Samhain-Free downloadable Samhain Candle Rite
Honoring your Ancestors through sacred space
On the Wheel of the Year, Samhain is a festival celebrating the end of the harvest season and welcoming in the dark half of the year. It is celebrated on October 31st to November 1st, when the veil between worlds is thought to be at its thinnest.
It is also a time to honor our ancestors, look back on the year and look ahead to the new year, and reflect on where we have been and where we are going.
The ending of the wheel, the turning of the season.
When the earth seeks stillness, and the darker days begins to take over. A reminder not to fear the darkness but embrace the darkness, magick is born in the darkness. In the darkness, we are invited to slow down, turn inward, to rest. The time of year we pause and reflect and lay to rest all that no longer serves us, as we begin the journey of letting go just like trees know when to release their dying leaves, we also begin to release all we no longer wish to carry.
Offer gratitude for this cycle of death, as our outer world dies to make space for new life to be born.
Ritual for Samhain
The time of year when the veil is said to be at its thinnest, we honor our ancestors and loved ones. The worlds become closer the seen to the unseen, a powerful time to connect to the spirit of our ancestors. One practice that allows us to express this desire to reconnect with our honored dead is the creation of an ancestral altar or shrine. Creating an altar dedicated to honoring one’s ancestors is a magnificent way to connect with your roots, remember loved ones who have passed, and tap into the themes of death and remembrance associated with the autumn season. Please note ancestry doesn’t have to begin and end with blood relation. Using a broader spectrum of ancestral figures on your altar allows you to celebrate all of your heritage and the people who have played pivotal roles in shaping your identity. Spiritual ancestors, whose wisdom and teachings continue to guide your spiritual path, can be honored with symbols or representations that hold significance in your faith.
(not my photo)
Creating an Altar for Ancestors
using sacred space
Begin by choosing a sacred space in your home, somewhere the altar will not be forgotten. This could be a windowsill, a dedicated table or in a room that has a significant meaning for your ancestors and will have easy access to tend to, somewhere that is peaceful and quiet so you may create the bridge and connect.
Adorn the Altar with Meaningful items, The items you choose for your ancestral altar should resonate and be personal to your ancestors’ memory. These items could include photos, family heirlooms, jewelry, keepsakes, clothing, candles, scents offerings, symbols that might have been meaningful for the community or family and other offerings such as food, herbs and smoke with herbal blends and incense.
Cleanse the space. Palo Santo Smudge With the accompanying stone and herbal blend calls in the energies of our ancestors and loved ones with loving intentions to aid in divination, protection and purification. Set the intention of clearing any energy that does not serve in the highest good of your sacred space.
Set an Intention, as you begin to create your altar set the intention of the energy you wish to achieve with this practice. Do you wish to honor, connect or ask for guidance? The magick of your intention will charge the purpose and energy of your altar.
Intentionally Decorating/Arranging your Alter, Intuitively place the photos and meaningful items in a way that resonates with you. Consider using colors that resonate with your intentions and the season, such as autumnal hues.
Connection & Creating the Bridge, Connect to your ancestors through a ritual practice of meditation, prayer , sitting in the presence of silence and stillness, lighting a candle or doing a smoke ritual. Take the time to call upon your ancestors building a bridge a connection for guidance or to express your gratitude and love.
Samhain Rite, you may want to hold a remembrance rite on October 31st, the night of Samhain a powerful time when the veil is at it thinnest to feel the presence and connection of your ancestors. Light candles, burn incense, and share stories or memories of your ancestors to honor their legacy and/or ask for guidance.