🌑 Samhain: A Goddess Guide to the Thin Veil and Your Ancestors
Greetings, Goddess. Within the goddess-centered lifestyle, the Wheel of the Year is yet another way to create more balance and have themes to live by. That is why we celebrate Samhain.
Samhain reminds us that the dark half of the year is sacred, too. It is the season when the veil is thin, when we can pierce it and see into the unseen. It is ancestral time, and it carries a message for those of us here in the land of the living: this life is precious, so live it fully.
What Is the Wheel of the Year?
The Wheel of the Year is a cycle of eight seasonal festivals, called sabbats, spaced about six weeks apart. Four are solar events, the solstices and equinoxes. The other four fall between them and are tied to older seasonal and agricultural rhythms.
Honoring the turning points of the earth is ancient and lives across cultures. The eight-spoke Wheel and its names are a modern synthesis. If you want the full overview, I break it down in my Mabon goddess guide.
Samhain on the Wheel: The Doorway to the Dark Half
Samhain (pronounced SOW-in) is celebrated on October 31st into November 1st in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, it falls around May 1st. It sits midway between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. The harvest is complete, and the dark half of the year begins.
Samhain also falls in Scorpio season. Scorpio is the sign of death, rebirth, and what lives beneath the surface. Just like Scorpio, this is a time when we have x-ray vision and are able to see things that only we may see. That is why Samhain is known as an occult time. Occult simply means hidden, and this season invites you to look at what is hidden.
A Bit of History
Samhain was a Gaelic festival that marked the end of the harvest and the start of winter. It appears in early Irish literature as a time when the doorways to the Otherworld opened and the living and the spirit world could meet. Today we say the veil is thin, which is the modern way of saying the same thing.
Many of our Halloween customs grew in part from Samhain traditions. You may also hear Samhain called the Witch's New Year, which comes from modern Pagan practice, where this time marks the spiritual new year.
Honoring the dead at this time of year is not only Celtic. Cultures around the world set aside sacred time for their ancestors. As a priestess in the Ifa tradition, ancestor reverence is at the root of my practice, so Samhain is a natural time for me to celebrate and venerate my ancestors.
Goddesses of Samhain
Samhain is the season of the goddesses of the night and darkness. A few you can work with:
Oya (Yoruba): Orisha of the winds, storms, and transformation. She guards the gates of the cemetery and is connected to the Egungun, the ancestors.
Hecate (Greek): goddess of the crossroads, magic, and the night, associated with spirits and the underworld.
Nephthys / Nebet-Het (Kemetic): goddess of the night, mourning, and protection of the dead.
You may feel called to a different goddess of the night and darkness, and that is welcome here. Work with the one who speaks to you.
Here is what I want you to take from them, Goddess. These goddesses walk with the dead and stand at the thresholds. They remind you that the dark holds deep wisdom, and you can meet it without fear.
So light a candle or put on the colors of your goddess, and be open to hearing a message from her during Samhain.
Piercing the Veil: Your Scorpio X-Ray Vision
At Samhain, the veil is thin and we are able to pierce it and see into the unseen. This is the season to trust what you sense, the dreams that stay with you, the signs that keep showing up, and the knowing you can't explain.
Scorpio season gives you x-ray vision. You can see beneath the surface of your own life, including what you have been avoiding and what is ready to change. Some of what you see is for you alone. Hold on to it, and let it guide you.
Ancestral Time and Rebirth
From the goddess perspective, Samhain is ancestral time. It is an especially important time to connect with your ancestors, to remember them, thank them, and ask for their guidance.
It is also a time to be open to rebirth. Like a seed resting in dark soil, something in you is getting ready to grow. Samhain asks you to release what has ended so the new has room to come through.
If you want to go deeper into the ancestors and the spirit of death in the Ifa tradition, listen to my episode Iku, the Spirit of Death: Ancestor Wisdom in Ifa. https://youtu.be/ICKXQHJ04a8
Memento Mori: A Message for the Living
Samhain is connected to the ancestral world, but its message for us here in the land of the living is memento mori. This Latin phrase means remember you will die. Reflecting on death daily was a practice the Stoics championed, and it is a reminder to take advantage of each day and live life to the fullest.
Remembering that our time here is limited can feel heavy, especially if you are grieving. Be gentle with yourself. Memento mori is an invitation to say what needs to be said, do what you have been putting off, and savor the life you have now.
Herbs for Samhain
As you build your altar this season, here are a few herbs that align with Samhain's energy. Use them in whatever way supports your practice.
🤎 Frankincense: a sacred resin offered in temples since ancient times, for purification and spiritual connection.
🖤 Myrrh: used in ancient Egypt to prepare the dead for the afterlife, for protection and honoring the ancestors. Frankincense and myrrh have been paired since ancient times.
🌿 Rosemary: for remembrance, to help you remember and honor those who came before you.
A Card Spread for What's Hidden
Samhain is an occult time, and occult means hidden. This spread helps you use your Scorpio x-ray vision to see what has been beneath the surface.
If you work with oracles or tarot, pull three cards and sit with:
What is hidden from me that I am ready to see?
What have I been hiding from myself?
What hidden gift is ready to come to light?
An Ancestor Letter Ritual for Samhain
This simple ritual helps you honor your ancestors and connect with their wisdom. Adapt it in a way that feels good to you.
What you need: a black or white candle, a photo or memento of an ancestor if you have one, and a piece of paper and a pen.
Set your intention. Sit in a quiet space. Close your eyes and feel the veil thinning. If you wish, you can cover your face with a scarf or thin piece of fabric to create the veil effect. Lift your veil before you light your candle. Think about the ancestors or loved ones you wish to honor.
Light your candle. Say: "I honor my ancestors of light. Thank you for living that I may live. Thank you for being a guiding light in my life. I honor you and connect with you on this Samhain. With grace and ease, be with me."
Write your letter. Write a short note to an ancestor or loved one who has passed. Thank them, or ask for their guidance.
Make your offering. Place your letter and your photo or memento beside the candle. Sit with them in quiet reflection and listen.
Close the ritual. Say: "Thank you, ancestors, for your love and your guidance. Asé. Hetep. So it is." Extinguish your candle. Keep your letter on your altar through Samhain, or return it to the earth.
Journal Prompts to Sit With This Season
What have I been seeing that I haven't said out loud yet?
Which ancestor do I feel closest to right now, and what would I say to them?
What has ended in my life this year, and what is waiting to be reborn?
If I truly remembered that my time here is precious, what would I do differently this week?
Closing
As always, the goddess-centered lifestyle is marked by ritual. This Samhain, look into the unseen. Honor your ancestors. And live this precious life to the fullest.
Blessed Samhain. Asé. Hetep. So it is.
Want deeper, personalized guidance for this season? A sacred reading can help you see what is ready to come through the veil for you and how to work with it. Book your reading here.
Samhain FAQs
What is Samhain and when is it celebrated? Samhain is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dark half of the year. It is celebrated October 31st into November 1st in the Northern Hemisphere and around May 1st in the Southern Hemisphere.
What is the spiritual meaning of Samhain? Samhain is a time when the veil between the living and the spirit world is believed to be thin. It is a season for honoring ancestors, reflecting on death and rebirth, and seeing what is hidden.
How can I honor my ancestors on Samhain? You can create an ancestor altar with photos and mementos, write a letter to a loved one who has passed, light a candle in their honor, or sit in quiet reflection and ask for their guidance.
Which goddesses are connected to Samhain? Goddesses of the night and darkness, such as Oya, Hecate, and Nephthys (Nebet-Het), are often honored at Samhain. You can work with any goddess of the night and darkness who speaks to you.
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