Like the
pages from a Bradbury short story, October sweeps in with cold wind, bright
colors and the scents of damp leaves, sugar and candy. The summer has been long
and hot, school and work are in full swing and the holidays are right around
the corner.
This shift
in seasons is called the Wheel of the Year, and as the wheel rolls from the
brightness of summer to the darkness of winter, the subtle swing from October
to November marks a very important holiday in the Pagan calendar.
Known to
most as Halloween (or All Hallows' Eve), Samhain is a favorite holiday among many Pagans. Considered by some
to be the Pagan New Year, this holiday rests between the Autumnal Equinox and
the Winter Solstice and is a time of letting go of the old to make room for the
new.
Commonly
pronounced “Sow-ehn” (though this is debatable!) the observance of this special
time of year has roots in ancient Europe, particularly among Gaelic and Celtic
tribes. Many modern Halloween festivities observed in the United States come
from Irish settlers who brought their folk stories and traditions with them to
the new world. Trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins (or other vegetables) and
wearing masks and costumes all come from old Samhain customs.
While
Halloween may seem spooky to some, Samhain is a time to honor the blessed dead
and to pay respect to those who have passed. Many display an “ancestral altar”
with photos of friends and family as well as the deceased’s favorite food and
trinkets. This isn’t too unlike the Catholic Day of the Dead festivities, where
households pay their own respects in a similar fashion. Some Catholics also
celebrate All Souls Day and All Saints Day shortly after Halloween, too, in
which the hallowed and the dead are honored in other ways.
For
Halloween this year, sit quietly outside. Listen to the leaves as they fall.
Hear the kids laughing as they put on costumes and eat candy. Watch a few scary
movies and indulge in the shadowy, darker aspects of life. Eat some crisp
apples. Think of friends and family who were loved and lost. Celebrate the
“Dumb Supper” and set an empty plate out for them at dinner time.
As the wheel
turns and the year is new, think about those old, harmful things that no longer
serve a purpose. Dismiss them and banish them away. The winter will be hard and
cold, and there’s no use in keeping useless things around. As the nights become
longer, contemplate on the shadow aspects of life. The wheel turns towards the
darkness at Samhain. It will turn once more at Yule and the Solstice when the
world will be brighter than ever.
In the
meantime, Happy Halloween!
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