Samhain

For the ancient Celts, the festival of Samhain at the gateway of winter, the time of coldness and death, the season ruled by the Cailleach, the old hag, dark face of the triple goddess. But it was also the time of the wisdom of the Old Crone, a time to consider the past and plan for the future, an opportunity to deepen spiritual understanding. It was the season to rest from outward activity, to go inwards and work on the spirit, or simply withdraw and conserve energy.

Celtic lunar festivals were deeply connected with the agricultural round of the seasons and with the movement of cattle. At Samhain herds of cattle and other livestock were brought into shelters for the winter, while the weaker ones were slaughtered and salted in preparation for the great feasts. All the harvest had to be gathered by this time anything remaining in the fields being forfeited to the Cailleach. The season of darkness and death was greatly revered, for it was understood that at this time the forces of nature were working particularly potently within the element of earth, empowering the seeds and grain and preparing them for germination in the spring.

The festival of Samhain also symbolically reflected the phase when the moon was absent, the days of blackness. This was the origin of the idea of timelessness and of the suspension of rule and order, which gave rise to the three days of 'misrule'. At this time men and women exchanged clothes, practical jokes were enacted, cattle were moved from one farm to another, and children went round the neighbouring dwellings asking for gifts and food and threatening mischief if they were not placated. This ritual survives today in the Hallowe'en custom of 'trick or treating'.

This was also the time of the great Assembly of Tara. Every three years all the chiefs and nobles of Ireland gathered at the High King's court to discuss and ratify the laws of the land. While the Assembly was being held, all violence, stealing or legal disputes were strictly forbidden, on pain of death. The Assembly was held at Samhain because this was the time of year when warring ceased between tribes. During the winter months Celtic warriors desisted from fighting and hunting and instead were billeted on various households where they spent their days feasting and being entertained by music and story telling. Among those who had recieved Druidic training, riddling exchanges took place, in which meanings were conveyed on more than one level.

Although the cold and darkness may have seemed harsh to a people who were closely involved with the land, as the season approached its shortest day they began to prepare for the most important celebration of the year, the festival marking the rebirth of the sun and its sojourn in death and darkness. This was the midwinter solstice, the first of the fire festivals, but more on that next month!

Meditations for this season focus on the themes of darkness and spiritual renewal, the element of earth and its related symbolism, the Cailleach and Wise Crone aspect of the Goddess, the sacred properties of evergreen trees, and winter hardy animals, bardic training, the power of word , the language of Ogham, heroic feasting and riddling, tales of love and death and nature poems.

Autumn Tales

Meditating on such stories, symbols will give us an insight into the mystical Celtic understanding of the gifts and challenges of the season. Indeed one of the best ways of opening the energies of the season is by reading, and even meditating on myths, tales and stories that reflect those energies. Take a day periodically throughout the season and read some of the tales outdoors.

Try reading myths and tales of dragons a d fantastic creatures, wizards and witches. Great warriors, Milton's Paradise Lost.

Some nice music I recommend listening to would be Franz Liszt(Hungarian Dances)