My sister sent this picture to me not too long after January started…….
I have this plastic black shelf. It used to be my main ancestral shrine and underworld altar. But I have a far bigger one. So I used this as my shrine to Persephone and Demeter. For the Eleusinian Mysteries.
It’s part of the shrines of the dead, but it’s also for the living. So it’s an independent shrine. The ghosts who live and sleep there are what I call Green Ghosts. Spirits of the dead who watch over nature. The Fae who live there are nature spirits that live side by side with the dead.
Look who decided to put their cocoon in there for the winter.
Fresh out of the cocoon
I interpret this to possibly mean we are getting an early spring after all. Which would explain the accelerated winter we’re getting right now. The darker forces of winter are being kicked out a little earlier this year. This can also mean that now is the starting point to create something good and positive. Despite all the negative forces around.
Oko (Croatian for “Eye”) a photograph by Marko Popadic, who took this photo the moment the butterfly entered the eye socket of this human skull. It is said that butterflies symbolize the soul. So this could have been the dead saying hello.
” O holy Persephone, leave now the underworld. And become Kore, the maiden of spring, once more. We need you in this world. Now more than ever before,
Samhain will be here soon (in November not October). It was the Celtic new year’s festival. When the Fae and other spirits would roam the world. It wasn’t really a feast of the dead. But because the Fae could wander our world, I’m pretty sure all spirits in general could.
Even our dead. Though that’s just my opinion. I reiterate that this is not an ancestor feast. It is a new year’s feast. And the Fae are usually the ones who come out.
My personal beliefs and practices are my own. I don’t claim them as being “ancient”. I added my ancestors because winter time is seen as the time of the dead. In several cultures. Particularly the Nordic cultures.
But Samhain is about the Fae. And the natural cycle of the year ending. The Christians were the ones who made this about the dead. Christians (usually) only believe in the dead, angels, and demons. Nowadays even the dead are largely ignored.
What is Samhain?
Pronounced Sow-en. Because this was also the time when sows (female pigs) were slaughtered for winter. This was not only a new year’s festival, it was also preparation for winter. Animals were killed and salted so they could be preserved. Entire families would feed on the meat in order to survive.
But it was also more than that.
The four Celtic fire festivals were thought of as “liminal times”. Times when the veil wasn’t so strong. I have noticed that personally with most holidays. So I believe the veil isn’t as strict as we once thought it to be. Livestock were brought between two huge bonfires.
So that the spirit of fire would bless and protect them. This is common in many cultures. Fire is thought to have protective traits. Traits that can ward off harmful spirits. I have seen something similar with Diné (Navajo) people.
Ash from fires are used to bless people from harm. Or even to bless weapons against spirits or even magic thrown again you. Magical ash from sacred herbs burned in bonfires was even used by English cunning folk. According to the sorcerer, folklorist, and historian Ronald Hutton, Baltic Pine (Red European Pine) were used as torches. And they were in ancient times and as late as the 19th century.
They were lit and carried sunwise (clockwise towards the sun) around one’s property. So that the protective magic would extend to all they had. And all their loved ones. Also the bonfires would be lit at the top of hills. Hills were often seen as the places where Faeries lived other than burial mounds.
So this has some kind of importance. They would make two large bonfires in all the fire festivals. Then they would pass through the two pillars of fire. Then all their cattle and their possessions would follow. That’s what Bonfires were used for originally.
Exorcisms and blessings. From the Middle English word Bonefire. From the Latin, ignis ossium (a fire for bones). And the Scottish banefyre. Bonfires were sacrifices of animals given to bless the fire.
That’s where the bones come from. They also burned effigies of harmful witches (not witches in general) and monsters. This set the intention of what their magic was to accomplish. The fire would know what it needed to destroy. And leave the programming of this ritual in the holy ashes left behind.
They would also carry torches lit by the bonefires to light the fires of the town or city. To spread the holy influence. Even setting the flames of their hearths alight. The ash left behind in these fires were then saved so they could be used to protect places and perform magic. The holy fires were said enchant the people and their animals.
Protection against the sinister charms of the Fae. As well as malefic practitioners of magic. Spiritual beings you see, have great power. And they can become physical for a moment to attack you. And if some of the Samhain stories are true, some can attain a physical form once they’re here.
Though the jury is still out on whether or not I believe that.
The blessing of livestock on Beltane, this was pretty standard for all the fire festivals I have been reading about so far. Courtesy of the Willful Witch
It was commonly believed that the Faerie mounds opened up during this time.
The mounds become a sort of vortex. They were a doorway between the land of the Sidhe, and the land of humans. This is why the veil was so thin. Because the fae opened their doors. And traveled to our world to celebrate and make merry.
Now I have another theory as to why people also associate it with the dead. My theory (and this is just me) is that whenever one type of spirit is loose, all of them are. In many cases the dead, and nature entities in Europe, are almost indistinguishable from one another. Especially in Ireland. And I say this having spoken to modern people from Ireland and other areas.
This is something their own research has pointed out. For example, I was told once by an Irish woman that the Banshee is the spirit of a woman who died in child birth. And yet, she is called Bean Sidhe (Faery woman). And since the Sidhe also mean the underground mounds and hills. This would technically mean a mound woman too. A dead woman.
But she is considered one of the fae either way.
Now this wasn’t an ancestral gathering of sorts. But if the fae are out there maybe the dead are too. Because at least some of the dead are fae. Or maybe all the spirits come out. That’s just what I think.
I am by no means an expert on anything.
Samhain Traditions
A winter feast
This is taken directly from my Samhain article which is way longer than this. And incorporates a hell of a lot more research. This is just so that all of you can get the general idea of what this is about. Instead of just thinking it’s for the dead. Remember this was a feast.
As in an actual feast, as it would keep the families heartily fed during the cold. As well as lots of drinking. It can be argued that drinking lots of alcohol was always standard in Irish Celt celebrations. Even in ancient stories you see them drink. But Samhain was especially known for it.
Probably to raise the body temperature during the cold. Which we know now that this doesn’t actually help. In fact drinking alcohol actually makes it worse. It causes a condition where the blood thins. You feel flushed in your face in the moment.
But it’s the worst thing you could do. But back then they didn’t know that. It probably wouldn’t have stopped them either way. Now this feast was specifically for the fae. It can be argued that all the fire festivals were.
But Samhain was a very liminal time. It was the Celtic new year.
Dancing with the Fae
Veneration of the Fae, was prominent in this feast. As they were the intercessor spirits for the faithful. Sacrifices of milk and food were given to them. Part of this was as a bribe. As if to say ‘please don’t come harass me and mine‘.
Part of it was payment for them to protect the home. As well as to ensure other fae left these families be. And part of it was for the Fae to alter their destinies. They would ask to be given protection and aid for them and their animals during the winter ahead. Begging them for whatever strength or luck they could give them.
Or even to intercede for them with the Gods. Drink was also offered. Through strictly speaking, the Celtic fae love milk, cream, honey, and sugar. Candies and other sugary things as well. And bread and cookies.
Some like to eat porridge. And butter too. Even just leaving a stick of butter in nature for them will often do.
In days of old, they had feasts in their honor inside of the home. People would set a place for them at the dinner table. Of course some people left them their food and drink outside. In barns where the animals slept. Or amidst the trees.
Of all the Fae who came out to play during this time, the Aos sí(pronounced ease-shee) were the most prominent. I have seen a lot of people conflate the Aos Si with the Tuatha Dé Danann. But my research says otherwise. These were elves. But not just regular elves.
It’s said, that they are the descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The ancient Gods of Ireland, with Elves. So the Aos sí were similar to Demi Gods. Normally, a Demi God is half human, and half God. But I personally view any being that is half God as a Demi God.
The word comes from Latin Semideus (Semi God). So from the word alone, anyone who is part God, is a Demi God. And that includes non-human entities. Such as the fae. We don’t know which of the Elves they mated with to produce the Aos sí.
Or at least I don’t. I would have to do more research on the subject. But now things make more sense. It’s because of them, that this feast was so important. And when you understand that this festival honored the fae, not the dead, things make even more sense.
Now the following is purely a hypothesis on my part.
Samhain is unique among all the other festivals. Yes the fae are always present in them. But the other three Celtic fire festivals are dedicated to Gods. Namely, Brighid (Imbolc or Candlemas), Belenus (Beltane or May Day), and Lugh (Lughnasadh, or Lammas). Each of those fire festivals are centered on those Gods. But Samhain seems to be the only fire festival that is entirely of the Fae.
For the fae. And now we know why. This is a festival for Demi Gods. Similar to the Greek Demi Gods. It also explains why there’s more drinking and feasting. This is exactly what a feast for ancient Heroes and Demi Gods would be like.
Because now we know these are Elvish Demi Gods. Fathered and mothered by the Gods of Ireland. So the real reason for how such a small festival blew up and spread across the lands of Alba becomes apparent. It’s a festival to honor them. And through the fair folk as our spiritual intercessors.
And the Aos sí as a bridge between Fae and Gods. We honor the Tuatha Dé Danann. All of them, through their children. Which means it’s possible that the theory this is actually an end of year feast is also true. What better way to kick off the end of the year than with a great feast for the divine heroes? That’s my theory anyway.
Based on the research I was able to do. Click on the Samhain article to read the sources. And research it for your own. I should also mention that Samhain stopped being in October a long time ago. When the calendars were changed by the church.
Samhain today is in November. Many believe it starts sunset on November 6th. And then some like me celebrate it for a week. And others celebrate it only for three days. And some celebrate it November 11th.
What we have on October 30-31st are traditions from the UK. As well as the Catholic All Hallow’s Eve and All Hallow’s Day festivals. Which are dedicated to the suffering souls in Purgatory. Which is why most people view Samhain as a funerary feast. Due mostly to Christian influence.
Adventures of A Mage In Miami 