All Hallow's Eve, Day of the Dead, All Saints Day, Samhain
Honoring all beliefs...
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All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween)
October 31
Origins of Halloween go back loosely, thousands of years to the Celtic celebration of Samhain (pronounced "sow-win"), a festival that marked the end of the harvest season and ushered in a new year. I’ll share more on Samhain later in this article. The veil between the worlds of the living and the dead was thought to be especially thin, so people could communicate with loved ones who had passed on.
Since a hallowed day on November 1 celebrated (see below) and honored deceased ancestors, the eve of that day was thought that all sorts of ghouls and demons came out to haunt people. So, bonfires were made, and pumpkins were carved in scary faces and some people even dressed in scary costumes in order to protect the town from the ghosts and ghouls.
All Saints Day
November 1
On the first of November, Western Christian churchgoers will celebrate All Saints Day. By others, this day is also known as All Hallows' Day, Hallowmas, or the Feast of All Saints. The holiday honors all the Saints of the church (and as I believe, all those who have passed). On this day, celebrators gather in prayer and worship.
The exact origin of All Saints Day is uncertain. However, the November 1 celebration of the holiday can be traced to the 8th century when Pope Gregory III reigned (731–741).
The Christian festival of All Saints Day comes from a belief that there is a spiritual connection between those in Heaven and on Earth. The holiday honors all those who have passed on to the Kingdom of Heaven.
The holiday has slightly different meanings to different worshipers. However, they are united in that they are renewing and reaffirming their faith by celebrating All Hallows Day.
Samhain
October 31 - November 1
Samhain, (pronounced sow-in) is a Wiccan holiday. It is one of their eight major holidays, or Sabbats. They love and respect nature and try to live in harmony with the earth.
Samhain is observed from sunset on October 31st to sunset on November 1st. It is the celebration that is the origin of Halloween. Samhain was first observed by Celtic Pagans and marked the Celtic New Year, the end of summer, and the end of the harvest season. It also signaled the beginning of winter, which is associated with death. On this day, the Celts believed the veil between the living and the dead was especially thin. This allowed spirits of the dead to visit the living.
There are many rituals associated with Samhain include dancing, feasting, taking nature walks, and building altars to honor their ancestors. To symbolize the end of the harvest, they include apples, pumpkins, or other fall crops. To represent and honor the spirits of the dead, skulls or skeletons are placed on the altar. Photos of deceased family members are also added. Some Wiccans bake loaves of special Samhain bread for the altar, to feed visiting spirits.
Day of the Dead
October 31 - November 2
Day of the Dead or “Día de los Muertos”, began in central and southern Mexico thousands of years ago. At that time, mourning the dead was seen as disrespectful. Instead of grieving, it was more important to keep the memory of those who have passed alive. Those who celebrate the holiday believe that at midnight on October 31, the souls of deceased children come down from heaven and reunite with their families. The Catholics believe the souls of deceased adults come to visit on November 2, which is also known as All Souls Day.
Making an altar is a major part of Dia de los Muertos.
The festivities are filled with calaveras (skulls) and calacas (skeletons). Celebrators wear colorful makeup and costumes, hold parades and parties, sing and dance, and make offerings to lost loved ones. People also create altars in honor of loved ones who have passed. They are decorated with pictures, flowers, candles, the deceased loved one's favorite food and pan de muerto (bread of the dead).
Despite the painted faces, costumes, skulls and skeletons, it is important to note that this holiday is not a Mexican version of Halloween. Dia de los Muertos is not intended to be a spooky holiday like Halloween. While Halloween is dark and scary, the Day of the Dead is a bright and colorful celebration of life. Both holidays share the theme of death, but the point of Dia de los Muertos is to celebrate the memory of those who have died.
YIN/YANG Question and Answer Forum
Q/ How can we celebrate Samhain or honor our deceased loved ones?
A/ I came across this wonderful recipe for Remembrance Cookies. I think you’ll like it!
When cut into the shapes of people or hearts, these rosemary sugar cookies are a symbol of remembrance of those who have gone before us. Some of the cookies could be eaten while telling stories or attributes of ancestors or those who have passed in the previous year. Leave some cookies by a bonfire or outdoors as an offering to the spirits traveling that night.
While this recipe doesn’t include anything sweet on top of the cookies like frosting or a sanding sugar or glaze, one could add that if desired.
Remembrance Cookies
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and almond extracts, and rosemary until creamy. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture and beat until dough is smooth. Refrigerate for three hours.
Divide dough into halves. Roll out half the dough to 3/16 of an inch on a floured surface. Cut out with gingerbread women and men cookie cutters. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Bake for five to seven minutes, remove from oven, and let sit on cookie sheet a couple minutes before transferring to a rack to cool.
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Melissa Leath writes A Mystics Journal on Substack. She supplies outrageous metaphysical babble/rant from a modern-day mystic's viewpoint and provides workshops about empowerment and psychic/metaphysical development. Her books Psychic Integrity, The Respected Practice of Modern-Day Mystics (Balboa Press, division of Hay House Publishing) and Does Your Child See Sparkles? are available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Melissa’s long-term study includes years of group development, platform mediumship, meditation, becoming a spiritual medium and minister and a BA in Metaphysical Counseling. She has worked with 10s of thousands of clients in USA and other countries, taught development classes for 12 years and settled into online workshops.
Please contact Melissa at melisssaleath@gmail.com.