High Days Reports: Samhain

Samhain is my favourite high day. Perhaps this is because of my affinity for the ancestors. Let me explain...

Samhain, commonly known as Halloween in the United States, is thought to be of Celtic Druidic origin. It is one of the four primary holy days, or "fire days", celebrated by the ancient paleopagan Druids, the remaining three being Imbolc, Beltain and Lughnasadh (Bonewits). To the ancient Celts Samhain would have likely been the festival of the last harvest, the beginning of the Dark Time of the Year. Samhain is widely celebrated as the Celtic New Year, although as we will see below this may not be entirely accurate.

So why do I equate this most holy of days with the ancestors? There are a number of arguments suggesting that the ancient Celts considered this time of year to be a very magical time, where the Gates between the worlds were open and safe passage between the worlds was possible. It was during this time that prophesies, divinations and visitations were easiest.

Some of the arguments follow:

• Bonewits states the day before Samhain is the last day of Summer, and the day after the first day of winter. Therefore the period in between is a period in which time did not exist and the veil between the Worlds is lifted.

• Peg Aloi (Witchvox) states that Samhain is a particularly magical part of the year because it lies exactly between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice. Again, the result being the veil between the World's is thinnest at this time.

• Wren Walker, also of Witchvox, expands Bonewits theory somewhat by stating that to some pagan groups the entire period between Samhain (last day of Summer) and Yule (first day of Winter to some) is a period of "no time" where the inhabitants of the World's may pass with relative ease and safety.

Regardless of which theory you ascribe to, the common theme is that Samhain marks a time where we can communicate with the Ancestors with relative ease. Hence Samhain's association with the Dead, and the reason this is my favourite holy day.

Sources:

Aloi, Peg - "You Call it Haloween - We Call it Samhain", Witchvox, Popular Pagan Holidays

Bonewits, Isaac - "The Real Origins of Halloween", Neopagan.net with a link from Witchvox

Walker, Wren - "A Quick Overview of Samhain", Witchvix, Popular Pagan Holidays