[harvest moon–first week of november
winter nights/halloween/pagan new year
first spoke on the dark side of the modern wheel of the year]
Halloween (Samhain) starts on the first harvest moon you see in October
and ends during the first week of November.
—Carole S.
Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”) is the first festival in the wheel of the year. Also known as Halloween, All Hallow's Eve, and the Witches' New Year, Samhain is the middle point between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. It is a multiday (and in some cases multiweek) observation that has many names and is observed in unique ways throughout various cultures. What many modern pagans and Wiccans refer to as Samhain, though, is a Celtic reconstruction from earlier, more ancient Celtic-Irish practices.
Samhain is marked by a thinner veil, reverence for the dead, and harvesting plants and livestock. The word Samhain means “November” in modern Irish and Scottish Gaelic, but it has been suggested that the word also takes root in the term summer's end. In this way, sam, translated from Old Irish to mean “summer,” and fuin, meaning “end,” were thrown together to form this sort of folk etymology. This, however, is just a modern theory—there is not a clear and decisive etymology to fully support this claim.
Traditionally, the Celts are believed to have split the wheel of the year into two halves. These two halves (the light half and the dark half—summer and winter) joined together and encompassed many festivals and observations, starting with Samhain. Samhain season is the first spoke on the wheel of the dark half, in good company with Yule, Imbolc, and Ostara. It is also the first of the original Celtic cross-quarter days. Samhain is the big spoke on the wheel that transitions us from the cycles of birth and growth to the cycle of death.
While celebrated by many on the night of October 31, Samhain is observed November 1. This is not a hard-and-fast rule, with many pagans celebrating in the more conglomerate harvest holiday Halloween style, which ranges from October 31 through November 5. Being a midpoint holiday, however, the actual date of Samhain does change and can be calculated by finding the day in the middle of the autumn equinox and Yule.
One of the most common phrases we hear about Halloween and the Samhain season is that “the veil is thinning.” This term has become popular in both spiritual and pop culture circles—but what does it mean? Many people believe that there is a veil that separates our world from that of the spirits. A few times a year, however, this veil becomes thin. The veil becomes noticeably thin during major holidays when deceased loved ones are remembered. That notably marks Samhain, Yule, and around the Jewish Passover/Christian Easter. Easter does tend to fall almost six months exactly from Samhain, which would make it the sister holiday on the wheel of the year.
Samhain is not the only day in which the veil is thin, but it is the period of thinning during the year of the witch. This is significant in many ways for witches who want to seriously manifest and change their lives in the new year! Think about conventional New Year's Day. How many people make wishes, resolutions, and set plans into motion? Nearly all of us! The witch's new year is a time when we can do the same exact thing, yet receive all the benefits of a thinned veil.
There is a (toxic) plant called the angel trumpet. It is a flowering shrub with downward-facing flowers that hang like the ends of a trumpet. This plant has been used throughout history as a messenger to the spirit world. There is no better time than on the eve of a new year, when the veil is thin, to send a message to your ancestors! Angel trumpet plants bloom their heaviest in fall, so it is the perfect time to set your manifestations in action.
Angel trumpets have a very easy petitioning system that nearly anyone can use. It should be noted again, however, that these plants are toxic, so they should not be handled with bare hands. To send a message to the spirit world using an angel trumpet, all you need is a paper, a pen, a shovel, and an angel trumpet flower. At dawn or dusk, pick your angel trumpet flower. On your piece of paper, write exactly who you are petitioning and why. Fold this paper up and place it in the flower. To finish your petition, burry the trumpet as the sun sets or rises.
There is more than one amazing Irish myth regarding Samhain, from “The Adventures of Nera” to “The Wooing of Emer.” It is quite notable that there is more than one story involving our Irish hero Cú Chulainn around the time of Samhain, from “The Wooing of Emer” to “The Sickbed of Cú Chulainn.” These stories and epics, while no longer told around a bonfire, are still integral parts of what makes these surviving traditions grounding and unique.
What is any harvest holiday without a thanksgiving as well? The heart of Samhain is not associated with any particular deity, but encompasses all gods, goddesses, and other deities that join us during this time of thinned veil and closer connection. There are, however, some particular gods and goddesses who like to make their presence known during this time of year. This is not to say that these particular deities must be worshipped or acknowledged, but if you do happen to work with any of them, it would be a great time of year to set up a task-oriented altar.
In many Wiccan traditions, the Goddess takes the form of the triple goddess: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. This is the counterpart to the Horned God. The literal embodiment of Samhain is the Crone. The Crone is both the last and first stage of the triple goddess. She is the last stage before death but the first stage of the matriarchy of the triple goddess and as such holds the most knowledgeable and powerful role. While there are many forms of the triple goddess, the one most widely associated with Samhain is Hecate.
Interestingly enough, Hecate is a Greek goddess yet is widely associated with the Celtic festival of Samhain. While in her Crone aspect she is the goddess of the underworld, this association is not fully why she is linked to Samhain. In Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Samhain to Ostara, Ashleen O'Gaea tells us, “the Romans knew her, and introduced the Celts to her when the Caesars's empire extended through Western Europe and into Britain.”
At this time of year, Hecate also commonly goes by the title the Dark Goddess. The Dark Goddess is the name of the Crone embodiment of the triple goddess. Some do consider them two separate goddesses, but I believe that the Dark Goddess is the ever-growing and ever-changing goddess Hecate made modern for our modern lives. The Dark Goddess embodies mystery, the moon, the inner self, and our shadow selves. Samhain season allows us a dedicated time to appreciate, acknowledge, and work with our moon self.
Some of my fondest childhood memories actually revolve around the autumn holidays and specifically Samhain. My mom was an Irish folk witch, same as me, and Samhain also happened to be her favorite holiday (tied with the whole Yule season). Her wisdom that has never left me was this: “Halloween (Samhain) starts on the first harvest moon you see in October and ends during the first week of November.” This has stuck with me all my adult life, and I start my Samhain rituals on the night of the first harvest moon I see in October.
This memory is the first intuitive indicator I have to begin working with my ancestors. Author Ashleen O'Gaea describes Samhain as a family reunion, and I absolutely love that analogy because it simply and succinctly cuts to the core of this festival: family, spiritual connection, thanksgiving, ending, and beginning.
The veil is thin this time of year, and our ancestors and recently lost family members are easier to contact and include in our daily lives. One of the more common Samhain traditions is what is known as a dumb supper, or a dinner with the dead. A dumb supper is a meal that not only memorializes and remembers loved ones and ancestors but also invites them back into our lives for the duration of a meal. Dumb suppers can be held any time of year and for any reason, but they are usually observed on Samhain. My Samhain celebration lasts multiple days, and I lay an ancestral place setting for each meal that we'll be celebrating, with a full food setting on the night of Samhain.
There are two main ways to perform a dumb supper. The more common, traditional way is to hold a meal in complete silence (hence the name: a dumb, or speechless, supper). This is to show reflection and respect. Typically, a meal is prepared and extra place settings are made at the table for deceased loved ones and ancestors. The meal is conducted in all seriousness, and each person considers their own private memories with those who are no longer with us.
(Don't worry about a wandering spirit joining your table—there is little to no risk of other spirits joining you at this time due to the fact that you are only inviting those of your blood.)
The second way to hold a dumb supper, and my preferred way, is what I affectionately refer to as an Irish supper. This meal is anything but quiet and ruminating. When I hold my dumb supper, I want my relatives and ancestors to feel as loved and joyful as when they were here. This version is loud, full of great food, full of alcohol, and an absolute celebration of everything that is great about being alive. This supper has three courses, and everything is handmade. (Our ancestors didn't eat Twinkies, and neither should we when we are inviting them into our homes.)
Three is the number of the Maiden, Mother, and Crone, and so serving three courses is symbolic to the spirit of the season. Similar to how American Thanksgiving always has turkey, or Christmas has a ham, my Samhain dumb supper is always based on a lamb meal. I try to use in-season, local food or produce from my garden, as opposed to out-of-season or processed foods, as much as possible.
Course 1: Homegrown creamy butternut squash soup and soda bread
Course 2: Lamb Wellington with brussels sprouts or asparagus
Course 3: Berry eton mess (berry cream parfait)
It's really not necessary that you have the same menu as me, or even have any of these items at all. What is important is that you are as authentic to your own bloodline and heritage as possible. Did any of your deceased family members eat a restricted diet? Cook for it if you can. It's not that they'll actually eat the food, but the energy and effort you put into making your guests feel comfortable counts. Just because your guests are not physically present doesn't mean you didn't invite them, and serving foods that they are used to will show respect for them in your life and home.
We can, of course, cook other dishes to go along with the deceased's favorites (and we do for our vegetarian family members). Typically, however, this is the format and menu for nearly every Samhain dinner I've held. (Don't mess with a good thing, am I right?)
Dairy and animal products in general are quite important to the ancestral aspect of this celebration. Samhain was a time for our ancestors to cull their livestock for the harsh winter months, and there was often a surplus of meat and dairy products this time of year. If you do not have any dietary restrictions preventing it, I encourage you to be as authentic to that as possible.
You might host a dumb supper solo, with your immediate family, or with a group. For each of these scenarios, there are different ways to set the table. Typically, if I am alone for a dumb supper, I will sit at the foot of the table and make place settings in every other seat for specific people while creating the head of the table for my ancestral line at large. It is important to serve these plates and places before you come to yourself, being the last of the living line present at the table.
If you are hosting a dumb supper with immediate family, you can sit on one long side of the table, with your partner across from you on the other side. The head/foot of the table on your left-hand side should be made in tribute to your family, while your right-hand side will be for your partner. This way our family will always be on our left side, symbolically closest to our hearts and minds, while still being connected to the family at large.
In group settings, you follow the same principle as outlined above and have the place setting for your family directly to your left. This will mean that every other place setting is made available. Your family's settings should be adorned with items and articles they particularly liked, such as alcohol, food, candy, and photographs if you feel so inclined. This is to bring the spirit of your direct family to join in the congregation of celebration and commemoration. Your line is special; make sure they feel that way through your words and actions during this time.
HOMEGROWN CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
This soup is my starter for not only Samhain but pretty much all autumn meals in my house. I stumbled upon it after a great friend of mine lent me her mother's recipe. Every year I've tinkered with the ingredients as my diet changes, but overall it maintains the integrity of the original recipe. It is creamy and flavorful, and I somehow never get bored with it.
You will need a blender, because we will be blending our puree. This soup is especially good with a giant turkey meatball or matzo ball in it as well—but for Samhain it is best just plain. If you'd like to go a step further, I typically serve this in a carved-out pumpkin bowl. Experiment and see how you'd like to bring the flavors of the harvest to your supper table.
INGREDIENTS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large sheet pan with foil, cut the squash in half, and place them facedown on the pan. Bake in the oven until the squash is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Set your oven on broil, flip the squash faceup, and broil the tops until lightly browned. Remove the squash from the oven and set aside to cool.
Melt butter in a stove pan over medium heat and sauté the shallots, onion, and garlic until they have reached a nice golden color, about five minutes. Remove from heat.
Once the squash has cooled, remove the seeds and scoop out the filling. You should have about 4½ cups of squash.
Add the shallots, onion, and garlic to a blender and blend until mostly smooth. Don't go crazy here—you'll be blending more throughout the process. Add the squash and blend again. Then add the broth and pulse to mix. (You may need to process the vegetables and broth in batches, depending on the size of your blender.)
Pour the blended squash into a big soup pot and stir in the cream. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring to mix. Add the salt, pepper, rosemary, sage, and allspice and stir.
Bring soup to a simmer and cook partially covered for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve.
If you have the space, the time, and the means, I highly recommend harvesting at least one item for your Samhain table, whether that's squash, garlic, herbs, or some other plant. This will allow the energy of the changing earth to come into your home and body in a way it wouldn't if you didn't take the effort to grow, nurture, and harvest a plant yourself. This is in no way mandatory, but it is fulfilling to eat what you've grown.
When you plant your seeds, sow the intention of connection. You will be nurturing and caring over these plants for weeks, which will in turn strengthen your connection to the spirit of the land, the spirit of your ancestry, and yourself. As you water them and tend to them, speak to them as though you are speaking to your loved ones. The messages will carry, and all of your conversations will be present on the Samhain table.
When you're ready to harvest, grab your garden shears and prepare an offering to the earth. This might mean making a mandala out of foraged items, picking up litter in the area, adding compost or other nutrient-rich soils, or bringing clean water. As the sun rises, go out to your plants and leave your offering. Before you cut the vine, thank the earth, sun, sky, rain, and spirit for providing this harvest.
Say “thank you” out loud, feeling the words radiate from your inner spirit out into nature. This is also a perfect time for reflection if you feel inclined to sit and meditate with these spirits and elements. The land that we live on and the spirits that reside on it alongside us are part of our immediate life. By sitting in their presence and acknowledging our gratitude, we strengthen our bonds to our spiritual surroundings.