Connecting with the reflective ancient roots of Samhain.
It’s the 31st of October tomorrow, the date that we celebrate Halloween. I’ve always felt a bit icky about the Halloween of utterly gruesome bad taste costumes, mass overconsumption and jump scares of the overcommercialised holiday.
But this makes sense, as ‘Halloween’ as we now know it feels to me like a messy misunderstood version of an ancient festival that was much softer, more mysterious, reflective and even feminine - the celtic celebration of Samhain, pronounced 'Sow-in or Sown' which traditionally falls on the 1st November.
As we switch to the darker half of the year it’s natural to feel a sense of fear of the unknown - in times gone by the uncertainty of whether we would make it through the winter was probably most present at this time of year. And what do we do as a culture when faced with uncomfortable truths? Distraction anyone? Flashing lights and extreme overconsumption to prevent us from really tuning in to what's happening around us?
Now, I don’t want to be a killjoy, if you enjoy the jumpscares and can find catharsis from these extremes whilst knowing you're safe then that's great! We all need humour to help us cope with unpleasant emotions. I have quite a few scary but cute charm necklaces and earrings inspired by some iconic spooky symbols of the season.
But personally I find the gruesomeness all too much for my nervous system to cope with, which is why I’m finding it helpful to turn to the ancient ways of marking this special liminal time.
This year has been a mast year for nature which means an unusual abundance in fruits and nuts from our plants. You can’t help but see the acorns and leaves carpeting the ground and feeding the mushrooms. Check out my Mushroom collection to honour the fungi.
As always art imitates life for me and I’ve been stocking up on my Autumn leaves jewellery which were inspired by some of Britain's native leaves. I hope you can wear them through the darker months as a reminder of the stunning colour palette we've been seeing during this transitional season.
The past few weeks have been the perfect time to expand my journey into foraging. I’ve been harvesting sweet chestnuts, hawthorn berries and rosehips. I’m hoping that the nutritional value and vitamins found in these will help keep my immune system healthier during the switch to colder weather. Gathering, preserving and storing nature's bounty before winter's chill sets in has really connected me to the shifting seasons.
I’ve recently found out that over time Samhain has been celebrated on many different dates during November - and I love an extension! So if like me you worry about trying to pack in all your Halloween/Samhain celebrations into one day, fear not! We can give ourselves time during the next couple of weeks to honour this magical reflective time.
Here are a few ways you can connect with the energy of Samhain…
🔥 FIRE! - Samhain is a fire festival, traditionally the remainder of the animals were slaughtered in November, people gathered for warmth and to give thanks, and the bones of the precious herd were offered up to the fire hence the name ‘Bon(e)fire’.
🧴 Preserve something - While I have been loving experimenting with a few different potions this year, you don’t need to over complicate this. If you can bake some apples and freeze the puree for a midwinter crumble then you are savouring the harvest and connecting with this season.
🧸 Get cosy - Make a list of your favourite Autumnal/creepy films and have a candlelit movie night.
🕯️ Make an altar - Bring in nature's treasures and maybe offer some of your thoughts to your ancestors while the veil is at its thinnest.
🛍️ Shop small - Go out to a market and connect with your local crafts people, we need you more than ever this year and buying less but quality is a great way to counter the overconsumption of the capitalist monster that is modern day Halloween.
I hope to see you at one of my markets soon and wish you all the cosiest and creepiest of Samhain seasons!
