your past.

Dumb Supper - Lay an extra plate at your table on Samhain Eve, this is called a "dumb supper".  In this case "dumb" means silent, once the food is served silence is observed throughout the dinner. By remaining quiet, you will open your heart and mind to those who have crossed over. You may feel a ghostly touch, detect a scent of perfume, hear messages, or even witness physical manifestations of spirit energy.   It is traditional to serve the "dumb supper" backwards, so the dessert would be eaten first.  

Build a Bonfire -  Write personal prayers on parchment and cast them into the fire along with objects symbolizing your wishes for the new year.   If you have any old herbs or bits of magick laying around your house burn them up in the Samhain bonfire, it's time to start a fresh new year.

The Apple and the Mirror Divination - Before the stroke of midnight, sit in front of a mirror in a room lit only by one candle or the moon. Go into the silence, and ask a question. Cut the apple into nine pieces. With your back to the mirror, eat eight of the pieces, then throw the ninth over your left shoulder. Turn your head to look over the same shoulder, and you will see an image or symbol in the mirror that will tell you your answer.

(When you look in the mirror, let your focus go "soft," and allow the patterns made by the moon or candlelight and shadows to suggest forms, symbols and other dreamlike images that speak to your intuition.) 

Apple Divination - Peel an apple all in one long ribbon, then throw it over your shoulder while asking a question.  Divine the answer by the shape of the peel.

Hazelnut Divination - Carve questions into the shells of hazelnuts and place them near a fire.  If the nuts pop the answer is "no", if the nuts remain intact the answer is "yes". 

Witches Processional - In the spirit of the witches who lived before, on Samhain night dress yourself up in a black cloak, carve a small pumpkin and put on a handle so that it may be carried as a lantern.  Ghost about your neighbourhood, with your hood drawn up and your pumpkin lantern lit.  Hopefully the neighbours won't be able to tell that it's you!

Visit Graves of Loved Ones - Leave them offerings of jack- o'- lanterns, candy, nuts, apples or special treats that they enjoyed in life.  Don't forget to light a stick of incense and leave a small votive candle burning in the pumpkin.

What many of you will think of is Samhain is very much like the Day of the Dead that Roman-Catholics celebrate. To honor my grandmother who was from Mexico and was Catholic, I celebrate Samhain and Day of the Dead. Sometime soon, I'll post information about Day of the Dead so you can have ideas to celebrate Samhain.

Blessed be!