Merry Samhain, everyone!

What is Samhain, you might ask? Well, as a Pagan/Wiccan who is going into Priesthood this year, I'd like to educate everyone.

What is this Samhain you speak of?

Modern day Samhain, pronounced "Sow-whane," is the Pagan/Wiccan New Year's Eve. It is one of the 8 Sabbats that Neo-Pagans and Wiccans celebrate. This is the day we take to honor our dead, and there are many, many customs and traditions that are practiced and celebrated on this day. Halloween is Samhain, though Samhain is celebrated only by Pagans/Wiccans.

Where does Samhain come from?

Good question. Samhain originally came from the Ancient Gaels. The word Samhain itself is Gaelic. The Gaels are the ancestors of the Irish and Scottish. Samhain has always been celebrated in October, but only in the past decades has been associated as being the Wiccan/Pagan New Year.

The Gaelic festival was primarily used as a time to track the food stores set aside for winter, and was also a day where a lot of livestock was slaughtered. The Gaels also believed this was the day that the veil between the worlds of the living and dead was virtually gone. Both good and evil spirits of the dead would cross over into the world of the living. Jack-O-Lanterns, originally made from turnips and other plants of the like, were set out to frighten away the evil spirits. Pumpkins weren't carved until the Europeans came to North America, where the orange squash was widely found. Bonfires were lit to frighten away the evil spirits, and small bonfires were placed on "fairy mounds" or "spirit mounds."

The Romans had their own death festival in October, and when they took over many Celtic territories, they began to incorporate their traditions with the Gaelic and Celtic traditions. This death festival, called Feralia, was also the celebration of Pomona, the Roman Goddess of Fruit. Her symbol is an apple, and many believe that this is where the tradition of bobbing for apples comes from.

What do you crazy, cool Pagans do on Samhain?

It all depends on how you celebrate your Pagan religion. If you are a solitary practitioner, in other words you don't have a coven, you might have your own little ritual to honor your dead ancestors. Covens, or a group of Pagans/Wiccans who study and work rituals together, all have their own ways of celebrating depending on what traditions, customs, and pantheons they follow. My own coven will be doing a Norse-based Sahmain this year, but in the past we have done a Greek-based one as well.

Many Wiccans celebrate this time as the death of the Horned God. He impregnates the Mother Goddess, and then dies. He is again reborn from the Goddess at Yule (Winter Solstice).

Typically, we have a ritual in which we invite our dead ancestors to come celebrate with us. A feast is made, and usually a "dumb meal" or "soul meal" is set out for the dead to enjoy. This meal is generally a plate fixed up and put at the head of the feasting meal. No one can eat it, as it is reserved specifically for the dead.

The darker energies, which aren't "evil," are often worked with at this time. Many invoke Gods like Hades and Pluto, or Anubis, and Goddesses like Persephone, the Greek Queen of the Underworld, or the Valkyries, who bring those who died on the battlefield to Valhalla in Norse tradition.

Divination is done a lot as well, since the veil between the worlds is so thin. Tarot readings, rune readings, I-Ching, scrying; these are all popular divination forms that are practiced by Pagans and done on this night. Contact with the dead is also attempted, Seances popular for not only Pagans, but others seeking answers from the other side as well.

And yes, a lot of Pagans do take their children out for Trick-Or-Treating!

So, do you do any sacrifices on Samhain?

No. This is a day to honor the dead, not cause death. Some very twisted versions of Wicca out there might do animal sacrifice, but for the most part, it isn't done. If blood is needed for a ritual, a lot of Pagans will use red wine to represent blood, use their own blood, or go to a butcher's shop and buy pigs' or cows' blood. In most Pagan and Wiccan traditions, we embrace life, not encourage death.

This is some great information, but I want to learn more!

There is a vast amount of information regarding Paganism, Wicca, and all of the Sabbats online. I recomend searching Wikipedia, if you are going to go the online way. Also, in most Barns and Nobles or Borders, you can find books on the subject. Usually they are found in one of three sections: Religion, New Age, or Metaphysical, which is sometimes a sub-section of Psychology.

Also, check out *dAPagan, or ~pagantribalart, clubs dedicated to all manners of Paganism. I'd especially recommend joining if you yourself are a Pagan, or if you are interested in becoming one but just aren't sure about it yet.

Merry meet and merry part, until we shall merry meet again.

And as always, Blessed Be!

Note: All my information comes from my own personal research, beliefs, teachings of my coven, and discussions with other Pagans. If you find anything contradictory to your own beliefs, I'm sorry, but this is what I have found and what I've been taught.