Samhain Food Ritual

Samhain is a time to look back to the past and forward to the future. It is
beneficial to reflect on those you have known and the experiences you have
shared, as well as to take the time to view the possibilities ahead of you.
Samhain is a profound time of the year, offering the opportunity of
understanding.

Ritual Preparations

Since spirits and faeries run free today, you may wish to take extra
Precautions in protecting your home and sacred space. Clean the floors with
basil-steeped water to wash away any negativity from the old year. Hang
gorse near your windows or doorway, and cast white beans around the circle
to banish both ghosts and bad luck.

Gather pictures of, or memorabilia from, people in your life who have passed
over, and put these in the sacred space at the western point. For the three
other points you will need a knife or scissors, a candle, and a symbol of
transformation.

Carve a pair of back and white candles to represent what you want to release
and gather for the new year, respectively. Also find a crystal to use for
scrying, (quartz and obsidian are two good choices), have self-lighting
charcoal for the brazier (or cauldron), and write messages on pieces of
paper for your loved ones who have passed over (one piece of paper for each
individual you wish to contact).

The Altar

Cover the altar in a black or orange cloth. Decorate it with traditional
Halloween touches, such as an iron cauldron, bats, owls, brooms, and
skeletons. Add a pomegranate to represent the cycle of
Life-death-rebirth at one side of the brazier; place your messages to
Loved ones on the other. Put the black and white candles at opposite sides
of the table's surface.

Invocation

Begin the ritual when it is totally dark outside. This invocation begins
with a prayer that opens the way for the spirits of beloved friends and
ancestors to join you:

"Lady and Lord, pull aside the veil; the edge of time where all things begin
and end. Open a gateway to my loved ones that they may join me in this rite.


Cast the circle starting in the West, the region where several cultures
believe afterlife abides.

West ~ "I, ______come into the circle of Water, a circle of might, to
Sing of my family on this holy night." Place a familial token on the
Western point to welcome those spirits."

North ~ "I come to the circle of Earth, the circle of peace, so
Wandering spirits may be released. Place a knife or pair of scissors
Here to symbolize the freeing of ties." (Some spirits linger in the
Earth plane because they feel compelled to watch over loved ones.)

East ~ "I come into the circle of Air, a circle of change. Let the old
Be transformed, by spirit rearranged. Leave an emblem here of what you plan
to transform in the ritual using the black and white candles."

South ~ "I come into the circle of Fire, a circle of song, as the light
Grows shorter, and night grows long. Extinguish a candle at this point of
the circle to represent the season's darkness."

Center ~ "I come into the circle of the Ancients, a circle of light, and
Welcome familial spirits, this All Souls' Night."

Light a central candle, any color you choose, to represent the Spirit's
presence.

Meditation and Visualization

Hallows is a time for remembering, and for journeying into our own
Subconscious. This sojourn unlocks the keys for integrating our past,
And handling the present more effectively.

For this meditation, sit with the crystal you have chosen and close your
eyes. Think of one person, now deceased, whom you would trust as a guide,
and ask silently for his or her guidance.

Breathe deeply and slowly. Feel the energy of the crystal in your hand. For
now, let it sit idly here, lending its insightful power to the
mediation process. If it helps, lie on the floor with the crystal
resting on your Third Eye while you meditate.

Envision all those friends and family members who have passed over in a
circle around you, linking hands. Let their love become a magic sphere that
holds you in this place between worlds. As you feel this protective, caring
energy grow, the crystal will begin to get warm. When this happens, open
your eyes and take the crystal in hand.

Think now of one question that has been nagging you. Direct that
question into the crystal. Look at the surface of the stone, and let
your gaze become naturally blurry. Watch for images to appear. You may see
literal portraits, symbols, or clouds in response to your question.
Portraits and symbols have to be interpreted by you. Generally bright or
white clouds in moving up or to the right are good omens, while those
appearing dark, or moving down and to the left are negative portents.

After you receive your answer, whisper your thanks to the spirits who
watched over you, and to the stone. Make notes of the experience you had in
your ritual journal.

The Ritual

Stand before your altar, saying:

"I welcome the Old Ones, I offer hospitality to kindly guiding spirits
in this sacred space. Those of you who chose to join me here, I beg a boon.
Into these fires I place message for people close to my heart."

Place the pieces of paper on which you've written your messages to
departed loved ones into the cauldron of fire.

"Impart these words gently to ______(fill in with the names of those you
wish to contact). Carry the smoke of love and memories with you into the
next world when you return."

This is a good point in the ritual to look over old scrap books and
revel in positive memories. Allow tears to flow freely, along with
laughter as part of the circle of life.

Next, light the black candle saying,

"Death is a part of life. Today_____ (fill in whatever you've chosen to
release) dies within me. This is not a loss, but a liberating change that I
welcome and accept."

If possible, dance the circle counterclockwise at this point to release
negativity. Keep moving until you feel finished casting the shadows from
your life.

Light the white candle, saying,

"From death to the old ways comes life anew. I light the candle of _____
(fill in with a characteristic you hope to gain) that it may always shine in
my heart." Dance, or walk, the circle clockwise to draw positive energy, and
bring light to the darkness.

Other Activities

If you can take a trip to the graves of family or friends later, it's
traditional to leave soul cakes there as an offering to the spirits of
the departed. At home, leave out sweet cream for the Fey so they don't cause
mischief.

Some people hold a séance tonight, or attempt other forms of divination such
as pendulum work. If you hold a séance, please make sure that an experienced
medium controls the attempt. There are many spirits wandering Earth, and you
don't want to accidentally reach the wrong one!

Pendulum divination is actually fairly easy to try. You'll need a length of
cotton or wool string that's as long as your elbow-to-fingertip measurement,
plus a little extra. Thread the needle, wedding band, or other evenly
weighted object onto this. Put the elbow of your strong hand on the table,
with the pendulum hanging down from between your pointer finger and thumb.
Steady the pendulum, then think of a yes or no
question. Clockwise or up-and-down movement is a positive answer,
counterclockwise or left-and-right movement indicates a negative answer.

Closing the Circle

Put away the tokens you've placed at each quarter point as you recite this
dismissal. Note that the progression of the closing gives the attending
spirits time to leave before the veil is closed again.

South

"I release the circle of song,
the circle of Fire.
The way is opened by a cleansing pyre."

East

"I release the circle of change,
the circle of Air.
The way is new, but the magick is there."

North

"I release the circle of peace,
the circle of Earth.
The way is fertile for spirits rebirth."

West

"I release the circle of Water,
the circle of might.
The way is ready; spirits take flight!"

Center

"I release the circle of the Ancients,
the circle of light.
The way is closed, this holy night."

Closing prayer (optional)

Lady and Lord, I have released, sown, and reaped...now it is time to
rest. Bring peace to my spirit, to all those souls here gathered, and to
this place until we meet here again. So mote it be.

Post Ritual Foods

Traditionally, animals enjoy the food first today, in thankfulness for
the gift of sustenance many of them offer. After that, try cultural
foods, favorite edibles of the departed people honored in your
ritual.

Don't let the leftover pumpkin go to waste either; make pie or bread as a
protective food. Also consider dark foods, such as rye or pumpernickel bread
Pork and apples are both customary foods for the dead, and beans are also a
good choice -they grow counterclockwise!
Source Unknown