Samhain is the favorite holiday or Sabbat of thousands of Witch’s, worldwide. Between the cool weather, transitioning flora, and the thinning veil,! Worlds merge, we begin our yearly transition into our next version of ourselves, and we remember to appreciate all that was left for us to enjoy by those who have come before us!This year’s Samhain ritual will focus on celebrating our place in this world, our time in this world, and building the blocks for our personal growth for the next Witch’s Year! As with all Sabbats, it’s important to recognize and connect to the true vibrations of the holiday; we’ll break those down now.
What are the 3 physical symbols of Samhain?
To celebrate Samhain, we’ll be focusing on 3 facets of the season in this ritual:
- Cool Weather: This facet resonates with the elements of Earth and Water. The atmosphere around Samhain invites us to recognize our foundational strengths, open ourselves up for a powerful transformation, and flow with the changes and messages we receive, from ourselves and beyond, that move us to our personal goals. Did we mention that it’s also the perfect weather for outdoor rituals?
- Transitioning Flora: As the plants appear to wither and die around us, it’s important to remember life never dies. It transforms, it transitions, it rests, and it is always reborn. Plant life goes into its dormant state, going inward to preserve its current life force and to focus on healing and strengthening its internal structure. This powerful symbolism encourages us to go into ourselves and under ourselves (yes, in the Underworld) to work on healing and listening to our inner selves.
- Thinning Veil: During this time, plant Devas and their otherworldly guardians travel through then open gates between this world and the next. To the Greek Pantheon, Persephone is traveling to the underworld to spend the next 6 months with Hades. This open door allows the spirits of our ancestors to visit and send messages to us in the physical realm. We are reminded to listen closely for messages of our growth during this time.
A Samhain Ritual to Connect to your Spirit Family for Growth
Ritual Timing: SamhainIngredients:
- Scrying Mirror or Crystal Ball
- Black Candle
- White Candle
- Pumpkins
- Pomegranates
- 1 annual plant or bulb that has started to wither and is ready for winter trimming (or a new bulb from the store)
- Bones, fossils, or antique items
- Photos of family members who have moved on
- Divination tool of your choice, optional
- Sage
- Palo Santo
Samhain Spell Directions:
- Cleanse: Using the sage, cleanse yourself and all of your ritual ingredients and tools. Finally, cleanse your sacred space. Set the intention that only energies, spirits, and ancestors that come in peace are allowed into your space.
- Cast: Using your favorite circle casting method, create a protective bubble around yourself and your sacred space. If you need help, check out our simple circle casting ritual.
- Connect: Call upon and connect with your favorite entities, deities, and ancestors at this time. Because Samhain is such a personal Sabbat, we’ll leave this step open-ended.
- Welcome: Stand in the center of your circle and say:
- “We meet here on this night of Samhain To take a journey without and within. I seek to find my next life goal And pull it deep from inside of my soul To manifest over the next year. So, I invite you all to gather here To celebrate and lend me your hand So that our circle of success may never end. God and Goddess, Spirit, and Self, We now meet here in love and in health. Samhain, Samhain, Samhain, Samhain, Now let our sacred ritual begin.”
- Meditate, Journey, + Meet:
- Take a comfortable seat within your circle and know that your ancestors are here to guide you.
- Light the black candle as a representation of dismissing your past self in order to make way for your new, powerful self.
- Soften your gaze and stare into your black mirror or crystal ball.
- Know that you are in limbo, in a space between your past self and your future self.
- Let your gaze soften further as you melt into the mirror.
- Visualize your ancestors reflecting back at you, on all sides as you look at yourself in the mirror.
- Return your gaze to yourself. What do you see? What unwanted energies do you see or feel on or around yourself? Remember the black candle and release all of those energies that no longer serve your highest good.
- Ask yourself, “What does serve my highest good?” See yourself surrounded by your accomplishments over the past year.
- Ask yourself, “What do I need over the next year to serve my highest good?” Once you start to see visions within your mirror, close your eyes and continue your journey in a meditation.
- In your meditation, find a place that makes you feel at peace; this could be your favorite meditation spot or your favorite spot in real life. Once there, ask to meet your higher self and any ancestors who have a message to help you during the next year.
- Ask your higher self and ancestors what you need to do over the next year in order to grow into your personal potential.
- Ask your higher self and ancestors what your true new year’s goal or resolution is.
- Ask your higher self for a symbol of your growth plan.
- Return to your body.
- Divine for your Growth Plan: Once you’ve returned to your body, pick up the divination tool of your choice. Ask your higher self and your ancestors to guide the tool in order to help you make your plan for the next year. Be sure to ask:
- What should I start doing tomorrow in order to start my growth plan?
- What should I have accomplished in one month, in accordance with my growth plan?
- What steps should I take for the first 3 months of my growth plan?
- Where should I be in the next 6 months?
- How do I ensure that I stay on track with my personal new year’s plan?
- What pitfalls should I look out for?
- How can I ensure that I stay on my path?
- Be sure to record every answer and draw out your Witchy New Year Plan.
- Spellwork: Once you have a very clear idea of what you’ll be accomplishing in the next year, take the dying or dead plant into your hands. Say,
- “Like this plant between my palms I’ve been pushing all year long To the place whence we currently meet I now consider last year complete. Withered and tired this plant appears But looking back, it had a great year. For what is dead is not truly gone, And together we must move along. I recongize the dead in all it’s forms And know that it’s a space to be reborn. To be reborn in a form anew I close the past to build onto what I once knew.”
- Trim the dead parts away from plant bulb.
- Enchant: Once you have come to terms with closing out what no longer serves and appreciating what has served you within the past year, it’s time to empower yourself to move to your next stage of life.
- Light the white candle.
- Look into the mirror once more and see yourself stronger than you saw before.
- Hold the trimmed plant in your hands. Say,
- “You and I are much alike We now go inside to grow our light We’ll spend the Winter prepping our plan And when light touches the warming land We’ll spring up, empowered and whole To see our plan’s success 10 fold. For what is dead is not truly gone And I’ll seek the knowledge I’ve had all along To be reborn in a form anew To build onto what I already knew.”
- Plant the bulb in a pot or prepare to take it outside to be planted. If your bulb or plant is already potted, give it a generous pour of blessed water.
- Close: Light your Palo Santo to cleanse the energies for the new year and invite divine blessings into your space. Thank your higher self, deities, and ancestors. Using your favorite circle closing technique close your circle.
- Release: Release the energies of the spell into the plant bulb or up to the Universe.
Copyright 2018 Jennifer “Aurora Moone” McDonald / All Rights Reserved.
