In October the countryside is transformed by magical mists. The mists thinly veil between the worlds at Samhain. A time to remember those who have travelled the path before and feel them walking with us now.
" From light to dark,
From death to life,
No end and no start."
Samhain is a beautiful Celtic tradition, celebrated in the northern hemisphere which represents the end of the year on the Celtic calendar. Samhain means in gaelic "end of the summer" and was the most important festival in the pagan period to celebrate the third and last harvest.
It is generally celebrated on October 31st. Is one of the two "spirit-nights" each year, the other being Beltane. The old tradition tells us it is a magical interval when the mundane laws of time and space are temporarily suspended, and the Thin Veil between the worlds is lifted.
Samhain was the origin of Halloween (originally called All Hallows Eve) due to the conversion of this festival into Christianity. The "Feast of the Dead" was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food offerings on altars and doorsteps for the "wandering spirits". Single candles were lit up and left in a window to help guide the spirits of ancestors and loved ones home. Extra chairs were set to the table and around the hearth for the unseen guest. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who were lost or had no descendants to provide for them. Turnips and pumpkins were hollowed out and carved to look like protective spirits becoming a night of magic and chaos.
So..... what may we do with this mist moon?
Firstly, party. Enjoy this traditional festival today full of colour, tricks and treats!
Secondly, considering we don't have a druid to put us in contact with the other world, besides we're heading the spring instead of winter, I would recommend to leave this stuff for another life.
But we love to put a little bit of magic, don't we? The mist moon this year down under is a good one for things you'd like to put away or remove. Any beauty treatment concerning "removal" will work beautifully. Tatoos you don't like anymore, varicose veins, warts (we rather to look like gorgeous witches, don't we?), wrinkles, and so on... Apply a beautiful mask to remove off the nasties, have a bath with Epson salts and a relaxing blend to put away stress... Wanna go further? Take a little piece of paper, write all the things you'd like to put away from your life and then burn it (caution: this is fire, so do it safe!)
Happy Samhain!