Samhain (October 31 - November 1)

Samhain (pronounced “Sah-win”), also called “Día de los Muertos” or “Day of the Dead”, is the pagan New Year and marks a chance to reconnect with our ancestors and honor those who have died. This is the period when the veil between the earthly world and the spirit realm is thin, allowing the spirits of the dead to contact the living. In some cultures, it is disrespectful to mourn the dead. Instead, you should keep their spirit and memory alive. Samhain is observed on the sunset of October 31st to sunrise of November 1st. It marks the beginning of the Celtic New Year, the end of summer, the end of the harvest season, and the beginning of winter, the season of death that is part of the cycle of life and necessary to experience rebirth. … In Catholicism, All Saints Day is November 1st, and they believe the souls of the deceased visit on November 2nd, known as All Souls Day. Samhain is a bright and colorful celebration, not at all dark or scary, but a celebration of life and dedication to the memories of those who have died. … To celebrate Samhain, decorate your altar or table with items symbolic of the end of the harvest, including apples, pumpkins, and purple corn. To represent the spirits of the dead, display skulls (“calaveras”) and skeletons (“calacas”). Make colorful paper flags (“papel picado”) with cutout birds, skeletons, and flowers. Display photos of deceased family members and lost loved ones, purple flowers, marigold flowers, pink carnations, red roses, strings of lights, yellow candles, and crystals like carnelian, hematite, rose quartz, amethyst, angelite, celestite, clear quartz, and opalite. To make offering to and remember deceased children, make tiny decorative sugar skulls with their name written across the forehead to place on the altar or table on November 1st, then replace them the next day with larger sugar skulls. … Visit your ancestors’ places of burial. Honor them by making a garland of their favorite flowers and greenery to arch over their headstone and leaving their favorite foods. … Host a party, wearing colorful makeup, costumes and crowns, and make offerings to the dead. Bake a special Samhain bread (“bread of the dead” or “pan de muerto”) and the deceased’s favorite foods to feed the visiting spirits. Gather with your family and close friends. Cast a salt circle to invite your deceased loved ones. Scatter white rose petals on the ground. Consecrate the circle and all of the items in it with Purification Herbal and Salt Water. Light Samhain Incense. Anoint a white candle with Samhain Oil, place your crystals around it, then light it. Keep your intention strong as you gaze into the fire and channel the energies of the crystals. Share loving stories of your ancestors and lost loved ones. Close the ritual by blowing out the candle. … When you’re ready to relax and restore, enjoy a hot herbal bath and warm cup of herbal tea.

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