To many Pagans, the end of the Year does not come on December 31'st.

    It arrives on the chill winds of autumn, floating to the cooling grass on the backs of a thousand leaves as they lose their hue, and gives it's warmth in the first Wood-Borne fire of the season. The Celtic New Year. Samhain.

   The Ancient Celts believed that on the night before the New Year the Veil between the Living and the Dead blurred; On the Eve of Samhain, the gates to the Underworld were unlocked and the dead were allowed to return to Earth for a single night. The spirits of all who had died in the past year awoke and entered the Underworld. Massive bonfires were lit to honor the Dying Sun and preparations began for a time of hardship and sacrifice, for winter was soon on it's way.

   For the Early Celts, while also known for causing mischief, the Otherworldly spirits present in the land also made it easier for the Celtic Druids, the spiritual Leaders of the time, to make prophecies for the onset of winter. For the Celts, these prophecies were an important source of direction and comfort for the hard winter that lay ahead. During the Celebration, many also wore animal hides and donned their heads while attempting to read each other’s fortunes. After the Celebrations ended, people lit their own hearths with torches lit in the Sacred Bonfires, bringing the Sun God's blessings into their own home to protect them through the winter. During the Eighth Century, the Catholic Church chose November 1'st as 'All Saints' Day', and it's mass became known as 'AllHallowMass'. The night before, October 31'st, naturally came to be known as All Hallows' Eve. Pagans of the time were already celebrating at this time of year, so it was an obvious choice to follow the Church's schedule. What many consider a time for freaks and beasties, tricks and treats, and an excuse to dress up in costumes one would never wear otherwise, Halloween is, for Pagans, a much more somber time.

   During a Samhain Ritual, two Deities are honored for their Part in the Wheel of the Year and for the Symbolic energies they represent which pertains to the Sabbat. The Goddess' Incarnation of the Crone, the Old One, the Earth Mother, is honored for her connection with the Underworld and for Present moving into the Past. The God's Incarnation is The Horned One, or The God of the Hunt. He is the Stag that dies so that we may eat, and the Earth's sacrifice of grain and corn. These two Deities are honored in a single ritual. During this ritual, thanks is given for the Sacrifice of sustenance provided by the Earth, and all one's previous fears and unwanted burdens are cast to the Crone for her to take with her in her return to the Underworld.

  In their Dance, the Horned One has died and descended into the Underworld, where he will rule there until the Summer's solstice. The Goddess, in mourning, weeps and begs for her lover's return, and in answer, the Veil between the Underworld and our World falls, allowing communication between the two realms.

   Offerings such as cakes and bread are typically left for dead loved ones who have passed on. Sacred Colors for the Sabbat are Black, Orange, White, Silver, and Gold, and the array of herbs commonly associated with the holiday include Mugwort, Allspice, Deadly Nightshade, Oak leaves, Sage, and Nutmeg.

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    I feel, as a Witch and a Student on my path, that Samhain is a very personal time for my growth. Throughout my life, my “Power Time�?has been when the sun wanes, and the moon rules; Had I known then what I know now, I would have been giving offerings to the Horned One Long, Long ago. During the Samhain ritual, I had an experience I’ve never had before. I felt as if I actually had stepped through the veil, and as if my own two eyes could actually see the Dead passing from one realm to the next. In my spirit, I felt as if I actually was entering the Underworld, and while I watched the Ritual on the computer screen, I went into a sort of trance. ShadowElf did not notice and continued watching, but I lost myself in a vision. What that vision is, I cannot remember…but I do remember the feelings I received. Peace. Tranquility. A sense of familiarity and a sense of duty. However ambitious it may seem, I felt as if I was privy to watching these spirits enter, as if I had led them there myself. When the trance ended and I brought myself out of that altered state, I continued with the Ritual once more, with a new sense of belonging. When I gave my fears and extra “Baggage�?to the Dark Lady, I knew I would come out of that Ritual changed. Since that special night I feel as if I’ve aged in ways I cannot express. I’m more welcoming of a challenge and stronger in my own personal convictions than ever before. And I’m ready for what the Future holds.