Samhain

The Brits called her Morgan Le Fay, the Celts called her Morrigan. She was the ruler of the Isle of Avalon and the death Goddess. "The ambivalence with which she is traditionally represented echoes our own fear of her deep and ancient wisdom." Michael Babcock
It seems fitting to think of her on Samhain.  I don't recommend calling on the Morrigan on this night for special favors unless you already have a relationship with her, but a recognition of her power and her connection to our rituals this night would be appropriate.

Samhein, Samhain, Samhuiin, Halloween, All Hallow's Eve, Oiche Shamhna, Nos Calan Gaeaf, Hallowmas, All Saints Day, Hollantide. Those are just some of the names from the British Isles. The day to honor the dead is known around the world and is usually at this time of year.

What we call the thinning of the veil between worlds is a force that people from ancient times have felt and honored. Even the Catholic Church at the height of its power in Europe could not stamp out this festival and had to settle for co-opting it. It is a powerful, mystical time of the year.

In Celtic lore, the Great Horned God dies at Samhein and passes into the underworld. He will be reborn at Yule and the Wheel will turn again. The Goddess is now seen in her Crone aspect, healer and destroyer as the winter progresses.

This is the end of a  year. It is a time to look back on the year just passed, honor the dead who have crossed over during this year and take accounting of our own lives. It is a time to be honest with ourselves about what we have accomplished or failed to accomplish and what we want to do in the coming year.
Not in the way of making resolutions that has become a silly game played on January 1st, but a real committment to move forward with our lives.
In the last few years I have begun celebrating Samhain as the end of the year and the Winter Solstice as the beginning of the next year.  The time in between is for meditating and thinking and making plans for the future.  It is a quiet time of the year in nature and I try to take advantage of that and quiet down my own life, my thoughts and my energy. 

Celebrate Samhain with an acknowledgement of the thinning of the veil, send thoughts, requests or just good feelings to those that you know who have passed to the other side and might be listening on this evening.   I will set an extra place at the dinner table tonight just in case a passing spirit wants to stay for a while and be included in an earthly ritual.

Other than the spiritual side of the day, there is also, Trick or Treat, costume parties, time to act silly and see how you look in black and orange, pumpkin carving, corn mazes, haunted houses (the fake kind), and at least locally, the Witches Ball.

Have fun and be safe.

(reposted with some editing from 2008)

October New Moon

New Moon in Scorpio on October 26, 2011 at 3:56pm EDT

If you are having some financial woes, try this chant on this New Moon to help get you going again.  


On the night of a dark Moon, stand facing the North and say 3 times 3 this chant as you toss a fist full of Tea up into the air. By the next full moon you will have gained the money you desire.

“Money hearken and hear my plea,
I need money to come to me.
Bring thee money to my stead,
Money to buy a loaf of bread.”

By the next full moon you will have gained the money you desire.

You don’t have to use the last verse if you don’t feel it suits your thoughts or purpose in the magick. But it is a very old chant from generations passed and I find they understand my desires for whatever the need be.

by: Lady Abigail
All rights reserved under the US copyright laws and statues.
Copyright © 12312003
Thanks to Lady Abigail for her permission to publish this information

________________________________________________________________________________________________
And our repeating New Moon ritual:






You will need:

One candle to honor the Goddess in her new moon, blue or white is nice, any color is fine. I have a large pale blue/green candle that I use for all moon rituals.

Incense or sage for cleansing the area.

A small unused notebook and a pen.

Four items to honor the elements.
I sometimes use:
a small bottle of sand for the element of earth
a feather for the element of air
a red candle for the element of fire
a small cup of water for the element of water

When I am in a candle mood I use candles for the elements:
brown or green for earth
yellow or pink for air
red or orange for fire
blue or white for water


Cleanse the area with incense or sage. I create sacred space by simply grounding and centering and visualizing an area around myself filled with energy, closed to random or chaotic spirits and open only to those I invite.

Call the Elements.
I start with Earth. If you are using candles, light them as you call each Element.
Calling them can be as simple as 'I call the Element of Earth to attend and add energy to this sacred space' or as elaborate as you wish.

After calling the Elements, take a moment to honor Goddess, ask her to look favorably on this ritual that you offer up to her and light the candle for her.

Take a few minutes to sit quietly. Reach out to the Elements for additional energy and power. Fill the space around you with their power and energy and reflect on the new moon as an opportunity for new beginnings. An opportunity that we are offered over and over again.

Take your notebook and write something along the lines of:
I will manifest these things that I desire and need in my life and I will do so without harm to anyone else.

Then begin to write down what you need to create in your life. It can be a few things or many. Large or small, tangible or not.

Concentrate on manifesting these things in your life without harming anyone else.

Release the energy that you have created with this work and send it out into the universe to do your bidding.

Thank the Goddess for her presence in your life and put out her candle.

Thank the Elements for loaning you their energy and ask them to return to their own realms, putting out their candles (if any).

Bring yourself back to normal time/space, ground the energy creating your sacred space.
_____________________________

On the full moon take your notebook and cross off any items that have manifested in your life since the new moon. On the next new moon create a new list, leaving off the things that have already arrived. Do not just cross off and add to the old list, each new moon write down the new list.

On her blog Liz has a cleansing ritual bath that would be a wonderful way to prepare for this ritual. Check it out at Lizzie's Logic.

October Full Moon

Full moon at 10:06pm EDT

The weather is still mild, if possible go outside tonight and enjoy the power of the Full Moon.  A Full Moon Ritual does not need to be anything elaborate or take a lot of planning.  Light a candle, say hello to the Goddess, meditate in the light of the Moon.  Big elaborate rituals are great events, but just taking time to bow out of the modern world for a few minutes and share the wonder that people have felt for thousands of years when they watch the Full Moon can be a wonderful, powerful experience.
Many of us associate the Moon with the presence of Goddess, take a minute and tell her so.