Halloween Magic

The festival of Samhain originates from ancient Ireland, marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the ‘darker half’ of the year. Traditionally, it is celebrated from 31st October to 1st November, as the Celtic day began and ended at sunset. This is about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. The ancient Irish celebrated the festival of the dead - Samhain, which is pronounced sow-en, and is usually translated as ‘summer’s end’.

At Samhain the division between this world and the otherworld was at its thinnest, allowing spirits to pass through.

The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. People wore costumes and masks to disguise themselves as harmful spirits and thus avoid harm. Bonfires and food played a large part in the festivities. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into a communal fire, household fires were extinguished and started again from the bonfire. Food was prepared for the living and the dead, food for the ancestors who were in no position to eat it, was ritually shared with the less well off.

Two hills in the Boyne Valley were associated with Samhain in Celtic Ireland, Tlachtga and Tara. Tlachtga was the location of the Great Fire Festival which begun on the eve of Samhain (Hallowe'en).

The entrance passage to the Mound of the Hostages on the Hill of Tara is aligned with the rising sun around Samhain. The Mound of the Hostages is 4,500 to 5000 years old, suggesting that Samhain was celebrated long before the first Celts arrived in Ireland about 2,500 years ago.

(info courtesy of newgrange.com)

With Samhain approaching,  the veil between this world and the spirit world is thinning. The best helpers we have are spirits from the other side, whether they are angels, spirit guides, members of our soul family, or any of the numerous spiritual aides available. How can we connect with a spirit to gain this help? and make sure we receive the clearest information possible?

A fabulous way to connect with a spirit is to meditate with crystals. You can also ask for signs and carry crystals with you that day. There are some crystals that can assist with spiritual awareness, spirit communication, and clarity to help you receive and understand the messages given to you.

The crystals listed below can be held in your hand during meditation, placed under a pillow while you sleep or worn as jewellery during the day to gain insights about your life. The most important thing to remember is that you use crystals in the best way for you. If you are an easy listener, then you might want to meditate while holding the crystals. If you absorb more visually, then placing these crystals under a pillow while you sleep or carrying them with you then may work better for you.   The easier you receive, the easier it will be for the messages to be delivered. Spirit communication especially, is always a personal journey.

When communicating with spirit, it is essential to make sure your energy is grounded and protected so you do not absorb any negative energy or unwanted spirits. Grounding crystals can also prevent you getting lightheaded or dizzy after communication and it helps to have a clear head when deciphering any messages that you have received. See below for GROUNDING CRYSTALS.

 CRYSTALS TO CONNECT WITH SPIRIT

Amethyst opens up the upper chakras, clearing the energy pathways. It helps alleviate anxiety and impatience, so you can concentrate better during meditation. A wonderful aid for spiritual journeys, it protects while you gain the greater insights you seek. It is particularly powerful for dream messages.

Angelite is especially good for communicating with angels. Angelite facilitates connections and communications with the divine. It promotes spiritual awareness and raises your spiritual senses, enabling you to open yourself to new information.

Blue Lace Agate is fantastic for communicating with spirit. It balances your emotions so that you can more easily raise your energy to receive information from spirits.

Celestite opens your connections to higher realms. It helps you relax, clearing away any negative thoughts, worries, or stresses you might have, then strengthens your link to higher beings, particularly angels. A very soothing stone, it can gently transition you into a dream state and help you recall and interpret the information you gain.

Clear Quartz is the ultimate amplifier. It boosts the energy of any crystal you use and concentrates your energies towards your goal. Not only does it do this, but it also creates a bond with the spirit realm in and of itself. It acts as an excellent channel for contacting higher beings, helping you sense and commune with those spirits.

Labradorite is a particularly excellent stone to work with when you are reaching out to spirit guides, ascended masters, and higher realms of angels. It beckons you to gaze deeply into it, making it a fantastic stone for scrying. Helps you to communicate with ancestral spirits can be placed on the ancestral altar to help translate messages form the dead. 

Lapis-Lazuli is the stone to work with when seeking control over unruly spirit activity in a home or environment. It dominates the immediate surrounding area, increasing your psychic power and impeding the movement of other competing frequencies. This stone also makes a sturdy vessel for friendly spirits and is often fashioned into statues for this purpose.

Selenite is a favourite crystal to use while preparing to communicate with higher realms. Can be used to cleanse your aura and makes a fantastic aid for spirit interactions. It also promotes dream recall. Available as wands and tumblestones.

GROUNDING CRYSTALS

Black Tourmaline repels lower, harmful frequencies. Recommended for all-round protection, it creates the equivalent of an electrical force field around your aura so that lower vibes and psychic debris will bounce right off. Its powerful psychic protection from negativity in all its many forms. It receives the negative energy or psychic attack and transmutes it back to source.

HERBS FOR CLEANSING & PURIFYING

These herbs are perfect for burning to protect and purify at Samhain/Hallowe'en. 

Choose from below to make a fragrant incense:

Frankincense Resin

Dragon's Blood Resin powder

Pine Resin

Myrrh Resin

Calendula

Rosemary

-       Mix all your resins and herbs together and put in a sealed glass jar.

-       Light one of the charcoal discs until it is sizzling and burning white in a burner.  Be careful, as it gets really hot!

-       Place a pinch of your incense blend on the top and allow the resins to melt while you relax, meditate and enjoy!

-       IMPORTANT: Burn in a well-ventilated room, and as the smoke gets quite strong, not recommended to burn around children.

HALLOWE'EN/SAMHAIN READINGS

This week, starting from tomorrow, I will be drawing additional Daily Cards for the run up to Hallowe'en from the following decks. If you feel drawn to one of these, and you would like a personal reading, please feel free to contact me or click on the image below.

Wisdom of the Hidden Realms

Spirit Messages

Oracle of the Angels

Magickal Spell Cards

Enchanted Oracle