Samhain a Pagan New Years

 Samhain a Pagan New Years

By Chuck RitenouR

October 31 is traditionally the date we celebrate Samhain (the actual Pagan date is the day which is in the middle of the Summer and Winter Solstice).( As with all other Pagan holidays, the early Christian Church turned it into a Christian holiday, "All Saints Eve".) This holiday is one of the most important and revered in the Wiccan/Pagan calendar.In the agrarian society of pre-Christian Europe,, this was the time of year for culling the herds, slaughtering the excess livestock and saving the best breeding stock. It is therefore occasionally also called the "Blood Harvest". The grain harvest was in, and the farmers were able to accurately assess how many animals they cold reasonably feed through the winter. They also knew how many people they could feed. The frost had come, and winter was coming, so meat would stay fresh longer in nature's refrigerator. In the hunting societies, the "Wild Hunt" was abroad, and the tribe was more dependent upon their hunters for food, as the plants were becoming dormant for the winter.

This holiday marks the time when the souls of all who have died throughout the year pass over to the other side, and all the souls of those who will be born in the next year come into our world. Celebrations are oriented toward mourning and letting go of those who hav died, especially those who have died in the past year. There is also a general remembrance of ancestors who have come before, with the telling of the family stories, personal histories, and coven lore. This is the time of the year when " the veil between the worlds is thinnest." Magick can be very strong and extremely effective.

A common practice at Samhain is the "dumb supper". This is a meal which is shared with those who have gone before. An extra plate is set and filled with food for those who are no longer with us. After the meal, this food is usually set outside for whatever creatures happen along: Wiccans try not to waste. This dumb supper is a meal when nobody speaks, the time instead being used to reflet upon those who have gone before. The Samhain Feast may consist of the root crops, also the last fruits of the harvest as well as many meat and wild game dishes. Some Wiccans eat only meat at this meal.

Mythologically, this holiday is when the Goddess mourns her slain consort, the God, and she contemplates the coming birth of her child by him. The Goddess is also honored in her Crone aspect. This holiday also mythically celebrates the death of the God, as he lays down his life for the community, or as the God of the Wild Hunt, symbolizing the animals hunted for food.