Samhain Is What You Make Of It

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

There always seems to be so much more Witchcraft and Paganism than usual at Samhain. Some of that is because there’s often just more to do. For many of us there are just more rituals to partake in, and there’s something about Autumn and Halloween that just feels like Witchcraft. You might blame the thinning of the veil for this, or maybe it’s the chillier weather, or shorter days.

Just why so many of us love this season the most will vary from person to person of course, and it should, because there are very few (if any) absolutes in Witchcraft. One of my colleagues here recently pointed out that “Samhain was not a cutesy sabbat” and made light of love spells on the holiday. But love spells have actually been a part of Halloween celebrations for hundreds of years, and while this time of year has been associated with the dead for at least 1200 years, Samhain specifically as a day of the dead is a rather new association.

(My colleague, Cyndi Brennen, assures me she was not being as dismissive as I make her sound, and she’s right! As she says in the comments below “My concern was that I, along with others, were exploring the lighter sides of this day while ignoring the darker aspects” which is completely understandable. Sorry for my issue with reading comprehension Cyndi!)

What I’m here to tell you is that if you want your Samhain to be cutesy, by all means have it be cutesy. The Wheel of the Year is about what you need it to be, it’s not about preconceived ideas or the interpretations of others. Only we get to walk in our shoes, and we should do what most resonates with us. If someone has had several family members die in a given year, maybe they don’t want to participate in a deep and death focused Samhain. That’s fair right?

I know people who absolutely love Halloween, and their Samhain observances more closely resemble All Hallow’s than a Witch ritual, and that’s OK. At their core, sabbats are meant to be celebrations, and while many of us do “work” on them, that’s not required. I’m not harmed if people are more enamored with jack-o-lanterns than their ancestors on Samhain.

And in some ways this was actually me for a couple of years. Ari and I were coven-less and our “Samhain celebrations” mostly consisted of lighting a couple of candles for our beloved dead and then passing out candy to trick-or-treaters. These small things were all preceded by a Michigan’most kick-ass Halloween Party, and we were okay with that. I wouldn’t want to go back to that model, but it was my reality for a couple of years.

Most of us today associate Samhain with the dead, but it’s not a requirement. The idea that the “veil is thin” at Samhain was first articulated by the Scottish anthropologist Sir James Frazer (1854-1941) who wrote in his multi-volume work The Golden Bough that at Samhain “the souls of the departed hovering unseen” were thought to be at ancient celebrations. Frazer was probably on to something because the holiday certainly feels like that, but that’s not an association that was present at Samhain celebrations 2000 years ago (they were far more worried about the fair folk than visiting with dead ancestors).

I had a friend write once that “Witches work with the dead,” but do all Witches work with the dead? Certainly many do, but some of us are far more focused on deity, or magick, or building community in the here and and now. Witches work with all sorts of energies and entities, the dead and our ancestors are only a part of that tapestry, and it’s not something embraced by everyone. Don’t want to work with the dead or visit with Grandma (and I guess that could be dead or alive) at Samhain? Then don’t do it. It’s fine.

New Year’s and Samhain is another one of those associations that we’ve come to accept as some age old tenet, but like the dead specifically at Samhain it’s a rather new idea. The idea that Samhain is the Celtic New Year only dates back to the start of the Twentieth Century. The idea was first put forward by Welsh scholar Sir John Rhys (1840-1915), who interpreted many of the goings on in early November as related to the idea of new beginnings. In Celtic Folkore: Welsh & Manx he writes that “This is the day when the tenure of land terminates, and when servantmen (sic) go to their places. In other words, it’s the beginning of a new year.”

There are Witches that celebrate their new years at Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, and Beltane, and some who celebrate on January 1 (a date established by a Pagan by the way). If Samhain doesn’t resonate with you as the start of a new year you are free to discard it. There is no one “Witch’s New Year,” besides the Wheel of the Year is a wheel. There is no specific starting point, only ones we arbitrarily decide on for whatever reason.

We don’t exist to celebrate the sabbats in a certain way, the sabbats exist for us to celebrate them in whatever way we might like. This Samhain, feast, make love, hand out candy, work with your dead, have a party, toast the Witch’s New Year, celebrate the Autumn, or do absolutely none of those things. As Witches we are beholden only to ourselves and the deities and powers we honor in our lives.

Enjoy your Samhain no matter how you do or do not celebrate.

An Offering Plate for the Ancestors

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

At Samhain, we invite our ancestors to share our feast with us and, naturally, we want the table to look nice for them. Just as we put out the “good china” when we invite the living to reunion dinners, we like to make a special place at the altar and our feast tables even for those who are attending only in spirit. The simplest and least expensive way of making a special plate to hold the ancestors’ portion is, of course, with paper plates and crayons. One advantage is that little children can do this quite easily, and it’s artistically non threatening even for adults! It’s certainly possible to use drawn-upon colored plates at more than one ritual, too. Yet for those who want something that looks and feels a little more permanent, and perhaps even stores a little more of our own energy, following is another idea for a special offering plate to honor your ancestors and the other spirits with whom you share your Samhain.

Before you use this plate on your altar, you need to consecrate it, even if you made it in a Circle. It’s not that there’s anything “bad” or “profane” about the plate that needs to be gotten rid of or cleansed, it’s just that anything you’re going to use as a sacred tool should, out of respect, be properly prepared before you use it. (It’s kind of like the need to season an iron skillet or pot before you cook food in it.) Consecrations are usually performed as part of a Circle, and can certainly be done in a Circle cast especially for the occasion, rather than at a Sabbat or Esbat.

When the Circle’s been cast, the Quarters called, and the Goddess and God invoked, bring the offering plate from the altar to the center of the Circle. From there, introduce the object to each Quarter in turn. (If your altar is at the center, then move to each edge of the altar as you face each Direction.)

“Hail, East! By breeze and gale, I bid you recognize this plate, and know that it is sacred to me. Witness that I consecrate it now and dedicate it to the service of the Gods and the Ancestors.” “Hail, South! By spark and blaze, I bid you recognize this plate, and know that it is sacred to me. Witness that I consecrate it now and dedicate it to the service of the Gods and the Ancestors.” “Hail, West! By ripple and tide, I bid you recognize this plate, and know that it is sacred to me. Witness that I consecrate it now and dedicate it to the service of the Gods and the Ancestors.” “Hail, North! By mote and mountain, I bid you recognize this plate, and know that it is sacred to me. Witness that I consecrate it now and dedicate it to the service of the Gods and the Ancestors.”

Now set it on the floor or ground at the center of your Circle, and

say:

“Goddess of Earth, Great Mother, know this plate, and know that it is sacred to me. Witness that I consecrate it in Your name, and to Your service and the ancestors’.”

Hold it above your head and say,

“Horned One, Herne, You who die and are reborn, know this plate, and know that it is sacred to me. Witness that I consecrate it in Your name, and to Your service and the Ancestors’.”

Now return to the altar (or stand before it facing North or East, as you prefer) and sprinkle a bit of salt on the plate. Next, pass it through the incense smoke. Then either pass it through a candle flame or drip a bit of candle wax on it, whichever is most meaningful to you and least awkward at your altar. Then sprinkle the plate with water, and finally, with salt again. Set the plate in the center of your altar and say:

“Plate, you are a creature of Earth, and I charge you with all the Elements to be ever faithful to the Goddess, from whose body you are made. I create you for the Ancestors, and charge you to work no ill, and to bless the work you do with the blessings and intentions that make you holy.”

Now you can use the plate; in fact, you should. Consecrate Cakes and Ale in your usual way and use the plate to make an offering of a portion of the feast. This immediate use of the tool seals its purpose in its aura.

The Samhain Vow

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

In the old days and still for some, one of Winter’s vital tasks was to mend Summer’s tools—to mend the fishing nets, repair the hoe and shovel handles, and so on. Today, most of us don’t have that sort of work to do, but we all have inner work of equal importance to do. Perhaps there’s anger that needs healing so that a relationship can be restored. Perhaps there are prejudices that need education, so that we may do less harm in the worlds. Perhaps we need to confront some fears so that we can be more truly free, as the Goddess charges us to be. The Samhain vow commits us to reconditioning our attitudes and repairing the damage that anger, prejudice, and fear do to our souls, so that our own strength can wax with the turning year’s strength. In calling upon our “ancestors’ relief,” we’re agreeing to find some strength in all our inherited legacies. Many of us (most, I hope!) have been lucky in knowing at least one person—a teacher, a friend, a favorite relative—who deliberately helped us find our own strengths. Yes, sometimes confusion or frustration dominates our memory of a relationship, but as Wiccans we know that we can learn something from even the worst of them. The most abusive of family members have at least shown us the perils of the paths they chose. If someone betrayed you, they also made you aware of the need for compassion and empathy, and showed you the dangers of holding grudges or accepting judgments of worthlessness. Demand of your interpretation, of your own experience, that those before whom you were helpless inspire you to be encouraging—to yourself as well as to others. That’s the “relief” that all our ancestors—the kind or cruel, and those of spirit as well as of blood—can offer us, and it is within us all to accept it. This vow will be both more effective and less intimidating (though no less serious) if you take it before a burning Jack-o’-Lantern that you have carved yourself. If you like, toast the pumpkin seeds with a bit of brown sugar to treat yourself after you’ve sworn the vow. If you’re making the vow part of your Circle work, save the pumpkin seeds for Cakes and Ale. (To keep the rhyme tight, use the “sawwin” pronunciation of “Samhain.”)

The Samhain Vow

On the Wheel of the Year now does Winter begin;

the world is austere and we all turn within.

I vow there to face the shadows I find,

and work to unlace all their power to bind.

I vow to invoke my ancestors’ relief and release

in the smoke all my fear and my grief.

This task do I claim as I mark this Samhain,

and swear’t by the flame behind Jack’s cheery grin.

A Samhain Rite of Transformation Part 2

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

A solitary declares, or the coven’s Priestess and Priest share, the explanation of Samhain: This is the moment when the God’s grave becomes a womb, when He is no longer dead, but gestating. Now we no longer mourn His harvest death, but anticipate His rebirth at Yule. The Goddess still holds Him in the Earth that is Her body, and though Her body is chilled with Winter, the spark that is His life promises restoration to Her as well. It’s the transformation of death to life that we celebrate now, in many ways. If you’re a solitary, stand in the center of your space or Circle; a coven should form a circle now and stand facing outward. Each celebrant wraps his or her arms around their own shoulders, as if chilly. Close your eyes, and feel your separateness from everyone else. Draw your aura inward, and imagine that around and behind you there is nothing but empty space. Let yourself feel all alone. (This should take 1 or 2 minutes for a family or non-religious group; for a coven, whose members are used to meditation or visualization, it might take up to 3 minutes, but it shouldn’t take any longer than that.) After 1 to 3 minutes, the solitary practitioner, or the Priestess (or “group leader”) begins chanting or humming, “Hoof and Horn” or “Horned One” are good chants or tunes to use. Your voice(s) should start very softly and get slowly louder. When the chant or tune has been repeated three times, everyone should turn around and join hands. A solitary can turn (deosil—sunwise) in place, and extend his or her arms widely, as if welcoming friends. In doing so, everyone is transformed from a lonesome individual to a beloved member of a group. No longer limited to your personal resources, you now have the strength and creativity of your whole family or coven to draw upon. You’re no longer alone, even if you’re by yourself for this ritual; you’re snug in the “womb” of family and friends, awaiting rebirth with the God at Yule. A Witch alone declares this aloud; to a group, the Priestess or Priest explains it and encourages a group hug. Many covens end their rituals with a group hug following the “merry meet,” and there’s no reason not to do that when this Circle’s closed. The group hug at the earlier point in this ritual, though, complements the aloneness you experienced earlier, and reinforces the idea that you’ve been transformed—from “one” to “more than one,” from isolated to reconnected. Group hugs are difficult for solitaries, but a victory dance— whether as graceful as if you hear a waltz, as energetic as if rock music’s playing, or like the steps to a polka or square dance is up to you—is appropriate. If you have companion animals who have joined you in your rite, by all means include them in your hugging and/or dancing! The chanting or humming that began before you experienced this transformation can continue for several more repetitions now. (A coven or other big enough group may wish to segue into a circle or Spiral Dance, too.) When the hugging and dancing has wound down, consecrate Cakes and Ale, and when those have been shared—with the Gods, if not with other people (animals and children enjoy most Cakes, but should pass if the Ale is alcoholic)—conclude the Circle as you normally do. If you haven’t cast a formal Circle, remember or remind everyone that, wherever we are, whether we’re by ourselves or with our families, we always have the powers of Nature with us, in all seasons. Remember or remind everyone again about the windy breath of inspiration from the East, the warm flames of South’s “candles in the window,” the memory of all who love us in the West, and at the North, the strength of rest and reflection. (Little children may understand these blessings better in terms of the breath of a new morning, the warmth of cookies baking, the away-from-home memory of Mommy’s kisses, and the support of a favorite storytelling chair. You’ll know what modifications you need to make for the people with whom you share this ritual.) If you don’t have your own invocations, you might not have your own farewells, either. You can use these ways of saying farewell to the Goddess and God if you like. Again, groups will need to change the singular pronouns to plural. “Triple Goddess, You who are all and ever, I hail You! As Winter begins, I am warmed by the flames beneath your cauldron. Your magics have stirred my blood. I have been cleansed as Your tears of grief turned to tears of joy. I am stronger for the blessing of transformation that You have inspired. Triple Goddess, in whom we are all and ever, I thank You for your presence here. Hail and farewell!” “Horned One, You who die and are reborn, I hail You! As Winter begins, I am warmed by Your courage. Your faith has stirred my blood. I have been cleansed as Your blood turned to bounty. I am stronger for the blessing of transformation that You have shared with me. Horned One, You who show us how to die and be reborn, I thank You for Your presence here! Hail and farewell!” Again, for those who prefer rhyming invocations and farewells:

Triple Goddess, ever, all,

I bid You farewell from my hall.

My heart’s warmed; my soul is lifted.

The Wheel has turned; the season’s shifted.

Made strong by transformation, by light my faith increased, From this Circle I do bid You hail, farewell, and peace. Horned One, back to life recalled,

I bid You farewell from my hall.

My heart’s warmed; my soul is lifted.

The Wheel has turned; the season’s shifted.

Made strong by transformation, by light my faith increased, From this Circle I do bid You hail, farewell, and peace.

A Samhain Rite of Transformation

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

A theme that unites Samhain’s aspects—harvest, reunion, and New Year’s—is transformation. This theme is so strongly at the core of this holiday that it has survived even into the secular celebration: for most non-Pagans, dressing up in costume is what defines Halloween. This ritual highlights Samhain’s power of transformation. For this ritual, you need very little. If you are casting a formal Circle, put your altar at the edge of the Circle (at whichever Quarter you feel is appropriate: there are good reasons to place it at West, North, or East). If it’s possible, a grouping of candles in the center of the circle (on a small table so they can be moved later, if necessary) is very nice. Rather than Quarter candles, though, there should be very subtle marks on the floor, made with chalk, tape, or paper so that no one trips on them. Whether or not you conduct this as a formal religious ritual, the Directions should be invoked. (This is something a family or a non-Pagan group can do without over-emphasizing Wicca, should there be a need for discretion.) If you are working with young children, you may need to phrase things a bit differently—you’ll know how to convey these ideas without frightening anyone. From the East, call in the “crisp breath of inspiration,” so that everyone can feel the nip in the air as invigorating. From South, call in the “warmth of the hearth fire,” so that everyone can appreciate the coziness of a family gathering. From West, call in “memories and promises,” for it is good to appreciate our ancestors and their legacies. From the North, call in “the blanketing snows,” so that, as the harsher views of Winter are obscured, we can all take time to rest and reflect. A coven performing this ritual should cast the Circle, call the Quarters, and invoke the Goddess and God as they usually do, although the following invocations of deity may be substituted, with the singular pronouns a solitary would use changed to plural ones: “Triple Goddess, You who are all and ever, I hail You! As Winter begins, I am warmed by the flames beneath Your cauldron. Your magics stir in my veins. I am cleansed as Your tears of grief become tears of joy. I am stronger for the transformation that is Your blessing at this season. Triple Goddess, in whom we are all and ever, I invoke You! Hail and welcome!” “Horned One, You who die and are reborn, I hail You! As Winter begins, I am warmed by Your courage. Your faith stirs in my veins. I am cleansed as Your blood becomes bounty. I am stronger for the transformation that is Your blessing at this season. Horned One, You who show us how to die and be reborn, I invoke You! Hail and welcome!” Should you prefer them, here are rhyming alternatives:

Triple Goddess, ever, all I welcome You into my hall.

The flames beneath Your cauldron warm my heart as well, The magics that You’re stirring the turning Wheel bespells. The joy You spin from tears of grief,

Offers me the same relief;

They cleanse my soul and lift it from a wintry bier,

Made strong by transformation, I do invoke You here!

Horned One, back to life recalled,

I welcome You into my hall.

You have love and trust of dancing,

though the tune but faint remains.

Your blood now turns to bounty

and Your courage stirs my veins.

You befriend my soul and guide it

From a wintry bier,

Made strong by transformation,

I do invoke You here!

Hecate

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

For many Wiccans, Hecate is the goddess most associated with Samhain. (The pronunciation of her name varies. Some say Hehkah-tay, some say Heck-a-tay, and a very few say Heck-ate. Most of the Wiccans I know say Heck-a-tay.) She’s not a Celtic goddess at all; she’s Greek, and pre-Olympian, but the Romans knew her, and introduced the Celts to her when the Caesars’s empire extended through Western Europe and into Britain. In Her maiden aspect, She’s a Moon goddess, in Her mother aspect She’s a goddess of magic, and as a crone, She’s an Underworld goddess. (She’s not the only Greco-Roman goddess known in Wicca’s homeland, either— Diana, a very strong manifestation of Maiden energy, is also a favorite of modern Witches.) One reason Hecate’s associated with Samhain is that Her Crone aspect is well developed. She’s a goddess of crossroads, of choice and change and turnings. In Greece and Rome, She was the goddess to whom both the living and the dead turned for purification,and expiation—a graveyard goddess. Janet and Stewart Farrar, in A Witches Bible Compleat (Magickal Childe, 1984), say that “Hecate is the Dark Mother, in both the positive and the apparently negative sense. She can send demons to torment men’s dreams; she can drive them mad, if they are not well integrated enough to cope with her; but to those who dare to welcome her, she brings creative inspiration.” According to the Farrars, one of her symbols is the torch, “which illumines the unconscious and reveals its treasures.” (It was Hecate, not Satan, who Shakespeare’s wonderful trio of witches worshiped. She’s a Triple Goddess of past, present, and future, whose visionary and divinatory powers are quite appropriate to Samhain.)

Crossing the Vale.

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

A Vale in its simplest form is nothing more complicated than a doorway, on one side you have life and on the other you have death.

It is believed by many that this literal doorway to the world of the dead only becomes accessible when the Vale is at its thinnest during the time of Samhain also known as the Day of the Dead or All Hallows Eve.

During Samhain, people traditionally wear masks so they are not recognised by spirits that cross the Vale back over into the living world looking to take their vengeance upon the living.

The Vale cannot be seen nor entered until your spirit has left your body, only those who have experienced a NDE (Near Death Experience) have actually been inside the Vale and have returned.

Morning Glory Muffins

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

1 1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup raisins
4 large grated carrots (2 cups)
1 apple, shredded
8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together the sugars, flours, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Add the fruit, carrots, nuts, and stir to combine. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, oil, and vanilla. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to blend well. Spoon mixture into cupcake tins lined with muffin papers. Fill to brim of each cup. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Toothpick inserted into the middle of muffin will come out clean when muffins are done. Cool muffins in pan for 10 minutes then turn out on rack to cool. Yield is 16 muffins. Muffins improve even more after 24 hours. Freezes well.

Golden Herb Rolls

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 package quick-rising yeast
2 teaspoons dried savory leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed, crushed
1 cup canned pumpkin
4 eggs, divided
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 20 to 24 muffin cups. Combine milk, butter and water in small saucepan; heat until butter is melted. If necessary, cool to 120� F. to 130� F. Combine 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast, savory, salt, thyme and dill in large mixer bowl. Add milk mixture and pumpkin; beat for 2 minutes. Stir in 3 eggs and remaining flour. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place for 10 minutes or until doubled. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling 1/2 to 3/4 full. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place for 30 to 40 minutes or until doubled. Beat remaining egg and brush on top of rolls; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until rolls are golden and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans; serve warm or cool on wire rack.

Apple Spread

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/4 c. mayonnaise
dash of sugar
1 c. chopped apple with peel
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Mix together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with crackers or fresh vegetables.

Apple Muffins

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

2 cups self rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped dried apple*
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 muffin tins. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and add the egg, milk and oil. Stir the ingredients until they are just blended. Do not overmix. Spoon the batter into greased muffin pans, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

* Dried apples can usually be found in airtight pouches near the raisins in the supermarket

Apple Bread

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

1/2 c. margarine
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. sour milk or orange juice
1 c. chopped cooking apples (no need to peel)
1/3 c. chopped walnuts

In mixer, cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, soda and salt. Add to mixture and alternate with liquid. Add apples and walnuts. Turn into greased 9×5 loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour at 350.

Apple Sauce Loaf

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. applesauce
1/2 c. nuts

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Sift together dry ingredients and gradually add to mixture. Stir until well mixed and add applesauce and nuts. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Mix together 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tbsp. water and pour on cake while still warm.

Samhain Rites and Rituals for a Hedgewitch

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

As this is the time when the veils between the worlds are thin, the Hedge Druid’s Craft concerns working with the ancestors and the Fair Folk at this time of the year.

She can travel to the Lower world to contact her ancestral spirit guide or her fey spirit guide in order to glean information on the work that she should strive towards in the coming year.

As Samhain marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new, this is a perfect time to make “resolutions”, and dream them up
during the long winter months in the ways that you can make a change in your world for the better.

A rite for Samhain might be:

Take an apple and cut it in half through the middle of the fruit, not down the stem.

When you open the apple into two halves, you should see a five-pointed star in the middle.

The Celtic colours of red and white, the colours of the Otherworld, lie before you, and the energy of the earth, air, fire, water, and spirit.

At your liminal working place, you can make an offering of one half of the apple to those who you work within the Otherworld, and retain the other half for yourself to remind and connect you to the Otherworld.

If you can, plant one of the seeds to keep near you and nourish the tree of the Otherworld.

Apple trees have long had associations with the Otherworld, being the trees that grew on Avalon, the Isle of Apples.

Many myths and folklore contain stories of apples and enchantment, and so this is the perfect tool for walking between the worlds at this time of year when the last of the apples are being harvested.