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Samhain and Halloween
by Suzie
Halloween is right around the corner and as I get ready for my traditional celebrations, I am becoming more interested in where these traditions originated before they were our modern day Halloween celebrations we know and love today.
So I wondered, why is it called Halloween? The Celts who were the original celebrators 2,000 years ago referred to it as Samhain (pronounced sow-en), and treated it as their New Year which is how most Pagans still celebrate it today. The name Halloween comes from Christian traditions implemented centuries later. All Saints Day was initially celebrated on May 13th but to help convert more Celts to the Catholic Church it was moved to November 1st, closer to Samhain and took on many of its traditions. Before it was called All Saints Day, it was known by the name we borrowed from Old English: All Hallows' Day or All Hallows'. Hallow comes from the Old English adjective hālig, which means "holy". The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween.
So why do we dress up in costumes and go trick-or-treating? It is believed by many that this time of the year, the veil between the living and the spirit world is the thinnest and that spirits could walk among us. People used to dress up as ghosts so the spirits wouldn’t recognize them and think they were a fellow ghost. People also were known to put out bowls of goodies to appease the spirits.
So after learning a bit more about Halloween’s origins, I think I will start referring to it by its original name, Samhain. In addition, I’m thinking about having a ritual to send loving messages to my loved ones who have passed in hopes that they might receive my message more clearly on a night like Samhain. I also like the thought of having the New Year start at this time when the cold begins. This has always been one of my favorite holidays and now that I know a bit more about its origins it makes me appreciate it even more.
Happy Samhain, everyone! And Blessed Be!
Spider Activity
by Sam
Spiders are a fall staple, particularly here in the Midwest. Instead of a ritual or recipe, I wanted to a slightly more educational activity for this newsletter. So, check out the attached files (PDFs) for a printable worksheet and spider matching game.
Shadow Work: Perception
by Marilyn
Between Suzie's lesson on the shifts in how traditions like Samhain have morphed into the modern Halloween and Sam's spider activity I started thinking of E.B. White's Charlotte's Web and the way in which the story centers the power of language and how these shape our own ideas about socio/cultural power dynamics.
This turn around the wheel, I want you to consider some of the descriptors you would want associated with you. Why these descriptors? What descriptors do you fear? Why do you want or fear these perceptions of yourself? What is at the root of your reactions to each of them? Are you living up to the descriptors with which you want to be associated? What do you gain for lose if you do (or do not) live up to these descriptors?
Marilyn's Thanks
I want to thank all of you who have shown so much support of my music over he last year or two. I have hundreds of listeners across the globe and thousands of listens on my songs. I would have never believed so many people would enjoy my music.
I have a variety of other songs in the works and hope to someday finish and be brave enough to share them with you all.
With my whole spirit, I give many thanks to everyone who has listened to, connected with & shared my music.
Blessed be!
💕🌙🖤 Marilyn
Southern Hemisphere Shoutout
Blessed Beltane to our friends in the Southern Hemisphere. May the energy of the summer sun fuel the earth and feed your future harvests. Feel free to check out our Beltane newsletter from the North's turn round.
Calendar
Oct 31 Samhain Begins
Nov 1 Samhain Ends
Nov 7 Put out Full Moon Water
Nov 8 Full Beaver Moon (5:02AM CST)
Nov 11 MCCP: Weekend Reads S3E16
Nov 23 New Moon (4:57PM CST)
Nov 24 Thanksgiving (USA)
Nov 25 MCCP: Weekend Reads S3E17
Dec 7 Full Cold Moon (10:08PM CST)
Dec 9 MCCP: Weekend Reads S3E18
Dec 21 Yule Begins