The Witching Hour

A Blessed Samhain to all my witches.

Did you just say that SAM HANE? Don’t do it! It is pronounced sah-win, or sow-in or sah-ween.

Hence…

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I hope you all celebrated and had a great night. I know I did.

But before I regale you with tales of my night, let’s talk about, just what is Samhain?

Is it the night you finally get to ride that broomstick?

Nope.

Are zombies coming?

Only if you are playing Plants vs. Zombies. Then yes, Zombies, they are coming.

Samhain is a cross quarter festival on the Wheel of the Year celebrated by Wiccans and Celtic witches as well as some other neo-pagan groups. And super awesome witches like me. It falls approximately half way between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice and is the last harvest festival of the year. Some people call it “The Pagan New Year”. Not for me though. New Year’s Day is still January 1. But it does mark the beginning of winter.

So many of our current Halloween traditions come from these long ago pagan Samhain celebrations; from costumes and going door to door for treats to apple bobbing and carving pumpkins. All can be traced back to Samhain. There is so much I could write on the subject.

This is one of the “Spirit Days” when the veil between this world and the other realm is the thinnest; a time when spirits and fairies cross over and visit. This is a time of remembrance. People visit cemeteries and set up ancestral alters leaving favorite items or other offerings to those who have gone ahead. We share stories of them, maybe even set a place for them at dinner.

Most Samhain celebrations include communal bonfires. They serve to bring together the community. Ages ago, our ancestors would put out all the fires in the villages and relight them from the communal fire to bring unity.

This year we carved pumpkins. We set them on the porch to welcome our ancestors home. I made a nice beef stew and butternut squash ravioli. (I got the stew recipe from a pagan book titled “The Magical Year”.) We set up an alter with seasonal fruits and veggies. We added sage and incense and candles. Also added were items special to those we have lost.

One member of our group was the fire tender and started the fire at sunset and kept it going until the sun came back up. We burned sage and cleansed our souls. We wrote down out affirmations for the year and put them in the fire.

It was a great night.

Until we meet again…

Blessed be.

Royal Jewels

Purple has long been considered the color of royalty. For years it was sought out by monarchs to symbolize their wealth and power. Purple symbolizes the soul, the Divine, mystery. It can also be the symbol of serenity and faith. In lighter shades it can bring equilibrium and awakening. It can help to alleviate mental or nervous problems (along with the advice of trained medical professionals) or help in spiritual healing. Too much purple can lead to negative thoughts, tiredness or depression. (If you feel depressed and have suicidal thoughts, contact someone immediately. Suicide Hotline- 1-800-273-8255)

Quartz that has been used for its magick properties since probably its discovery. On a cellular level our bodies and quartz crystal are made of the same minerals. The repeating chemical structure of the atoms that make up crystals are said to invest them with a kind of memory: a power to hold energy. Quartz crystals are naturally receptive to vibrations as they transmit, reflect and store light, and receive energy. The crystal will remember and permeate any environment it is placed.

Amethyst is purple quartz, from the Greek word Amethysos, which means “not intoxicated. So the Greek story goes…

The Wine God Baccus was very angry over being insulted by the Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana), the Goddess of the Hunt. So he vowed vengeance on the next mortal he sees. And for vengeance he plans to have two very large, ferocious tigers devour said mortal. The very next person he sees is the maiden Amethyst who is on her way to worship at the shrine of Artemis. When the tigers sprung out at her she called to Artemis for help. Artemis turned her into white crystal so she would be protected from the tigers and preserve her beauty. Baccus, who the felt guilty over his actions, poured his wine over the crystals as an offering, turning them forever purple. This stone is often associated with Artemis or Diana. The ancient Greeks believed that amethyst prevented drunkenness and they decorated drinking cups with them.

Amethyst was added to ancient European helmets in order to keep a cool head in battle. They believed it would bring good fortune in war or on the hunt. It is said to drive out evil spirits and inspire intellect. It was used to protect crops from locusts and as protection from snakebites as well as cures for stomach aches, insect bites and to beautify skin. It is even said that eagles, the birds of gods, used amethyst in its nest to protect its young from harm. Ancient Egyptians used it as protection during travels.

Amethyst is considered the stone of St. Valentine and a symbol of faithful love. (My engagement ring has an amethyst stone in it.) It is the Gem of Fire, once more valuable than diamonds. It spews with the energy of fire, passion, creativity and spirituality, but with the logic of temperance and sobriety. It has a sobering and cleansing effect and can aid with loss and grief. It is also the common birthstone associated with February.

It is the Stone of Friendship, a symbol of trust and piety. It is thought to put the wearer in a chaste state of mind. The Catholic Church calls it the “Bishop’s Stone” and it is worn by Bishops and Cardinals going back centuries to keep their minds pure and protect them from evil. Buddhists use it for prayer beads (Mala). Catholics have made Rosaries from it. Moses described amethyst as a symbol of the Spirit of God. It is found on the breastplates he was instructed by God to have made, the third stone in the third row. (Exodus 39:12) It is also used in the Bible as the 12th stone set into the foundations of New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:20) The Russian Empress Catherine the Great loved it so much that she sent thousands of miners in search of it.

A new moon is upon us tonight, the night before Samhain. It’s a witchy night.

And why, you might ask, have I just filled your brain with all of this wonderful information about amethyst?

Because it called to me.

I have been learning to read runes. I have always been more of a tarot card kind of witch, but runes are smaller and there are less of them. I was introduced to them this summer and have been studying them since. I finally decided I was in need of my own set. And when presented with options, amethyst runes said “Pick Me!”

And I did.

And since they were not always mine, tonight, under a new moon, I said a prayer and lit a candle over them. I feel they will need to sit there until the full moon comes. Then they will be mine to use in divination.

For blessed are those who never stop learning.