The Wheel of the Year - Samhain

What most people now know as Halloween is actually an ancient Celtic celebration of New Year known as Samhain (pronounced in Gaelic as Sah-Win). It was festival to mark the end of harvest and the beginning of the dark times. It was a time to take stock and celebrate all that Earth had given you over Summer as well as preparing for the Winter months to come, to stockpile food and to preserve as much of the fruits and vegetables as possible. As produce started to rot and decay, the Celts believed that the barrier between life and death was thinning, allowing the spirits of the deceased to crossover from the ghostly plane to our plane.

During Samhain they invited their passed loved ones over for a feast, often putting an empty chair at the dinner table. They celebrated all that their ancestors had thought them, asking for support and protection from their passed family members so they could survive the cold, dark and long Winter months. But with the arrival of friendly family ghosts, they were also afraid of evil spirits, so they lit bonfires and carved turnips into Jack-o'-Lanterns to ward off these evil ghosts.

Modern celebrations of Halloween takes on more of idea of warding off evil spirits than anything else, with carved pumpkins, fancy dress and decorations of ghosts and evil beings.

To connect with the energies of Samhain, put some pictures of your ancestors up around your house or on your altar/sacred space. Light a candle for each ancestor you have images of and think a little about what they meant to you and how they helped you on our path. Connect with the spirit world using Angelite, Smokey Quartz or White Howlite. Don't forget to always ground yourself first with Black Obsidian or Black Tourmaline. Sprinkle a bit of salt around your home or workspace to clear negative energy. Sweep it up after a few minutes, to get rid of evil beings and obstacles. Always sweep outwards, so you get them out of your house instead of inviting them in.

If you want to set intention right now to help you through the winter, the best stones to connect with the energies of Samhain are Bloodstone, Carnelian and Black Moonstone, or pick a stone that really resonates with the intention you want to set.