In the Celtic calendar, Samhain is considered a day outside of the normal flow of time. In many Traditions, both ancient and modern, it is believed that spirits roam the darkness on this night. The veil that obscures magic and spirit from the living is pulled aside and spellwork and divination are particularly effective. For many Witches, Samhain is a time of reverence for the passing year, a night of intense magical energy, and a time for celebrating the many individual ways that we live the Craft.
There are many systems of Pagan belief, including my own, that believe that this state of reality continues until the Winter Solstice (Yule), although Samhain is definitely considered the doorway to this period of time and is the point when the magical/spiritual energy is most intense. If this state of intense spiritual/magical energy is present past Samhain and the veil continues to be thin, how can we make use of it? What sorts of things can we focus on during this very magical portion of the year?
Within my personal path, I look at Samhain as the time to focus on myself and Yule as the time to focus on others. Samhain (or the astronomical Samhain around November 7) will often find me alone, working magic, and reconnecting myself to the spirit realm. In a sense, I turning inward, focusing on my innerself and my relation to my path. As Samhain passes and the Wheel of the Year slowly turns toward Yule, I begin to focus outward, working on magical tools to use throughout the new year as well as crafting gifts for friends and family.
Reconnecting
Samhain tends to be divided into two parts for me. As the sun slowly begins to descend, slipping into the darkness that is often symbolic of the underworld, I honor my ancestors that have passed away, both my blood relatives who brought me into this world and my spiritual ancestors who inspire my beliefs. I take a few moments to thank them for their role in making me who I am. I will often leave flowers at a grave or set a plate of food outside in their honor.
But as the night continues on, I begin to focus on my connection to the natural cycles of the world around me, the spirit realm, and the steps that lead me toward my spiritual and magical goals. Because my own path is so nature-oriented, I spend a portion of time in the wilderness, doing trance work and using visualization and focused meditation. My mental work tends to focus on two themes: the spiritual, magical, nature energy intertwining around me and filling my being until they are an integral part of me, and then I focus on visualizations of myself attuning to natural cycles and developing a harmonious, mutually supportive relationship with the wild and the spirit realm until my instincts, intuition, and desires are intimately linked to Nature and my spiritual path.
The actual visualizations can be simple or complex. For instance, while drawing Nature within me, I may simply imagine the Natural energy flowing inside me until my inner-being has the same feel as the wild place around me, or I may specifically visualize natural beings (trees, animals, the fae) coming toward me as misty beings, each entering within my body and adding their unique energy to my own. It's a simply matter of asking myself, "What do I want to have represented in my spiritual path?" and then visualizing various ways that the particular energy can be created.
Crafting
As Samhain passes and the weather grows colder and wilder, I spend less time outside, not avoiding the winter storms (which I love) but rather the hunters that begin to prowl through the wild places. The energy that I drew within me on Samhain serves me well, creating an intimate link to the wild and the spirit realm. With this energy as my guide, I begin to craft tools and ritual elements as well as well as Solstice gifts for loved ones. I'll carve wooden athames and wands from drift wood and windfalls I collected throughout the year, hand grind incense and store it in eclectic bottles, and make pouches from stones and herbs that I've come across and purchased. It's become a winter tradition within my home that the holidays are heralded by the smell of honey saturating the house from melted beeswax as I spend hours hand dipping candles for gifts and my own ritual needs.
As Samhain nears and slowly passes by, it is not a single day that appears only once a year, but rather the doorway to a season of magic. This year, think of ways that you can extend the spirit of Samhain throughout the winter months and to the joyous holiday celebrations at Winter Solstice.