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HOME > Wiccan Sabbats > Samhain Sabbat
Also see our Wiccan Beltane Sabbat Ritual Guides
All Hallow's Eve
by Mike Nichols
Halloween.
Sly does it. Tiptoe catspaws. Slide and creep.
But why? What for? How? Who? When! Where did it all begin?
'You don't know, do you?' asks Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud climbing out
under the pile of leaves under the Halloween Tree. 'You don't REALLY know!'
--Ray Bradbury
from 'The Halloween Tree'
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Samhain. All Hallows. All Hallow's Eve. Hallow E'en. Halloween. The most magical
night of the year. Exactly opposite Beltane on the wheel of the year, Halloween
is Beltane's dark twin. A night of glowing jack-o-lanterns, bobbing for apples,
tricks or treats, and dressing in costume. A night of ghost stories and seances,
tarot card readings and scrying with mirrors. A night of power, when the veil
that separates our world from the Otherworld is at its thinnest. A 'spirit night',
as they say in Wales.
All Hallow's Eve is the eve of All Hallow's Day (November 1st). And for once,
even popular tradition remembers that the Eve is more important than the Day
itself, the traditional celebration focusing on October 31st, beginning at
sundown. And this seems only fitting for the great Celtic New Year's festival.
Not that the holiday was Celtic only. In fact, it is startling how many ancient
and unconnected cultures (the Egyptians and pre-Spanish Mexicans, for example)
celebrated this as a festival of the dead. But the majority of our modern
traditions can be traced to the British Isles.
The Celts called it Samhain, which means 'summer's end', according to their
ancient two-fold division of the year, when summer ran from Beltane to Samhain
and winter ran from Samhain to Beltane. (Some modern Covens echo this structure
by letting the High Priest 'rule' the Coven beginning on Samhain, with rulership
returned to the High Priestess at Beltane.) According to the later four-fold
division of the year, Samhain is seen as 'autumn's end' and the beginning of
winter. Samhain is pronounced (depending on where you're from) as 'sow-in' (in
Ireland), or 'sow-een' (in Wales), or 'sav-en' (in Scotland), or (inevitably)
'sam-hane' (in the U.S., where we don't speak Gaelic).
Not only is Samhain the end of autumn; it is also, more importantly, the end of
the old year and the beginning of the new. Celtic New Year's Eve, when the new
year begins with the onset of the dark phase of the year, just as the new day
begins at sundown. There are many representations of Celtic gods with two faces,
and it surely must have been one of them who held sway over Samhain. Like his
Roman counterpart Janus, he would straddle the theshold, one face turned toward
the past in commemoration of those who died during the last year, and one face
gazing hopefully toward the future, mystic eyes attempting to pierce the veil
and divine what the coming year holds. These two themes, celebrating the dead
and divining the future, are inexorably intertwined in Samhain, as they are likely
to be in any New Year's celebration.
As a feast of the dead, it was believed the dead could, if they wished, return to
the land of the living for this one night, to celebrate with their family, tribe,
or clan. And so the great burial mounds of Ireland (sidh mounds) were opened up,
with lighted torches lining the walls, so the dead could find their way. Extra places
were set at the table and food set out for any who had died that year. And there
are many stories that tell of Irish heroes making raids on the Underworld while
the gates of faery stood open, though all must return to their appointed places by
cock-crow.
As a feast of divination, this was the night par excellance for peering into the
future. The reason for this has to do with the Celtic view of time. In a culture
that uses a linear concept of time, like our modern one, New Year's Eve is simply
a milestone on a very long road that stretches in a straight line from birth to
death. Thus, the New Year's festival is a part of time. The ancient Celtic view
of time, however, is cyclical. And in this framework, New Year's Eve represents
a point outside of time, when the natural order of the universe disolves back
into primordial chaos, preparatory to re-establishing itself in a new order. Thus,
Samhain is a night that exists outside of time and hence it may be used to view
any other point in time. At no other holiday is a tarot card reading, crystal
reading, or tea-leaf reading so likely to succeed.
The Christian religion, with its emphasis on the 'historical' Christ and his act
of redemption 2000 years ago, is forced into a linear view of time, where 'seeing
the future' is an illogical proposition. In fact, from the Christian perspective,
any attempt to do so is seen as inherently evil. This did not keep the medieval
Church from co-opting Samhain's other motif, commemoration of the dead. To the
Church, however, it could never be a feast for all the dead, but only the blessed
dead, all those hallowed (made holy) by obedience to God - thus, All Hallow's, or
Hallowmas, later All Saints and All Souls.
There are so many types of divination that are traditional to Hallowstide, it is
possible to mention only a few. Girls were told to place hazel nuts along the front
of the firegrate, each one to symbolize one of her suiters. She could then divine
her future husband by chanting, 'If you love me, pop and fly; if you hate me, burn
and die.' Several methods used the apple, that most popular of Halloween fruits.
You should slice an apple through the equator (to reveal the five-pointed star within)
and then eat it by candlelight before
a mirror.
Your future spouse will then appear over your shoulder. Or, peel an apple, making
sure the peeling comes off in one long strand, reciting, 'I pare this apple round
and round again; / My sweetheart's name to flourish on the plain: / I fling the
unbroken paring o'er my head, / My sweetheart's letter on the ground to read.' Or,
you might set a snail to crawl through the ashes of your hearth. The considerate
little creature will then spell out the initial letter as it moves.
Perhaps the most famous icon of the holiday is the jack-o-lantern. Various authorities
attribute it to either Scottish or Irish origin. However, it seems clear that it was
used as a lantern by people who traveled the road this night, the scary face to
frighten away spirits or faeries who might otherwise lead one astray. Set on porches
and in windows, they cast the same spell of protection over the household. (The
American pumpkin seems to have forever superseded the European gourd as the
jack-o-lantern of choice.) Bobbing for apples may well represent the remnants of
a Pagan 'baptism' rite called a 'seining', according to some writers. The
water-filled tub is a latter-day Cauldron of Regeneration, into which the novice's
head is immersed. The fact that the participant in this folk game was usually
blindfolded with hands tied behind the back also puts one in mind of a traditional
Craft initiation ceremony.
The custom of dressing in costume and 'trick-or-treating' is of Celtic origin with
survivals particularly strong in Scotland. However, there are some important
differences from the modern version. In the first place, the custom was not
relegated to children, but was actively indulged in by adults as well. Also, the
'treat' which was required was often one of spirits (the liquid variety). This
has recently been revived by college students who go 'trick-or-drinking'. And in
ancient times, the roving bands would sing seasonal carols from house to house,
making the tradition very similar to Yuletide wassailing. In fact, the custom
known as 'caroling', now connected exclusively with mid-winter, was once practiced
at all the major holidays. Finally, in Scotland at least, the tradition of dressing
in costume consisted almost exclusively of cross-dressing (i.e., men dressing as
women, and women as men). It seems as though ancient societies provided an
opportunity for people to 'try on' the role of the opposite gender for one night
of the year. (Although in Scotland, this is admittedly less dramatic - but more
confusing - since men were in the habit of wearing skirt-like kilts anyway. Oh well...)
To Witches, Halloween is one of the four High Holidays, or Greater Sabbats, or
cross-quarter days. Because it is the most important holiday of the year, it is
sometimes called 'THE Great Sabbat.' It is an ironic fact that the newer,
self-created Covens tend to use the older name of the holiday, Samhain, which
they have discovered through modern research. While the older hereditary and
traditional Covens often use the newer name, Halloween, which has been handed
down through oral tradition within their Coven. (This is often holds true for
the names of the other holidays, as well. One may often get an indication of a
Coven's antiquity by noting what names it uses for the holidays.)
With such an important holiday, Witches often hold two distinct celebrations. First,
a large Halloween party for non-Craft friends, often held on the previous weekend.
And second, a Coven ritual held on Halloween night itself, late enough so as not to
be interrupted by trick-or-treaters. If the rituals are performed properly, there is
often the feeling of invisible friends taking part in the rites. Another date which
may be utilized in planning celebrations is the actual cross-quarter day, or Old
Halloween, or Halloween O.S. (Old Style). This occurs when the sun has reached 15
degrees Scorpio, an astrological 'power point' symbolized by the Eagle. The
celebration would begin at sunset. Interestingly, this date (Old Halloween) was
also appropriated by the Church as the holiday of Martinmas.
Of all the Witchcraft holidays, Halloween is the only one that still boasts anything
near to popular celebration. Even though it is typically relegated to children (and
the young-at-heart) and observed as an evening affair only, many of its traditions
are firmly rooted in Paganism. Incidentally, some schools have recently attempted
to abolish Halloween parties on the grounds that it violates the separation of state
and religion. Speaking as a Pagan, I would be saddened by the success of this move,
but as a supporter of the concept of religion-free public education, I fear I must
concede the point. Nonetheless, it seems only right that there should be one
night of the year when our minds are turned toward thoughts of the supernatural. A
night when both Pagans and non-Pagans may ponder the mysteries of the Otherworld
and its inhabitants. And if you are one of them, may all your jack-o'lanterns burn
bright on this All Hallow's Eve.
Most recent text revision: October 8, 2002
Document Copyright © 1986, 2002 by Mike Nichols
HTML coding by: Mike Nichols © 1998
This document can be re-published only as long as no information is lost or
changed, credit is given to the author, and it is provided or used without
cost to others.
Other uses of this document must be approved in writing by Mike Nichols.
Revised: Tuesday, March 19, 2002 c.e.
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