Moonstone Beginning

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What is Samhain?

Samhain, celebrated from October 31st to November 1st in the Northern Hemisphere and from April 30th to May 1st in the Southern Hemisphere, is a sacred time when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest. During this festival, the boundaries between realms dissolve, allowing the unseen to come forward. It’s a time to honor our ancestors and offer them hospitality as we transition into the darker half of the year. While it marks the end of the old year, Samhain also heralds the beginning of a new one, reminding us that death is always followed by rebirth, making this festival a powerful moment of transformation.

It is pronounced "Sow-en," which means "summer's end" and aligns with Halloween in the Northern Hemisphere. Samhain marks the time when the Earth enters a period of rest, the days shorten, and winter begins its slow arrival. During this time, the air becomes crisper, the nights grow longer, and the warmth of summer fades, symbolizing the end of one cycle and the start of another.

Samhain holds deep significance as it is a time to remember and honor those we have lost. The thinning of the veil allows for a stronger connection with ancestors, spirits, and otherworldly beings. While it’s a time to venerate these spirits and fair folk, who are particularly active during this liminal period, it’s also essential to protect oneself from any harmful entities that may cross through.

A key aspect of Samhain is honoring and respecting the dead. One simple yet meaningful tradition is to set an extra place at the table for any spirit or ancestor, offering them a meal. Many witches also visit cemeteries to pay respects, not only to their own ancestors but also to those forgotten by time, ensuring no spirit is left without recognition.

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Morrigan x Dagda and Samhain

According to legend, the Irish deities the Dagda and the Morrigan consummate their relationship today to ensure the fertility of land, people, and animals for the year to come. The Dagda, “the good god,” is the tribal father god; the Morrigan, “the phantom queen,” is often described as a “battle goddess,” although that only hints at her powers. She begins the Great Rite in the form of an old hag but is rejuvenated by the union, regaining her youth and beauty. On the eve of Samhain, the Dagda, god of strength and fertility, meets the Morrigan, goddess of war and fate, at the River Unius. As he prepares for battle against the Fomorians, ancient enemies of the Tuatha Dé Danann, he encounters the Morrigan bathing in the river. They make love, a symbolic act representing the union of the land (the Morrigan) with its protector (the Dagda). In return, the Morrigan promises to aid the Tuatha Dé Danann, using her powers of prophecy and battle to help them secure victory. Her role as a goddess of fate is essential, shaping the outcome of the war and the future of the land.

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Magic Correspondences:

Planets: Pluto, Saturn

Season: Autumn

Element: Water

Time of Day: Midnight

Tarot: The Death, The Devil, The Magician

Colors: Black, Orange, Gold, Silver, Red, Yellow, Purple

Herbs: Rosemary, Mugwort, Sage, Patchouli, Frankincense, Calendula, Garlic, Bay, Apple Leaf

Fruits: Pomegranate, Apple, Pear, Grapes, Hazelnuts

Vegetables: Pumpkin, Squash, Carrot, Potato, Turnip

Runes: Eihwaz, Jera, Othala

Crystals: Obsidian, Onyx, Carnelian, Cat’s Eye, Labradorite, Smokey Quartz, Black Tourmaline, Granite, Amber

Trees: Birch, Rowan, Hawthorn

Goddesses: Hecate, Banba, Cerridwen, Macha, Badb, Persephone, Cailleach Bheur, Kali, Bastet, Nephthys, Durga, Arianrhod, Baba Yaga

Gods: Hades, Loki, The Dagda, Cernunnos, Osiris, Anubis, Belenus, Arawn

Dragon: Grael

Flowers: Yarrow, Hawthorn, Marigold, Chrysanthemum, Blackthorn

Animals: Spider, Owl, Bat, Cat, Wolf, Dog, Rat, Snake, Raven, Cow

Magical powers: Transformation, Death, Life Cycles, Honoring the Dead, New Beginnings, Spirit Communication, Witchcraft, Faery Magick, Mirror Spells, Reincarnation, Astral Projection, Balance, Wisdom

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Activities to do:

👻 Honor your ancestors

👻 Connect with your loved ones that have passed away. Give them offerings, talk to them, and remember the happy moments

👻 Watch your favorite spooky movies

👻 Clean your altar (if you have one)

👻 Carve a pumpkin with symbols of what you want to attract (heart = love, water drops = healing)

👻 Talk with spirits through tarot cards, runes, or a pendulum

👻 Connect with your magick and your craft

👻 Honor and connect with your deities, leave them some offerings as it's an important celebration for everyone

👻 Light candles around your house

👻 Write wishes and place them on your jack-o'-lanterns

👻 Eat Samhain food or any food that makes you feel close to this sabbat

👻 Do guided meditations

👻 Make a special recipe and add some intentions

👻 Do some spells! October, especially Samhain, is the most magickal time!

👻 Leave some milk outside for Cat Síth!

👻 Honor the dead and respect life :D

👻 Write your wishes on bay leaves and burn them

👻 Honor the forgotten dead, those who don't have anyone to remember them, and light a candle for them

👻 Cleanse yourself and your house

👻 If you feel comfortable, visit a cemetery

👻 Eat lots of candy

👻 Light a Bonfire

👻 Eat apples (you can also use them as offerings)

👻 Take a walk in nature and appreciate the beauty of autumn

👻 Wear colors associated with Samhain, especially black

👻 Do candle magick

👻 Collect autumn leaves and place them in your house

👻 Use pumpkin seeds for spells—they're great for prosperity, abundance, or even love

👻 Put up photos of your loved ones who have passed, leave them food, and light candles

👻 Place figurines around your home with cats, crows, pumpkins or other Samhain symbols

👻 Throw a Samhain/Halloween feast with the people you love

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Food and drinks:

Meat – pork, especially (it’s completely okay if you don’t want to consume it), pumpkin – anything with pumpkin like pumpkin pie, seeds, bread, soup, corn – sweetcorn, popcorn, cornbread, apples – apple cake, apple pie, apple juice, apple cider, spiced wine, cider, mulled wine, honey, potatoes, roasted vegetables, stew, biscuits, salads made with veggies from your garden, recipes loved by your ancestors, pomegranates, squash

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useful sources: Wicca: A Modern Guide To Witchcraft & Magick; Encyclopedia of Witchcraft: The Complete A-Z for the Entire Magical World by Judika Illes

gifs credit: Pinterest

I hope you have a wonderful day! If you do grow anything, I hope your harvest is plentiful! 

In honor of the upcoming LAMMAS celebration I’ve found this lovely gluten-free recipe…

This recipe sounds interesting!! As of recent events my sister has had to go on a gluten free diet per 6 different doctors…which means that I need to be more gluten free friendly in the way I think about cooking…

Gluten-Free Gypsy Soda Bread:

Found this recipe of the Gluten-Free Goddess Blog„,

Dry ingredients:

2/3 cup Pamela’s Ultimate Baking Mix - or other self-rising GF baking mix

½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Cornmeal- or almond meal if you avoid corn

½ cup sorghum flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Wet Ingredients:

¾ cup buttermilk or plain non-dairy milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice added

2 large free-range organic eggs- room temperature- or Ener-G Egg Replacer 

4 tablespoons light olive oil

Stir In:

1 rounded teaspoon caraway or anise seeds, to taste

½ cup golden raisins, dried cherries, dates, or currants

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil a 7 or 8-inch cake pan and dust it with cornmeal (or almond meal).

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and slowly pour the wet into the dry ingredients, gently mixing as you go [I use a soft silicone or rubber spatula]. When the dough is evenly moist, add the caraway and raisins. Stir only briefly to mix them in.

Scrape and spoon out the dough into the prepared cake pan; and using moist palms, flatten and shape the dough into a round loaf. Sprinkle with a very light dusting of cornmeal or gluten-free flour.

Place the pan into the center of a preheated oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the loaf is golden and crusty. Insert a wooden toothpick into the center if you like, to test for doneness. It should feel firm and “thump” as if it is hollow when you tap it.

Cool on a wire rack for ten minutes; and turn the loaf out of the pan to cool to room temperature - although it’s best warm and tender from the oven, I think, even if it crumbles a bit. Serves 8.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/03/gypsy-soda-bread.html#ixzz3842vbTvA

*****I’m thinking that instead of using currants, raisins, dates, or dried cherries…I’m going to use JALAPEÑOS from my garden…that way it’ll be more of me and my garden! A true first harvest from my own hands!!*****

Good Witchkeeping!

“A sleepy Arctic Fox yawning in Svalbard Norway”