happy samhain/halloween to you all! for those of you who tune into the cross quarter days- technically today is NOT the true midpoint between the fall equinox and winter solstice. that occurs when the sun is at 15 scorpio- the precise midpoint between 0 libra (fall equinox) and 0 capricorn (winter solstice). so the true astrological/solar samhain occurs on november 7th. lunar samhain always occurs with the new moon in scorpio which was last week on october 23rd with the solar eclipse. today’s samhain/halloween is simply the calendar date for this holy-day- it does not have the cycles of nature (sun and moon) energizing it, but it does have historical significance as halloween has been celebrated on this day for hundreds of years (maybe longer) and it has energy simply because of this repetitive pattern year after year.
i tend to see the window of time between lunar samhain and solar samhain as the samhain season. this year that season lasts from october 23rd through november 7th, but each year it varies as the new moon in scorpio falls as different times each year. this samhain season is a time to celebrate endings, our ancestors, magic, mystery and the deep fertility that is found in the darkness (dark does NOT mean evil!). samhain is akin to the dark moon part of the lunar cycle- it’s a time of release, renewal, introspection and reflection. it is the gateway to the last part of the waning of the sun’s light which enters us into the darkest days of the year (in the northern hemisphere, in the south it’s the reverse and they are experiencing the days of the most Light. from now until winter solstice we experience the dark of the sun- and the death of old. the rebirth of the sun occurs with the winter solstice- but until then we are in the yin part of the yearly cycle, which is not so much about growth as it is about pruning and letting go of the past. samhain is a time where the veil between the worlds is thin. it is a time to take stock of the last year of your life so you can appreciate, complete and/or release what came before- making way for what is yet to come.
i highly recommend taking some time out of your busy schedule to sit in prayer, meditation, contemplation or ritual. give thanks for your experiences in the last year- both the Light and shadow. as ‘both Light and shadow are the dance of Love’ (rumi). Love is about seeing both/and and moving beyond black and white so that we can embrace the many shades of silvery grey in between!
samhain blessings…
~divine harmony