Samhain

Samhain, pronounced 'sow-in', is celebrated similarly within the Southern Hemisphere as it is in the Northern Hemisphere, the only difference is the date in which it is traditionally held. Held traditionally on April 30th -May 1st in Australia, however for 2023 isn't held exactly on that date, and as such falls this year on the 6th of May. 

This is how I'm celebrating this year as a practicing witch with university and work. I'll be going through some basics as well, what Samhain is, where it originated and how you can celebrate in your own home/life. 

Samhain is one of the eight sabbats some witches celebrate throughout the year, its noted here that not all witches see these sabbats as they are mostly formed from Wiccan traditions and celebrations. However, many witches who aren't Wiccan or Pagan celebrate or oversee these dates as a form of connecting with the more spiritual days of the year.  

During this sabbat the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at its thinnest, and as such many people do spiritual work centered around the dead. This work includes but isn't limited to Ancestor work, divination, and silent dinners. with decorations of skeletons, skulls and anything that is a vague reminder of Halloween due to the traditional date in the Northern Hemisphere, however anything featuring Autumn imagery and harvest imagery works as Samhain decorations. 

Samhain is a time of deep reflection and of endings, as such its a time to finish projects, spells or assignments that are due soon, It is a time to look into the darkness ahead and see out potential past the darkness of winter. Its a time to communicate with the dead and those who have passed on through the use of divination methods, due to the timing with ANZAC day you can honor the soldiers during this day as well. 

 How I Celebrated

This year left out an offering for my ancestors on my alter, as I do not have an alter already dedicated to them, Including a white candle and a black candle for balance and representations of the light half of the year and the dark half. I did most of these things in the evening, as that was the time I was free but also due to the full moon that was out. 

Although I didn't do much, as I had prior commitments, I still attempted to do something to honour the change in the year, most of the work I did was internal with reflections on the previous months and what I want to work on in the dark half of the year. Journaling and research about my deities was also a form of celebration, by sending time with the people within my practice as the light half of the year fades into the dark half. 

All in all, you don't need to do any extravagant rituals, or feasts, simply acknowledging the change in the weather, the energy or even acknowledging your ancestors or those who have passed on are simple ways you can celebrate this sabbat. 

- Spectre