| Samhain - Sabbaths
Name
Samhain
Other names
All saints' day, Halloween
Point of time
31th of October
About sabbath
Samhain is the most important sabbath of the year, a wiccan new year. It's a time of third and the last harvest. In old days it ment counting winter reserves; counting a grain and animals. Festives start in the evening of the 31th october and culminates to the midnight.
Most festives are done still in the 1st of november, the first day of the "new year". In old celtic calendar Samhain has marked as a leap day, which did not belong to a "normal year". From Samhain starts the darkest time of the year, between autumnal equinox and winter solstice.
During Samhain the border between the world of the living and the world of the dead is believed to be most thinner. Samhain's reputation connects it's to death and spirits of dead. In samhain, it's easy to communicate with past friends and relatives.
To wiccans, this it's possible to the spirits of the deads return to the loved ones. Originally "festive of the death" was celebrated in celtic countries by leaving food sacrificials to the altars and thresholds for "wandering spirits". Spirits was not "invited", because it is not right to bother the peace of the dead unless they personally want it.
Lightning a candle to the window is one tradition of the Samhain. It is ment to lead the spirits of the dead relatives and friends home or banish the spirits you wish not to come to the visit. Extra chairs we set next to table and fireplace for the invisible guests. Next to roads and paths were buried apples for the spirits who were lost of did not have offsprings to taken care of.
Cattle was slaughtered during Samhain to be aten in winter season. Grain left over Samhain was left in the fields for as sacrifice to natural spirits. Samhain has been a great festive for everyoe, because it has often ment last chance to get fresh eating before next spring.
Wiccans also believe, that Samhain means beginning of the wild hunt. Horned god rides with his dogs and gathers all souls who have been delayed or careless. Wild hunt continues over winter.
During Samhain goddess transfers into role of the old lady and wiccans ask wisdom ja guidance from her. As a help of interpretation wiccans use tarot-cards or crystalball.
High pries can call old lady's spirit to set down into high priestess, which through spirit talks to whole group or a single member.
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