Use these three Samhain rituals to honor the seasonal celebration & connect on a deeper level with nature & yourself.

Samhain is the traditional, Celtic & Pagan festival that symbolizes the end of the harvest season. As the life of nature begins to draw inwards & darken, we too are inclined to turn to the introspective, the quiet & the gentle.

This is the time to face the inevitable cycle of life and death – both in nature and ourselves.

Interested in celebrating with some Samhain rituals and traditions? Here are three ways to incorporate seasonal magic into your evening!

Set up an ancestral shrine

Your ancestral shrine can be elaborate or simple. A simple flower in front of a photo will do – or you can choose to make it an ever-evolving & shifting connection with the spirit world.

If you find this practice difficult or uninspiring, one helpful mental shift is to think of your further-off ancestors (that maybe you’ve never even met) rather than just those that have passed in the last 50 years or so. In this way, it’s an honor to your heritage as a whole.

Set up a few pictures of your family, objects, or images relating to where you grew up or where your family originates from.

With work such as this – be aware difficult emotions may arise. Treat yourself with gentle compassion to allow yourself to accept & heal.

Hold a ritual of release

This is a powerful practice at any time, but the shedding energy of Samhain is particularly powerful.

Begin by setting up your sacred space, dimming the lights, and opening a window to feel a connection with the cool autumn breeze. Gather a piece of paper and pen, your favorite herbs, a lighter, a candle, and your cauldron or a fire-safe bowl.

Hold the paper and herbs in your hands. Using your imagination, pour all the deaths, loss & pain you have felt over the past year into them. Come face to face with the darkness. You can take a moment to write down what you are releasing into the paper if you’d like.

Place a candle in your bowl – throw your herbs & paper into the fire and watch them burn. Breathe deeply, and invite in a fresh, clean start. If you’re interested in learning more about releasing rituals, check out my moon magic journal & witchy workbook, Your Year of Magic.

Observe a Dumb Supper

This is a more traditional – and a bit morbid – Samhain ritual. It entails laying a place setting of food for the dead during dinner. It is seen as a form of dignity & respect.

If the idea of setting a place at the table for ghosts makes you a bit uneasy, you can also place a meal or offering outside in a special place.

Samhain is the blank page upon which the coming year will be written. Much like the light of a full moon – this is a time when things that were hidden now become uncovered. It’s a time when we can choose & preserve things that will help us restore our balance & provide for our path ahead. By accepting loss & periodically allowing for our own descent into the underworld, we grow deeper & richer within.

Celebrating with Samhain Rituals