The Start of the Dark Half

candlelit Samhain ritual

My apologies for posting this so late, it has been pretty busy around here and have started to wind down a bit. Over the last few years Samhain has become more of a proper season for me instead of just something that happens over the course of a days. It is a season full of many different rituals, workings, observances and festivities. So things doesn't end up being a novel, I will just share some of those thing that I am comfortable sharing.

A few days before Samhain Even {or Hallowe'en} I cleaned like mad and got our Ancestor altar set up, along with a shrine to An Cailleach, and baked up a wee storm. On Samhain Eve I did obligatory pumpkin and turnip carving, and waited to give out candy to the guisiers that never came {a lesson that I obviously didn't learn from last year}. I made a new parshell cross for over one of our doors, put out a bunch of bowls to collect Samhain water, did a saining for our home, a blessing spell for family, my first round of offerings and divination for the coming year.

Ancestor altar with a daily offering of incense, food and drink

Over the course of the season there have been several Ancestor observances such as birthdays and Remembrance Day and I have been bonding with a new deity, which I will go further into in an upcoming post. The better half and I also have our anniversary on Samhain, and this was our 10 year anniversary for our handfasting, so that of course was celebrated too!

This is a busy time of year for assisting clients too and I have also been creating new wares for the shop, now that the garden is truly napping and I am more likely to be indoors.

The season is not over by any means though, and if you are looking for an inspiring way to honour your Ancestors in the upcoming holidays, check out Ms Graveyard Dirt's Holy Supper Challenge! I participated last year and intend to again this year.

Sláinte!

Laurel