Samhain Celebration-New Year

The Celtic divides the year into four quarters: Samhain would be considered the end of one complete cycle and the beginning of a new cycle. The word Samhain the way I pronounce it is Sow-Wen, actually means Summer's End. It is the third and final harvest of the year.

I heard of this Celtic myth that explains: In the dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings as the seeds stir below the ground. "In the Dark" meaning that during the winter's months we have less daylight and seeds from the left over harvest drop to the ground and get mixed up in the soil.

Legend also states that the night of October 31st (of course known as Halloween) is a very powerful time. The veils between the worlds are very thin; making communication with ancestors and departed loved ones very easy. Since I am an empath, I always experience things on a much higher frequency on that night.

Ever since I was a small child I loved the Samhain/Halloween season! I would walk home from school and gather sticks and fallen leaves of all colors and have them all over my bedroom. Like I have mentioned before, there is something about Fall that just brings my Spirit a live!

I have provided a link below that has some wonderful Samhain recipes. I will also be posting some of my favorites. I have the counter set above for Samhain/Halloween. Every day it gets a little closer and every day I get more excited.

I burn candles every day, but during Fall until mid Spring I burn more. The colors that are assoicated with Samhain are: Black, White, Silver, Gold, Orange, and browns. Each color has its own meaning:

Black: Absorption and destruction of negative energy

White: Peace, purity, sincerity, protection, happiness, spirituality, stopping gossip, strength

Silver: Moon, female energy, yin

Gold: Sun, financial matters, prosperity, yang, male energy

Orange: Strength, authority, attraction, joy, legal matters, success

Brown: Healing animals and the home

I always use an oil combination or a single oil scent that I anoint my candles with. Some scents associated with Samhain are:

Mugwort: Strength, protection, healing

Heliotrope: Healing, Money, Spirituality, Psychic Dreams and Awareness

Allspice: Money, luck, healing

Mint: Energy and mental stimulant

I use to do a newsletter for a friend who owned a shop. Every quarter I would place a recipe in it according to which holiday was approaching. One particular issue, I just could not make up my mind what to put in this newsletter. While I was working on my Inspiration Faeries, I came up with this recipe so I made it, and ended up putting this recipe in the newsletter.

Faerie Rose Cookies:

Make an infusion of rosewater: 2 tsp. rose petals and 1/4 cup distilled water. Let steep for approx. 15 minutes.

Mix together:

2 sticks margarine or butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons of the above rose water

1 1/2 cups of Flour (add slowly)

The dough will be sort of stiff, which is okay. Chopped the soaked rose petals very fine and add them to the dough. Add 1/3 cup of Oats. Mix well. Use a small scoop and put onto a lightly greased cookie sheet or line cookie with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. When you take them from the oven, roll into powdered sugar or sprinkle the top with Faerie Sugar. (optional)

Faerie Sugar

1 cup of regular sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 drops of red food coloring

Mix real good if you want a darker pink just add another drop of red food coloring. Store in a jar with a tight fitting lid.