Samhain Poems

Samhain

by: Elspeth Sapphire

It is the time of burning leaves,
The crispness of the air has awakened
Memories both dark and hidden,
Memories of past feasts partaken.

I sit comfortly in this silent room
Computer keyboard beneath my fingers
Yet...my mind is never frozen here
In times past it wants to linger.

I 'see' a bonfire raging on a hilltop
With my people all gathered around
Our prayers to the Gods I shout,
Yet, in my dreams I hear not a sound.

The drums beat, the people dance
Wildness fills the autumn night.

The Other Side is so very close--
The Veil just beyond the fire light.

I reach, I feel, I almost touch...
Spirit fingers entwine with mortal
Then dawn's first light appears
And seals again the fragile portal.

I turn away from the cold ashes
Let the wildness leave my aching soul.

Another year til another Samhain...
On that night again I'll be whole.

 

The Veil Is Getting Thin

(unknown)

As I went out walking this fall afternoon,
I heard a wisper wispering.
I heard a wisper wispering,
Upon this fine fall day...

As I went out walking this fall afternoon,
I heard a laugh a'laughing.
I heard a laugh a'laughing,
Upon this fine fall day...

I heard this wisper and I wondered,
I heard this laugh and then I knew.
The time is getting near my friends,
The time that I hold dear my friends,
The veil is getting thin my friends,
And strange things will pass through.

Samhain

by Yvonne Aburrow

As night draws its veil over the land,
And autumn draws on her cloak of leaves,
The other world draws nearer to our own,
And the dead gather in the place of shadows.

 

The dark mother stands revealed
In her terrible naked glory.
The heartstopping beauty of Autumn
Is like a spear roaring for blood.

Even as the Sun recedes from us
To journey over the dark dreaming river
Into the country of death -
So we seek within ourselves the seed of life.

The seed of life: Demeter's mystery,
Kernel within the dark husk,
The Child of Light turning within the womb,
Reflected in the burnished gold of autumn leaves.

Pumpkin Seed projects

One of the most popular symbol for Samhain, Halloween and Thanksgiving is Pumpkin. Pumpkin pie is one of the most popular desert for after Halloween and Thanksgiving. After you carve your jack-o-lantern you have lots of pumpkin seeds. There are lots of different crafts that you can do with pumpkin seeds. Depending on your project will determine if you need to color them. You should try coloring them as it will spruce up any project.


You can paint or draw on a pumpkin seeds. I have used markers, but you will need to get the fine tip as the seeds are so small. I had a friend that was proficient at using a pin as a paintbrush. I am not that artistic but it is worth trying. One idea is to make a rune set out of the pumpkin seeds. I was a mini tarot card set on the seeds. It was amazing to see.

Now I have done some research on how to color pumpkin seeds and I got a lot of mix and match suggestions. I will give several different tips of the different ways to color them.

First you need to wash them, pumpkin seeds have a film on them and it needs to be washed off. You need to lay them out on a towel or parchment paper to dry. Let them dry completely before trying to color them, so it may take 24-48 hours to dry.

One tip is that you take a glass jar and put 2 teaspoons of rubbing alcohol and add food coloring to the color that you want. Stir them up after a couple of minutes. It may take a few minutes to get the color. Remember that they will dry lighter so if you need to add more drops of food coloring add them. Once they have reached the desired color, take them out and let them dry on parchment paper or a towel. Turn them over after a couple of hours so they don't stick to each other. Let them dry for 24-48 hours before making your projects.

In another tip is to take a sealed baggie and put 1-2 teaspoons of warm water and drops of food coloring then add your seeds and shake them up. Don't add too much water on this one and make sure the bag is sealed before you start to shake. Kids will always like this part, you can throw on some music and let them shake and shake. Open up the bag and lay them out on a towel or parchment paper to dry. Again turn them over after a couple of hours so they don't stick. Let them dry for 24-48 hours before making your projects.

Yet another tip is to take a sealed baggie and put a tablespoon of vinegar and food coloring and add your seeds and shake them up like above. Again don't add too much vinegar and just keep shaking. Once they are evenly coated take them out. Now in a couple of blogs people just let them dry but some said to bake them at 375F for 45 minutes.

Another version is to add a 1/2 cup of warm water and a tablespoon of vinegar then add your seeds. Now to get the appropriate color could take an hour. After wards take them out to dry for 24-48 hours. Remember to turn them over after a couple hours. Some suggestions is to bake them for 20 minutes at 200 degrees.

You have several different ideas on coloring seeds, now you need to choose which way to color them. You will need to experiment and choose the one that you prefer. We do not bake our seeds, mostly because we do not have an oven, so it takes longer to dry.

So now you are ready for some cute projects. Jewelry is the most popular craft that I have been told. You can make pumpkin seed necklaces that are not colored and they still look cool. There are different ways to sting a necklace together. Just to warn you that unless you poke a hole in the seed first, it may not be suitable for young kids. I have poked my fingers until they bleed while stringing seeds. Again you may want to experiment a head of time so you can tell what kind of help your kids will need.

The other thing to take in account is the wasted seeds that you will be using. There will be mistakes so make sure you have more than you need for the project. You can always store them in a plastic bottle to use for next year or for more projects.

Like I said there are different ways to make the jewelry and what kind of string. I have read that some people use regular string, embossing thread or even fishing line. I prefer using fishing line but embossing thread comes in different colors so it can set it off and give it the final touch. Adding beads to them will also give it a touch, but it is all up to you.... sorry up to your child.

One last tip before you tie off the necklace. If you want the necklace to last for a couple of years you can tie it off but if you want it to really last you may want to seal the seeds with a spray of shellac or another type of sealer. I have read it both ways that some people do it after they make the holes and then sting them up, but some do it after they string them but before they tie it off. You can take them outside and hang them across somewhere and make sure there is some space in-between them, and then spray them. That will seal the color on the seeds and help in transfer to your clothes.

So the next craft is making pictures with the seeds. It is time to be creative and have some fun. You can take some coloring pages and have the little goblins glue the seeds on the pictures or you can design your own. The important thing is to have some fun.

Divination



You can do divination at any time of the year. There are a ton of different types of divination. I have a list but it is long and it is still not be complete. That tells you that you can use many things and there are many ways for divination.

The most popular is the Tarot Cards but there are so many to try. I admit that my skills with the Numerology is not good as I am dyslexic with numbers. I have tried Astrology and it was not my bag of tea. I may try another one when I get more time, there are plenty of them that I can choose from. I hope this will give you some ideas for yourself. Enjoy.
 

Aeromancy is divination by atmospheric phenomena.

Amniomancy is divination by using the caul.

Anthroposcopy is divination by observing facial features.

Arithmancy is divination by numbers.

Astrology is divination by planets and stars.

Augury is divination from the behaviour of birds.

Austromancy is divination by the winds.

Belomancy is divination by arrows.

Botanomancy is divination by herbs.

Capnomancy is divination by smoke.

Cartomancy is divination by using cards.

Catoptromancy is divination by using a mirror.

Ceromancy is divination by molten wax dropped into water.

Cheiromancy is divination by the hands.

Clairvoyance is divination by "second sight".

Crystallomancy is divination by a crystal.

Dowsing is divination by using a forked stick or wires.

Genethlialogy is divination by the stars placement at one's birth.

Geomancy is divination by examining dots on paper, dirt particles or marks on the earth.

Halomancy is divination by salt.

Horoscopy is divination by means of a horoscope.

Hydromancy is divination by water.

Ichthyomancy is divination by fish.

Lampadomancy is divination by observing the flame of a candle.

Leconomancy is divination by observing the shape that oil poured on water makes.

Lithomancy is divination by stones.

Numerology is divination by numbers and names.

Oenomancy is divination by the appearance of wine poured in libation.

Oneiromancy is divination by dreams.

Onomancy is divination by the letters of a name.

Onychomancy is divination by the fingernails.

Ophiomancy is divination by observing the behaviour of snakes.

Ornithomancy is divination by the flight of birds.

Palmistry is divination by reading the lines and aspects of the hand.

Pegomancy is divination by fountains.

Pessomancy is divination by pebbles.

Phrenology is divination by the bumps on the head.

Physiognomy is divination by the face.

Pyromancy is divination by looking into a fire.

Rhabdomancy is divination by a wand or divining rod.

Scrying is divination by looking into a crystal ball.

Sideromancy is divination by observing the movement of straws placed on a red hot iron.

Sortilege is divination by drawing lots.

Spodomancy is divination by looking at ashes.

Theomancy is divination by oracles.

Xylomancy is divination by dry sticks.

Zoomancy is divination by observing the behaviour of animals.

Samhain Tarot spreads

The veil between the worlds is at it thinnest at Samhain. This is the perfect time for divination. There are lots of different types of divination but I will be showing you some of the tarot card spreads for you Samhain celebration. I collected these off of Pinterest and I wanted to share them with you.



Randi Minerva has a great site for tarot tips. I have posted most of them. She has a Pinterest site and a website. Feel free to visit her site at http://randiminerva.com/.

Hunted Nails

Here are a couple of ideas for your nails for the Season. I hope they give you some ideas.  I found these on Pinterest and I wanted to share them with you. Now some of them you are going to need some help but some of them you can do your self. Some of them I found have step by step instructions.

One thing you may want to remember when you are done, you need to put a clear coat on them. As I am a file clerk I am in and out of files all day and I used to leave marks on the files with my finger nail polish. I was given this tip and it has worked out good.

Now remember what I have said about any craft, it is all about having fun and being creative. Those little imperfections that happen just gives your craft a personal touch. So have fun and be adventurous.

Night of the Living Nail

 

Here are the last ideas for your nails for the Season. I hope they give you some ideas.  I found these on Pinterest and I wanted to share them with you. Now some of them you are going to need some help but some of them you can do your self. Some of them I found have step by step instructions.

One thing you may want to remember when you are done, you need to put a clear coat on them. As I am a file clerk I am in and out of files all day and I used to leave marks on the files with my finger nail polish. I was given this tip and it has worked out good.

Now remember what I have said about any craft, it is all about having fun and being creative. Those little imperfections that happen just gives your craft a personal touch. So have fun and be adventurous.

Charge of the Crone

There have been so many versions of the Charge of the Goddess. Doreen Valiente, Gerald Gardner, Aleister Crowley, and many others have written Charges of the Goddess and have adapted from each other to create several different versions. There are controversy on who are the true authors as they have been copied and altered so many times. I cannot be certain on the authorship of the different versions. I do not have access to the books so all I have is what is on the internet and unfortunately the internet is not always correct. A couple of sites credits Jim Garrison for the Charge of the Crone. 

Look at the different version and pick the one that feels the best for you. In each version there is a difference but the meaning is still the same.

 

Charge of the Crone 

I am the Queen of magick and the dark of the Moon, hidden in the deepest night. I am the mystery of the Otherwolds and the fear that coils about your heart in the times of you trials.

I am the soul of nature that gives form to the universe; it is I who awaits you at the end of the spiral dance.

Most ancient among gods and mortals, let my worship be within the heart that has truly tasted life, for behold all acts of magick and art are my pleasure and my greatest ritual is love itself. Therefore let there be beauty in your strength, compassion in your wrath, power in your humility, and discipline balanced through mirth and reverence.

You who seek to remove my veil and behold my true face, know that all your questing and efforts are for nothing, and all your lust and desires shall avail you not at all.

For unless you know my mystery, look wherever you will, it will elude you, for it is within you and nowhere else. For behold, I have ever been with you, from the very beginning, the comforting hand that nurtured you in the dawn of life, and the loving embrace that awaits you at the end of each life, for I am that which is attained at the end of the dance, and I am the womb of new beginnings, as yet unimagined and unknown.

 

 

 

Charge of the Crone Hecate

I am the Queen of Magick, hidden in the deepest night.
I am the mystery of the other world and the fear that coils about your heart in the times of your trial. I am the soul of nature that gives form to the Universe.
My torches light the way for enlightenment and illumination.
My sickle of death cuts away things that are dead & no longer needed
It is I who awaits you at the end of your spiral dance.
I am She who has no secrets but a thousand secrets.
I am the aged Old Crone of Darkness who face of death portends life anew and filled with Luna's secrets.
All acts of magick and mysteries are my rituals and
My greatest ritual is love itself.
You who seek to remove My veil and know My true face,
Know that all your questing and efforts are for not,
Until thy own face beholds and knows the mysteries of they own self.
For you to truly know Me, you must look in your own heart and know and accept thy self.
For those of you who call upon Me and My powers for magick, beware!
For My magick is swift and without regards to the consequences.
Those that know Me shall glide safely through troubles,
For it is My dark cloak of protection that is wrapped about you.
Close your eyes My child and call to me, for I am there,
within your Darkness.