Samhain
Samhain is upon us, and as always, three large groups are mobilizing once more. The majority of people are prepared for the secular holiday of Halloween. Costumes and candy have been bought, parties have been planned, and the trick or treating will soon begin. The second group is the group that recognizes this ancient holiday, the end of most Pagan calendars, and prepares to worship in their own way. The third is the group that is once more launching their campaign of misinformation, attempting to villify the second group and steal the fun away from children everywhere.
I won't launch into specific quotes from any of the many sources that condemn this holiday. If you care to look, they definitely aren't difficult to find. If you don't know where to start, there are some interesting quotes on The Wildhunt Blog to get you started.
I will instead focus on some of the aspects of the celebration itself. Samhain is a celtic word meaning "Summer's End". It is not, nor has it ever been, a Celtic god of the dead. Not that reference to the dead is completely pulled out of thin air, since the dead are one of the primary focuses of this celebration.
At Samhain, the harvest was basically over. It marked the coming of winter and the need to store up food and thin the herds in preparation for the hard times to come. It is one of the four fire festivals, and it was common (and still is) to have a bonfire at this time. Mythologically speaking, this also marks the time for the Goddess to make her descent into the underworld to rest, leaving the planet to rest as well. Plants and animals die out or go into a state of rest and await the spring for the replenishment of themselves and their species. Some also hold to the belief that this marks a period of timelessness. Many traditions ended their calendars with Samhain and began the new year at Yule. In effect not counting the time in which the Goddess slept.
This is the time of year when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. The time when spirits roam and can be communicated with. The time when spirits that had stayed locked on this planet have the opportunity to return to the underworld and prepare for their next journey. Many attempt to communicate with the dead in this season, but it is important to remember that we don't command the appearance of the dead. It is a matter of polite request, that our ancestors might share their wisdom with us.
Many celebrations are practiced on this night. Rituals are held around the fires. Children dress up as spirits, or frightening entities in the hopes of frightening off malicious spirits. Many still hold the tradition of the dumb supper. This is a meal with your friends, family, coven or equivalent fellow worshippers. The rules are simple. The meal is prepared in complete silence (or if a lengthy process some will simply present it in silence.) The table is set with places for each of your guests plus an empty setting. All sit in silence and the empty plate, reserved for those that have passed away in the last year, or earlier if they still hold a strong sense of loss, is served first. If there are more than one person being remembered, all are represented with the one plate. The meal is also eaten in silence as all remember what the person or people they have lost mean to them. When the meal is finished all leave the table one at a time, touching the chair in a silent goodbye, and leave the room. At this point it acceptible, and expected, that the somber tone ends. Life goes on, and as such, the party should launch itself into a more enjoyable atmosphere. It is often good for the host, or designated oddball, to offer a toast. Preferably a humorous one, just to get things going.
Many hold a variation of the above, without the silence. Sometimes reminiscing on their lost loved one. Sometimes not even addressing the plate directly. I went to one celebration where they carried it on all night, offering drinks and orderves on occasion to the mantel. Initially, I don't think it was intended, but the guests kept coming in and seeing the plate with assorted cookies and snacks and taking some. The host didn't complain, and actually laughed about the fierce appetite of her departed. As the night went on and people realized, some carried it further. One guest opened a beer and placed it on the mantel, telling us all that we were being rude to our guest and he looked thirsty. This got some laughs, but not as many as when the beer was mistakenly picked up later and consumed. The last door was open, and while I don't know who was the most responsible, our deceased guest drank and ate enough to sleep for an eternity on a full stomach.
This, and scenes like it are common to the Samhain celebrations. A stark contrast to the black robes, candles and goats blood that Hollywood and various christian organizations seem hell bent to promote.
Not that rituals don't also take place. Not like the Hollywood version, but they take place. It is a religious Holiday. These I won't go into. Not because they are dark or mysterious, but because they are not fundamentally different from the rituals we practice all year, and are private to the participants.
Samhain is a good time for divination. Tarot, runes and scrying are often practiced, both for serious concerns and for fun. Many games can be played as well. This is a good ritual time for the kids. With carving of pumpkins, bobbing for apples and lots of candy to go around. You can also trick the kids into helping prepare with fun little games. Get them to help you peel apples and award a prize to the longest unbroken people. (In legend the length of the peel was supposed to indicate the length of your life.) Bobbing for apples also hass scrying roots. It was once expected that the first to succesfully claim an apple would be the first to marry in the coming year. Much like the modern day brides bouqet.
The primary colors of this holiday are black and orange. Almost all know that. Browns, golds, and reds are also important. Yes all but the black of night are colors of the changing leaves. No, it isn't coincedental. And so continues the cycle of life, or something close to it.
I won't launch into specific quotes from any of the many sources that condemn this holiday. If you care to look, they definitely aren't difficult to find. If you don't know where to start, there are some interesting quotes on The Wildhunt Blog to get you started.
I will instead focus on some of the aspects of the celebration itself. Samhain is a celtic word meaning "Summer's End". It is not, nor has it ever been, a Celtic god of the dead. Not that reference to the dead is completely pulled out of thin air, since the dead are one of the primary focuses of this celebration.
At Samhain, the harvest was basically over. It marked the coming of winter and the need to store up food and thin the herds in preparation for the hard times to come. It is one of the four fire festivals, and it was common (and still is) to have a bonfire at this time. Mythologically speaking, this also marks the time for the Goddess to make her descent into the underworld to rest, leaving the planet to rest as well. Plants and animals die out or go into a state of rest and await the spring for the replenishment of themselves and their species. Some also hold to the belief that this marks a period of timelessness. Many traditions ended their calendars with Samhain and began the new year at Yule. In effect not counting the time in which the Goddess slept.
This is the time of year when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. The time when spirits roam and can be communicated with. The time when spirits that had stayed locked on this planet have the opportunity to return to the underworld and prepare for their next journey. Many attempt to communicate with the dead in this season, but it is important to remember that we don't command the appearance of the dead. It is a matter of polite request, that our ancestors might share their wisdom with us.
Many celebrations are practiced on this night. Rituals are held around the fires. Children dress up as spirits, or frightening entities in the hopes of frightening off malicious spirits. Many still hold the tradition of the dumb supper. This is a meal with your friends, family, coven or equivalent fellow worshippers. The rules are simple. The meal is prepared in complete silence (or if a lengthy process some will simply present it in silence.) The table is set with places for each of your guests plus an empty setting. All sit in silence and the empty plate, reserved for those that have passed away in the last year, or earlier if they still hold a strong sense of loss, is served first. If there are more than one person being remembered, all are represented with the one plate. The meal is also eaten in silence as all remember what the person or people they have lost mean to them. When the meal is finished all leave the table one at a time, touching the chair in a silent goodbye, and leave the room. At this point it acceptible, and expected, that the somber tone ends. Life goes on, and as such, the party should launch itself into a more enjoyable atmosphere. It is often good for the host, or designated oddball, to offer a toast. Preferably a humorous one, just to get things going.
Many hold a variation of the above, without the silence. Sometimes reminiscing on their lost loved one. Sometimes not even addressing the plate directly. I went to one celebration where they carried it on all night, offering drinks and orderves on occasion to the mantel. Initially, I don't think it was intended, but the guests kept coming in and seeing the plate with assorted cookies and snacks and taking some. The host didn't complain, and actually laughed about the fierce appetite of her departed. As the night went on and people realized, some carried it further. One guest opened a beer and placed it on the mantel, telling us all that we were being rude to our guest and he looked thirsty. This got some laughs, but not as many as when the beer was mistakenly picked up later and consumed. The last door was open, and while I don't know who was the most responsible, our deceased guest drank and ate enough to sleep for an eternity on a full stomach.
This, and scenes like it are common to the Samhain celebrations. A stark contrast to the black robes, candles and goats blood that Hollywood and various christian organizations seem hell bent to promote.
Not that rituals don't also take place. Not like the Hollywood version, but they take place. It is a religious Holiday. These I won't go into. Not because they are dark or mysterious, but because they are not fundamentally different from the rituals we practice all year, and are private to the participants.
Samhain is a good time for divination. Tarot, runes and scrying are often practiced, both for serious concerns and for fun. Many games can be played as well. This is a good ritual time for the kids. With carving of pumpkins, bobbing for apples and lots of candy to go around. You can also trick the kids into helping prepare with fun little games. Get them to help you peel apples and award a prize to the longest unbroken people. (In legend the length of the peel was supposed to indicate the length of your life.) Bobbing for apples also hass scrying roots. It was once expected that the first to succesfully claim an apple would be the first to marry in the coming year. Much like the modern day brides bouqet.
The primary colors of this holiday are black and orange. Almost all know that. Browns, golds, and reds are also important. Yes all but the black of night are colors of the changing leaves. No, it isn't coincedental. And so continues the cycle of life, or something close to it.
posted by Wanderer at 12:26 AM
1 Comments:
I wish I had read this before the day. I would have shared it with some of my Christian Friends who are misinformed about some of the pagan practices of the season. very informative. i even learned some things, and i've done a lot of research on the subject before and after Christ came into my life.
However, there is a difference between Wicca (and paganism) and Satanism. which Hollywood and Christianity often confuse. By the way, I sort of mentioned you on my post today (it is my 101st) not by name or tag, but those who know us will know whom I was refering too.
Post a Comment
<< Home