Ritual For Samhain

by ShadowofaRaven

Samhain is the time to
Celebrate the wisdom of the Crone
Honor the Death of the God
Meditate on the theme of reincarnation
Reflect on our place in the Wheel of the Year
Celebrate the third and final Harvest Festival
Honor the dead

The time when the veil between the world of the living and the spirit realm is at its thinnest Considered in some traditions to be the Witches' New Year

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Symbolic of Samhain

Activities: Divination, Drying Winter Herbs, Meditation, Past Life Recall, Spirit Contact,

Animals: Bats, Cats and Dogs

Also Called: "Sow-en" Various other names for this Greater Sabbat are Third Harvest, Samana, Day of the Dead, Old Hallowmas (Scottish/Celtic), Vigil of Saman, Shadowfest (Strega), and Samhuinn. Also known as All Hallow's Eve, (that day actually falls on November 7th), and Martinmas (that is celebrated November 11th), All Hallow's Eve, All Saint's Eve, Festival of the Dead, Ancestor Night, Samhain is now generally considered the Witch's New Year.

Colors (for those who work with Candle Magick): Black and Orange

Decorations: Acorns, All Grains, Apples, Autumn Leaves, Balefires, Besoms, Cauldrons, Corn, Gourds, Harvested Fruits and Nuts, Hazel, Jack-'o-Lanterns, Luminarias Chrysanthemum, Masks, Pears, Pomegranates, Pumpkins, Thistle and Wormwood

Drinks: Ale, Cider and Herbal Teas

Foods: Apples, Bread, Cakes for the Dead (or Pan de los Muertos), Corn, Cranberry Muffins Hazelnuts, and Pumpkin Pie

Gemstones: Carnelian, Jet, Obsidian and Onyx,

Herbs: Acorns, Apples, Broom, Deadly nightshade, Dittany, Ferns, Flax, Fumitory, Heather, Mullein, Oak Leaves, Pumpkins, Sage and Straw

Incense: Apple, Heliotrope, Mint, Nutmeg, or Sage

Keywords: Time of the Thin Veil, Communion with the Dead, The Ruling Time of the Crone Aspect, of the Goddess, First Celebration of Winter, Celtic New Year, Time for Both Beginnings and Endings

Mythical Creatures: Beansidhe, Erlkonig, Fylgiar, Goblin, Harpies, Medusa, Peryton and Phooka,

Oils: Basil, Camphor, Clove, Frankincense, Lilac, Yarrow, Ylang Ylang

Taboos: Eating Grapes or Berries and Travel After Dark,

Teas: Angelica, Apple Cider Catnip, Indian Hyppo, Sage, Valerian

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