Samhain (pronounced sow-win) is a pagan tradition of Celtic origin that was first celebrated about 2000 years ago honoring the division of the year between the light and the dark. Samhain was originally a celebration that lasted 3 days and 3 days.
This was the time of harvest. Families kept fires burning in their hearths and once the harvest was complete, they put out their family fires out and then gathered in the center of their villages. Here Druid priests would light a large fire, using a wheel, which represented the sun. This was a time of commune, fellowship, and gratitude where there was dancing and storytelling. Because this was also a time where the veil was considered the thinnest between both the physical and spiritual world, ancestors were honored through prayer and divination.
Today Samhain is often celebrated October 31st - November 1st, but many still honor the original Celtic tradition of 3 days and 3 nights.
Simple ways to celebrate Samhain:
* Bonfire with friends and family
*Honoring our ancestors via prayer, meditation, or with an altar space
*Write something your grateful for on a bay leaf to burn in a fire
Remember this is a time of gratitude and a time of reaping what we have sown. Set some time aside this week to show honor to those that have walked before you and paved the way for the life you have today.