In this week leading up to Samhain, there are dramatically high tides, a dark moon and cold coming after an unseasonably warm month. The darkness each night seems so early; the turning of the wheel is upon us. This is an excellent time of year to listen to the rustling leaves for messages from our intuitions and from our beloved dead and ancestors.
These are times of great challenge, from environmental devastation leading to the flooding in El Salvador, the earthquake in Turkey, the starvation in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, to the crumbling economic systems that still favor the 1 percent. This is a wonderful time to listen to prophetic voices that may arise from within or without, from personal connection to the Earth or collective experience. We need the wisdom of our ancestors, the guidance of love and intuition from the Earth so that as this season of death turns towards rebirth, we will find a profound renewal that serves all of the interconnected web of life.
Pagans, Witches, Wiccans, Goddess Worshipers, everyone who chooses to honor the seasonal changes will gather, many on Saturday night, many more on October 31st, to honor the Earth and our beloved dead, to acknowledge that death is a part of life, to witness to our losses, and begin to welcome the new year. Most will gather in private with friends, and many will offer public rituals--many are already listed on Witchvox.com. Many rituals are traditions of many years standing, and many are created anew this year. There is no need to celebrate in solitude.
We are all going to die. Death is a transition into mystery, into spiritual realms, perhaps to feed ongoing life on earth, perhaps to journey further in spirit, perhaps both. Perhaps neither. It's a mystery. The question is how can we most deeply listen this year, when the veils between the spirit and earthly realms are most thin, to receive guidance, courage and clarity for the days to come?
My personal preparation includes unburdening my heart by the ocean. Nature feeds me and moves me to awe. Political activism is part of how I honor that awe, so I stand up with the Occupy Wall Street movement. It is joyous to come together as a radically diverse 99 percent, and acknowledge the devastating economic system that does not serve the people, that is destroying the environment, accumulating wealth for the few beyond all reason and making a farce of democracy.
How do I take responsibility for my part? How do I think outside the boxes of what I've been taught? How do I contribute to positive visions for a future worth living in? All good questions to ask the darkening night, the stars in the sky, and the spirits that abound.
This Samhain, I hope to take courage and comfort from the ceremonies, from listening to ancestors who have gone before, from moments with my beloved dead and from time spent in community. Face to face. In sacred space. Not online, not brokered by Facebook or email or cell phone or text. In person, in body, and open and present to spiritual realms. We need all the help we can get.
Get off line. Go Outside. Listen.
Blessed be.
Grove Harris: Imbolc 2012: Embracing the Shadow
Wes Isley: Between Scary and Silly: A Pagan Spiritual Reflection on Halloween
Grove Harris: Halloween and Samhain: Secular and Sacred Celebrations
Donna Henes: Holy Halloween: A Day to Dance with Death
Llewellyn Worldwide - Llewellyn's Sabbats Almanac: Samhain 2011 ...
Samhain - the Witch's New Year
Besides, there's still a certain Samhain afterglow for me, anyway. It was a long year by that reckoning, and I much appreciated the spiritual stuff. (Actually, you shoulda been there, you'd probably have loved it, child of Thunderer you are, but let the seasons turn as they do. :) )
I guess some of us cannot be contained. Much respect to all.
The fact that matter can't be created or destroyed is evidence enough to me that there is rebirth in some form or another. I certainly don't fear death.
Anyway, thanks for the article and Blessed Be to you all (even the christians.)
Hope everyone had a good holiday.
I wish that there was more dialogue between Christianity and paganism. Any suggestions?
i take this journey knowing it will be difficult (i live in the bible belt) but i embrace it....it's to be a year of enlightenment and deeper understanding of myself and the world around me.
blessed be
Blessed Be.
Namaste (The Spirit in me bows to the Spirit in you).
The problem is: Ezekiel 18:4b says: "The soul that is sinning, it itself will die." According to Samhaim, the veil between the human and the supernatural world was parted and the spirits, both good and evil, roamed the earth. But this is impossible because the condition of the dead would prevent this-- "for the living are conscious that they will die, but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all,.." So the spirits claim to be roaming are not dead loved ones, who are conscious of nothing, but of evil spirit forces in darkness, spiritually speaking.
These creatures, who could at one time materialize, are now restrained from doing so, but have the ability to enter and possess animals, people, as well as inanimate things, such as houses, fetishes and charms. These wicked spirits know that there time for existence is short, and they have great anger (Rev. 12:12). Eph.6: 12 show we now all need to take care because there is danger to us because of this.