Samhain is celebrated in modern culture as Halloween. Samhain was originally a celebration of the third harvest, the first two being Lammas (Aug. 1) and the second being the Autumn Equinox. The final harvest is a harvest of nuts and fruits, corresponding to the ancient Roman festival of Pomona, Goddess of Fruit Trees.
Hecate was one of the oldest Greek versions of the trinitarian Goddess, Hecate, wise-woman,
in command of all the hekau or Mother's Words of Power. Hecate was one of the many names
for the original feminine trinity, ruling heaven, earth, and the underworld. The Hellenes
emphasized her crone, underworld aspect. Her images guarded three-way crossroads in ancient
times, becoming known as "Hecate of the Three Ways." She was invoked by those setting out
on journeys. As a form of the Triple Goddess, she was associated with the moon in all three
of her aspects. She was thought to be Hecate Selene, the moon, in heaven; Artemis on earth;
and Persephone in the underworld. She was thought by some to be part of the Queen of Heaven
trinity: Hebe the Maiden, Hera the Mother, and Hecate the crone. During the Middle Ages,
she was known as Queen of the Ghostworld, or Queen of Witches.
The Owl: a creature of the night, this animal is associated with the goddess Athena, goddess of wisdom. They are also thought to be messengers from the spirit world.
The Pumpkin: harvested at this time of year, the pumpkin is associated with the jack-o-lantern. In old Europe, candles were placed inside turnips to keep them from blowing out. This later evolved into the carved faces on pumpkins at Halloween. The candle represents the element of fire, but the flame also represents the spirit. Many types of spirits are said to appear to us as white light.
The Black Cat: It is though that the Egyptians were among the first to own cats as pets. In folklore cats are said to be able to sense the presence of the deceased. Black, in addition, is the color of the crone. Decorate your home with black cats to help remember to open your intuitive eye to the spirits gathering around us on Samhain.
The Apple
Apples await the harvest at Samhain. They are associated with the realm of the spirits. Hera,
the Greek goddess, had a magickal apple orchard, and the apple was sacred to Hel, Norse
goddess of the underworld. It was thought that the apple was the fruit of immortality and
resurrection. In the myth of Persephone, Hades made Persephone eat the seed of a pomegranate
(similar to the apple) to ensure her return to him. The ancient custom of wassailing the
apple trees was celebrated to ensure the renewed blossoming of the fruit each year. What is left
of this ancient custom involves drinking a toast with hot apple cider, usually at Yule time.
However, it probably orginated at Samhain when the apples were harvested.
Let's Have Some Fun
The Halloween Tarot
Spooky Reading
Recipes for the Celebration of Samhain:
Pumpkin Bread
Little Orphant Annie
by James Whitcomb Riley
Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay,
An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs
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Sources
Campanelli, Ancient ways
Walker, The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets
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Halloween's Ring of Terror site is owned by ghostmoon.
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