Herbs and Plants of Samhain

Herbs and Plants of Samhain: Rosemary, Rue, Calendula, Sunflower, Pumpkin Seeds, Mullien Seeds, Turnip Seeds,Apple Leaf, Wormwood, Tarrogon, Bay Leaf, Almond, Hazelnut, Passionflower, Pine Needles, Nettle, Garlic, Hemlock Cones, mugwort, allspice, sage, gourds, catnip, Mushrooms,Wild Ginseng, Broom, Deadly Nightshade, Oak leaves, and Straw.

Colors associated with Samhain are: black, orange, red, brown, golden yellow, white, silver, and gold.

Gems Metals, and Stones of Samhain Granite, Marble,Sandstone, Smoky Quartz, Clear Quartz, Obsidian, Jet, Amber, Onyx Gold, Diamond,Iron, Steel, Ruby, Pyrite, Garnet,Hematite, Brass, carnelia, jet, and All Black Stones

Traditional Samhain foods Apples, Pumpkin Pie, Hazelnuts, Cakes for the Dead, Corn,Beets, Turnips, Gingerbread, Pomegrantates, Pork dishes. Nuts, Mead, Mulled Wines, Beef, Poultry, Cranberry Muffins and Breads, Ale, Cider, and Herbal Teas

Incense and Oil you can use any of the following scents, either blended together or alone: frankincense, basil, yarrow, lilac, ylang-ylang, clove, camphor. heliotrope, mint, nutmeg

Symbols used to represent Samhain : gourds, apples, black cats, jack-o'-lantern, balefire, besom, masks, cauldron, waning moon.

Symbolism of Samhain: Third Harvest, the Dark Mysteries, Rebirth through Death.

Animals and mythical beasts associated with Samhain : bats, cats, dogs, Phooka, goblins, Medusa,

Appropriate Samhain Goddesses are all Crone Goddesses, Underworld Goddesses. Hecate (Greek), Carlin (Scottish), Edda (Norse), Pamona (Roman), Crobh Dearg (Irish), Lilith (Hebrew), Psyche (Greek), the Morrigu/Morrigan (Celtic).

Appropriate Samhain Gods are all Death Gods, Aged Gods, Underworld Gods. Arawn (Welsh), Dis (Roman), Kronos/Cronus (Greco-Phoenician), Xocatl (Aztec), Woden (Teutonic), Pluto (Greco-Roman), Hades (Greek), Nefertum (Egyptian).

Altar decorations can consist of: small jack-'o-laterns, foods from the harvest, photographs of your loved ones who have departed this world, statue or figurine of the Goddess in her Crone aspect. Favorite decorative touches can include pumpkins and other late fall fruits, corn stalks and Indian corn, a scarecrow or wicker man, cauldron, crystals, candles.

Samhain activities : past-life recall, spirit contact, drying of winter herbs, Carve jack-o-lanterns, Finish any incomplete projects and pay off lingering bills (if possible) to close out the old year and begin the new year afresh, Take your children trick-or-treating; go yourself! , Leave food out for the birds and other wild animals, If you don't have a wicker man left from Beltane, make one from dried grass or grains of some kind. Burn it in your Sabbat fire. If you don't have a fireplace or firepit, burn him in your cauldron, barbeque grill or hibachi, Put pictures of ancestors who have passed on your altar for your Sabbat rite. Light a special candle for them, to show them the way to return and celebrate with you, Visit the graves of your ancestors or, if this isn't possible, the nearest cemetery. Be still here, and listen for the voices of those who have passed. Leave offerings of food and drink for them, and for the animals,Tell ancestral stories and tales around the fire, or at the dinner table, Have a mask-making ceremony in which you create masks to represent your ancestry. Bob for apples. There were many divination practices associated with Samhain, many of which dealt with marriage, health, and the weather. Ducking for apples was a marriage divination based on the belief that the first to bite into an apple would be the first to marry in the coming year. This is similar to the wedding tradition of the throwing of the bride's bouquet for women and her garter for men. Apple peeling was another type of divination to determine how long one's life would be. The longer the unbroken peel, the longer the life of the one peeling it.

Taboos on Samhain are: travel after dark, eating grapes or berries

Spellwork can be for: protection, neutralizing harm. Samhain is also the time of the year for getting rid of weaknesses. Witches perform rituals, using the Crone's assistance, to leave behind that which they do not want to carry on into the future; outdated habits, completion of past relationships; insecurities and those thing which do not service to carry on. Magic is done to better our lives, the lives of those around us, and all connected to the web of life the Lord and Lady should be thanked for a bountiful harvest.