Samhain is the time when the shadow come to the forefront. We celebrate being alive by honoring Death. We are in the direction of the Northwest. It is the time of the Elders. In earth-based traditions, this is the end of the year. This cross-quarter holiday is sometimes called the Witches New Year. It is the time between the last harvest and the fallowness of Winter. The dead are honored from friends and family members to the animals who have given their lives so we can live. It is a time to feel into our beliefs about death and be in touch with those who have made the journey into whatever come next. We can more easily know the presence, and experience the guidance, of our ancestors while the veil between the living world and the other side is thinnest.

We will explore the symbols and actions appropriate to the beginning of this part of the natural cycle and our relationship to the element of the moment. We will build the altar for the ceremony at hand. This is a show and tell moment. Please bring items related to this time of year as we acknowledge, participate and experience ourselves arising from the Earth.