Samhain, Halloween, Oiche Shamhna

October 31, 2019  •  4 Comments

Samhain, the dark half of the year begins, marking a sacred and luminal point in the Ancient Celtic Calendar.

 

Set around mid-way between the summer solistice and the winter equinox, it is a natural time-threshold which allows us to ease into the winter, with its darker shorter days, as the activity and gathering of summer and its season ends.

 


 

 

The awareness of the light and life force of the sun, its place in the heavens, its presence over all the natural world is part of the celebration of Samhain, with bonfires lit to help the sun's light stay a little longer around us.

The bounty of the year, its provision and purpose fulfilled, is marked, remembered and celebrated with gratitude. The stores are full to sustain and the ground holds latent energy, poised in winter for the sun's new journey over the low horizon into spring, and the new.

This is the start of the Ancient New Year. We turn into winter without regret for the year that's been, watching for new thresholds, for renewal and presence. Allowing ourselves to become aware of the immanent presence of persistent goodness and love around us and in each one of us. 

 

 

Time evident in us and in the dwindling light of winter moves towards the thin places of sacred and eternal time ... we are more than our mortality. And the world is latent beyond the senses.

Our ancient selves celebrated in gathering, song and words, in games, fun and an expectant awareness of life and living beyond this present time. Tribe, family name, ancestors and agents of good and evil were all in the sight of the soul. So too was the awareness of God's vanquishing goodness and presence. New beginnings and life were something to reach for, as Samhain turned into winter.

 


Comments

Paul Dunne(non-registered)
Great work Keith
Peter Kearney(non-registered)
Lovely old images to accompany this informative blog. Thin places - I love that phrase and concept. I've also read a book with that title. Pete.
Maria Flanagan(non-registered)
Thank you Keith that is so beautifully explained, loved it .
CARMEL DUFFY(non-registered)
Thank you for this very beautiful and poetic explanation of Samhain
No comments posted.
Loading...

Archive
January February March April May (1) June July August September October (1) November December
January (3) February (1) March April (1) May June July August September October November December
January February March April May (1) June July (1) August September October November December
January February March April May (1) June July August September October November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December
January February March April May June (1) July August September (1) October (3) November (1) December (2)
January February (1) March (1) April May (1) June July August September October (1) November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December
January February March April May (1) June July August September October November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December