The pagan year ends with Samhain (pronounced sow-ehn) on October 31st. Samhain is the old Celtic name for this holiday and continues to be used today. As a belief system related to the agrarian calendar, our years reflect natural cycles. The trees around us are in the midst of their annual transition to hibernation. Here in Western Maryland, gardeners are putting their gardens to bed, planting winter cover crops, and enjoying the final harvest of hardy fruits and vegetables. is used for I enjoy spending time outdoors, enjoying the fall foliage, visiting pumpkin fields, and other fall festivals. We know that soon we will be spending more time indoors and the days will continue to get shorter as the year progresses.
At the end of the growing season, pagans also see metaphors for the human life cycle. For us, this means that this time of year involves more ancestral connections. Amazing considering what our ancestors had to survive to be here. Horrible wars, plagues, famines, ice ages, perilous journeys to unknown new lands, and intense challenges in terms of keeping your family fed and protected. We truly stand on the shoulders of giants. Many pagans believe that our ancestors remain with us more than our DNA.We are the hope of our ancestors, and their hands still helped shape our world. and their love is alive and vibrant in a new way. By connecting with our ancestors, we can gain wisdom, support and assistance from those who love us and know us without knowing their names.
If the idea of connecting with your ancestors is new to you, there are a few simple ways to get started. One traditional practice is the creation of ancestral displays. Pick a mantelpiece, shelf, table, or sideboard in your home and use it to store your ancestral photos and mementos for the weeks around Samhain. Ancestral displays are often beautifully decorated with fall flowers and leaves, candles, fabrics, and items representing individual ancestors and general cultural heritage. is giving the ancestors a seat in the house for a while.It’s a good opportunity to talk about their lives while looking at their photos and belongings.
Another tradition to consider is the Silent Supper. On Samhain, many pagans prepare a meal centered around dishes enjoyed by their deceased loved ones. We set aside an extra spot on the table for our beloved dead and offer plates of food for those empty seats. To do. Then, sit down and eat in silence so you can better connect with the ancestors you invited to dinner.
One Samhain activity that is very important to my own family is grave care. My spouse and I have been visiting and cleaning family graves for two days near Samhain, with many family members buried within a few hours drive. If you don’t know where your family members are buried, the website findagrave.com can help you track down the cemetery. Cemetery staff have a lot of work to do, so it’s not uncommon for graves to need minor touch-ups. We usually bring a spray bottle of water, two sponges, a roll of paper towels, dish gloves, scissors to cut grass or other plants, and a bag to put any trash we pick up. . We also deliver flowers. After cleaning the grave, visit with the buried ancestors and decorate the grave with fresh flowers before visiting.
Even just learning about your ancestors is a good way to honor them. If you are lucky enough to have a previous generation of family, ask about your family. What traditions were important? What was their childhood like? Which family members do they miss the most and why? Learning these family stories can tell us a lot about ourselves and our own lives here and now. If you don’t have a living family member or are out of touch with your closest generation, learn about the culture and country your family is from. Finally, if fall projects appeal to you, consider creating or expanding your family tree. There are great resources online to help you keep track of your family name. Just by looking at all the names in your family tree you can connect with those who have died before. We truly have thousands Love, and all those names were once a life full of dreams, challenges, and hopes for the future.
May you feel the blessings of your ancestors as the trees transition into winter sleep. I wish you a peaceful and meditative Samhain tide.
Eileen Grasse is President of the Frederick Covenant of Unitarian Universalists Pagan and offers events, ceremonies, classes and workshops to a large and vibrant community, including Frederick’s Pagan Pride Day. She is a pagan religious expert, serving communities throughout the Mid-Atlantic region as a minister, teacher, musician, and her organizer.
