The Path and Life of Witchyredrose

Halloween Lore

Seems a bit odd saying "Halloween Lore" as Halloween is all lore really. The current name comes from "All Hallows Eve" but like Christmas the roots of the celebration go back to Pagan times to the holiday of "Samhain" which signified the end of summer.

The Druids of Ancient Britain, celebrated Samhain (Sah-ween) on October the 31st (or thereabouts - depending if they had an auntie to buy them a diary for Christmas - sorry Yule) November the 1st falls between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice (ish). The eve of Samhain, October the 31st was the night that the lord of death judged the souls of the departed.

For the Celts in particular, Samhain was the biggest and most significant holiday of year. The Celts believed that at this time the ghosts of the dead were able to mingle with the living. The souls of those who had died during the previous year would travel to the otherworld.

As might be expected from ancient Pagan festivals, there was much drinking of very rough brews and chucking away of food and other goodies in a melodramatic manner to please and appease the gods.

There are rumours of human sacrifices, though of course no-one has ever found any evidence. The purpose was to ensure that the following year would produce a good crop and give people a chance to communicate with departed ancestors and assure prosperity. Some claim that wisdom from ancestors could be learnt at such times - I'm more sceptical as they kept on drinking those brews not learning their lesson and I reckon didn't feel too clever come November the 1st.

In 834 AD a full two centuries after Britain had embraced Christianity, the Pope ordered that the continuing Pagan rituals that still continued against attempts to ban them should be Christianised. So spring fertility rites were absorbed into Easter, Winter Solstice / Yule celebrations were absorbed into Christmas and Samhain became All Saints Day - a "Hallow" was another word for a saint and the eve or evening before made it All Hallows Eve, eventually becoming Halloween.

Halloween Customs

Samhain was a favourite time for foretelling the future the Druids used the "sacred apple" for this, as time has gone on the Chinese Whispers of tradition has turned this into "bobbing" for apples - fishing for floating apples in a bowl of water using only your mouth. (My Granny used to call having a no.2 (ahem - sorry) "having a bob" - imagine the motion - so as a child I used to find the concept of bobbing for apples hilarious).

Another variant is to have the apples suspended on strings from the ceiling and try to catch them in the mouth as they swing.

Death was always an ever present threat in ancient times ("ancient times" is now generally agreed by scholars to have been sometime after the late Pleistocene and just before donkey's-years-ago) so Halloween was a good time to find out when you're going to die (or preferably when other people were going to die). Stones in the bonfire ashes were examined for evidence of the names of those who would die in the coming year. "Hey Beowulf, guess what?..."

On a happier note, Halloween was thought of as being a good time to predict marriages and husbands. Halloween was sometimes known as "Nutcrack Night" in Britain when girls would look for signs of their future husbands in the way nuts burned on the kitchen fire. Other useful foretellers of the future at this time included cabbages, molten lead, needles, egg whites and hemp - a good line in BS helped convince other people you knew what you were seeing.

If you hold a mirror on Halloween and walk backwards down the stairs to the basement (not easy if you don't have one) the face that appears in the mirror will your next lover (but why would they be hiding behind you in the basement?)

Another way of getting a glimpse of your future spouse was believed to be to peel an apple in front of a candle-lit mirror.

Each member of the family should take a clean ivy leaf with no spots or stain and place them into a glass of water overnight. If the leaf is still spotless the following morning, at least another 12 months of life are assured, but if the leaf has any spots on it death will follow in the next year (I'd just refuse to do it).

Special foods and meals were often made for the souls of the dead and for deceased ancestors. In England "soul cakes" cakes were made for these wandering souls, and people went "a' soulin" for these at Halloween.

The main celebration of Halloween today of course is of trick-or-treating by the local neighbourhood kids. How this came about is not entirely clear. In the 16th century there are records of "guisers" (dis- guisers?) in Scotland young men in costumes and masks went from door to door with turnip lanterns. Hidden by their disguise would ask "Please to help the guisers" and were rewarded with apples, nuts and copper coins.

Another possibility is that the practice arose in England as a derivative of children collecting a "Penny for the Guy" traditionally involving making an effigy of Guy Fawkes who tried to blow up Parliament in 1605 as part of the "Gunpowder Plot". Money collected in this way would be spent on fireworks let off on November the 5th when the "Guy" was burnt on a bonfire.

In any case, trick-or-treating was taken overseas by British and European emigrants and has particularly taken root in America. There are reports of trick-or-treat in America and Australia in the 1940's, it had spread to just about everywhere in the USA by around 1955.

British trick-or-treat is a more recent phenomenon and rather oddly has been re-exported back to the UK from the USA. So much so that many Britons consider it to be an American holiday that for some reason we are just starting to adopt.

My youngest son first went trick-or-treating when he was 5 with his older brother and a group of his friends, at that time, they were the only ones in the village doing it. Last year at the age of 14 - that's 9 years later - there were at least half a dozen groups of trick or treaters in the village.

The carved pumpkin or Jack O’ Lantern was adapted from the old British practice of carving out turnips or other vegetables to make lanterns. Pumpkin carving is now as essential to Halloween as mistletoe and holly are to Christmas, though in Britain we tend to throw the pumpkin contents away rather than make them into pumpkin pie as the Americans do - how many Britons have even tasted pumpkin pie I wonder?

The Jack O' Lantern story comes from Ireland where a man called Jack trapped the devil in the branches of an apple tree. When Jack died, he wasn't allowed into heaven, but then neither would the devil take him (miserable sod, what a sore loser) instead he was left to endlessly wander the earth lighting his way with a hollowed out turnip containing a piece of coal.

Catholics still celebrate November 1st as “All Saints Day”.

Lady Autumn

By Deirdre Akins

Lady Autumn, Queen of the Harvest,

I have seen You in the setting Sun

with Your long auburn tresses

blowing in the cool air that surrounds You.

Your crown of golden leaves is jeweled

with amber, amethyst, and rubies.

Your long, flowing purple robe stretches across the horizon.

In Your hands You hold the ripened fruits.

At Your feet the squirrels gather acorns.

Black crows perch on Your outstretched arms.

All around You the leaves are falling.

You sit upon Your throne and watch

the dying fires of the setting Sun

shine forth its final colors in the sky.

The purple and orange lingers

and glows like burning embers.

Then all colors fade into the twilight.

Lady Autumn, You are here at last.

We thank You for Your rewards.

We have worked hard for these gifts.

Lady Autumn, now grant us peace and rest.

Question: Is It Anti-Pagan to Celebrate Halloween?

A reader asks, "I was curious if it was anti-Pagan to celebrate Halloween? I'm sort of worried it might seem disrespectful to go out collecting candy while I'm supposed to be honoring the spirits of my dead ancestors. How do Halloween and Samhain relate if at all to one another?"

Answer:

This is actually an excellent question - and the short answer is, "You can celebrate Halloween if you want to!" Not only that, you can celebrate Samhain as well.

Much like Yule and Christmas, Samhain and Halloween are two different ways of observing the same time of year. Think of Samhain as the spiritual version, and Halloween as the secular. There's no reason at all why you can't celebrate both if you choose. In our family, we do a huge Halloween party with friends and family. I also do a Samhain ritual with my coven. There's never been a conflict.

How do Samhain and Halloween relate to one another? Well, the "trick or treat" Halloween evolved from the British tradition of All Soul's Day. Poor people went begging, and the middle-class wives handed out special treats known as Soul Cakes. By the nineteenth century, this tradition had followed British and Irish immigrants to America, and by then, begging for goodies wasn't just the domain of the poor, it was a kids' activity. Following the Great Depression and World War II, the notion of giving away candy really took off, and so today's candy-deluged Halloween celebration was born.

I do realize there is a small portion of the Pagan community that finds the whole Halloween thing off-putting, and I've heard the occasional complaint that Halloween trivializes Samhain. However, my opinion is that there's no reason you can't observe the solemnity of Samhain in addition to the fun of Halloween. I've been Pagan for over two decades, and just don't feel that a gaggle of kids collecting candy and dressed like the Jonas Brothers has any bearing whatsoever on my religious obligations or needs. My ancestors know that I honor them and respect them, and they don't seem to be troubled by my love of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Often, too, the question comes up of whether or not celebrating a mundane event -- like Thanksgiving or Fourth of July or Halloween -- somehow lessens the value our spiritual celebrations. Honestly, eating a turkey or lighting fireworks or snarfing down candy only diminishes your spiritual holidays if you allow it to. There are plenty of Pagans who ask, "Should I celebrate this with my family, when it's not part of my Pagan belief system?" It's a question that each individual has to answer for themselves, but as long as your tradition doesn't have a specific mandate against it, I'd say go ahead and celebrate however you like.

Mabon Autumn Equinox, 2nd Harvest, September 21st

Mabon, (pronounced MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon, or MAH-bawn) is the
Autumn Equinox. The Autumn Equinox divides the day and night equally,
and we all take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark.
We also give thanks to the waning sunlight, as we store our harvest
of this year's crops. The Druids call this celebration, Mea'n
Fo'mhair, and honor the The Green Man, the God of the Forest, by
offering libations to trees. Offerings of ciders, wines, herbs and
fertilizer are appropriate at this time. Wiccans celebrate the aging
Goddess as she passes from Mother to Crone, and her consort the God
as he prepares for death and re-birth.

Various other names for this Lesser Wiccan Sabbat are The Second
Harvest Festival, Wine Harvest, Feast of Avalon, Equinozio di Autunno
(Strega), Alben Elfed (Caledonii), or Cornucopia. The Teutonic name,
Winter Finding, spans a period of time from the Sabbat to Oct. 15th,
Winter's Night, which is the Norse New Year.

At this festival it is appropriate to wear all of your finery and
dine and celebrate in a lavish setting. It is the drawing to and of
family as we prepare for the winding down of the year at Samhain. It
is a time to finish old business as we ready for a period of rest,
relaxation, and reflection.

Symbolism of Mabon:
Second Harvest, the Mysteries, Equality and Balance.

Symbols of Mabon:
wine, gourds, pine cones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, pomegranates,
vines such as ivy, dried seeds, and horns of plenty.

Herbs of Maybon:
Acorn, benzoin, ferns, grains, honeysuckle, marigold, milkweed,
myrrh, passionflower, rose, sage, solomon's seal, tobacco, thistle,
and vegetables.

Foods of Mabon:
Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and vegetables such as potatoes,
carrots, and onions.

Incense of Mabon:
Autumn Blend-benzoin, myrrh, and sage.

Colors of Mabon:
Red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, and gold.

Stones of Mabon:
Sapphire, lapis lazuli, and yellow agates.

Activities of Mabon:
Making wine, gathering dried herbs, plants, seeds and seed pods,
walking in the woods, scattering offerings in harvested fields,
offering libations to trees, adorning burial sites with leaves,
acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have passed over.

Spellworkings of Mabon:
Protection, prosperity, security, and self-confidence. Also those of
harmony and balance.

Deities of Mabon:
Goddesses-Modron, Morgan, Epona, Persephone, Pamona and the Muses.
Gods-Mabon, Thoth, Thor, Hermes, and The Green Man.

Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries. It is a time to honor
Aging Deities and the Spirit World. Considered a time of balance, it
is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our personal
harvests, whether they be from toiling in our gardens, working at our
jobs, raising our families, or just coping with the hussle-bussle of
everyday life.
May your Mabon be memorable, and your hearts and spirits be filled to
overflowing!

~ The Beauty Meditation ~

We are most beautiful when we are happy. Light a pink candle and burn lilac
incense. Take a deep breath and go into a meditative state. You are standing
in your favorite place in the world. You look around and breathe in all that
makes you so happy. Breathe in the harmony and rhythm of that place. As you
come to feel the heartbeat of that place, smile. And as you smile, you
notice a bright beautiful light close by you. The light approaches you and
surrounds you. You feel stillness, joy, and gladness there in the middle of
that light. As you breathe in, the light moves inside you. Continue to stay
with that light until you feel it's time to leave. Whisper your thanks and
allow the images to recede. Come back to your space and the here and now.
Whenever you want to feel beautiful, visualize that bright light surrounding
you and smile!

~ Calm for an Operation ~

Before a visit to the hospital for an operation, make yourself a healing
package.

Gather together a peridot or green crystal, a small vial of geranium-scented
body oil and a small makeup mirror.

Wrap everything in tissue and put it all into a pretty gift box.

Write these words on a blue piece of paper:

"Here within this magick box
I'll find enchanted fare -
A crystal to shine and light my day,
A secret oil to smooth my cares
And a looking glass in which I'll see
My loved ones smiling there."

This can also be made up for a friend.

Dream Pillows
A popular method of herb magick is the making of dream pillows. These little
coloured bags of herbs will give a pleasant scent and will attract good
energies to where they are placed. They are traditional gifts for Imbolc. Any
sweet-smelling herb can be used in a dream pillow, as well as the ones listed below.
For best results, herbs for dreaming should be collected during the waxing or
full moon.
Typical mixes for Imbolc dream pillows:
mugwort, rosemary, hops
lavender, mugwort, rose
The colour of material that you use will also affect the dream pillow?s
results. You could use two colours of fabric, for combined meanings. This is what
was listed in the book, however each colour has a meaning, so if you want
something more specific, use more specific colours. Whatever feels right to you
will suit the purposes perfectly. Cotton should be used, because it is a natural
plant fibre.
Colours of Material:
white: meditation
lavender: psychic growth, divination
green: balance
pink: emotional love
purple: intuition, spiritual growth
light blue: meditation, understanding
yellow: clairvoyance, divination Combined Material Colour Meanings:
yellow/purple: divination & spiritual development
green/white: protection & peace
blue/white: understanding & peace
yellow/blue: divination & understanding
pink/green: emotional love & balance

Dream Pillows
A popular method of herb magick is the making of dream pillows. These little
coloured bags of herbs will give a pleasant scent and will attract good
energies to where they are placed. They are traditional gifts for Imbolc. Any
sweet-smelling herb can be used in a dream pillow, as well as the ones listed below.
For best results, herbs for dreaming should be collected during the waxing or
full moon.
Typical mixes for Imbolc dream pillows:
mugwort, rosemary, hops
lavender, mugwort, rose
The colour of material that you use will also affect the dream pillow?s
results. You could use two colours of fabric, for combined meanings. This is what
was listed in the book, however each colour has a meaning, so if you want
something more specific, use more specific colours. Whatever feels right to you
will suit the purposes perfectly. Cotton should be used, because it is a natural
plant fibre.
Colours of Material:
white: meditation
lavender: psychic growth, divination
green: balance
pink: emotional love
purple: intuition, spiritual growth
light blue: meditation, understanding
yellow: clairvoyance, divination Combined Material Colour Meanings:
yellow/purple: divination & spiritual development
green/white: protection & peace
blue/white: understanding & peace
yellow/blue: divination & understanding
pink/green: emotional love & balance

~ I am the Mother Earth ~

I am the mother earth

I am the great mother

who you rebel against in every way

I am life giving

yet you destroy me every day

I feed your hunger

only you waste what I provide

I give you my breath

just so you may pollute it

I give you shelter

yet you do not savor what I give

I give you beauty

even that you have destroyed

my child do thou not care who I am

I am your loving mother

I am the mother earth

hail and so mote it be

~Christopher A. Goben

Door to the Beyond: Paganism and Mental Health

Welcome to the Door. Let's take yet another walk through...

I'm a member of an online group in which we help each other to eat better
and lose weight and exercise, not necessarily in that order, which site also
includes a lot of pagans (several different groups in the forums). (If you
are looking for a group like this, it's called SparkPeople.com.)

Someone in one of the forums had just berated themselves for the fact that
they wake up feeling great and set these high goals for themselves, but at
the end of the day they have failed in meeting them.

With the concept of Dr. Low's statement, "Lower your expectations and your
performance will rise," I responded with the following:

'You need to start looking at "failure", as you just put it, as a minor
success or even a group of minor successes. We all too often set our goals
too high, and the striving for these goals means we did better than we would
normally have done. You may have tried longer, or you may have succeeded in
not eating as much fat or sugar or meat but still "failed" in your overall
goal -- which, again I say, was set too high. It's called "carrot and stick"
-- you ate too many carrots so you beat yourself with the stick, or
something like that.

'I would suggest setting lower, shorter goals, ones that you can and will
meet, and then endorse yourself for reaching ANY of those goals (whether or
not you reach ALL of them). Liking yourself enough to pat yourself on the
back when it's DESERVED does a great deal for self-esteem, just as knocking
yourself after you've actually done well will take you back a few notches.'

Sometimes I amaze myself. Many of the statements I make sound like somebody
really wise and learned said them. I keep looking around to see who it was.

I took on a new student last month. I have known her online for a number of
years, and her life was not really working, and she asked me to teach her.
My first assignment was to get a copy of Rob Brezsny's "Pronoia". I rarely
start out with anything other than basic Wicca, but this was a special case
- or maybe I just had an inspiration. As with many of these things, I also
noticed that I had not read more than about 10 pages of my copy of
"Pronoia", so it gave me an assignment as well. (I do that a lot...)

The entire concept of "Pronoia" is to show us, each and all, that the
Universe is constantly conspiring for us. There are so many thousands,
perhaps millions, of things that go right for us each and every day. Of
course, limited beings that we are, we only notice the 2 or 3 (okay, some
days it may be 4, or even 8) things that go wrong. That's like saying, "I
won the scratch-off lottery 8,000 times today, but I didn't win on the other
3 cards I bought. My life is just horrible."

And have I mentioned Gratefulness Logs? Keep a separate journal, and at the
end of each day write down 5 things you are grateful for. Try to find
different things every day, but if you have a lot of repetitions that's
still a good thing. That's another task I have assigned several students and
still don't do myself... I'm going to buy a notebook next time I go to the
store, I promise!

Remember that those whom you consider to be wise, which might even include
me, don't always walk their talk. In my case, I do the talking as much to
remind myself of the journey as to prescribe a similar journey for others. I
used to get criticism for one of my blogs (since discontinued) that it was
nothing more than good fortune cookies... I replied to the complainers, 'I'm
writing those because I need to hear them and not forget. If you get
something out of them, I'm glad.'

So, if you enjoy what I've written, in this article or any other I've
written, remember that I'm writing them for myself. Sometimes I just have to
try to help people, but more often it is to help myself. Which you should
remember when you try to help others, and learn the lesson if it is yours to
learn. Many of my teachers have taught me that you should learn as much from
the student (or the lesson) as you teach, and this has been a significant
part of my teaching.

Until next issue.

author: Moss Bliss, PaganPages