Many lightworkers believe that Halloween and Samhain (the festival that Halloween originated from) is evil and dark and that if they were to celebrate it they would be participating in some kind of collective dark ritual.
I personally believe that this is not true at all, especially when we leave a lot of the gruesome stuff out of it, but it is completely understandable how lightworkers could arrive at this assumption.
As most of the celebrations of Halloween centre around dressing up as something dark and ghoulish, it is not surprising that many believe it to be evil. And yes it is true that in ancient times darker rites and rituals at Samhain may have taken place (which I will discuss a bit later) but this does not mean that the festival is evil.
Samhain has always been a celebration of nature which honours the end of summer and the beginning of colder and darker days. (If you want to find out how Samhain eventually became Halloween read my article on the history of Samhain and Halloween here.)
In fact, at this point in the wheel of the year, the veil between worlds is at its thinnest, meaning that reaching out to guides, ancestors, elementals and passed away loved ones is that much easier. Not only this, but we are also blessed with an opportunity to harness the powerful spiritual energy of this time for our own spiritual practises and Lightwork.
It is just a question of how we use this energy and for what purposes. If we keep our intentions centred in love, then we have nothing to worry about.
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Why Lightworkers Should Celebrate Samhain
Not only is Samhain a powerful time for spiritual rituals and heightened spiritual activity but it is a critical turning point in the birth, death and rebirth cycle of nature.
At Samhain, summer has ended, the leaves are falling off the trees and we will soon be in a very dark and cold winter. Historically, Samhain was celebrated as a way of marking the beginning of the darker half of the year. (Read my article on the history of Samhain here.)
If we imagine ourselves living thousands of years ago, that turning point from lighter and longer days to darker and shorter days definitely would have been a big deal and worth celebrating.
With our current modern way of living, most of us pay little attention to nature or the cycles she goes through.
Yet, I believe paying attention to nature’s cycles and incorporating these natural changes into our spiritual practises (especially this very spiritually significant time of Samhain) can be really beneficial.
Why is Samhain Spiritually Significant?
When looking at why Samhain holds spiritual significance, I like to take a closer look at it’s energy and what it represents.
During Samhain, nature begins to slowly fade and die. The abundance and life of nature is no more as the she shifts into a new phase.
This is also the point where darkness triumphs and we are forced to realise that we live in duality which nature proudly reflects at this time.
In many ways, Samhain is all about coming face to face with endings and finding the courage and resolve to carry on in spite of them.
This is often represented by the figures: the Crone and mythical character the Cailleach, sometimes known as the Hag as well. All of these figures, depict an older woman whose days of fertility and motherhood have ended but has collected the wisdom of her long days.
In many ways, the Crone represents death and the end of a cycle, all of which Samhain symbolises.
On a spiritual level, at Samhain we are asked to retreat inwards and to examine our internal world more closely. The busyness and action of summer has come to an end and now is the time to cosy up and be still with ourselves.
When we celebrate this time, I believe it is important to honour the changes that nature is going through and incorporate this into our spiritual practises.
This could mean:
- Adding symbols that represent late Autumn, Samhian or Halloween to your altar.
- Being still with yourself by journaling to reflect on your feelings and what is happening in your internal world.
- Meditating on what you wish to let go of or what you would like to end in your life.
- Making high-vibe seasonal food.
- Taking a walk in nature.
- Distancing yourself from traditions of Halloween and Samhain that don’t resonate with you or you feel don’t reflect your spiritual beliefs.
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Has the Energy of Samhain Been Used for Dark Purposes?
As I mentioned earlier, in bygone days, it is possible that at Samhain ancient peoples did carry out rituals and sacrifices as a part of Druid rituals.
(If you want to read more about that I suggest you read my article on the history of Samhain and Halloween here.)
And it is also possible the potent power that this time of year holds may still be being used for dark purposes by unknown secret groups. (I do believe spiritual protection can be useful at this time to ward against unwanted energies. In the Ritual Sheet there is a spiritual protection ritual.)
However, I see the spiritual power of Samhain as neutral because with all energy, it is just a matter of how we use it.
So I believe that the most important thing here is intention.
If our intention whilst celebrating it is to honour nature, enlighten ourselves, send out healing and love to the world as well as reach out to guides and ancestors beyond the veil, well then, isn’t that lightwork?
And I believe it is also ok to get involved in some of the fun of Halloween so long as you feel comfortable with it. Personally, I would feel very uncomfortable to dress up as a devilish demon or zombie as I feel that might be invoking unwanted energies. Just my perspective though.
However, dressing up a bit spooky and silly can still be fun. So it is really up to you if you feel comfortable enough to get involved with that side of Halloween.
Stay Centred In Love
Whichever way you choose to celebrate Halloween, do it with the energy of fun and love.
Everything is about intention and no darkness can enter where love is present!
So take a stroll in nature, dress up, pray to your ancestors and make a feast. Have a blessed Samhain!
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