Samhain: Honouring the Veil Between Worlds

It is time again, dear friend, to gather by the glow of candlelight and speak of Samhain — the witch’s new year, the festival of endings and beginnings. Pour yourself a cup of something warm, breathe deeply, and settle in, for this story is woven from the threads of both life and death, shadow and light.

Samhain falls on October 31st, carrying us into November 1st. For our ancestors across the Celtic lands, this date marked the true turning of the year. The harvest was gathered, the cattle were driven in, and fires were lit upon the hills to honour the old year as it gave way to the new.

Long before calendars marked the days, Samhain signalled the close of harvest and the turning of the year toward winter. Families gathered close as the nights grew long. Fires blazed on the hills, their flames thought to guide lost spirits safely home. Offerings of bread, fruit, and milk were left on doorsteps — gifts for the ancestors who were believed to walk more closely beside us at this time of year.

Did you know, dear reader, that the word Samhain comes from old Irish, meaning “summer’s end”? It was never feared as a season of death, but honoured as a sacred threshold. Folklore tells us that at Samhain the veil between worlds grows thin, a liminal time when the whispers of ancestors and guides might reach us if we pause to listen. It is no wonder that divination — with tarot, runes, or crystal scrying — was so often practised on this night, seeking insight from beyond the veil.

Yes, it is true — modern science even gives us a gentle nod here. Psychologists speak of liminality as a state where we are more open to reflection, transformation, and creativity. Just as the harvest clears the land for new planting, Samhain clears our inner fields, inviting us to release what no longer serves and prepare the soil of the soul for what is yet to come.

A Ritual Calendar for Samhain

To make this season more than just a single night, you might weave a little magic into the days around Samhain:

• October 28th – Cleanse your space. Burn sage or incense, sweep your home, and prepare a small altar with seasonal offerings like apples, nuts, or autumn leaves.

• October 29th – Honour your ancestors. Place photos, heirlooms, or even a simple candle in remembrance of those who have passed. Whisper your gratitude to them.

• October 30th – Divination night. Pull tarot cards, use a pendulum, or meditate with a crystal such as amethyst or obsidian to seek guidance as the veil thins.

• October 31st – Samhain proper. Light a fire or candle to mark the turning of the year. Write down what you are ready to release and burn it, letting smoke carry it away. Share a meal with loved ones, leaving a portion as an offering for the ancestors.

• November 1st – New beginnings. Journal your intentions for the new year. Carry a protective stone, like smoky quartz, to remind you of your strength and renewal.

How then might you bring Samhain into your own sanctuary? Begin simply. Light a black candle to honour the ancestors and a white one to invite their blessings. Place obsidian, smoky quartz, or amethyst nearby — stones of protection, release, and spiritual sight. Brew a cup of calming herbal tea and sit quietly as you sip.

At Rise & Sage, we hold tools chosen to walk with you through such rituals — candles infused with intention, stones that ground and guide, incense to carry your prayers like smoke rising to the heavens. Yet remember, sanctuary is not found in objects alone, but in the pause you give yourself, in the intention you set, in the love you carry forward.

Whisper this mantra with me as the veil softens:
“I release the old. I honour the past. I open my heart to the blessings yet to come.”

Until next time, dear reader, may your Samhain be filled with warmth, remembrance, and the gentle knowing that endings are but the first step into beginnings.

Love and light, always.