Samhain
- What
- Samhain
- When
- 10/31/2021
- Where
- Paganism
Samhain is an essential holiday for modern pagans, and represents the time for resting, celebration, rituals, and self-reflection. Samhain is the time of the year when the veil between this world and the Otherworld is said to be at its thinnest and marks the end of the harvest season.
Samhain eventually became associated with death due to the culling of anime heards and the end of harvest and beginning of Winter. As a result the association with ghosts, spirits, dark magic, and communing with the dead corresponded with Samhain symbols and altars. The barrier between this world and the next was thought to be broken during this time with the spirits of dead ancestors rejoining the living and so meals were prepared and candles lit to guide departed kin back home. Christian missionaries labeled the practice as satan worshipping and overtime became the Halloween of present day.
The church made systematic efforts to portray Pagans and supernatural beings as harmful, viscous and evil forcing followers of the ancient tradition and culture to be labeled as witches and fled their homes.
Every year at Samhain, witches and Pagans commune with ancestor spirits, celebrate the harvest, and honor deities. They may create a sacred space outdoors or within their home by lighting candles in every room and placing them in circles around themselves. Fresh herbs are usually strewn on the ground as well for extra potency.