Samhain is the name of the old Celtic festival that falls on November 1. It’s also the Irish word for November! It marks the beginning of a new energetic cycle, and is considered the ‘real’ new year by many pagans, witches and other followers of old traditions. In this blog post, I share with you my take on Samhain themes, as well as ideas for things you can do to mark this special day - including a Samhain tarot spread.

First of all, Samhain is a good time to work with ancestors.

This is probably the best known theme for this season, and was transferred to the Christian holy day called All Saints’ Day. In Poland, where I come from, it’s the day on which you go visit the graves of loved ones who have passed. It’s a really important day in many cultures.

Magically, it’s the perfect time to work with your ancestors in some way. I used to think that this had to be elaborate and complicated, but have now realised that it absolutely doesn’t need to be (like many things in life, right?).

Honoring your ancestors can be as simple as making a recipe that has been in your family for a long time, or that reminds you of a particular family member who is no longer with us on the physical plane. If you don’t want to cook or bake, you can also do another activity that reminds you of where you come from in some way. Be creative, you can’t get this wrong!

If you like creating altars, you could create an ancestors’ altar. In its simplest form, this can just be some old photographs and a candle. You can add whatever you like, of course, that reminds you of your ancestors, or helps you stay connected in some way. I haven’t done this yet, but I’d really like to have a place like this in our home, somewhere I can go to talk to my ancestors when I feel like I need or want to.

I’ve also seen examples of ancestors’ altars outdoors, in the garden. Obviously you wouldn’t include photographs, but if you’re an outdoorsy person then you may want to plant flowers that remind you of someone, or plants you associate with your ancestral heritage in some way. Add a bench and you have a gorgeous area to sit and reflect in. November is probably not the best time to plant things though, so this idea will have to be a longer term project!

It’s also a good time to let go of the past

You can let the past support you, for example through ancestral work, or you may notice that you need to LET GO of something ancestral. Perhaps there’s a pattern you’ve been repeating and you notice that it comes from your ancestral past. Or there’s a belief that you know has been in your family or culture for a long time, and it’s not aligned with where you want to go.

Samhain time is good for releasing… just look at the trees releasing their leaves and take inspiration from them!

In general, the veil between the worlds thins at Samhain.

This means that it’s easier to do any kind of spiritual connection work, anything where we want to communicate with ‘the other side’. You can work with ancestral energy, your higher self, or connect with you spirit guides in a deeper way. If there’s something in this area that’s been calling you, now’s a good time to follow that nudge!

It’s the start of a new energetic cycle.

I’ve always felt Samhain’s strong New Year energy, even way before I knew the word ‘Samhain’! there’s just something about this season that speaks of endings, and promises new beginnings.

Recently, I asked my spirit team Avalon how this new year fits in with the calendar new year in January. They said that this new year is about energy - it’s a new ENERGETIC cycle. So this isn’t the time to jump into goal setting. It’s rather a time to tap into your soul’s intentions for this lifetime, a time to get into soul alignment and be clear on what’s truly right for you to aim for and create.

As I understand it, this is a time for wishing and dreaming.

When we allow ourselves this deep inner connection time, we set the foundations for the year ahead. We’re then in a much better place to set goals from when the time comes in January.

And remember - this doesn’t mean that you take a half hour to journal on November 1 and it’s done! This foundational dreaming phase lasts all the way until Yule on December 21, so essentially until Christmas.

So what can you do to make the most of the energy of the season?

This will be highly personal, of course, but here are some ideas for you:

practice divination

I don’t do much peaking into the future, but if I’m going to do it then it’s definitely at this time of year. As I said above, the veil between the worlds is thinner, so it’s easier to access information. This year, I think I’ll spend some extra time with my tarot cards and ask some bolder questions about the future… it’ll be fun to try and make some predictions and see whether they come true! If you don’t have or don’t want to use tarot cards, you could also ask your question as you’re falling asleep and see what answers come to you in your dreams.

declutter

Releasing old beliefs and patterns is all well and good, but sometimes we don't even know what we need to release. That's where physical decluttering can help. Everything is made of energy, so clearing your physical space will clear your energetic space too - and you don't always have to understand what you're releasing. This time of year is great for decluttering, so that there's room in your life for new dreams to come true.

do apple magic

I don't know why, but the idea of apple magic really appeals to me at this time of year. Apples belong to the Fall season, and they are symbols of abundance. It seems like a good idea to include them in something you do to work with the energy of the season. 

connect with your intuition

I mean, connecting with your intuition is important at ANY time of year, but something about this season helps us wants to go within. If you feel like you've lost touch with your intuition, or if you just want your connection to be stronger, I have a few posts you might like:

• How to connect with your intuition in 10 simple steps
• How to use oracle cards to connect with your intuition
• The best oracle cards to tap into your intuition

If you really want to commit to working with your intuition regularly, and letting it support you then check out Club SoulSmart,  you get many, many opportunities to strengthen your connection, and to live in more alignment with your soul.

A Samhain tarot spread

Here is an example tarot spread you can use at this magical time. Note that this is just a suggestion, feel free to change the questions so that they suit you and your current situation.

The idea of this spread is to have you in the middle, 3 messages about the cycle that's ending at the top, and 3 messages about the cycle that's beginning at the bottom.

1. Where am I today?
2. What have I learned over the past year?
3. What did I achieve and should celebrate?
4. What did I release or transform and should celebrate?
5. What will I continue learning during the next cycle?
6. What will help me experience more of what I want?
7. What could get in my way, if I let it?

I hope you enjoyed my take on Samhain and its themes.

Wishing you all the best as you step into the next chapter,

Love,