Halloween for All!
“Anyone could see that the wind was a special wind this night, and the darkness took on a special feel because it was All Hallows’ Eve. Everything seemed cut from soft black velvet or gold or orange velvet. Smoke panted up out of a thousand chimneys like the plumes of funeral parades. From kitchen windows drifted two pumpkin smells: gourds being cut, pies being baked.”
― Ray Bradbury, The Halloween Tree
Happy Halloween, all!
You may celebrate this day under a different name — it has several! Samhain, Walpurgisnacht, Spirit Night, Ancestor Night and Apple Fest, the eve of All Saints Day, the eve of Día de Muertos… Whatever you call it, it is a night to celebrate the lengthening night and remember death and our beloved spirits.
How will you mark the day? If you aren’t sure what you’d like to do yet, Dan and I have some ideas below that might help lead you to your ideal practice for this day and the coming days. What draws you?
Ways to Celebrate Halloween:
Give offerings to honor your ancestors.
What foods and drinks do your ancestors like best? Make or purchase them, and then set them out in a significant place as a gift. This is a good way to both remember ancestors and create a material, tangible offering for them. You might be called to set up an ancestor altar as well, with photos and memorabilia of ancestors.
Conjure positive spirits who you know and trust.
If you are magically operant, this is an excellent time to summon spirits that you already know. Perhaps you want to consult with them, perhaps you want aid, or perhaps you just want to say “hello”. Use your magick as you see fit!
Engage in “traditional” Halloween activities.
Go trick or treating (if appropriate)! Carve pumpkins into Jack-O’-Lanterns and light little candles inside. Read about Halloween or watch scary movies. Dress up! These are great ways to celebrate this liminal day.
Light candles in remembrance of departed loved ones.
Little white candles are fairly easy to find on short notice, and lighting candles in remembrance has a long history in many cultures. You are welcome to spend a moment after lighting the candle to recall memories with that person with gratitude.
Contemplate death and dying.
This practice is not for everyone at any time, so only engage with it if you are in a positive mind-space. If you are ready to engage with the concept and reality of death, you might try a death meditation, reflect on your after-death wishes, or contemplate your experience with death thus far.
Do protection exercises or rituals.
It’s a good time to refresh your protection exercises, talismans, and engage in banishing rituals as well. You might opt to do a white light protection meditation, practice the LBRP, or set up/refresh protection herbs in your living space. There are so many options here — do what you are drawn to!
Clear the energies of your space, and replenish it with good energy.
Similar to the idea above, clearing the energy of your space and then adding the energy you want is a great activity for the next few days. You might try sound clearing, cleaning your house with yerba mate, or burning appropriate incense. Halloween can be seen as a kind of “new year” or seasonal shift, so these cyclical practices are good options.
Engage in a channeled art or automatic writing session.
Mediumship is not all that difficult or unsafe! Set aside some time to ask for positive messages from spirits who have your best interest in heart/mind, and engage with the simple techniques of channeled art or writing. With the intention to receive good and helpful messages under a specific time frame, what will come through for you?
Share your paranormal stories with friends and family.
Dan always says, “not everyone believes in ghosts, but everyone has a ghost story.” So why don’t we open up about them and share them? Halloween is a perfect time to get the conversation going about our weird, paranormal experiences. Share with trusted people — you never know what stories they might have for you too!
Recognize the deities of the day.
Halloween is associated with several deities, depending on culture. Samhain is a Celtic deity in themself. La Catrina is a wonderful figure associated with Día de Muertos. Who of your background (by birth or choice) and/or ancestry represents this season or death itself? Now would be a good time to read about them, remember, and honor their presence in our world.
However you choose to recognize the spirit of these days, we hope that you all have an enjoyable and meaningful celebration!
We’ll see you on the other side.
