Samhain and the origins of Halloween

Did you know that Halloween was rooted in Celtic tradition of Samhain, when the veil between this world and the next is at its the thinnest. The Celts believed that the spirits of those that died that year would journey to the otherworld at Samhain.

This is also the beginning of the Celtic New Year, marking the end of the harvest season. Pumpkin carving  actually originated as a Samhain custom. Other symbols that followed into Halloween include skeletons, skulls, and the straw man, or scarecrow. When the Irish Ulster Protestants left Ireland to settle in the US, they still celebrated their Samhain traditions at Halloween with masquerade parties and parades.

The wearing of costumes started as a ritual to protect the ancient Celts from any evil forces that might escape from the underworld, while they were honoring the spirits of the deceased. Samhain is a time of reflection and letting go. The Celts believe that death was not an ending, but rather a transition.

Samhain is a cross quarter holiday in the Pagan calendar, taking place at the midpoint between the fall equinox and the winter solstice. It’s also one of the four fire festivals, and the Celts considered Samhain to be the most important. It is the Spiritual New Year for and is the first of 8 Sabbats in The Wheel of the Year celebrated by modern witches, Pagans, Druids, and Wiccans.

If you would like to learn more about Samhain, including ways that you can celebrate it that feels authentic for you, please don’t hesitate to book a Ritual Session or Ritual Reading with me. These are also included in the 25% OFF Halloween sale along with all readings and merchandise now through November 2nd.

In Love and Light,

– M.M.