Blessed Samhain everyone!  This Samhain has turned out to be quite an interesting one for a lot of people it seems!  I’ve had a good deal of people telling stories about their very significant experiences with the other side this year.  It’s no wonder; I’m thinking that the change of age that we’re coming closer and closer to in 2012 might have something to do with that.  It’s been a bit interesting for me too, and I’m still not sure what to make of it!  But what I can do is answer your questions about Samhain!  So let’s take a look at them!

When is there more energy? All hallows Eve? or Halloween? If one was going to go for a walk and soak up this energy which day would you recommend to do so?
– Adriane

Actually, Halloween is All Hallow’s Eve.  The name All Hallow’s Eve is a reference to the night before All Hallows (“hallows” meaning “holy”), also known as All Saints Day which occurs on November 1st.   October 31st went from being called All Hallow Evening to All Hallows Eve to eventually being known as Hallow’een giving us our modern day name for the night, Halloween.  So if you really wanted to take in the energy of Halloween, October 31st is the night!

I will have another post coming in the next few days though that will explain a little bit about some of the confusion about Samhain, Halloween, and when they occur.  The actual date of Samhain, while we celebrate it on the 31st, it actually occurs in November when the sun reaches the point of being 15 degrees Scorpio.  I’ll talk more about this and explain that and how it impacts the energy, especially magickally, in a few days.  But there is certainly a lot of energy to soak up, work with, and interact with on Halloween.

What is your favorite spell to cast on Halloween?
– Teresa

I actually don’t really work much magick on the Sabbats.  I reserve the Sabbats specifically for honoring the God and Goddess and celebrating the turning of the Wheel.  Samhain is one where I might sometimes do a small spell here and there but I don’t have anything specific that I do or that I prefer to do for Samhain.

The types of spells that I would recommend for this time of year would be things for drawing protection, bashing things that are weighing us down, spells for luck and drawing new opportunities, and anything that either is meant to enhance or open the psychic channels.  I really think that if you want to do something but you don’t know what to do, do a spell designed to bring you luck and good fortune for the coming year.  When you do this, do it by calling on your Ancestors for help.  They are your blood and your family, even if you’ve never met them, but they care about you and want to see you do well because you are part of that bloodline.  So since this is the time of year for connecting to the spirit world and working with them, as well as being the beginning of a new year.  Make offerings to your Ancestors, specific things if you know who liked what in life, and ask for their blessings.  You can light a white candle, write down your desires, and then burn it in the candle and scatter the ashes in the morning to the winds.

One thing that I do do on Samhain is a reading with a 12 month wheel spread with my tarot cards to see what is going to be coming for the next cycle of the Wheel.  This is the perfect time for divination so I always make a point of doing this for myself during the Samhain season.

I always have read that the veil between the worlds is “thinner” on this day…. Do you have any suggestions on the best/easiest way to contact someone on the otherside?
– Lori

The easiest way to contact and communicate with a loved one who has crossed over s to just talk to them.  Talk to them just like you would have in life, there’s no reason to treat them any different than when they were alive.  While Samhain is one of two times in the year when the veil is particularly thin (the other time being Beltane on April 31st/May 1st), that doesn’t make it the only time you can do these things.

What you can do is set up a small place in your home to honor your loved ones who have passed on.  A table top, a shelf, a small end table set aside just for them is perfect.  Place pictures of the people you wish to connect with and leave them little gifts (a candle, some flowers, things they liked in life).  I have a space that encompasses everyone, but when it’s someone’s birthday, I tend to clear things away and just put them there and do something special for them.  But you can go to this space and sit down and talk to them if you wish like you would have in life (sit down and bring your grandma a cup of tea, that sort of thing).  You can do this stuff anytime!  We should remember our dead all year long, not just on Samhain.  🙂

What’s the best use of Samhain energies for ritual? Is it best for contacting ancestors, or is there a different, more creative use that the energies surrounding Samhain can be put to? For example, since the veil is thinner, is looking for truths that are clouded from us an appropriate ritual goal? Similarly, what about the idea that since its a day that “doesn’t exist” you can work magic without repurcussions? (I don’t believe that myself, but I hear it a lot… Three-Fold always holds true in my view!)
– Cassandra

There is no such thing as magick without repercussions.  There is no time of the year where the laws just cease to exist.  I guess that would be kind of nice, but it doesn’t happen.  🙂

As for what to use with the energy of Samhain, there are really a few specific things that the energy is best used for:

1. Connecting with the Ancestors, Mighty Dead, and the spirit world
2. Divination
3. Cleansing and making the way for new things

Seeking truth through divination is an excellent way to work with the energy of Samhain because you can basically try and pull back the veil in your own life and your own situations.  You can call on the spirits to help you find that truth.  How creative you want to get with these things is naturally up to you.  😉

 

So, while for some Samhain is come to end tonight, it’s just getting started for me.  Over the rest of this week you’ll see me posting some more information about Samhain, explaining the differences between Samhain and Halloween, and talking more about the ways you can work with the energy for this night in the Witch’s Year.

In the meantime you can check out some of the previous Samhain posts I’ve had like this one, this one, or this one.  And over this week, if you have other questions about Samhain and the Dying Half of the year, please feel free to send them in to me and I’ll be happy to lend my knowledge and insights!