a quiet Samhain...

Samhain is one of the most important of the Pagan festivals and probably the most misunderstood. Its certainly the one the hardline Christian community have the most problems with (Beltane being a close second). But at its roots it acknowledges a time when the summer was well and truly over and when people would withdraw into their homes and prepare for the dark months of the winter. Animals would be brought in from the hills and fields and the weaker ones slaughtered, salted, and stored for the winter. It was also a time of introspection: many of the frailer members of the community would be most vulnerable in the winter.

And thus the association with death and, as an offshoot from this, with ghosts, spirits and the supernatural.

The 'veil' between the living and the dead was believed to be closest at this time and there are stories of precautions being taken throughout history and in a variety of cultures to protect the home and its inhabitants on this night. But others welcomed the spirits in by setting an extra place at the table and by lighting their way home with candles.

I've always bedecked my home with candles for Samhain and tonight it looked glorious. Flickering flames in each room, the glow of a real fire, the reek of burning peat from my new stove and the fug of frankincense throughout. Nightlights set in jamjars adorned each step outside the flat and as I'm at the top of a hill it could doubtless be seen all over the village. At the bottom of the garden I set flares on both Koshka's and Cleopatra's graves and put out a saucer of milk. Big Lou watched with interest. By the time I was up in the flat again he probably had his nose in the trough. I imagined Koshka looking on in disgust.

I lit the candles on the altar, set out photographs of my long-departed parents in front of it, gave a small libation and then settled in for the night. Samhain is traditionally a time for divination so out came the tarot cards in search of some divine inspiration and insight on what is surely going to be a year of changes. Samhain may welcome in the hag of winter: with my approaching cronehood in a couple of months this year it looks like being me.  

More interestingly, I set two hazel nuts side by side in the glowing embers of the fire. More than a hour later they're still there and have not jumped apart.

Hmm... this year looks like being interesting on a variety of fronts!

 
31.10.07 22:37
 


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