"As the Wheel Turns: Samhain, 2023: The Celtic New Year!

Walking Awake to the Rhythm of the Earth

"As the Wheel Turns"

Samhain, 2023

The Celtic New Year

Happy Celtic New Year!

Greetings everyone, and welcome to our Samhain edition of “As the Wheel Turns" - part of our “Walking Awake to the Rhythm of the Earth” series.

While Nick is spending the autumn in Scotland and England entertaining his grandkids and attending special family events, I am currently Stateside excitedly preparing for our 'Walking Awake into the Celtic New Year' weekend retreat at Kirkridge Retreat Center in Bangor, Pennsylvania. Beginning this time tomorrow, I will be in the company of old friends and new sharing our full-moon Samhain weekend surrounded by the beautiful colors of Nature!

As I suspect it might be evident in this newsletter, Samhain is my favorite time of year. This email is packed full of goodies (just in time for Halloween)! As you scroll down you will discover fun facts, great recipes, and rituals of old. I encourage you to dip in and out of this issue as you wish, explore the links, and have fun researching further on your own. It truly is a mystical magical 'spooky' spoke of the wheel when the veil is thinnest and all things are possible! Enjoy!

Samhain Blessings to All!

Denise and Nick

*Pictured above: My latest crafts arranged in the shape of a heart: Rattles made from ethically-sourced rawhide, fur, bones, antlers and driftwood. I have enjoyed creating them and am bringing them along to this weekend's retreat to see if they might find new homes!

More about Samhain/ The Celtic New Year...

Literally meaning “summer’s end” in modern Irish, Samhain (spelled Samhuinn in Scotland) marks the last of the three harvest festivals on Celtic Wheel of the Year (the first: Lughnasadh, the second: Fall Equinox.). The harvest time is now drawing to an end. Both people and animals are busy gathering up the last of Nature’s bounty for the winter months ahead. Nature and its seasons continue to spiral around.

Samhain lies directly opposite of Beltane on the the Celtic Wheel. Whereas the arrival of Beltane signaled the beginning of the light half of the year, Samhain marks the beginning of the dark half of the year. The ancient Celts believed everything began in the darkness therefor Samhain (the return of the dark half of the year) is known as the Celtic New Year and begins at sunset on the eve of Samhain.

Both Beltane and Samhain are important *airts on the Celtic Wheel. It is during these two times (the betwixt and between of darkness and light also sometimes referred to as “no-time”) that the veil between worlds (spiritual and material) are believed to be very thin. A time when the spirts of ancestors and those recently passed can slip between the veil and communicate with those left behind. Also a time when beings from the fairy world, and souls lost between words would roam, many ancient customs were set in place to both invite welcomed spirits to visit and to ward off the unwelcome ones. (Scroll down to the section on Samhain Rituals, Crafts and Interesting Trivia to learn more about this)

*If the word 'airt' is unfamiliar to you, click here for the definition.

Spoke of the Wheel Musings:

Reflections and reminders from Samhain and Nature...

Whether you mark this time of year as Samhain and the time of the Wild Hunt (click here for photos of Glastonbury's festival), Diwali, El Dia De Los Muertos, All Souls Night, All Saints Day , etc., it is also important to note that Nature is the keeper of all seasons and with the continuous spiral of the wheel we are gifted lessons and guidance from the cycles of Nature that surrounds us.

The veil is very thin: it is not only a good time to communicate with the other side, it is also the perfect time to get in touch with your own innate connection to the Self. Treat yourself with the Gift of "No Time" (a space of time with no boundaries: a betwixt and between moment) in Nature. Find a quiet space, just you and the trees, stones, or sea. If you are not near a wooded area perhaps try to find a single tree to be with or hold a stone, or a bowl of water with sea salt as you sit. It's the beginning of the New Year: Set intentions, reach out to your guides and ancestors for directions and messages. Be open, and trust your instincts all while remaining 'awake' to all that surrounds you for there in Nature, may lie your guidance. Leave the phone off. Take a note book and jot down your thoughts. And if you feel so called to do so, bring home a gift from Nature to remind you of your time in "No Time" throughout the winter months and new year.

Samhain Rituals, Crafts and Interesting Trivia:

Create an Altar honoring the Ancestors:

Creating an altar to honor the ancestors is a very individual ritual. Add photos of family members and friends who have passed, their favorite trinkets, crystals, flowers, antlers, feathers, bones, your favorite memorabilia items and candles. Be as creative as you’d like and tap into your inner connection to those no longer with you for you never know who may travel through the veil on this sacred night. And just to be safe... you may also wish to include an offering for the faeries (maybe some chocolate, candy or honey) as they too, travel about this time of year! Here is a photo of my ancestor altar from a few years ago.

Prepare a Dumb Supper:

The term "Dumb Supper" may sound a bit insulting however, it is actually quite the opposite! It is meant to be a supper held completely in silence as an honoring of the dead. A place is set at the table (usually the head of the table) as an invitation to ancestors who have passed (particularly those who have died in the past year) to show up and communicate with loved ones. Serve their favorite foods and before (or after) your time in silence, share your favorite stories and memories of those dearly departed. Click here to read more about the history of this ritual and for more ideas on how to host your own "Dumb Supper".

Decorate with Apples!

Click here for a variety of ideas!

Of course you've heard of Jack O’ Lanterns... have you heard of “Jack OF the Lantern”?

Jack O' Lanterns are of Irish, Scottish, and even English origin and were originally carved from turnips (called 'Neep Lanterns' in Scotland), beets, and gourds.

As mentioned earlier, Samhain marks a time of year when the veil between worlds is thinnest. While it is believed to be the perfect time to communicate with and invite in the presence of the (good) ancestors, it is also a time when evil spirits travel between worlds. To ward off unwelcome visits from roaming evil spirits, scary faces were carved into vegetables then lit with candles and placed inside windows or outside the home. It wasn’t until the immigration of the Irish and Scottish to America (where the pumpkin was grown) that the tradition of carving pumpkins began.

Click here to read more about this ancient tradition, along with some spooky folklore about ‘Jack of the Lantern’ and his dance with the Devil.

Below are few photos I took at our home here in Scotland a few years ago. We live on a sheep farm and come fall massive amounts of turnips are harvested, stored and fed to the sheep over the winter months. That year on Samhain Eve I walked out to the turnip pile, chose a large one and tried my hand at carving (it was much harder than a pumpkin!) Afterwards I placed it outside our doorstep along with a few of my favorite bones collected earlier that year. I can happily report that NO evil spirits came to visit us that Samhain!

Pull out the Castocks!

Are you familiar with the old Scottish Samhain Divination Ritual involving the last of the year's Kale? The tradition goes like this: after dark, with eyes shut, a person would be led to what was left of the kale in garden. After hands were placed on the kale they were instructed to then pull it from the earth. The length and straightness of the stalk would indicate the height and shape of one’s future partner and the amount of soil left on the stalk would speak to the amount of wealth within the relationship.

Did you know?... The Hazel Tree in Celtic tradition is the Tree of Knowledge representing Wisdom, Protection, and Inspiration.

Here are two magical ways to use the power of the Hazelnut this Samhain...

Try using Hazelnuts for Divination: Here in Scotland there is an old Samhain love divination using two hazelnuts. Representing a pair of lovers, each nut is assigned one of their names and then placed upon the burning fire. If they burn long and slowly that is a sign that the relationship will be loving, loyal and lasting. But if they jump and crack open, this is sure to be a sign that the lovers are a bad match!

Make a bracelet of Hazelnuts: Click here for a delightfully witchy ritual and instructions on how to make the hazelnut bracelet shown above.

Click here to discover more about the Celtic myths, legends and folklore of the Hazelnut Tree! .

Gather your family and friends for an Apple Party and Peel Toss!

Throughout my life, the arrival of fall meant it would soon be apple party time! All the aunts, cousins (sometimes even neighbors and friends) would gather together in my mother’s kitchen for a day filled with baking and delicious samplings. It was ‘kitchen magic’ at its best! We’d make everything from caramel and candy dipped apples for the kids, pies and turnovers, homemade applesauce (pink from the skins with just the right touch of cinnamon), and of course, Great Grandma Stecher’s well-loved apple cake. There was always plenty and everyone took their share home to enjoy during the following week or freeze for the winter months to come. I hold dear these memories as the house was filled with an amazing aroma, fun chit-chat and loads of laughter! One of my favorite apple party rituals was introduced to me when I was very young: Of course, there was always tons of apples to be peeled and my Nana would make this something to look forward to. She would very carefully peel the apple in one-go producing this very long thin strip of apple skin. After that was complete, she would hand it to one of the young girls (very gingerly so as to ensure it wouldn’t break!) and instruct us to imagine our potential future husband as we would cast it over the opposite shoulder onto the floor. There on the floor would be an initial awaiting us - this was to be the initial of our future partner. Mine was always a “C” or a "P" and of course many years later I would marry a “Crawn”and then, a "Prance." This was my first experience with divination and later in life I would discover that this ritual had both Scottish and Irish roots. Perhaps you too, might like to gather the family up for an apple party and give the apple peel a good toss!

Did you know Trick or Treating has its origin in "Guising"?

Click here to read more about the history behind it!

Stirring the Cauldron: Samhain Recipes:

Want to give away something other than candy this Halloween? How about Soul Cakes?!

"Bridging pagan and Christian faith traditions, these foods were associated with both Samhain and All Souls Day, a Christian festival dating to 800 AD. Both had many similarities... Both featured small round “soul cakes” made with berries, fruits and nuts. And in a custom reminiscent of modern day trick or treating, according to The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, people went from house to house singing and asking for a soul cake. For each cake received, a prayer was said for the dead. And today soul cakes are still part of Catholic cuisine, baked in celebration of All Hallows Eve."

This recipe combines traditions old and new. Click here to learn more about "Soul Cakes" and to try out this easy recipe!

Not great in the kitchen? Boooo! These Ghost Pretzels are frighteningly easy to make!

Click here to learn how!

These look both festive and yummy!

It's roasted garlic sage pesto pumpkin soup with spicy fried pumpkin seeds. Click here for the recipe.

Try your hand at these Irish traditional Samhain dishes: Colcannon and Barmbrack. Click here for the history and recipes.

Sticky Toffee Apple Cake

Everyone who comes to Scotland LOVES Sticky Toffee Cake but I've never tried this version! Here's the link to the recipe. Let me know how it is of you try it!

Samhain Music and poetry:

Music...

In the past, I have shared my admiration of Loreena Mckennitt and her music. For me, it wouldn't be Samhain time without sitting back and taking the time to listen to her transportive "All Souls Night". Click here to enjoy her magical music. I've included the lyrics below for you to read along, if you wish.

All Souls Night

by Loreena Mckennitt

Bonfires dot the rolling hills

Figures dance around and around

To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness

Moving to the pagan sound

Somewhere in a hidden memory

Images float before my eyes

Of fragrant nights of straw and of bonfires

And dancing till the next sunrise

I can see lights in the distance

Trembling in the dark cloak of night

Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing

A waltz on All Souls Night

Figures of cornstalks bend in the shadows

Held up tall as the flames leap high

The green knight holds the holly bush

To mark where the old year passes by

I can see the lights in the distance

Trembling in the dark cloak of night

Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing

A waltz on All Souls Night

Bonfires dot the rolling hillsides

Figures dance around and around

To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness

And moving to the pagan sound

Standing on the bridge that crosses

The river that goes out to the sea

The wind is full of a thousand voices

They pass by the bridge and me

I can see the lights in the distance

Trembling in the dark cloak of night

Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing

A waltz on All Souls Night

I can see the lights in the distance

Trembling in the dark cloak of night

Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing

A waltz on All Souls Night

*To read more about Loreena Mckennitt, click here.

Poetry...

I first heard the following recited by my dear friend, Tom Cormier on Samhuiin Eve at Columcille Megalith Park where he led this call and response at the Ancestor Stone while standing above the crowd atop the Chamber Stone. Not too long ago, he shared it with some of us on our monthly Walking Awake Zoom. Perhaps you may recall it?

We Remember You

At the rising of the sun and at it's going down

We remember you

At the blowing of the wind and the chill of winter

We remember you

At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring

We remember you

At the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer

We remember you

At the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn

We remember you

At the beginning of the year and when it ends

We remember you

As long as we live, you too will live: for you are now a part of us

We remember you

When we are weary and in need of strength

We remember you

When we are lost and sick at heart

We remember you

When we have a joy we crave to share

We remember you

When we have decisions that are difficult to make

We remember you

When we have achievements that are based on you

We remember you

As long as we live, you live too; for you are now a part of us

As we remember you

By Sylvan Kamens & Rabbi Jack Riemer

Samhain in the UK...

The Samhain Fires:

As Samhain is one of the four Celtic fire festivals (as well as Beltane, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh), bonfires have long been tradition. As in all Celtic celebrations, Samhain rituals began in the darkness the evening before. Archeological evidences shows that some of the largest ancient fires were lit on top hill forts and sacred sites across the U.K. and Ireland. It was a time of feasting and festivities that included games and rituals around the bon fires (or ‘bone’ fires). One Samhain fire ritual included harvesting and feasting on the grazing animals too old and frail to make it through the winter then placing their bones into the fire as an offering in hopes of fertility and prosperity as the wheel spirals forward toward the return of the light half of the year. Click here for a link to Ireland’s Newgrange site to read more about ancient Irish Samhain customs.

In Scotland...

Traditionally in Edinburgh, The Beltane Fire Society stage a memorable performance of the eternal battle of the seasons on Calton Hill at both Beltane and Samhuinn. As I mentioned previously, we attended their Beltane festival a few years ago and it was both magical and otherworldly and while we won't be attending this year's Samhuinn festival, we look forward to doing so in the future.

A few of my favorite Samhain Memories at Columcille Megalith Park in Pennsylvania, U.S.A...

As some of you know, my love of Samhuiin (Scottish spelling) began at Columcille Megalith Park, in Pennsylvania. Each year at Samhuiin time, Columcille hosts a torchlit celebration amongst its (nearly 100) standing stones. This year’s Samhuiin event will take place under the full moon on Saturday, October 29th at 7:00pm. It’s a spectacular and unforgettable experience. I will be attending with others who are partaking in my retreat weekend at Kirkridge. Hope to see you there, under the full Hunter's moon!

To discover more about Columcille Megalith Park, click here.

Below are a few photos of my favorite Columcille Samhuiin memories...

Pictured: Thor's Gate at Columcille

Pictured: The Dolmen at Columcille.

Pictured: Denise standing on top of the Chamber Stone calling in the Ancestors during a past Columcille Samhain event.

Pictured: The luminaries light the pathways at Columcille.

Pictured: One of the many stone guardians at Columcille glowing for the festivities. Can you see its face?

Pictured: Part of Columcille tradition, people gather around the Cauldron Stone during Columcille's Beltane and Samhuinn festivities.

In closing...

I hope you enjoyed our Samhain edition of "As the Wheel Turns." If you have friends or family members who would like to join us as we continue to "Walk Awake to the Rhythm of the Earth" in tune with the Celtic Wheel of the Year, they are more than welcome to join us at anytime.

Happy (Celtic) New Year!

Denise and Nick