SAMHAIN RITUAL & SPELL

Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The veil between the spiritual and physical realm is at its thinnest, making this the perfect time for paying our respects to our ancestors, remembering and celebrating those who have passed on, and reflecting on the cycles of life and death.

Samhain Rituals & Spells
Samhain (pronounced sah-win) is celebrated in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere on the 6th of May and on the 31st of October in the Northern Hemisphere.

After Mabon, Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The veil between the spiritual and physical realm is at its thinnest, making this the perfect time for paying our respects to our ancestors, remembering and celebrating those who have passed on, and reflecting on the cycles of life and death. Samhain traditions are associated with death and rebirth, and is also the origin of Halloween!

RITUAL FOR SAMHAIN

DIVINATION
Samhain is the perfect opportunity for connecting with your ancestors and spirit guides, so whip out your favourite divination tools!

There are many different divination tools available for you to use, from tarot cards, oracle cards and runes just to name a few.

You can even reserve certain divination tools specifically for any ancestors or spirit guides you wish to seek guidance from. If you wish to delve into ancestor work, it is recommended to set up an ancestral altar.

SAMHAIN TAROT CARD RITUAL
Set up your Samhain or Ancestral Altar.
Cleanse your space and tarot deck using your preferred method of cleansing. This could be by smoke cleansing or using sound such as an altar bell.
Light your ritual candles.
Sit down by your altar and clear your mind. This can be done via meditation, deep breathing or just simply taking a moment to calm your thoughts.
Invite your ancestors or spirit guides to come forth.
Provide an offering before requesting anything from them. This could be a glass of water, alcohol or even some food. Bonus points if you know their favourite food or beverages!
For this Samhain tarot ritual, we will be doing a 3 card spread. Shuffle your deck and ask the following question:

“What do I need to let go of?”

While you’re shuffling, a card might pop out at you. If this happens, this is your answer. If this doesn’t happen, that is also okay! Simply cut your deck into three piles, then draw one card from the top of one of the piles you feel most drawn to and place it face-up in front of you – this will be your answer.
Shuffle your deck again and ask the following:

“What do I need to bring into my life?”

Repeat the same step as above
Lastly, shuffle your deck again and ask the following:

“What do I need to do in order to make this happen?”

Follow the same directions to pull a card

SAMHAIN CANDLE SPELL
Samhain is traditionally celebrated with fire and aids us with remembrance. Candles are the perfect modern way of honouring traditional Samhain rituals. The flicker of the candle can induce a hypnotic effect, allowing us to calm our minds so we can reflect on our intentions for this Sabbat.

The following Samhain Candle Spell is the perfect ritual you can follow using your favourite candle:

Set up your Samhain Altar and decide on your intention for this spell.
Cleanse your altar, space and yourself using your preferred cleansing method. This could be by smoke cleansing or using sound such as an altar bell. Recite the following:

“Malicious energies, spirits & intentions must begone”

Light your spell candle keeping in mind your intention.
Sit by your spell candle while watching its flame. Envision your spell candle working to bring you what you desire and think about how your intention will manifest in your life. Images may appear to you in your spell candles flame – this is how your ancestors or spirit guides may pass on messages to you.
Stay by your candle until it burns down completely. In addition to this, you can also write down anything you wish to release or bring into your life. Simply write down your wishes on a piece of paper, fold several times, grab a pair of tongs and light the corners with the flame from your intention candle, then place the lit paper into a cast iron cauldron. The same goes for your burning paper – pay attention to its flame in case any images appear.
Safe witches are clever witches, never leave a flame unattended and always be prepared to safely put out a fire if needed. 

The Veil is Thinning

Whenever our world is turned upside down, wherever there is a wound, or things go black and all is unknown, the veil thins. Wherever there is a vulnerability, a crack in our defenses, in our sureties and our normalcies, the veil thins. Whenever there is a dying of something, our lives as we knew them, our old selves, our bodies, a loved one, the veil thins.

In this liminal, broken open place, the world and its interconnections seem to come alive in ways unexplainable. Here there is no division between the mundane and the magical…The departed turn into owls, spirits knock at doors, appeals are made by fox and coyote and crow. Here we come face to face with cougar on our evening walk, whom we had dreamt of the night before. Here the visions and voices of the sacred come to us. Here we learn the language of nature herself.

Only, it is not the world that has come alive, but we ourselves who have. We are the ones waking up, removing the sleep and the veils from our eyes, finally seeing clearly what has always been. Seeing not just what is in front of us, but what is beyond, beneath, above, around, within. Seeing not with the eyes of our mind, but the eyes of our soul.

And now, during these troubling though numinous times, the veil is thin and growing thinner. More than ever people are dreaming of ancestors and loved ones who’ve crossed over coming to help, to guide, to comfort. More than ever people are dreaming big dreams, showing us what is real and true about ourselves and the world we live in. Lifting the veil on all things. Lighting our way, and the world’s way, forward.

And here where the veil is thin, miracles occur. Not the miracles we might ask for, not cures or solutions, but the miracles that remind us we belong to a universe far more mysterious, more interwoven, more astonishing than we could ever comprehend. Miracles that may not solve the misfortunes in our lives, but instead allow us to soften into the-not-solving, allow us to live as deeply, as widely, as creatively and magically as possible. Miracles that may not change our circumstances, but that change us. These are the miracles of transformation.

But no transformation can occur, no death and rebirth are possible, without passing through this betwixt and between place, without resting awhile in not knowing what will come of us or where it is all headed. Because it is precisely in the vulnerability of not knowing, that the veil thins, that this magic opens to us, that transformation’s potential awaits.

Samhain Lore (October 31st)

Samhain, (pronounced SOW-in, SAH-vin, or SAM-hayne) means ”End of Summer”, and is the third and final Harvest. The dark winter half of the year commences on this Sabbat. It is generally celebrated on October 31st, but some traditions prefer November 1st. It is one of the two ”spirit-nights” each year, the other being Beltane. It is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted.

Communicating with ancestors and departed loved ones is easy at this time, for they journey through this world on their way to the Summerlands. It is a time to study the Dark Mysteries and honor the Dark Mother and the Dark Father, symbolized by the Crone and her aged Consort. Originally the ”Feast of the Dead” was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food offerings on altars and doorsteps for the ”wandering dead”. Today a lot of practitioners still carry out that tradition.

Single candles were lit and left in a window to help guide the spirits of ancestors and loved ones home. Extra chairs were set to the table and around the hearth for the unseen guest. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who were lost or had no descendants to provide for them. Turnips were hollowed out and carved to look like protective spirits, for this was a night of magic and chaos. The Wee Folk became very active, pulling pranks on unsuspecting humans.

Traveling after dark was was not advised. People dressed in white (like ghosts), wore disguises made of straw, or dressed as the opposite gender in order to fool the Nature spirits. This was the time that the cattle and other livestock were slaughtered for eating in the ensuing winter months. Any crops still in the field on Samhain were considered taboo, and left as offerings to the Nature spirits. Bonfires were built, (originally called bone-fires, for after feasting, the bones were thrown in the fire as offerings for healthy and plentiful livestock in the New Year) and stones were marked with peoples names. Then they were thrown into the fire, to be retrieved in the morning. The condition of the retrieved stone foretold of that person’s fortune in the coming year. Hearth fires were also lit from the village bonfire to ensure unity, and the ashes were spread over the harvested fields to protect and bless the land.

Various other names for this Greater Sabbat are Third Harvest, Samana, Day of the Dead, Old Hallowmas (Scottish/Celtic), Vigil of Saman, Shadowfest (Strega), and Samhuinn. Also known as All Hallow’s Eve, (that day actually falls on November 7th), and Martinmas (that is celebrated November 11th), Samhain is now generally considered the Witch’s New Year.

Why do we celebrate Hallows Eve

Hallowe’en – which literally means ‘holy evening’, dates back to the pagan times and is thought to originate with the Celtic pagan festival of Samhain. Samhain was a celebration of the end of the harvest season, meaning ‘summer’s end’.

Gaels in this period are thought to have believed this time of year was also when the walls between the worlds were thin and porous and enabled spirits to pass through. Gaels feared the return of spirits through this thin wall between the worlds because they thought they might damage their crops for the next season.

As a result, to appease any spirits that would creep through, they would set up places at their dinner tables and offer the spirits food and drink. Bonfires would also be lit to scare off evil spirits.

Why do we go trick or treating?
Rear view of three children wearing halloween costumes trick or treating. Credit: Cultura/Getty
Rear view of three children wearing halloween costumes (Picture:Getty)
Trick or treating started in Ireland, Scotland and Wales and involved people dressing up in costumes and knocking on doors asking for food. The groups would offer up poems and songs in exchange for the food.

This trick or treat tradition evolved into children exchanging prayers for the dead in exchange for ‘soul cakes’ in the 11th century in a tradition called ‘souling’. These soul cakes were sweet with a cross on the top and they were intended to represent a spirit being freed from purgatory when eaten.

By the 19th century, this had evolved into a tradition where children would sing songs, tells jokes and read poems instead of prayers for pieces of fruit and money. Later, the children would play threatening pranks on people to get them to hand over sweets.

The name ‘trick or treat’ was first used in America in 1929 after immigrants took traditions surrounding the day overseas.

Why do we carve pumpkins?

This goes back to the Samhain festival when people would decorate their homes to ward off bad spirits. They used to carve turnips and over time this evolved into carving pumpkins. This is believed to be because when Irish immigrants were in America they could only find pumpkins to carve. The pumpkin carving tradition took off properly in the 1920s.

The term ‘Jack O’Lantern’ is believed to have come from the folk story of Stingy Jack who tricked the devil into buying him a drink. Because of this, when he died he wasn’t allowed into heaven or hell but instead was trapped by the devil instead a burning ember, which was kept inside a turnip.

Symbolism of Samhain:

Third Harvest, the Dark Mysteries, Rebirth through Death.

Symbols of Samhain:

Gourds, Apples, Black Cats, Jack-O-Lanterns, Besoms.

Herbs of Samhain:

Mugwort, Allspice, Broom, Catnip, Deadly Nightshade, Mandrake, Oak leaves, Sage and Straw.

Foods of Samhain:

Turnips, Apples, Gourds, Nuts, Mulled Wines, Beef, Pork, Poultry.

Incense of Samhain:

Heliotrope, Mint, Nutmeg.

Colors of Samhain:

Black, Orange, White, Silver, Gold.

Stones of Samhain:

All Black Stones, preferably jet or obsidian.

Samhain and the Return of the Dead

As we begin to approach Samhain, and the astronomical cross-quarter, I though I’d begin to post some traditions associated with this time of the year.
One particular Samhain and Halloween custom which people ask to know about is known as the dumb supper or dead supper.
This practice is one where an extra place is set out at the table for ancestral spirits to join the meal.

While there are claims that the supper originated with the Celtic peoples, and even in the Ozarks, the concept of leaving food for the spirit ancestors and the dead is far more ancient and potentially it is something we have been doing as long as we have wondered about the afterlife itself.
For example, hazelnuts have been found buried at many of our ancient megalithic sites, which archaeologists believe were left there as offerings to the dead or to accompany the spirits to the Otherworld.

There are quite a few variations but the main thrust of the custom goes like this.
On an evening over the Samhain celebrations the family will set out an extra place, as well as an empty chair, which is usually placed at the head of the table.
For many, it is inconvenient to do this on Halloween night but as astronomical Samhain will not take place until the 7th of November here in Ireland there is a full ‘ritual week’ to try this yourself.
Of course, for many, the entire month of November/ Samhain is considered liminal in itself.

It goes without saying that the origins of this tradition are difficult to ascertain.
I don’t know of an Irish custom which encompasses *all* of the ceremony and ritual of how dead/ dumb suppers are conducted today.
In Irish folklore similar practices seem to have been simple as opposed to ceremonial and elaborate; an acknowledgment that the dead would visit their old homes with perhaps salt, water, bread or a symbolic share of the crops being left out for them.
There are sources that document other versions in Ireland, though, such as Robert O Driscoll’s ‘The Celtic Consciousness’, Anne Ross’s ‘Material Culture, Myth and Folk Memory’ and Kevin Danaher’s ‘Irish Folk Tradition and the Celtic Calendar.’

For some, the supper should take place at midnight but for others it is a meal taken at dusk, which is a threshold time itself.
In certain traditions, all of the setting up and actions are performed backwards.
So, knife and fork positions would be reversed, for example. I have heard a few different theories about why this is done. The one I feel is the strongest is that the backwards actions are symbolising the return from the spirit world into the material world but others may disagree with me on that.
This custom of reversal seems to have originated in America as far as I can tell, but if anyone can point to an old Irish source which includes it I would love to hear about it.

The reason the meal is called the dumb supper is because the occasion is supposed to be completely silent throughout. I know of others who feel that it should be a celebratory experience and feel that conversation, stories and songs are what the spirit ancestors would prefer. My own thinking, (which is probably hard to prove), is that the solemn and intense rituals could have been for very specific and magical reasons, and the more popular and casual sittings may have been a way to keep the memories of passed family and friends alive.

An aspect of the supper which tends to disturb people slightly is that disguises and masks can be worn so as the identities of those present is a secret.
Coupled with the silence you can see why this would make for an eerie atmosphere.
The reason for the masks varies depending on your source, but a good explanation is that the hidden face allows the spirits of the departed to take part in the meal without being recognised.

There is an old story about this which tells of two friends who arranged to hold a supper. The first friend set the table and waited for her guest to arrive. There was a knock at the door which she answered and a masked and robed figure stood on the step. The friend silently beckoned her in and they ate their meal without speaking after which the robed figure left the room.
There was then another knock at the door and when the friend opened it she saw her companion all flustered and who apologised for being late!
The person then realised that she had been entertaining a spirit all along.

The supper can be a time to deliberately contact a particular ancestor and to do this they will leave some of the deceased persons favourite objects on the table in order to entice them to arrive.
There are also other magical rules which many people follow such as no artificial light, all crockery being black, and the place where the meal is held being meaningful to the deceased person you are inviting to attend.
When the meal is over, the crockery used for the spirit guest can be buried under a hawthorn tree in some accounts. In others it is burned or left out as an offering.
A similar connected tradition is to clean and sweep the area around the fireside and set out a chair over Samhain. This has parallels with some of the Day of the Dead customs in Mexico.
Because Samhain, or the cross-quarter period, was a place in the year which was considered liminal or ‘thin’ this allowed spirits and ancestors to crossover into our world much more easily.

So, while this tradition might initially seem spooky, and perhaps disturbing to some, there is something invaluable and healing about remembering those we have lost and deliberately inviting their presence into our lives and family occasions again.
Spiritually, it may be ritualised in order to specifically commemorate and grieve a loss, but psychologically it is a way to cross that bridge between memory and the present moment.
It is a way to reaffirm how someone has impacted our lives and to show that we have not forgotten them.

Samhain Spells, Blessings, and POWERFUL Forms of Divination

Every year, when Samhain rolls around, my urge to create, craft, and communicate with the spirits becomes almost too much to bear. So what do I do? I give in to the urge, of course! I cast Samhain spells for purification and prosperity. Also offering Samhain blessings to my witchy family members and friends. And I engage in Samhain divination that allows me to easily communicate with my ancestors, gods, and elementals. Come with me, and you’ll be prepared to make your own POTENT magick this Samhain too.

First, What is Samhain?
Samhain, pronounced Sow-en, is an ancient Celtic harvest festival that occurs annually beginning the night of October 31st through November 1st. The name of this holiday, Samhain, actually means “Summer’s End” and was also once considered the new year to the ancient Celts. It was a time when the last crops were harvested and Winter preparations began. In addition, they believed spirits of the dead and the fairy folk wandered the earth on this night. The “veil” between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, making visitations from the spirit world commonplace.

Today, modern pagans celebrate Samhain by honoring their ancestors, feasting with other pagans, friends and family members, lighting bonfires, and more. Since Halloween is the modern holiday with its roots in Samhain, many pagans will also throw Halloween parties, go trick-or-treating, and engage in Halloween activities. They may even cast Samhain spells and divine for messages from the gods and ancestors. If you’d like to learn more about the history and traditions of Samhain, please review our guide section.

Samhain was considered the end of Summer in older Celtic times. Which also meant it was the end of the old year and new one was starting. Our Celtic ancestors believed performing ritual and casting Samhain spells for purification and prosperity was appropriate for this time of year. It was tradition to symbolically purify their cattle by walking them between two great bonfires on Samhain Eve.

People would also walk between the fires, or (more dangerously), jump over a smaller bonfire. The fire was believed to purge the soul and the physical body of negative spirits and bad luck. So that everyone and every animal was purified and healthy for a new year. You don’t have to jump a fire (and please don’t hurt yourself), so here’s our Samhain spell instead:

Bonfire Release Spell for Purification
This is a simple Samhain spell that utilizes the traditional sabbat bonfire. If you have a firepit or fireplace, this spell for purification is a powerful symbol to the universe. You tell the universe and the gods that you are finished with a toxic habit or person in your life, and release it in the flames.

Here’s what you’ll need for this Samhain Spell:
Paper
Pen
Source of fire (bonfire, fireplace, candleflame)

Gather your materials and sit by the fire. Take a few minutes to just listen to the fire crackling. Gaze into the flames and connect with this powerful element. Next begin to think about what habit or person you are releasing this Samhain. Think about why you’re purifying your life from this thing or person. Then write the habit or person down on the piece of paper. Fold it away from you 3 times. Hold it in your hands and allow all of the negative thoughts and energies inside of you to “drain” out of you and into the paper. Then throw it in the fire and say, “after this Samhain, never again. Never again. I release _________ from my life by the power of the Samhain fire. So mote it be.”

A PUMPKIN Spell for Prosperity
One of my favorite Samhain spells for prosperity utilizes an inherent symbol of the season – a pumpkin. And a little paint. Go to the pumpkin patch (or local store) and select a pumpkin. Or let the pumpkin choose you. Bring it home and paint prosperity symbols on it – money signs, runes for prosperity (Fehu, for example), or harvest glyphs (whatever means prosperity to you). Then place by your front door to invite prosperous vibes into your home this Samhain season.

DRESS for the Job: A Costume Spell to Increase Your Personal Power
You’ve heard people say dress for the job you want, not the job you have? This Samhain spell is FUN and no one will even know you’re casting a spell. In this spell, you’ll be wearing your magick. The first step is to decide on your intention. For example, let’s say I want to increase my witchy abilities and personal power. Then I put together a costume in which exudes witchy power and ability: i.e. a witch, sorceress, fairy queen, goddess, etc. Another example, if you’d like to draw prosperity or fertility to you, dress as an earth goddess or the Green Man/Woman.

Yes, you can buy a costume for this spell but I feel the more effort you put into creating it yourself, the better the outcome of the spell. For example, I might go to the thrift store and find a black dress. I bring it home and alter it just a bit by cutting the sleeves into strips at the end. Then I find a witch’s hat at my local craft store and add cobwebs, feathers and charms. Add accessories like my own personal amulets, ripped fishnets, and my favorite pair of black boots. The entire time I’m piecing my costume together, I’m visualizing or saying out loud my intentions. Then when I wear my costume on Samhain, I’m telling the gods who I aspire to be in the coming year.

Samhain Blessings for Your Friends and Family
For me, one of the best things about Samhain is being with my family and honoring my ancestors in the process. But, unfortunately, not all of my family lives near me. Some are hundreds of miles away. So, in these cases, I always try to send them a card or a note saying that I miss them and giving them Samhain blessings. Feel free to use my Samhain poems provided here as your own:

“Carve the pumpkin, light the candles, invite the ancestors in. May you be blessed with love and peace this Samhain.”

“Summer has come to an end. The ancestors knock on the door, May they bring Prosperity and Health to you and yours ever more.”

“May the old year die away peacefully. May your new year bring peace and prosperity. Samhain is the end and also an open door. To a loving, serene life anew, now and forever more.”

“It’s nearly Samhain and the ancestors have pierced the veil. Listen to the hounds bark and beware the banshee’s wail. May All Hallows’ Eve bring blessings to your door. And may you stay in the ancestors’ favor ‘ere more.“

Samhain Divination: Speaking to the Ancestors
Traditionally, witches have divined on Samhain for centuries. Samhain is the night when the dead return to visit the living. Communicating with our ancestors, ghosts, and even the elementals becomes easier than ever because the “veil” between this world and theirs is at its thinnest. My one big reminder if you decide to divine on Samhain: don’t forget to cleanse your space AND shield yourself. Otherwise, some of the spirits you speak to may not want to leave and could wreak havoc on Samhain.

Mirror Scrying
Mirror scrying is a practice that’s as old as time. Scrying on Samhain isn’t a new concept either. We literally have Victorian Halloween greeting cards showing young women scrying their future in the mirror. I doubt the Victorian era came up with the idea. When the first human peered into a pond and realized he could see his reflection staring back at him, witches realized they could use the water to divine messages from the spirit world. Obsidian mirrors were some of the first mirrors, so if you have an obsidian mirror or even just a black scrying mirror, that is perfect for this Samhain ritual.

Here’s what you’ll need: a mirror, a dark, quiet room, a bell and a few candles. A warning though: sometimes the mirror shows us things that might be unexpected. Sometimes if we stare at ourselves long enough in the mirror, our image may morph and take on an entirely different persona. Be aware that sometimes mirrors lie. Sometimes mirrors are even haunted and are a portal to another realm. My advice is to cleanse the mirror beforehand and ward with an amulet or a drawn symbol over the mirror before scrying.

Once you have everything prepared and you’re ready to scry on Samhain, it’s best to turn the lights low and light a few candles. Have a bell nearby, as well. Start by gazing softly at your reflection in the mirror. Then allow your gaze to shift towards the candlelight reflecting in the mirror. At this point, if you have a specific person, spirit or intention you’re scrying for, speak it or visualize it. Your answer will come. You may see it in the mirror physically or you may see it in your mind’s eye. Be sure to thank the spirits present and release them when you’re done. Ring the bell as a sign every spirit must leave and cleanse your space.

Who’s Your Future Husband? Apple Peel Initials
Another old school form of Samhain divination involves an apple, a pairing knife, and your desire to find out who your next partner or lover will be. Young girls in the Victorian era would play this as a Halloween parlor game, but it is essentially an old form of divination dating back centuries. The apple in and of itself is a powerful fruit connected to the spirit world. And it’s no wonder it’s also a symbol of the Samhain season.

To divine your future partner’s identity, take your pairing knife and gently, slowly peel the skin off your apple. Try to make the peel stay as one whole piece, if possible. Then toss the peel over your shoulder. The peel will curl up or lay in the shape of a letter. This letter is the initial of your next partner or lover’s name. You may already even know them.

Samhain Divination Tradition: Colcannon with Charms
Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made and served on Samhain. To sum it up, it’s mashed potatoes with cabbage and sometimes leeks or bacon mixed in. With a hefty serving of butter. As a Samhain form of divination, some Irish families add charms to the Colcannon. These charms, when found by the person eating the dish, foretell that person’s future. A thimble means the person will be single in old age, a ring means a future wedding is near, and a coin means a prosperous year. You can add any charms you’d like, but just warn the people eating the colcannon so they A. don’t chip a tooth if they bite down and B. don’t choke on a coin! 

Samhain Explained

Samhain is probably the best known – and misunderstood – pagan holiday. Irish Gaelic for “Summer’s End” Samhain (pronounced Soo-Ween) is an ancient Pagan celebration marking the end of the harvest season and the start of the long, dark winter months.

For practicing witches, Samhain is the most holy of sabbats, marking the beginning of the Wheel of the Year. Long associated with death and ghosts, Samhain is thought to be a time when the veil between the seen and unseen world is the thinnest. The Latin American celebration of the Day of the Dead is borne out of this belief.

Modern Samhain Celebrations are a great time to set new intentions and goals for yourself. It is also a time to celebrate loved ones who have passed on.

SAMHAIN SYMBOLS
Colors: Black, brown, yellow, purle, gold, silver, red

Foods: Apples, pumpkins, roasted game birds, cider, dark wine, pears, root vegetables

Stones: Smoky quartz, amber, obsidian, pyrite, onyx, carnelian, turquoise

Symbols: bat, cat, blackbird, cauldron

Flowers: Calendula, sunflowers, wild gingseng, wormwood

Deities: Ishtar, Horned God, Orsis, Loki, Persephone, Cerrunnos, Dionysus

WAYS TO CELEBRATE SAMHAIN
Many traditional Halloween activities have roots in the ancient pagan celebration of Samhain. Jack-o-lanterns served as a beacon for departed spirits and those carved with scary faces were thought to keep evil spirits at bay. Halloween costumes were used as a sort of magick trick – if you dress up as who you want to be, it was more likely to come true.

If you want to take time to honor loved ones who have died, you can set up an altar with decorations and photos and other mementos. Samhain is a great time to gather with friends and family. You can throw a traditional costume party or host a bonfire.

DECORATE FOR SAMHAIN
You can skip the plastic Halloween decorations and instead use the vestiges of late Autumn to decorate your home for Samhain. including:

acorns

dried leaves

pine cones,

gourds and

dried flowers

POPULAR SAMHAIN FOODS
Popular Samhain foods include traditional autumn fare such as pumpkin pie, apples, cider, roasted meats, root vegetables, pears cinnamon and dark wine. To keep a Samhain party easy, make it a potluck and ask your guests to bring a favorite dish.

Samhain marks the beginning of the Wheel of the Year for Pagan traditions. It’s ancient roots helped shape modern autumn celebrations including Halloween. Pagan or not pagan, Samhain provides an opportunity to connect with family and friends, remember loved ones and look forward to a new season in life.

The Spiritual Meaning of Fall

The air is beginning to get crisp and the leaves are making their final brilliant warm-toned offerings before falling to become one with the Earth. As we also make our way through Libra season (September 23 – October 22), many of us may be feeling the melancholy that comes in the moments just before something or someone flies away. It can be a time of grief and mourning, a time to make peace with past versions of ourselves that we are outgrowing, and while traditionally associated with the harvest, autumn can be both spiritually potent and challenging as we resist or embrace change.

The fiery summer energy is winding down for the northern half of the Earth, beckoning us to honor both the idea and the reality of the harvest as part of this phase of the natural cycle of life. In many indigenous cultures, the year’s four focal points—the Winter and Summer Solstices and the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes—were believed to mirror the individual’s internal spiritual cycles or journeys. If we are attuned to how nature’s rhythms align symbiotically with our own, this consciousness may help us see how the phases of growth, harvest, death, and rebirth manifest in our own lives more clearly.

Shifting our ritual practices to those that honor what we have, celebrate our prosperity, and express our sincere gratitude in a ceremonial way can help bring more balance and harmony to the fertile soil of our personal growth cycles during the early days of autumn. This shift can feel destabilizing for some of us, especially if we’ve been caught up in the desire to hang on to late summer pleasures like rest and play, perhaps trying to push the arrival of the darker season back a little longer in our hearts and minds.

Whether we’re ready or not, things are slipping away as we enter the fall season. The light of the Sun and her warmth on our skin, the pauses from obligations as we basked in summer adventures, and the long-stretching days are now coming to a close. This might be just the right moment for us to invite more balance into our lives to ground and prepare ourselves for how cooler days could try to tip our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual balance in more ways than one. What’s one thing you could adapt or adjust in your daily routine to welcome a new equilibrium into your life with curiosity and intention?

Autumn Rituals + Harvest Ceremonies

For as long as humans have existed, they have ritualized birth, death, and rebirth through ceremonies and ritual gatherings, evoking magick through spells, potions, and other witchcraft practices. Autumn is a particularly vibrant season for people around the world to share in traditions that incorporate both spiritual and ancestral beliefs. Here are some rituals that highlight how people around the world shower this season in their gratitude and light with feasting, music, family, love, and other sacred offerings.

Mid-Autumn Festival (Throughout Asia + The Asian Diasporas)

Known by many names—Zhong Qiu Jie, Mooncake Festival, Chuseok, and others—the Mid-Autumn Festival is marked by the gathering of families and loved ones to share stories and to hold ancestral rituals. Also celebrated as the Moon Festival, many Chinese cultures view the full moon as symbolic of reunion, which is one of the reasons their families gather to share mooncakes and enjoy a reunion dinner together. To spark some kitchen magick, try Chinese Mung Bean Mooncakes with pumpkin filling, a high protein, vegan, and magickal dessert for the Moon rabbit and Moon goddess.

Diwali (India + The Asian/South Asian Diasporas)

Between October and November each year, South Asians take part in a festival of lights that has traditionally been associated by many celebrants with the goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi. The celebration is marked by wearing new clothes, exchanging gifts, eating special foods, adorning the home with colorful sand, lamps, candles, and other bright decorations, the exchanging of gifts, and lanterns symbolizing light’s triumph over darkness adorning all of the streets of the subcontinent and beyond.

Festival of the Yams (Ghana)

In the Volta Region of Ghana, Asogli Te Za (the Festival of Yams) takes place on the last day of September annually. Celebrating a good yam harvest is synonymous with giving thanks to the ancestors and the gods for a prosperous harvest and year. This festival involves music and dancing, local crafts and feasting. The cultural celebration is also said to honor farmers, their families, and unity among all peoples.

Mehregan (Iran)

Dating back to pre-Islamic times, Mehregan (also known as Jashn-e Mehr) is an ancient Persian festival during which families and friends gather to welcome in autumn. The ancient Persian goddess Mitra is honored by many celebrants, while others prefer to focus on the light, love, and kindness that radiates throughout their communities. At the start of lunchtime, household members will stand in front of a mirror, sing devotional songs, and pray. Following the meal, loved ones and invited guests exchange presents, embrace, and throw fistfuls of wild marjoram, sugar plum seeds, and lotus in merriment. Other traditions include drinking Sharbat and rubbing antimony around the eyes as a good omen.

Mabon (Scotland, Cornwall, + Wales)

With Celtic origins, Mabon is believed by some to have gotten its name from Mabon ap Modron, the Celtic god of fertility. Others say it comes from the Welsh God, son of the Earth Mother Goddess. This pagan holiday is one of the eight Wiccan sabbats of the year, celebrating the autumnal equinox and the mid-harvest festival (or second harvest). Apple picking in a ritual of gratitude is a common pagan tradition, as well as rituals to restore harmony and balance, altars that feature symbols of the season, and feasting.

Autumnal Equinox/Harvest Celebrations (North America)

Indigenous peoples throughout North America observe many different tribal celebrations during the autumnal equinox depending on their unique traditions. In Arizona, native tribes—including the Hopi and Navajo Indians—celebrate the equinox with vision quests during this time of year. Honoring the transition from lightness to darkness, many Indigenous Americans also hold full moon ceremonies, lasting up to several days and concluding with a blue corn pancake feast

Simple Nature Witchcraft for Fall Rituals

While many people fear and reject the idea of witchcraft as something that falls beyond societal norms, our ancestors often relied on magickal ways of thinking and performing rituals for coming together, marking important occasions, and in times of despair. If words like witch, warlock, and magick don’t resonate with you, you can always think of “magick making” as “fixing energy” or adjusting darkness by pouring light into someone or something. These four ritual practices can be done with few tools and on a shoestring budget, making them an accessible entry point for conjuring magick and personal growth.

The Sun
heals – charges – warms

Ritual Practice: A Solar Ritual to Connect
Moving into this new season, consider how you can harness the energy of sunrise and sunset. The early dawn is prime time for attracting or calling in wealth, fertility, and new beginnings. Sunset can be an ideal moment for purging, binding, or uncovering a hidden truth. Using freshly harvested solar herbs, you can also create a wand for protection and manifestation. Using a red or yellow cord, seal and wrap your fresh herbs somewhat tightly with the cord. As you wrap, powerfully speak (or visualize) your intentions. Every circle is a devotional knot to the intention you hold in your mind.

The Moon
connects – manifests – unlocks intuition

Ritual Practice: Making Herbal Amulets
The words amulet and talisman are often used interchangeably. An amulet is a container that can be filled with herbs, stones, or other meaningful items to promote or enhance magick. A talisman is more of a pendant, disk, or solid item where images are imprinted onto or carved into it. Amulets, as sacred objects, can help bring about positive changes in your life. Perhaps one of the oldest forms of magick, they can be found in all pagan rituals, as well as many modern practices. Full moons are especially excellent times to activate and create amulets.

The Ocean
cleanses – refreshes – opens energy centers

Ritual Practice: Waters of the World
In the 1980s, a new ritual for connectedness was created by Carolyn McDade and Lucile Schuck for a unique worship service for women’s spirituality. They called it “Coming Home Like Rivers to the Sea”, and gathered eight women in a semicircle around a large earthenware bowl. These women, all from different regions, were asked to bring water from where they called home and pour it into the bowl. As they described its significance, they released their water and joined it with the others to create a harmonious blend of the old, the new, and something uniquely collective and ephemeral. Read more here to get more inspiration and to learn how to recreate your own water-inspired ritual with friends and loved ones.

The Forest
grounds – balances – stabilizes

Ritual Practice: Grounding in Nature
Fall is a truly magickal season for (re)connecting with our Earth Mother. Nature’s healing powers are scientifically proven, but anyone attuned to energetic shifts will note the transformational powers of earthing, grounding, walking barefoot outside, moving meditations, or forest bathing. Witchy wellness tip: as you walk, stand, or sit in the forest (or other nature near you), visualize the Earth pulling out of you any negative energy and anything no longer serving you. Infuse your being with new, refreshed energy and express gratitude for the oxygen the plants are offering you, then reflect on what you’ve experienced.

Herbs for Fall Magick Making

Autumn magick offers us the opportunity to tap into our inner witches and warlocks. For newbies to magick, this introductory list provides some plants, potions, and spirit tools that may help you conjure spells and manifestations that will clear out negative energies and prepare you for a season of rebirth.

Here are 7 herbs for fall magick making that anyone can try:

1. For Kitchen Witches – Also known as the Green Witch, a kitchen witch follows an ancient path paved by herbalists, naturalists, spiritual ecologists, medicine women and men, curandero/as, and healers of all types looking to explore a spiritual conversation with nature. In the fall, you can try concocting magick within your sacred kitchen with Allspice, which has traditionally been used to call in money, prosperity, good luck, and abundance.

2. For Communing With Spirit Guides – Sacred smoke blends are made with herbs and flowers that offer different benefits and spiritual correspondences. Some herbs relax the body and mind, helping to deepen our connection to the spirit realm and open the third eye.

3. For Altars – There are countless herbs for love and fertility, broken hearts and trauma, protection, blessings, purification, and divination. Cinnamon is an incredibly versatile spice beyond the kitchen. In magick practices, it can be burned for purifying purposes, bundled to a tarot deck or other divination tool to charge it, or placed on an altar, among many other uses.

4. For Better Sex – One protection that is often overlooked when considering sex magick is the cleansing, protective magick of a good smudge. Palo Santo, the mystical tree that grows near the coast of South America and translates to “Holy Wood” or “Tree of Life”, has traditionally been used to clear bad energy and spirits that stagnate within spaces.

5. For Honoring Your Blood – Moringa is energy boosting and soothing, a high vitamin C mineralizer, and has the ability to purify water. As a detoxifier and blood cleanser, moringa is essential for keeping the witch within healthy and strong throughout this and other natural cycles.

6. For Mystical Seekers – Pau D’Arco is believed to increase spiritual awareness and psychic abilities, among many other mystical properties. Throughout time, many shamans have used it to support astral projection and to aid in spiritual journeys by accessing deeper levels of consciousness. Because it is also said to ward off negative energies and ill-willed spirits, it has also been used to protect against hexes, curses, and other bad spells, while it is also a magnet for good fortune and amplifying luck! All across South America, countless tribes have also employed it for diverse medicinal purposes, strength, and vigor for hundreds of years.

7. For the Lungs – In Traditional Chinese Medicine, autumn is a season associated with dryness, contracting, and going inward. As such, it corresponds to the lungs and the large intestine. It is believed that we are more vulnerable to respiratory “evils” during the fall, so a blend like the Breathe Tea can help support physical and energetic lung health. As the source processing for our grief and trauma, both tender and common in this season, giving extra attention to our respiratory system is wise. Whether stemming from environmental or energetic origins, the lungs are susceptible to toxic intake. Breathwork is a critical component of much magick, so “clearing the air” is one way for us to purify and protect our sacred vessels that channel divine life force.

This season, as shown by many distinct autumn rituals that persist in today’s modern world, is all about the balance of light and darkness. Yes, the Sun may start to offer us fewer daylight hours, but we can create our own warmth and illumination through sacred rituals and other conscious practices. Let’s make time for introspection, intention and appreciation for what is, so we’re ready for what’s to come!

Samhain. Ritual:

Solstices are the extreme points as Earth’s axis tilts toward or away from the sun—when days and nights are longest or shortest. On equinoxes, days and nights are equal in all parts of the world. Four cross-quarter days roughly mark the midpoints in between solstices and equinoxes.

We commemorate these natural turning points in the Earth’s cycle. Seasonal celebrations of most cultures cluster around these same natural turning point

Organizing our lives around the seasons and cycles and honouring the Holy Days is not a luxury extra, it is a radical necessity. The Earth urgently needs all of humanity to slow down and come back into intimate affiliation and rhythm with her.

The global climate crisis cannot be solved by external fixes, three day working weeks, artificial intelligence or new technologies. Solutions need to be led by the Earth on her own terms.

The holy days are our soul’s watering holes where we ritually recalibrate ourselves, express our full palette of colours, our innate wholeness, delight and reverence through self-styled ceremonies and celebrations.

They infuse our energy with joy and sublime gratitude, make our chosen actions more potent. They are how we open the weave, bring in all the tender ways of the sacred, give unbroken ancestral connection back to ourselves.

Ritual Setup:

Items for this ritual include: Two white candles and four black candles; Four small sprigs of bittersweet; One branch of bittersweet; Strands of black, white and red yarn cut to twelve-inch lengths placed in a basket on the altar; Pomegranate seeds in a bowl; A piece of candy.

Background
Samhain is a time of transition as the earth prepares for winter’s rest and we prepare for our journey through the dark of the year. Samhain is a time to reflect and remember ancestors, loved ones, including pets, who no longer walk this earth. It is important to remember them and speak their names.

Samhain is a time of transition when we begin our journey through the dark of the year. Just as Persephone descended to the Underworld to guide the spirits of the departed, so we descend into ourselves to find the path our spirits needs to follow. This year has waxed with the fullness of life and now wanes into shadow. Our souls take rest in the dark as the wheel of the seasons makes its final turn.

Cord Magic
Following are instructions for working with the cord during the ritual. Take three strands of yarn??”one of each color. Very slowly, twine them together. You can braid them or simply knot them together. Tie at least three knots. If you want to use more knots, do so in multiples of three. Work your love into the yarn. When you have finished, hold the yarn between your palms and send your energy to your loved ones. They will feel your warmth.

The Ritual
Holding the branch of bittersweet, walk widdershins (counterclockwise) around your circle, saying:
Tonight I cast my circle with bittersweet for tonight is bitter sweet with thoughts of those I love who have passed to Tir-na-nog. This is the time of Hecate, Cerridwen??”the Dark Mother who stands alone. This is the time to contemplate the cycle of life, death and rebirth for tonight the veil between the worlds is thin. The circle is cast. Hallowed is this space decreed.

Place the branch of bittersweet on the altar.

Place a sprig of bittersweet at the edge of your circle before calling each direction. Light a black candle after speaking.

I look to the North, place of silent caverns. Spirits of Earth, you nourish me in life and wrap your welcoming body around me in death. Gather here in the name of Inanna; in the name of Tammuz. Be with me this night.

I set my gaze to the East, source of breath. Spirits of Air, you are with me at the beginning and depart with me when I leave this realm. Be with me in the name of Astarte; in the name of Dumuzi. Be with me this night.

I call to the South, source of transforming flame. Spirits of Fire, your brilliant spark guides me through the cycles of life. Come in the name of Hestia, in the name of Horus. Be with me this night.

I turn to the West, place of deep wells and underground springs. Spirits of Water, you carry me through the ebbs and flows of life on your never-ending tides. Join me in the name of Isis; in the name of Osiris. Be with me this night.

Light one of the white candles after saying:
Dark Mother, you come to me alone this night in mourning for your son; in mourning for your consort. The God has departed to the Underworld and the Wheel of the Year follows him into darkness. Crone of the Ages, I call on you, be with me this night.

Light the other white candle, and say:
I take time to honor those I love, those who have gone before. In remembrance I speak their names.

Say the names of those you want to remember, then continue:
Hecate, Cerridwen, guide the spirits of those named here this night.

Take time to honor those you have named and to celebrate their lives. Hold in your mind the memories of those whose names you spoke. Think of how they have touched your life. Feel their presence with you in this hallowed circle.

Cord Magic
As you work with the cord/yarn chant:
Mother of Darkness, these names I share,
Of those I love now in your care.
Guide them gently with love so sweet,
Blessed be until we meet.

When you finish chanting, place the yarn on your altar. Set the piece of candy with it. This will carry the intention to sweeten your loved one’s journey into their next life.

Take the bowl of pomegranate seeds from the altar. Lift it and say:
This year has waxed with the fullness of life and now wanes into shadow. My soul will take rest in the dark as the wheel of the seasons makes its final turn.

Squeeze the pomegranate seeds, and with a finger place a drop of the juice on your lips, then say:
May my spirit find its path.

Take time to contemplate the dark months ahead and how it can be a time of renewal for you. Use your usual method of grounding.

Dark Mother, Ancient and Enduring One, guide me, watch over me and my loved ones both here and departed. I stand at this gateway with you and thank you for your gifts of restoration and renewal. Blessed be.
Extinguish both white candles. In turn, extinguish the black candles.

Water of Life, you sustain me before birth and nourish me as I grow. Spirits of Water, thank you for your presence this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. Blessed be.

Fire of Renewal, like a brilliant sun you warm me and remain forever a guiding light. Spirits of Fire, thank you for your presence this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. Blessed be.

Breath of Life, you carry me through my life as a constant companion to the rhythm of my heart. Spirits of Air, thank you for your presence this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. Blessed be.

Mother Earth, at my journey’s end may I return to rest in your loving cradle. Spirits of Earth, thank you for your presence this night. Stay if you will; go if you must. Blessed be.

If I fear death I cannot fully live, and if I fear life I will not find solace in death. Every beginning has and ending and every ending has a beginning. The cycles of my life continue in faith and unity with the love of the Goddess.

The Jack-o’-lantern

The Jack-o’-lantern is carried by a drunkard named Jack. Jack sold his soul to the devil, so that the devil would pay his pub tab. When the devil returned from the pub to collect Jack’s soul, the man tricked him into climbing a tree, then drew a cross under the tree, trapping the furious devil in its branches. Later, when Jack died and was rejected at heaven’s gates, he had to beg the devil for a place in hell. The devil was delighted at his chance to get revenge. He cursed Jack to wander the earth, with only a small frame for light. Jack put this flame in a carved turnip and used it as a lantern.

The Ignisfatus, or exhalation termed “Will-with-a-Whisp,” or “Jack-with-a-Lanthorn,” which is sometimes seen in churchyards, or marshy and fenny places in summer and autumn, was considered by many old inhabitants in this neighborhood, when the author was in his infancy, to be a kind of device of the evil spirit to draw human beings from the road they were pursuing into some frightful abyss of misery; and there leave them without any hope of regaining the enjoyment of happiness in the land of the living.

Stories of the origins of the jack o’ lantern are many and varied. Here are some of the ones I found:

A Stupid Devil
A popular legend giving the origin of the jack-o’-lantern in Wales deals with the idea of a stupid devil. A long time ago there lived on the hills of Arfon an old man of the name of Sion Dafydd, who used to converse much with one of the children of the bottomless pit.

One morning Sion was on his way to Llanfair-Fechan, carrying a flail on his shoulder, for he had corn there, when whom should he meet but his old friend from the pit, with a bag on his back, and in it two little devils like himself. After conversing for some time they began to quarrel, and presently were in the midst of a terrible fight. Sion fell to basting the devils with his flail, until the bag containing the two little ones went all to pieces, and the two tumbling out, fled for their lives to Rhiwgyfylchi, which village is considered to this day a very wicked place from this fact.

Sion then went his way rejoicing, and did not for a long time encounter his adversary. Eventually, however, they met, and this time Sion had his gun on his shoulder.

“What’s that long thing you’re carrying?” inquired the devil.

“That’s my pipe,” said Sion.

Then the devil asked, “Shall I have a whiff out of it?”

“You shall,” was Sion’s reply, and he placed the mouth of his gun in the devil’s throat and drew the trigger. Well; that was the loudest report from a gun that was ever heard on this earth.

“Ach! – tw! – tw!” exclaimed the smoker, “your pipe is very foul,” and he disappeared in a flame.

After a lapse of time, Sion met him again in the guise of a gentleman, but the Welshman knew it was the tempter. This time he made a bargain for which he was ever afterwards sorry, i.e., he sold himself to the devil for a sum down, but with the understanding that whenever he could cling to something the devil should not then control him.

One day when Sion was busily gardening, the evil one snatched him away into the air without warning, and Sion was about giving up all hopes of again returning to earth, when he thought to himself, “I’ll ask the devil one last favor.”

The stupid devil listened.

“All I want is an apple,” said Sion, “to moisten my lips a bit down below; let me go to the top of my apple tree, and I’ll pick one.”

“Is that all?” quoth the devil, and consented.

Of course Sion laid hold of the apple tree, and hung on. The devil had to leave him there. But the old reprobate was too wicked for heaven, and the devil having failed to take him to the other place, he was turned into a fairy, and is now the jack-o’- lantern.

The Welsh Story of Lantern Jack
This is one of the apparitions of the night, and one of the most mischievous and tricky of the ghostly family. What form or color he has we know not, as no one has ever clearly seen him; his lantern has been seen, and he has been heard splitting his sides with laughter at his own tricks, and the perplexity of those whom he might have led astray; and people say that his laugh was not unlike the loud sudden neighing of a horse.

His light was seen on dark nights like a lighted lantern on the sheep-paths on the hillsides. If he happened to be far off, no one was deceived, as his ungainly movements betrayed him as “Lantern Jack in search of his sheep,” and as the saying goes:

An ignis fatuus
Deceives not many of us.

The time when he generally succeeded with his mischief was when he found someone all alone travelling a path on open fields. He would begin by appearing as a small speck of fire, of a clear blue flame, which he moved before the wayfarer along the middle of the path until his attention had been secured; then the flame would gradually grow until its brightness would completely blind him, after which the traveler was entirely at Jack’s mercy, and he would lead him where he pleased.

Stories are related of men who have been led miles out of their way in this manner, especially young men going to see their sweethearts on dark winter nights.

The Spirits of Unrighteous Men
Jack o’ lanterns are the spirits of unrighteous men, which by a false glimmer seek to mislead the traveler, and to decoy him into bogs and moors. The best safeguard against them, when they appear, is to turn one’s cap inside out.

When any one sees a Jack o’ lantern, let him take care not to point at him, for he will come if pointed at. It is also said that if any one calls him, he will come and light him who called; but then let him be very cautious.

Near Skovby on the isle of Falster there are many Jack o’ lanterns. The peasants say they are the souls of land-measurers who in their lifetime had perpetrated injustice in their measurements, and therefore run up Skovby bakke at midnight, which they measure with red hot iron rods, crying, “Here is the clear and right boundary! from here to there!”

Another Jack o’ Lantern Story
There is, however, another story as to the origin of the jack o’ lantern. The haunting spirit is that of a blacksmith, who could get no admittance even into hell. He was very cold, and begged for a single ember to warm himself, and at last one was given him, and he has gone shivering about with it ever since.

Jack o’ Lanterns Baptized
Jack o’ Lanterns are, as tradition tells us, the souls of unbaptized children. Because these souls cannot enter heaven, they take their abode in forests, and in dark and desert places, where they mourn over their hard lot. If at night they get sight of any person, they run up to him, and then hasten on before him, to show him the way to some water, that he may baptize them therewith. And that no one should neglect to do, because the poor beings must remain without the gates of paradise until some one takes pity on them.

Jack-o’-Lantern Spell

One of my favorite childhood memories is carving a jack-o’- lantern and setting it outside for the whole neighborhood to see. A jack-o’- lantern’s warm glow can imbue magical feelings and deter negativity—they hide magic in plain sight.

This spell requires a pumpkin, a sharp serrated blade, a spoon, a bowl, a tealight candle, and a lighter.

Cut a circle on the top of the pumpkin. Remove the seeds with a spoon, place them in a bowl, and dispose of them outside if possible to give a treat to wildlife. Carve a face in the pumpkin that feels magical and alert. When you’re done, light the tealight and place it inside the pumpkin. Tap the knife against the pumpkin three times to awaken its spirit. Say:

Jack-o’-lantern, I call you forth to
create a magical community! May all who see you feel pure magic! Protect us against those who mean harm.
So Mote it be

Place the jack-o’-lantern outside somewhere safe facing the street. Replace nightly with a fresh tealight to recharge the magic.

10 Ways to Use Pumpkins in Witchcraft

Long before Cinderella’s fairy godmother sent her bewitched pumpkin carriage careening towards a royal party under a reckless magic spell, this mythical fruit vined its way into the legend of witchcraft.

Here are a few ideas to bring this classic spell ingredient into your magical practice.

10 Ways to Use Pumpkins in Witchcraft

* Dry roast the seeds and toss them in a mojo bag for prosperity. The fertile abundance of seeds inside a pumpkin perfect for success mojo bags.

* Use your jack-o-lantern to chase away negative energy. Did you know jack-o-lanterns were originally carved to chase away demons? In the spirit of this tradition, burn a charcoal disk with protection herbs like rosemary to turn away negative energy at the doorstop.

* Bury your kid’s spent pumpkin in the garden to “fertilize” a wishing spell. Never know what to do with your kid’s jack-o-lantern once Halloween is over? The pumpkin’s magical lore makes it “ripe” for wishing magic. Have your child write a goal for the springtime on a piece of (natural) paper, and bury it in the garden to bless his/her endeavors. Kids move so quickly from one phase to the next, seeing their “wish” come up in the spring will remind them of how far they walked since the beginning of the school year!

* Boil your cauldron. If your kitchen-witchy, make a batch of crock pot pumpkin soup
Be sure to include plenty of “heart-warming” magical spices like chili powder or cumin. Stir it clockwise four times and bless it for strong ties between family and friends. Then serve it to everyone!

* Leave it as an offering to the woodland spirits. Samhain is a time to honor those who came before you. Once you’re finished with your pumpkin, take it to woods and leave it as an offering to your ancestors. It also makes great deer food!

* Use it in a group Samhain ritual. Hollow out and carve a large pumpkin with symbols sacred to your tradition. Light a candle inside, go around the circle and talk about your year together as a group or coven. Discuss any remaining tensions, write them down and then agree to let them go with the start of the new Wheel of the Year. Place a candle inside the pumpkin lantern, and one by one, burn the paper. Watch it go up in smoke and let go.

* Save the stems. The stem dries out and cures pretty quickly. Leave it with your magical cabinet to boost wishing spells or prosperity spells during the next Wheel of the Year.

* Draw out your inner beauty. Mix 1/4 cup pumpkin puree with a splash of apple cider vinegar and an egg. Use it as a mask to bring out the “enchanting” side of your inner beauty.

* Place a pumpkin near your creative work space for inspiration and brainstorming. Pumpkins connote fanciful thinking and fairy tales. Use this energy in your work space to break out of box thinking and reach deeper.

* Make a bird feeder to connect with the spirit of fire and air. Invite winter-friendly birds near your home by making a bird feeder out a your pumpkin. When you notice a bird near it, say a blessing and send him off with to carry a wish or prayer skyward 

Honouring The Graveyard

One of the easiest ways to feel the thinning of the veil and honor the dead is to visit a local graveyard. (Only visit a cemetery during posted visiting hours!) Walking the grounds and collecting trash and litter that you might find among the headstones is a great way to show respect and care for the resting place of those who have passed on. You could also leave fresh flowers as offerings on forgotten or neglected graves. These are great ways to gain some powerful spiritual allies.

In the early 1900s, many people used to have picnics at local cemeteries (something that’s still seen among those who celebrate the Mexican Day of the Dead), and this is a practice worth reviving. Find a nice grassy spot at the cemetery and prepare a plate for the dead as an offering. You can also close your eyes and extend your senses outward to find out if any of the dead have partaken of your offering or have something to share with you. 

A Halloween Caricature

Each year they parade her about, the traditional Halloween witch. Misshapen green face, stringy scraps of hair, a toothless mouth beneath her disfigured nose. Gnarled knobby fingers twisted into a claw protracting form. A bent and twisted torso that lurches about on wobbly legs.

Most think this is abject image to be the creation of a prejudiced mind or merely a Halloween caricature. I disagree, I believe this to be how witches were really seen.

Consider that most witches were women, were abducted in the night and smuggled into dungeons or prisons under secrecy of darkness and presented by the light of day as a confessed witch.

Few, if any saw a frightened normal looking woman being dragged into a secret room filled with instruments of torture, to be questioned until she confessed to anything that was suggested to her, and to give names or say whatever would stop the questions.

Crowds saw the aberration denounced to the world as a self-proclaimed witch. As the witch was paraded through the town, enroute to be burned, hanged, drowned, stoned, or disposed of in various, horrible ways, all created to free and save her soul from her depraved body.

The jeering crowds viewed the result of hours of torture. The face, bruised and broken by countless blows, bore a hue of sickly green. The once warm and loving smile gone, replaced by a grimace of broken teeth, and torn gums that leer beneath a battered disfigured nose.

The dishevelled hair conceals bleeding gaps of torn scalp from whence cruel hands had torn away the lovely tresses. Broken, twisted hands clutched the wagon for support. Fractured fingers locked like cropping claws to steady her broken body.
All semblance of humanity gone. This was truly a demon, a bride of Satan, a witch.

I revere this Halloween Witch and hold her sacred. I honour her courage and listen to her warnings of the dark side of humanity.

Each year I shed tears of respect.

Remember the forgotten this Samhain

Many people in the Pagan community take the opportunity to hold rituals honoring the dead.

This may take the form of setting up an altar to honor the ancestors, or to hold a vigil for those who have crossed over in the past year.

In general, we’re pretty good about remembering those who have touched us, whether they were family or our loved ones .

However, there’s one group that is typically overlooked at this time of year.

It’s the people who passed through the veil with no one to mourn them, no one to remember their names, no loved ones left behind to sing their names with honor.

Think of the people out there, not just in your community, but around the country who are buried with no headstone, because there was no one to pay for a headstone.

Consider the old woman in a nursing home or care center, who died with no children or nieces and nephews to bid her farewell in the final moments.

What about the homeless veteran who used to panhandle on your city’s streets, who one day just stopped showing up at the corner, and is now buried in an unmarked plot with dozens of others just like him?

How about the children who are lost, for whatever reasons, in our world, and die alone, whether by violence or neglect or illness?

What about those who were once remembered, but now their gravestones lie untended and ignored?

These are the people that this ritual honors.

These are the ones whose spirits we honor, even when we do not know their names.

This ritual can be performed by a solitary practitioner or a group.

Keep in mind that while you can perform this rite as a stand-alone ritual, it also works well being incorporated in at the end of your other Samhain rituals.

You will need a collection of candles in colors and sizes of your choice – each will represent a group of forgotten people.

If there’s someone specific you know of, who died alone, choose a candle to represent that person as well.

Use a candle for men, for women, and another for children, but you can group people in any way that works for you.

If your tradition requires you to cast a circle, do so now.

Even if your tradition doesn’t require it, it’s a good idea to have designated sacred space of some sort for this ritual, because you’re going to be inviting the dead to stand outside and watch you.

You can do a simple delineation of the circle with string, birdseed, salt, or other markers.

Another alternative is to simply create sacred space around the participants.
Or, you can do a full-on circle casting.

Decorate your altar as you normally would for Samhain, and include the collection of unlit candles in a prominent position.

Safety tip: put the smaller ones at the front, and the taller ones behind them, so there’s less chance of you setting your own sleeve on fire as you light them.

Remember there’s a lot of activity crossing back and forth over the veil, so it’s a good idea to take a moment to meditate and get grounded before you begin.

When you’re ready to start, say:

Now is the season of Samhain.
It is the season of our ancestors, of our glorious dead, of those who have fallen and crossed over the veil from this world to the next.
This is a time for us to honor them and pay tribute.
Tonight, in the darkness, under this starry sky, we remember those who were forgotten. Tonight we memorialize you, the unknown, the unloved, the unwanted of our world.
Whoever you may have been in life, tonight, now, in death, you are ours as you watch from the other side, at least for a little while.

Light the first candle, representing the group of your choice.
Again, for purposes of this ritual, we’ll assign this candle to the women:

Women who were lost to us, how did you pass? Were you old and alone, crossing over with no one but your own ghosts to keep you company?
Were you young and healthy, taken from us unexpectedly, your crossing as much a surprise to you as to anyone else?
Does your body lie in a cold office somewhere, waiting to be claimed? Or do you lie under the stars tonight, in a field or a forest where you’ll never be seen?
Forgotten women, your spirits are with us tonight, watching us from outside the circle. We remember you and want you to know you are honored.
You are remembered.

Light the second candle, for the second group you are honoring:

Men who were lost to us, how did you pass? Did you die in a strange place, far from your family and friends, lost to everyone but your own demons?
Were you in the prime of your life, or creeping along against the ravages of old age, watching as disease and neglect took their toll on you? Are you buried in an unmarked plot in a potter’s field somewhere, or do you lie under these glorious stars tonight?
Forgotten men, your spirits are with us tonight, watching us from outside the circle.
We remember you and want you to know you are honored.
You are remembered.

Light the next candle, for additional groups you may be honoring:

Sweet children, crossed over from this world to the next.
Your lives were far too short, for whatever reason, and you left us before you grew.

On the other side, perhaps there is a mother to hold you when you need to feel loved, a father to comfort you when you are afraid, a big brother or sister to guide you on your journey. Wherever you may lie, and whether you were big or very, very small, your spirits are with us tonight, watching us from outside the circle. We remember you and want you to know you are honored.
You are remembered.

All of you, women, men, children… you may have crossed over unnoticed when you left this world, but for now, you are remembered.

You are unforgotten.

You are honored by us this night of Samhain, and if it helps you along your journey, then so may it be.

Know that this night, you are with us in memory and spirit.

Know that you are no longer the lost and unreachable dead.

Take a moment to meditate on what you have just said.

See if you can feel the presence of the lost ones as you stand at your altar.

You may notice a distinct shift in the energy you’re feeling, and that’s normal.

It’s also why this next part of the ritual is very important: you’ve invited them to watch you, and now you need to send them on their way!

Spirits, guests from the place beyond, it is time. We have honored you and celebrated your names, though we may not have known you in life.

Now is the time for you to move on.

Go back to the places from which you came, to the places to which you belong as one of our beloved dead.

Go back, knowing that this night, you were honored and remembered.

Go back across the veil, and remain in that world.

You will not be forgotten again, and we will honour you with our memories.

Farewell, rest easy, and may the coming parts of your journey be worthy of you.

Take a few minutes to get yourself centered.

End the ritual in whichever way you normally do, breaking down the sacred space.

Snub out the candles, and offer a quick final blessing of farewell to each group as the smoke drifts away into the night.

Cleanse and clear yourself and the area as you normally would for your own path .

Witches Brew Recipe For The Witches New Year

Upon the coming of Samhain, the Witches New Year, it is tradition to craft a magickal witches brew, essentially a hot mulled wine made with red wine or apple cider, visionary herbs, spices of Samhain and flowers to increase our psychic awareness. As we invite our ancestors to pass through the veil into the world of the living from the spirit world, use as a gracious offering by placing a separate chalice of the beverage on the altar during Samhain ritual. The wine is perfect used as a sacred libation (to be poured upon the earth) to honor ancestral spirits.

The wine is traditionally brewed with:

Allspice – Clove – Orange Peel – Anise Stars – Cinnamon Sticks – Red Wine or Apple Cider – Vodka, Rum or Brandy – Fresh Oranges & Orange Peel – Fresh Apples – Pomegranate Juice

Herbs and flowers that are optional include adding very small amounts of Elderberry, Mugwort, Lavender and/or Calendula flowers. Elderberry and Mugwort should be used in very very small amounts. Mugwort (Artemisia Vulgaris) is a very powerful visionary herb and should be used with extreme caution when taken internally. Also, Mugwort should never be taken when pregnant.

Fresh fruits are always traditionally added to the brew. Apples are sacred to witches and have been used in spells and rituals since ancient times. As we invite our ancestors to pass thru the veil, apples serve as a food offering for nourishment aiding our ancestral spirits safe travel as they pass through the veil between the worldly realms.

Prepare fresh apple slices and orange slices which can be shaped into stars/pentacles or crescent moons. Twist orange peels into spirals and incorporate as garnish.

Directions:

In a large pot on the stove:

1 quart Burgundy, Port Wine, or red wine of your liking, or 1 quart Apple Cider, Cranberry or fruit juice

1 Witches Brew Muslin Bag with 1/2 ounce of Samhain Witches Brew including cinnamon stick(s). If you are adding other ingredients, place those herbs in a muslin bag or strain after brewing. The Samhain Brew is essentially a blend of the herbs, spices & flowers listed above. Check your herb cabinet!

1/8 cup of sugar/brown sugar or to taste

Place muslin bag of Witches Brew into wine/cider and heat to just below boiling point. Reduce heat, cover pot and simmer on low for thirty minutes to one hour

Add 1 ounce (or more to taste) of Vodka, Rum or Brandy. You can also opt to add an ounce or two of Pomegranate juice, a symbolic offering traditional at Samhain

Simmer until the desired taste is reached

Garnish with apple slices, orange slices, orange spirals, anise and cinnamon sticks

As we prepare our sacred altars on this most important night of the year, Samhain, brew up a pot of Witches Brew with White Magick Alchemy’s Witches Brew, blended especially for Samhain.

Use Witches Brew to add the essence of Samhain to your sacred space too! To use as an aromatic home brew, fill a cauldron or simmering pot with about 2 cups of water. Add the contents of the Witches Brew bag into the water and simmer on low heat. If simmering for a longer period of time, make sure to add more water to the mix

Pagan Prayers for the Samhain Sabbat

Looking for prayers to celebrate the Pagan sabbat of Samhain? Try some of these, which honor the ancestors and celebrate the end of the harvest and the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Feel free to adapt them as needed, to fit the specifics of your own tradition and belief system.

A Prayer For the Final Harvest

This prayer honors the end of the harvest, and the dying of the earth, at the Samhain season. Take a few moments to honor the agricultural cycle, and the importance that the earth’s bounty has in our day to day lives.

Harvest Prayer

Corn has been shucked,
grain has been threshed,
herbs have been hung to dry.
Grapes have been pressed,
potatoes have been dug,
beans have been shelled and canned.
It is the harvest season,
and food is ready for winter.
We will eat, and we will live,
and we will be grateful.

Kids’ Samhain Prayer

Looking for a simple and fun prayer your kids can say at Samhain? This quick prayer thanks the ancestors, and affirms that Samhain isn’t really a night to be fearful at all. Try this easy, rhyming children’s prayer for Samhain.

Kids’ Samhain Prayer

Samhain is here, cold is the earth,
as we celebrate the cycle of death and rebirth.
Tonight we speak to those through the veil,
the lines between worlds are thin and frail.

Ghosts and spirits in the night,
magical beings rising in flight,
owls hooting up in a moonlit tree,
I don’t fear you and you don’t fear me.

As the sun goes down, far to the west,
my ancestors watch over me as I rest.
They keep me safe and without fear,
on the night of Samhain, the Witches’ New Year.

Ancestor Prayer for Samhain

Many people choose to use Samhain as a time of honoring their bloodline. Use this prayer to celebrate your ancestry at Samhain. You can incorporate it into a meditation or ritual, or simply offer it up as thanks to those who came before you.

Samhain Ancestor Prayer

This is the night when the gateway between
our world and the spirit world is thinnest.
Tonight is a night to call out those who came before.
Tonight I honor my ancestors.
Spirits of my fathers and mothers, I call to you,
and welcome you to join me for this night.
You watch over me always,
protecting and guiding me,
and tonight I thank you.
Your blood runs in my veins,
your spirit is in my heart,
your memories are in my soul.

[If you wish, you may want to recite your genealogy here. This can include both your blood family, and your spiritual one.]

With the gift of remembrance.
I remember all of you.
You are dead but never forgotten,
and you live on within me,
and within those who are yet to come.

Samhain Prayer to the Gods of the Underworld

At Samhain, the earth is growing cold and dark. It is a time of death, of endings and beginnings. This prayer honors some of the deities associated with death and the underworld.

Prayer to the Gods of the Underworld

The harvest has ended, and the fields are bare.
The earth has grown cold, and the land is empty.
The gods of the death are lingering over us,
keeping a watchful eye upon the living.
They wait, patiently, for eternity is theirs.

Hail to you, Anubis! O jackal headed one,
guardian of the realm of the dead.
When my time comes, I hope
you may deem me worthy.

Hail to you, Demeter! O mother of darkness,
May your grief be abated
when your daughter returns once more.

Hail to you, Hecate! O keeper of the gate,
between this world and the underworld.
I ask that when I cross over,
you may guide me with wisdom.

Hail to you, Freya! O mistress of Folkvangr,
guardian of those who fall in battle.
Keep the souls of my ancestors with you.

Hail to you, O gods and goddesses,
those of you who guard the underworld
and guide the dead on their final journey.
At this time of cold and dark,
I honor you, and ask that you watch over me,
and protect me when the day arrives
that I take my final journey.

Samhain Ritual for the Beginner Witch

Samhain, the final harvest festival of the year, marks the Witches New Year. The veil between worlds is at its thinnest, making this a good time to contact passed loved ones and do some divination. Samhain is often celebrated by honoring ancestors and loved ones who have passed. It is common to light a candle and place it in a West facing window to guide the souls of loved ones back home and to set places at the table for passed loved ones for the Samhain feast, also known as a Dumb Supper.
The tradition of pumpkin carving began with carving sigils and protective symbols into pumpkins, or turnips if pumpkins were unavailable in the region, to ward off any evil spirits that may have been lurking in the shadows. It was also thought that by dressing up in costume and building a bonfire, one could scare away evil spirits. During Samhain, it was customary to hand out treats in exchange for prayers and blessings for loved ones who had passed.

Listed below are some correspondences for Samhain that you can use to decorate your altar.

Colors: Black, Orange, Red, Purple

Incense/Plants: Sandalwood, Sweetgrass, Wormwood, Patchouli, Mugwort, Sage, Myrrh

Elements: Water, Earth

Symbols/Decorations: Apples, autumn flowers, acorns, bat, black cat, bones, corn stalks, colored leaves (particularly oak), crows, crystal ball, ghosts, gourds, jack-o-lantern/pumpkins, nuts, pomegranates, scarecrows, scythes.
You can also place pictures of loved ones who have passed on your altar as this is a time to honor and remember them.

Samhain Ritual
There are a plethora of different ways to celebrate Samhain. Below is just one example of a ritual that you could perform to celebrate. Feel free to edit this ritual to better suit your needs.

Cleanse area of negative energies
Cast your Circle
Call the Quarters
Invite the God and Goddess (or Deity(ies) of your choosing)
Take as long as you want to remember the loved ones you have lost. Think of the good times you had together and how much you love them. If you are in a group, take turns sharing your stories and memories.
You can write a blessing for your loved ones. Here is one that I wrote for my loved ones who had recently passed.(Loved One’s Name), my dear friend,
Your time on this Earthly plane has come to an end.
Although I miss you and being with you is my greatest wish,
I know I must let you go; I mustn’t be selfish.
May you find peace in the Summerlands.
May all troubles be out of your hands.
May you always be safe, healthy and happy,
And know that you will always be with me.
Forever will you be in my heart,
Never will our souls truly part.
I love you, my dearest friend.
I cannot wait til we meet again.

Cakes and Ale
Thank the God and Goddess (Or Deity(ies) of your choosing)
Thank the Quarters
Release the Circle
Ground
You can finish off the night with a Dumb Supper. Set places at the table for all loved ones, here and gone. Many people will make their loved ones’ favorite dishes for their feast, so they can enjoy them once again on this special night.
I hope you enjoy this ritual. Have a blessed Samhain! 

Ancestor Altar: How to Create Sacred Space for Your Ancestors

If you’re beginning to develop a relationship with your ancestors, setting up an ancestor altar is essential. It gives you a place to connect on a regular basis. It serves as a reminder that your ancestors are present. Learn how to set up your ancestor altar here with our step-by-step process. And how to maintain it.

How To Set Up Your Ancestor Altar: Step by Step
Don’t worry about what altars look like online. Don’t even worry about what altars look like in your mind. When you first set up your ancestor altar, focus on the energy you put into it. Yours will be unique from the rest…because it is yours. And your ancestors will be happy to have a physical place to visit.

1. Decide on a Surface
First, decide where to put your altar. I highly recommend that it’s not in your bedroom. But maybe in your living, dining room or kitchen. Ancestors don’t want to see what you do in your private time. Next, choose a surface of a table, buffet, shelf, counter, etc. that will be used solely for the purpose of honoring your ancestors. This means nothing else will be set on top of it. No phones, remotes, computers, TVs, appliances, etc. A wall shelf, empty book shelf, or small accent table is great.

2. Gather Your Tools and Supplies For Your Ancestor Altar
Next, decide what you want on your ancestor altar. A few basic recommendations: a photo(s) of your ancestors, heirlooms, a cup and bowl for offerings, incense and incense burner, candles and candle holders, and seasonal decorations (optional). If you don’t have photos of your ancestors, things that represent them and link you to their energy work great. Heirlooms are helpful for this. What if you don’t have any heirlooms either? A map of their homeland, photos of historical markers, etc. all work well in place of personal photos.

3. Cleansing
Once you’ve decided on a surface and gathered your supplies, it’s time to cleanse. There are different methods of cleansing your altar, including smoke-cleansing, asperging, or simply wiping the surface and tools with a cloth. If you choose to wipe them down, use a little lemon juice mixed into water. As you cleanse, visualize white light from above illuminating the altar surface and each item.

4. Set Up
Next, it’s time to set your ancestor altar up. The set-up is entirely up to you. In certain traditions and religions like Wicca, there may be a set pattern to follow; however, if you’re solitary and doing this on your own – set it up how you like! I prefer to keep my ancestors at the forefront and make their photos the central focus, then I build around that. I also like to add seasonal decor: eggs and bunnies for Spring, flowers for Summer, sunflowers and pumpkins for Fall, and Christmas decor for Winter. Don’t forget – invite your ancestors to this space!

5. Provide Offerings
The first time you set up your ancestor altar, provide offerings and invite your ancestors to this sacred space. Offerings include: a fresh cup of water, flowers, incense, candle flame, drinks like wine and coffee, fruit, and food in general. Over time, your ancestors will begin to tell you what offerings they prefer and what they don’t. Trust me, you’ll hear their voices soon.

Ancestor Altar
You have your ancestor altar set up, but now what? Use your altar as a physical, tangible place where you speak to your ancestors. Speak out loud or in your mind, it doesn’t matter. Also provide regular offerings. Some people give daily offerings. I provide weekly offerings. While others might only give once every other week. Other offerings to ancestors include handmade items, poetry, song, artwork, and just about anything you’re moved to offer them.

Let your altar be a place that inspires you. When you feel sad, ill, or in need, stand at your ancestor altar and call on your ancestors. Knock three times and call out their names (if you know the names). Light a candle and tell them it’s in their honor.

Don’t forget to cleanse your ancestor altar every once in awhile. I prefer to clean and cleanse mine once a month – usually on the New Moon. I take everything off, dust the altar and my supplies, then cleanse using smoke or blessed water/spray. After I set everything back on, I invite my ancestors presence back to the space.

Jack O’ Lantern


Oh, he be a beast of a little man. Why that stingy old Jack O’ Lantern. Forever he shall be a lost soul as he wanders the realms of no mans lands.
🍂Neither heaven nor hell will let him in. Why, even the faery folk they turned him away. O, he thought he could fool the devil and a fool he be to think so.
🍂O, here he be
There he be
Wandering free
O, here he be
There he be
Looking for thee
O, here he be
There he be
Trouble is he
O, here he be
There he be
Just wait and see🍂
O’er All Hallows Eve, they do say that wicked old Jack wanders the land, looking for trouble.
🍂Many, many a year ago in Ireland, upon All Hallows’Eve it was tradition to carve out ugly faces onto lumpy old turnips or potatoes and place them onto the window sills as the darkness did fall. Many believing that this would frighten off old Jack or any other mischievous spirits wandering around.
And, as the years have gone by the tradition has travelled near and far to other countries where pumpkins are used instead of turnips

PÊLEN TÂN

Once Halloween has passed, it will be a good time to gather supplies for the construction of the PÊLEN TÂN so that it is ready for the Winter Solstice.

“The old Welsh translation of the term PELEN TAN, is ‘fire globe’, which is a precise description of its construct. Literally, these were hand-blown spheres of deep blue (occasionally green) glass, varying in size from that of a human head, to a basketball. At their top was a round hole, just large enough to reach down into and light a candle positioned at the bottom. A knotted network of leather cord or rope then provided a means of suspending the orb from the hand, or more commonly, from the branches of trees.”
“In today’s high-tech world, Cobalt Light has again attained widespread use through the medium of black-light posters, and other psychedelic toys for entertainment. But to the Druids, this special blue light was a religious tool ~ a THRESHOLD DEVICE for thinning the barriers between this world, and the Otherworld. And to this end, the Pêlen Tân remains a powerful aid “
“They can be constructed in various creative ways, ranging from a large glass canning jar, to an actual round globe ~ perhaps a modification of a round glass Lighting Fixture as is commonly found in supply houses. Once you have located the clear base, it will be necessary to obtain BLUE GLASS STAIN from any good hobby shop. (Be certain that it is a rich, dark type of blue, and not a lighter, sky-blue shade). Paint it on THE OUTSIDE of your glass with a good quality brush to avoid streaking; several coats may be necessary. Next obtain an amount of thick twine, rope, leather, or even thin chain, and go about weaving a ‘hanging basket’ style support system around your PELEN TAN. When finished, it should be able to be carried with ease, and not in danger of ‘slipping out’ of the weave-work. Lastly, a Black Candle need be positioned inside.”
Douglas Monroe