Merry Samhain!

Leaves are Dead
Time is the wind, fast then slow,
Ever shimmering on the edges of all life.
Your bones are weary, yes.
Long labours speak out now and whisper
“Rest”.

Discover a use for your being that is beyond being useful.

Do not fear the Womb!
Knit as you were knitted.
Find the threads down the byways of your curiosities.
Risk weaving the web,
Carefully constructed with the wisdom of your ancestors.

Remember the ancients,
For they do not forget you.
This Moon is Full
So we celebrate the Wild,
The one who dares to go her own way.
Listen & Know.

-Hecate

What Is Samhain?

Samhain (pronounced Sa-ween) is an Irish Word meaning summer’s end, and indeed it is. It is the third and final harvest of the year, marking the conclusion of the fertile season and the transition into death and darkness. We learn to love the dark and find the beauty of death – the ultimate giveaway.

What is left in the field remains for the animals of the Earth to keep. We store what we can and hope that our efforts will last us through the Winter. We transition from long days in the sun into long nights beside the fire.

Traditionally known as the Celtic New Year, Samhain begins a new cycle of growth, as the seeds fall into the Earth and conceive that which will grow in the Green World next Spring.

The season of scorpio and the dark goddesses

Samhain is the season of the Scorpio, and thus we cannot hide from the shadow aspects anymore. If we refuse to see and love the darkness in ourselves, we feel it all around us in the form of fear and monsters, conflict and harm. Samhain is a call to recognize that which we use to sabotage ourselves and alchemize it with love, freeing our hearts to expand.

We remember Morrigan, lady of the dead and the warrior. She helps us understand rampant destruction and what is at the root. Samhain is also the domain of Hecate, the Crone who guides us into our wildness and teaches us how to grow old. In her we face our fears of change, of becoming something different than what we are now. We reckon with how we will never be what we once were. We seek the gifts in every age and look forward to our own elderhood.

ancestors + roots

Samhain is all about roots. We make remedies out of the roots, full of strong medicine to help our bodies survive the winter. We dig and burrow. We welcome weariness and indulge in sleep. We seek our own roots, the voices of our ancestors. We ask them for their wisdom, and to release us from their unfinished business. We carry on the pains of our mothers and grandmothers and great-great-great great-great grandmothers no more. We receive the gifts of all those who came before.

We invite the knowledge of the past to inform our present choices, remembering that there is nothing new under the sun. We rest easy, wrapped up in the love of the ones who came before us, trusting in the fact that they made a way for us to be here right now, in this moment. We light candles, make altars for the ones who have gone before us. We honor them.

letting go

We reflect on what we need to let go of. We finish up our unfinished business. We tidy and prepare for a new set of weather conditions. We examine the year, draw up our accounts, and reflect on our failures and successes with total acceptance in order to find where we can adjust and bring new energy and experiences into the next cycle.

I personally consider this the start of the New Year, and look forward to spending contemplative time this week sowing the seeds of my dreams and ascertaining what needs to go in order to bring those seeds into fruition in the coming year.

The Herbs of Samhain

Many plants have deep associations with Samhain. As always, we look to our surroundings to find the magic of the season. There are no “proper” plants to use at this time — it is simply inviting in what is growing around you. That is the sacred path. That being said, for the Northern Hemisphere we have a bevy of beautiful wild plants that tend to be in season this time of year that are worth mentioning.

acorns

In olde European lore, Acorns are a classic amulet of protection, carried in the pocket. Salt in a satchet, jewelry of iron, these are the ancient charms of those who wish to remain Earthside. Acorns are a sustaining food for both pagan Europeans and First Nations People on Turtle Island (aka North America), and have thousands of years of historical use and reverence.

hawthorn

The bright red berries can be found for those who know where to look! Hawthorn is all about boundaries, and serves as a portal into the spirit realm. Hawthorn trees were often planted near cemeteries and gravesites as guardians for the dead. Faeries are thought to live in the branches of hawthorn trees, and standing near a lone Hawthron tree at Samhain-time might give you a glimpse of these Otherworld creatures.

Hawthorn is a deeply nutritious plant, and the berries can be made into tea, Nourishing Herbal Infusions, syrups, oxymels, herbal vinegars, jams, jellies, or baked into Samhain treats.

mugwort

Dried mugwort harvested in the summertime come into use during Samhain. Mugwort is a dreaming herb, and can increase our ability to receive messages from our ancestors and spirit guides as we invite guidance for the coming year into our lives. Burning bundles or a bitter tea of mugwort can be used for this purpose.

Mugwort nourishes the liver and the female body. It can be used to bring on a stagnant menstruation and help us find our hormonal rhythms. It eases bloating and digestion. She is also know as Cronewort, one of our Grandmother herbs.

burdock

Burdock has a large tap root that can reach as far as four feet down into the earth. It is known for breaking up compacted soils and is notoriously difficult to harvest. The medicine of Burdock is all about clearing out that which is being held deep in our cells. By abundantly nourishing our liver and kidneys, Burdock supports our bodies in the natural process of clearing out metabolic waste and extracting nutrients from our food.

Working with Burdock can help us alchemize stagnant energy and old hurtful stories, helping us let go and move fully into the present with an open heart. Burdock also supports the lymph, getting the waters of our body moving and inviting a gorgeous rhythm of flow.

mushrooms

Autumn brings about a flush of excitement in the form of mushrooms. The fruits of fungi, mushrooms have a long history of use throughout the world. Edible & medicinal wild mushrooms are packed with nourishment and deep medicine. Mushroom hunting is an age-old tradition at this time of year. I’ve just started exploring the world of mushroom foraging, and this book is my favorite guide so far. I am going with people and groups who are more experienced than me, and this is the best and safest way to start if you want to explore wild mushrooms in the forest!

Mushrooms have deep associations with fairies and the otherworld, and can alter or psyche dramatically when used with care & intention. They make excellent totems for addressing the dark within is, and reaching a place of total acceptance and wholeness within ourselves. Not a plant, not an animal, just pure magic.

Inviting Magic Into Our Lives

Magic is not something that lives “out there” or only in the past. It is right here, right now. It is in you. You are the crown jewel of your ancestors. Allow them to guide you through the dark.

Simple rituals are the best rituals, in my opinion. Using what you have on hand and trusting your own intuition is the work of a true witch. While procuring special ceremonial items can bring joy, it is not necessary for your magical practice. You already have everything you need within you, so start there.

A Samhain Ritual

A simple ritual for letting go is as follows:

Find red string or yarn (but really any color will do).
List the things you wish to let go of.
Tie as many circles as there are items on your list.
Find a dull blade and cut each circle of string. The magic is in the struggle.
Once all circles are cut, burn the string together in a vessel, and release the ashes into wind.
Move on with the visions you gained in this ritual.

However you choose to celebrate, may the Love of the Ancestors surround you and the Courage of the Goddess fill you.

Blessed Be this Samhain Night.

—SMH

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Samhain Lore + Herbs