Good Afternoon,
It's no surprise Halloween is celebrated every year, as it has been celebrated in some form for over 5,000 years now. That's right, 5,000 years! It originally stems from ancient Ireland, a land ruled by the ancient Celtic peoples.
It's part of an ancient agricultural calendar called the Wheel of the Year. It marks many things, such as, the end of summer, beginning of winter. The end of the light half of the year and the beginning of the dark half of the year. It is also the first day of the New Year for those following this ancient calendar, as I do.
But most importantly, it is our memorial day. A day of the dead, as many cultures call it, the day set aside on their calendar to honor and remember those loved ones who have passed over.
This year I will celebrate and remember those who have passed on, in my life, as well as remembering a woman who died centuries ago. Petronilla de Meath was 24 years old in 1324 in Ireland, and was a maid servant to Lady Alice Kyteler. She was accussed of witchcraft and was burned at the stake in Kilkenny Ireland, the first person put to death in that land for the crime of witchcraft.
To honor her I will burn 24 green candles in her memory, on Samhain night. 24 for the years she lived, and green for the fields she saw as she lived as well as for healing. I would like to personally thank Ms. Janet Farrar for bringing her to my attention.
I will also burn two brown candles and a black candle and ask the Goddess to help end animal abuse and neglect.
For my loved ones who have passed on, I will burn a red candle of love and remembrance. A few candles to be burned, for sure, but I burn small chime candles (we call them spell candles) and they burn down within an hour or two. By heating the end of the candle, many can be stuck to a fire proof plate to be burned down all together. Be sure to keep this burning ritual plate in view throughout your evening for safety's sake.
You can celebrate the memory of a loved one who has passed on also, by burning a candle for them. A black candle can be a traditional color burned on Samhain, but really, any candle, any color is acceptable. It's about the thought and love that goes into a ritual that makes it special, not so much the tools and supplies. So sayeth this witch!
Remember those whom you love this Samhain and know that by remembering them, they are drawn closer to you and your love. We often say this time of year, that the veil between the worlds is the thinnest, this is what we mean. That those departed, are able to come back to us and visit with us for a while. I hope you have a blessed Samhain!
Peace and Happiness
© 2010-2013 Faith M. McCann. Portions of this blog posting may include materials from my book “Enchantments School for the Magickal Arts First Year Magickal Studies.” For more information, see www.enchantmentsschool.com or go to the title of tonight's discussion and click, it will link you to my school's website. Please note that the copying and/or further distribution of this work without express written permission is prohibited.
If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on our daily email distribution list send me an e mail with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list.
