Samhain (pronounced Sowain, Sah-uin, or
Sahm-hayn) is also called the Celtic New Year, The Third harvest, All
Hollows Eve, the Day of the Dead, and of course Halloween. There are
many more names for Samhain, but rather then having a different meaning,
they are actual different variations of the same name. For example: All
Hollows Eve is also equal to All Saints Eve; the Day of the Dead is also
the Feast of Spirits; and Samhain is also called Samhuinn. McCoy claims
that there are many possibilities for the name Samhain, one being that
it is named for the Aryan God of the Dead, Sama. The second, is that is
Gaelic for summers end, Samhraidhreach. The third one, and the more
likely, is that it is Irish Gaelic for November (McCoy page 23).
Samhain along with Beltane is one of the original fire festivals.
Beltane is the Sabbat to celebrate the beginning of life (planting),
Samhain to celebrate death (harvest). This continuing circle is very
much part of the Celtic way of viewing things. In Wiccan tradition this
Sabbat is to celebrate the death of the Oak King, and is followed with
six weeks of mourning by the Goddess.
Samhain has been, at least for the modern neo-pagan, the Celtic New
Year. However there are at least two writers that dispute this, Pliny
the Elder, and the Athenian. Both of these writers claim that the Celts
began their New Year in July-Midsummer to Midsummer, the highest point
of the Sun (King, page 106). Modern Neo-pagan writers should note. If
one really thinks about it, it would make sense to start and end the
year on the longest day.
The Third Harvest was a time to collect the last sheaves of wheat
from the fields, pick the last apple from the tree. In Celtic cultures
it was the custom to have all the crops in by October 30. After that all
the crops in the field, fruit on the tress, became property of the
fairies. It was considered to be taboo to do so after, bring the wrath
of the fairies upon you, and the possibility of a lifetime of bad luck.
One of Samhain's many traditions is to leave a bit of food by your door
to feed the little folk, and in some parts of Ireland, Wales, and
Scotland this tradition is still observed (McCoy, page 38-39).
All Hollows Eve (October 31), All Saints Day (November 1) and the Day
of the Dead (November 2) was the Catholic Church's answer to Samhain. As
with many of the other pagan holidays, the Church, when confronted with
a pagan ritual it could not abolish, adopted it. Approximately in the
9th century the Abbot of Cluny- in France established Michaelmas. A day
to celebrate the Saint Michael. This day was later changed to Hollowmas
in the 10th century, soon to be followed by All Saints Day and the Day
of the Dead. The Hollowmas was a day to celebrate the dead; All Saints
Day called for sinners and saints to be restored to heaven; with the Day
of the Dead, the dead redeemed or otherwise, was celebrated. This change
of the names but not the holiday allowed the pagans to accept the
holidays as Christian ones. The pagans already believed this to be a
time when the dead and the living were allowed to both dwells in the
same place. When the veil separating the two dimensions was at it’s
weakest. On All Souls Day many would make cakes to feed the dead (some
traditions never die, pardon the pun), as demonstrated by the following
song, the predecessor to trick or treat.
Soul! Soul! For a soul cake!
I pray you, good missis, a soul cake!
An apple, a pear, a plum, or a cherry,
Or any good thing to make us merry.
One for Peter, two for Paul,
Three for Them who made us all.
Up with the kettle and down with the pan.
Give us good alms, and we'll be gone.
Halloween, the Witches New Year, the personal favorite of many modern
pagans, including this author, first was and always will be a Christian
creation, as was mentioned in the previous paragraph. Halloween, or
those who celebrate, have taken it back from the Christians and have
returned it to it's rightful place, that being one of the most
celebrated pagan holidays. McCoy states that Halloween use of masks is a
practice that begin in the Burning Times, claiming that Witches used
masks not to be identified when traveling at night. I dispute this,
1). Without going into a treatise on the Burning Times, witches
rarely worked in covens, thus having no reason to disguise themselves
from others.
2). The use of masks is very old. Given the fact that many pagan
cultures believed this to be a day when the dead were able to cross
over, many wore masks to disguise themselves and frighten away evil
spirits. One of the other carryovers from both the Christian and pagan
influences, the use of the carved pumpkin, they liked masks were design
to confuse and frighten away evil spirits.
However you choose to celebrate Samhain, or whatever name you wish to
call it, it is a fun day. A day to become something other then what you
are, to become closer with the spirits, and to celebrate the passing of
your ancestors.
RITUAL
As was discussed Samhain is a when the Spirit world is at it's closest
to our world. One of the many ways to honor this fact is:
1) to leave and offering by your back door.
2) Leave and empty place setting for a departed loved one and your
dinner table.
As was stated earlier, Samhain is one the favored of all the Sabbats
by pagans, and non-pagans alike, and as such should be celebrated with
others. The following ritual is designed with that in mind, with very
liberal borrowings from Starhawk and McCoy.
The following items will be needed:
1. One white candle
2. One black candle
3. Chalice (wine if appropriate)
4. Cakes (enough for all participants)
5. A list of those whom you wish to honor. Each person involved would
have their own list, to be shared at the proper time.
6. Four pumpkins to be used to make the four corners.
First purify and cast your circle according each particular
tradition. Then invoke the God and Goddess. Begin ceremony.
LEADER: (Enters the circle from the East, lighting the black
candle.) Merry Meet and Welcome. The Circle is open, yet unbroken. This
is a time that is not a time, in a place that is not a place, on a day
that is not a day. We stand at the gate between the living and the dead
on this night when the veil between the two worlds is the thinnest. We
are here to witness the death of the Holly King, the waning Sun God, the
lover and husband of the Crone Goddess. We, the (insert name here),
welcome the Holly Lord
ALL: We welcome him. Lead us, Lord.
HOLLY KING: Follow me, I am here. (Group follows him in)
LEADER: Be our Guide
HOLLY KING: I am the Guide, the Way is open.
ALL: Be our Guide.
HOLLY KING: I am the Guide, the Way is clear.
ALL: Be our Guide.
HOLLY KING: I am the Guide, Death is no barrier.
ALL: Be our Guide.
(Pass cakes and wine.)
HOLLY KING: Follow me, for time is near. (Passes Chalice with
wine. At this time, each person, or those who want to, can read their
own passage of remembrance.)
HOLLY KING: What is remembered, lives.
ALL: What is remembered, lives.
HOLLY KING: What is forgotten, dies.
ALL: What is forgotten, dies.
HOLLY KING: What is remembered, lives.
ALL: We remember.
HOLLY KING: Death is a truth as is life, and just as life
cannot last forever, neither can death. You shall see me again, reborn,
gaining in strength and vibrancy. When it seems that the darkest has
come, as the Yuletide fades, under the stars, when it is my time again,
you shall see me born. Through me, all passes out of life. (Holly King
extinguishes black candle)
CRONE: (Enters, lights white candle) But through me, all may
be born again. The Holly King has shown me the way. Now, on this night
of Samhain, at this place and time between the veils.
ALL: Everything passes, changes.
CRONE: Seed becomes fruit.
ALL: Fruit becomes seed.
CRONE: In birth, we die.
ALL: On death, we feed.
CRONE: For my womb is the cauldron of rebirth. (Passes cakes)
ALL: In us, the circle is ever turning.
(Turn to our neighbors and say, "Blessed be.")
CRONE: Take me as yours, for winter is my time. We thank you,
blessed spirits and ancestors, for joining us. You shall not be
forgotten any time soon. (Extinguishes candle)
ALL: So do we accept you. So Mote it Be!
LEADER: The circle is closed.
Ceremony is over. All leave to the west.
FOODS
CAKES FOR THE DEAD
Makes about 3 dozen, dough must be chilled several hours to
overnight.
1/2 c veg. oil
4 sq unsweetened chocolate (4 oz) melted
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups pastry flour (not hard, sifted or cake flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup confectioner's sugar
Mix oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar. Blend in one egg at a time
until well mixed. Add vanilla. Measure flour by dipping method or by
sifting. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture. Chill
several hours to overnight. Heat oven to 350 degree F [175 degree C].
Roll about a tablespoon of dough into a ball (yes, it's messy). Drop
balls into confectioner's sugar & roll around until coated. Place
about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 min. They will
be a little soft but should not be mushy. Edges should be firm.
HOT APPLE CIDER 1 1/2 gallons Apple Cider
2 whole cinnamon sticks
5 cloves
1 large orange, sliced thin with peel left on
1/2 lemon, sliced thin with peel left on
1/2 cup sugar
Directions: In large pot, combine cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves,
orange and lemon slices, and sugar to taste. Serve hot.
American Traditional Pumpkin Pie
3 eggs 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups pumpkin mush*
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1- 12oz can evaporated milk
1 pie shell
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large non-metal bowl combine sugars
and eggs. Add in the pumpkin mush, the spices, salt, and evaporated
milk. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Bake for 10 minutes, and then
reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 50 minutes, or until pie sets.
Make 6-8 servings.
*Pumpkin mush: cut a medium pumpkin in half. Prick the skin several
times with a fork, and place on a cookie sheet, cut-side up. Bake for 50
minutes or until very soft when poked with a fork. Let the pumpkin cool,
then scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Scoop out the pumpkin meat, and
throw away the skin. Mash the pumpkin meat with a potato masher or puree
in a blender/food processor. Makes about 4 cups.
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