Happy Halloween & Samhain
IN THIS BLOG: Seasonal Reflection/Honoring your Ancestors/Feature Recipe: Thai Pumpkin Soup
Welcome Samhain and Halloween!
Samhain, Halloween, All Hallow’s Eve, All Soul’s Day, Diwali and Dia De Los Muertos are a few of the names given to the holidays and celebrations found between the New Moon in Scorpio and the Full Moon in Taurus. A time heralding the end of Harvest season and the period of the year where darkness takes precedence over light, night over day. Although some may find the season’s themes of darkness, transformation, shadow work and death disheartening, I choose to look at it from the perspective that by going into the shadows and taking time to release and let go, we are making room for growth and re-birth.
Looking at mother nature for guidance, the trees, plants and animals are now preparing for winter. Trees are losing their leaves, flowers and plants have given their last blooms and fruits, and the animals are harvesting and storing nuts and seeds to take them through the colder months. I encourage you to take this time and reflect on what things you can release during this season.
A few prompts to consider are:
What isn’t serving your highest good?
What is holding you back?
How can you let it gracefully die away and begin to nourish the soil to enrich it for planting in the spring?
Celebrating Samhain by Honoring My Ancestors
A few years ago, I started a family tradition of honoring my ancestors and our beloved departed by actively connecting to them on Samhain. I make remembrance bouquets of roses and rosemary and take them to the cemeteries that some of my family are buried in. For those who I want to remember but I don’t have easy access to their graves, I place the bouquets in the fireplace, and let the transformational energy of the fire element send my wishes and gratitude to them.
At our last women’s circle, we made remembrance bouquets as well as created our own ancestral gratitude prayers/intentions. Holding our gratitude in our hearts, we placed the bouquets in a bon fire and celebrating our ancestors and heritage.
Another tradition I love is having our family Samhain dinner. I make dishes my mother and grandmother love and we place seats at the table for them. Each place has a picture of them facing toward the rest of the family and a personal item of theirs as well. We eat by candlelight and let the feeling of love and their spirits fill us as we thank them for being in our lives and wish them peace where they are now. This year, my cousin will be joining me and we will be adding a place for her father, my Uncle. I have found this to be one of the single most beautiful ways to allow death to be honored as a natural part of life and it has personally brought me a lot of peace even in years fresh with grief.
Other ideas to celebrate your ancestors can include creating an ancestor altar, completing a family tree and researching your heritage. As always, do what calls to you. There never is just one right way. How do you celebrate Samhain, Halloween or your ancestors? Email me and let me know. I would love to hear from you!
Wishing you all a blessed Samhain and a Happy Halloween!
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One of the ways I love to celebrate the last harvest is by including root vegetables, fall squash and pumpkins in my kitchen witchery. Here is one of my favorite ways to use pumpkin and carrots in a warming and grounding tasty soup.
Thai Pumpkin Soup
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped orange or yellow sweet pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tbs olive oil
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1 14.5-oz can vegetable broth
1 14.5-oz can unsweetened light coconut milk
2 medium fresh jalapeños, finely diced
3/5 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp Thai Red Curry Paste (adjust amount to preferred spice level)
In a large saucepan, sauté the onions, peppers and carrots in the oil until nearly soft (5-8 min). In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, coconut milk, broth, salt, ginger and curry paste until well blended. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pan with the carrot mixture.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes stirring often. Taste and adjust seasoning. Makes 6 servings. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds and/or cilantro if desired.
