Each year,
On November 1st,
I stare into my cup of morning tea and sigh,
Well,
Only 364 more days until it's Halloween again.
While I truly believe that every day is worthy of celebration,
Samhain is probably the biggest day of the year for Wiccans and Pagans.
This talk is a supplement to my course,
A Wiccan Celebration of Autumn,
Offering some additional thoughts and ideas for your enjoyment of this magical time.
At the very mention of Halloween,
Samhain,
Or witches,
The image of a broom comes to mind almost immediately for most people.
For practitioners of witchcraft,
A broom is a magical tool,
As opposed to a mode of transportation.
In the craft,
This type of broom is known as a Besom,
Which is pronounced Besom or Besom.
The purpose of a witch's broom is sweeping away unwanted energies,
Quite similar to how one is traditionally used in a domestic setting.
Your broom can also be used in rituals,
Or placed near a door or beside your altar for protection.
The Besom is also sometimes part of Pagan weddings,
In which the newlyweds will jump over it to symbolize clearing a path.
Any broom will work for magical purposes,
Because,
Just like any tool,
It is powered by your intentions.
So you can use one from a hardware store,
Or buy one that's pre-made for magical purposes.
Many practitioners,
However,
Do enjoy creating their own broom.
Mine is a blend of both.
I purchased it,
But I've added to it,
Which I'll go into in a moment.
If you would like to create your own from scratch,
The handle is often made of ash,
For purification and protection,
Oak,
For strength and wisdom,
Or willow,
For healing and protection.
The bristles are often twigs that are tied to the handle.
My broom is made entirely of pine,
Which corresponds with strength,
Endurance,
And everlasting life.
Plus,
I just really like pine.
Decorating a broom adds a personal touch,
And it's a fun activity.
For this,
You might consider choosing dried flowers and or herbs.
Pick something that corresponds with your intentions,
And has meaning to you.
I've decorated mine with dried sage from my garden,
And I've tied a small pentacle to the handle.
Also,
Especially during Samhain,
I add a generous amount of cinnamon and rosemary essential oils to the bristles.
For autumn,
You might also consider decorating your broom handle with mini pumpkins or an orange ribbon.
Go with whatever you feel drawn to.
When not in use,
You should keep your broom handle side down,
With the bristles pointing upward,
So that they aren't touching the ground.
This will help keep the bristles from splitting or bending.
If you work with herbs and plants in your magical practice,
Samhain is a great time to consider adding these fall favorites to your workings.
Purification and Remembrance In Wicca,
We see both life and nature as a cycle,
As opposed to viewing them as linear.
The cycle,
Or circle,
Has no beginning,
And it is never ending.
With Samhain being the Wiccan New Year,
We see this as a time of new beginnings and rebirth.
It is also one of the times we choose to remember those who have gone before us and celebrate their lives.
Samhain is when we especially honor our ancestors,
Especially our departed loved ones.
We do this because the veil between our world and the spirit realm is at its thinnest,
Allowing us to more easily communicate with one another.
Many practitioners will leave a plate of food out on the night of Samhain as an offering to those spirits,
And one of the most commonly chosen offerings is an apple.
The magical properties of apples include love,
Protection,
Fertility,
And longevity.
Linked with the other world,
Apples have also symbolized health and immortality for centuries.
The legend of Avalon tells the story of an isle of apples where life-giving powers and fairies abound.
If you wish to leave an apple as a Samhain ancestor offering,
You might consider choosing one for yourself as well.
Before eating the apple,
Hold it in your hands as you ground and center.
Then whisper your intentions into it and visualize those taking form as you enjoy eating the apple.
Samhain is also a great time to remember or commemorate our familiars.
A familiar spirit is basically a companion,
A spirit that is connected to someone of this world.
Especially in Wicca and in witchcraft,
Familiars are looked at as teachers and guides.
Many times,
But not always or exclusively,
These spirits take the form of animals.
If you don't already recognize a spirit as your familiar,
Samhain gives us the perfect opportunity for making that discovery.
And all you will need to do is simply observe and listen.
You might wish to do so through water scrying.
Simply fill your cauldron or a bowl with water and peer into it with a soft gaze.
Allow any messages to come to you without forcing them.
It's easy to work up an appetite while getting ready for Samhain.
And with autumn being a time of grounding,
It's important to replenish our energy,
Especially with foods of the season.
Here is one of my favorite autumn recipes that will pair perfectly with a cup of tea or a mug of hot apple cider.
One teaspoon ground nutmeg.
A dash of salt.
One teaspoon ground pumpkin spice.
One can pumpkin puree.
One whole egg.
Two egg yolks.
One half cup heavy cream.
Pumpkin seeds for sprinkling on the top.
Frozen pie crust.
Using only one if the package contains two.
In a rectangular pan,
Grease all sides.
Take the pie crust.
Note that it will crack and break when unrolled,
Which is what you want it to do.
Place the broken pieces on the bottom of the greased pan.
In a separate bowl,
Combine all other ingredients.
Pour the contents of the bowl into the greased pan,
Covering the broken pie crust pieces.
Top with pumpkin seeds.
Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 50 minutes,
Turning halfway through for even baking.
Just as brooms and jack-o-lanterns in their current form are mostly decorative,
The original uses of both are rooted in the practice of magic.
The following is a protective pumpkin spell for Samhain that is from my personal grimoire.
Please feel free to adapt it in any way you see fit.
For this working,
You will need the following.
A pumpkin.
A black candle.
Black is preferred,
But any color is fine.
A paring knife.
Ground cloves.
Ground black pepper.
Garlic powder.
And dried sage.
A few notes on the ingredients.
Pumpkins are associated with lunar deities and the moon.
They correspond to the element of water.
Pumpkins have long been associated with prosperity and protection.
Cloves are for high vibrations.
White sage is for purification and protection.
Rosemary is associated with purification and remembrance.
Black pepper is for protection and banishment.
Garlic is for cleansing and chasing away negativity.
Slice off the top of the pumpkin and remove the seeds and fibrous strands.
Mix the cloves,
Black pepper,
Garlic,
And dried sage together in a bowl.
Place your hands on both the bowl and the pumpkin as you enchant them by saying something such as this.
With this candle burning bright,
And herbs that grew from nature's might,
Upon this pumpkin a charge I lay to guard my home both night and day.
On this night and at this hour a call upon protective power while Samhain blessings inviting in to honor my beloved kin.
By power of the moon and sun the Samhain working has begun.
Into my home great blessings flow.
As above,
So below.
So mote it be.
Generously dust the inside of the pumpkin with the herbal mixture.
Place the candle inside the pumpkin and light it.
Your protective pumpkin can be placed at a door of your home or in any location where you wish to give a protective boost.
You might also choose to make more than one of these pumpkins and place them in multiple areas.
At Samhain we celebrate both life and death for neither can exist without the other.
The wheel of the year always turns and although we cannot see the whole at once still we know that the unseen part of the wheel is ever present.
May your celebration of Samhain be filled with peace,
Love and magic.
The crow flies from me to thee to send the message,
Blessed be.
