Magick of Samhain
Oct 31-Nov 7, 2018

This cross-quarter ceremony is noted, most often, as Halloween on Oct 31st . However, a Cross Quarter Ceremony is most effective when the Sun is at 15 degrees of Scorpio for Samhain and that occurs at November 7th, at 4:45 a.m., Mountain Time. It is very near the New Moon.
Samhain is the 7th Festival of a Druidic year. Some believe that Samhain is the most important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle. It was honored as such because it was anchored in the darkest time of the year and since the Celtic day began at evening time (6:00 pm, sunset or dark), then the New Year, or New Day began with Samhain. It was known that in dark silence there was to be new beginnings, the stirring of the seed in the underworld began and the whisper of the soul-voice could be heard. The most magically potent time of this festival was believed to be November Eve, the night of October 31st, which we know as Halloween. The time when the forces of the Goddesses brought forth the power the Divine Cosmic Alliance with Humanity. The ancestors knew that all supporting factors of gods and goddesses, and loved ones who lived in the Summerland could now enter the land of our consciousness and assist in our manifesting powers. In the Tradition of Cross-Quarter Festivals (such as Samhain), then the more exact timing would be when the Sun reaches 15 Degrees of Scorpio which is November 6th , as noted above.
This is a great power time of the Cauldron Mothers. A time Crone’s would call out to the worlds beyond, and here and now to know the stirring of the soul was occurring and the right blend of ingredients to mix for wisdom was starting. Cerridwen, the ancient mother of wisdom, called for 5 states of consciousness to be blended into the mix of the cauldron of Wisdom and Inspiration. Sacred trees were used to call forth the 5 states of consciousness. They were the trees of the Sacred Spiritual qualities of Life that is known to flow through the vowels of words.

  • Ailim – Silver Fir/ Palm, Letter A: New birth and the power to learn from past mistakes.

  • Ohn -Furze(gorse), Letter O: Powerful energy that could change your life. Burning away the old. Re- pollination.

  • Ura – Heather and Mistletoe, Letter U: Provides the energy for healing and development at the spiritual level. Power of Love. Power to Heal All.

  • Eadha – Aspen (or White Poplar), Letter E: Capability to work through problems, doubts and fears. The power to shift.

  • Ioho – Yew, Letter I: Provides the power to create complete change in life- direction and attitudes of limitation. Fate, power of Death, sister of Ailim (power to die and be born again)

Cerridwen called for the blend of energy to be stirred for One Year and a Day. The time it takes to enter the realm of any teaching and learn of its power. As you center and concentrate on your Samhain Ritual, know that it is a time to clear the old patterns in your Cauldron (Inner Self/Soul-Soil) and prepare for the new. As you create a cauldron in your inner vision, be sure to clear you soil and prepare it with 5 states of consciousness that begins the renewal of the powers within.

Spirit of Purpose
The Magic of Samhain

  • The time before Samhain spend contemplating what you need to release and what you need to clear from your inner soil as your last harvest. Create a Harvest Broom to sweep out the old.
  • Establish the Spirit of Purpose (i.e. Honoring the power of Samhain, the ending time, the power of death and the preparation for rebirth.)
  • Establish date and time to perform your magickal ceremony. (Oct 31st, Full Moon, November 4th, or Nov 6th at 11:00 p.m. MST)
  • Gather specific components for your assisting ritual. Choose the color black for your candles. The essences of Apple, Cinnamon, or Clove (Wisdom), Patchouli, Rosemary, or Ginger (Spirituality), Basil, Frankincense or Mugwort (Psychic capabilities) and Sandalwood (to banish negativity) can be used. Amber, Agate and Obsidian are the stones to use. Fall flowers can grace your altar. Water and Apples can call forth the Greatest Wisdom of the time and Magick.
  • From the moment you know what you want, consciously place this energy into the Heart of the Great Mother and the Heart of the Moon where the Greater Purpose and Guidance can be directed for you..
  • Create an incantation that will be used in your ceremony. It is best done with your own words and written in your own hand.

-An example of an incantation: “Blessings of Darkness, Blessings of Soul, Blessings of Insight, keep me whole.”

-Write out the complete ceremony you wish to follow. Write it in your magickal spells book (from beginning to end). Include a space within the ceremony where you can spend time completely honoring all that you have been writing about to release and unleash old patterns.

  • An hour or so before your ceremony begin by preparing yourself and placing all items on your altar.

-Self Purification – (bath/shower, sage or other cleansing incense/elixir)

-Cleanse the place where ritual will occur (sage or other incense to clear the area, i.e., elixir for room clearing, symbolic sweeping with a broom)

-Set an altar with a white cloth to place your items for symbols of fire (candle with specific color), water (in cup or shell), air (incense or double edged knife) and earth (a stone or pentacle symbol) as well as sacred items that align your heart and mind with the Spirit of Purpose.

-Clear your mind of other thoughts and activities. Bring a vision of your purpose into your mind, feel yourself ready to enter the deepest part of your inner being. Center your mind and emotions into the purpose of your magickal alignment. (Very important)

-Create a sacred vortex (a conduit for energy to be mixed and aligned with God/Goddess, the Spirit of your Purpose, and the most sacred vibration of the manifested desire). Mind and emotions must maintain the focus of purpose in order for your ritual to provide the final manifest.

-Align with the 4-quarters. Sanctify the circle. Call in the Goddess, deities and the Spirit of Purpose in the manner that is most comfortable for you, but always with clarity and deliberate focus on your purpose.

-Speak out your incantation for what you desire. Raise energy (feeling and sensing a rise of energy from your womb, begin to visualize it forming a ball of light (i.e., for Samhain, Moon Light Glow), hold tight your sphincter muscle and let the energy rise to your heart, then with a large exhale, direct the energy ball of light from your heart into the circle, knowing that it forms the spirit of your purpose).

-Meditate in the energy you have created. Visualize the manifest complete and utilize the powers of knowing that it is so: Feel it, put a smell to it, a taste, sound, and see it so. When you feel it deep within, end your meditation.

-Honor the gift of veils lifted and speak to your ancestors.

-Give gratitude to the Goddess, deities, elements and elementals, the 4-quarters and conduit alignment above and below. Acknowledge that all is within you now.

-Close your circle by snuffing out your candle, and walking in the opposite direction that you set your circle to gather all energy unto yourself.

Say Awen (So it is, So Mote it Be, It is complete).

The following may provide you information for setting your circle after you have cleansed the area and set your items on the altar (cleanse them as well).

Draw a circle by standing in the center of your space, face West (the place of the Fall and the entrance of the dark time of the year. ), allow yourself to draw in white light from the heart of WomanSpirit to your heart. Feel it well up inside like a ball of light, release this light into your right index finger, and circle clock-wise, releasing the light as you complete one full turn around the circle. As your return to the West begin giving honor to the 4-quarters and calling in the elements as well. At your altar light the incense for air, light the candle for fire, and sprinkle water from your cup across your altar to honor the blessings of water, touch your stone and acknowledge the Spirit of Earth that allows you to flow with the essence of love and purpose, Then begin your opening:

Facing the west:

WomanSpirit, from my heart to your heart I ask to align with the light of the west I ask that this door be open and the Archangel Gabriel and the Goddess Arianrhod to assist me in crossing this threshold and assist my travels through the astral fluid of Divine Wisdom. I desire to align with the Spirit of water and the liquid of the sacred cauldron WomanSpirit I desire to become one with the powers that be that will assist me in flowing with my desire to wash away the past.

Face the North:

WomanSpirit from my heart to yours I ask to align with the light of the north I ask that this door be open and the Archangel Auriel and the Goddess Eiru to help me cross this threshold through the power of Faith. I desire to align with the Spirit of the Earth and the power to hold the sacred cauldron stable while patience must persevere for the final outcome I desire to become one with the grounding forces that will help me manifest all desires before me to let my soul-soil go fallow for the regeneration of its power.

Face the east:

WomanSpirit, from my heart to yours I align with the light of the east WomanSpirit, I ask that this door be open and the Archangel Raphael and the Goddess Diedre to help me cross this threshold and help me hold the vision of, and know the love and power of my journey before me. I ask to align with the Spirit of air and the power to hold the vision of the sacred cauldron WomanSpirit allow me to become one with the vision of my inner temple and the place of my Higher Self that I may flow with this power before me

Face the south:

WomanSpirit, from my heart to your heart I ask to align with the light of the south I ask that this door be open and the Archangel Michael and the Goddess Taillte help me cross this threshold and maintain my integrity, and intent to allow the power of purpose to be my magick that manifests my desire to clear the old patterns. I ask to align with the Spirit of fire and set the fire of the cauldron of greater purpose. WomanSpirit allow me to become impassioned by the desire of my soul and willing to hold steadfast on the Quest for at least One Year and a Day.

Then speak out your invocation to the WomanSpirit and the goddess that supports your passageway of Samhain.
Stand with arms raised and legs separated revealing the stance of a five pointed star that honors the Goddess and say:

WomanSpirit. I stand before you and call forth your presence, your love, your light and your sacred purpose into the Spirit of the Place, the Spirit of the Hour and the Spirit of this circle.
Great Goddess, WomanSpirit
May I be blessed by our union and the sacred powers within me. May I hear Your voice and Your direction that I will honor.
Great Mother, penetrate through this moment and bring forth into my awareness your Divine Energy and commence the power of Samhain
Your loving grace and the blessings of my destiny are felt and known. Inspiration has begun may wisdom follow.
From your loving heart the sacred voice of my responds and I shall begin my clearing of old patterns that no longer serve my journey in service to you, Great Goddess.

Create a symbol of Anu (five pointed star within a circle), create a prayer from your heart and say:

Cerridwen, Caillech, Arianrhod, Morgan La Fey, cast upon me the blessings of WomanSpirit: magick, love, endings and soul power, that I might use this energy for all good. Be the ever present guides to assist me as I travel the pathways of Samhain with intent and purpose. Help me, I plead, bring the Light of my Soul into the expression of my daily activities.

Proceed to the incantation: (yours or the suggested one)
“Blessings of Darkness, Blessings of Soul,
Blessings of Insight, keep me whole.”
Maintain a connection to your soul-soil, the connection with your ancestors, the completion act of your efforts, the return to the darkest part of the year.
Spend time speaking to your ancestors and the angels that help you traverse the darkness of unconscious fields. Give gratitude to those who have gone before you and paved the way for your changes.
Spend time in meditation, using Creative Visualization to see, feel and know you power to form Union with the Divine and the purest essence of your soul. Create your Cauldron and bring in the 5 sacred trees/sacred states of consciousness and let this be the fertilizer that seeps into your soul-soil as it moves through its fallow time and readies for new seedlings at Winter Solstice and Imbolc.
Raise energy (feeling and sensing a rise of energy from your lower belly, begin to visualize it forming a ball of light (i.e. moonlight glow), hold tight your sphincter muscle and let the energy rise to your heart, then with a large exhale, direct the energy ball of light from your heart into the circle, knowing that it forms the spirit of your purpose).

-Honor the energy you have created. Give honor for all that you experience and will experience

-Give gratitude to the Goddess, deities, the 4-quarters and conduit alignment above and below. Acknowledge that all is within you now.

-Close your circle by snuffing out your candle (or blowing it out knowing that the light goes out to the world), and walking in the opposite direction that you set your circle to gather all energy unto yourself.

Say Awen (So it is, So Mote it Be, It is complete).

May you enjoy the power of the year by setting forth an attitude of energy into your cauldron:

A year of loving, A year of caring

A year of respect, A year of healing

A year of challenges, A year of changes

A year of awakening, A year of balancing

A year of Questing, A year of connecting

A year of Spirit, A year of Heart-Living

Awen! It is so! So it is!