Samhain, Samhain 2023 (Halloween): day of honoring the World of the Dead

This holiday originates from the Celtic culture, where on this day they celebrated the end of the harvest. After the introduction of Christianity, it coincided in date with All Hallows' Eve, and in the modern world it is better known and celebrated as Halloween.

In Mexico and Guatemala, on November 1 and 2, it was customary to celebrate the holiday of honoring the memory of the dead, El Día de Muertos - Day of the Dead.

Note: It is believed that on Samhain (Samhain) portals open to the World of the Dead, therefore Spirits enter the World of the Living, who on this night (from October 31 to November 1) have the right to walk among people. The modern Halloween tradition of dressing up in costumes of the Evil Spirit and the dead is associated with an older tradition, which was intended to confuse guests from the other world in such a way that they could not distinguish the living from the dead and harm people.

This holiday is the penultimate reference point in the Wheel of the Year. In some European countries it was the end of the year, in others the year began with the Yule (Winter Solstice) holiday.

What is Samhain?

The name of the holiday in some traditions literally means the third day of autumn, or the end of the warm season (summer).

According to legend, the Celtic calendar divided the year into two parts: dark and light. The dark part began at the end of November and was called the month of Samonios, and the light part began in April and was called the month of Giamonius. It is said that the change of parts of the year occurred with the onset of the new moon. It is also reported that on the first three nights of Samonios, the Celts celebrated the coming of the new year, that is, the Wheel of the Year turned to its new cycle.

In many countries, Samhain was celebrated as a holiday of the beginning of a new year, because in ancient times many peoples and cultures ended the year with the harvest and summed up their lives at this time.

But in Ireland and Scotland this holiday was called the Festival of the Dead. It was also believed that on the night from October 31 to November 1, people who violated their Geis (taboos, prohibitions, vowed asceticism) die.

After the adoption of Christianity, the pagan holiday Samhain was replaced by the Christian All Saints' Day, which is celebrated on November 1, and November 2 is All Souls' Day.

Modern newfangled holiday Halloween (from English. All Hallows' Eve "Eve of All Saints") precedes these church Christian (Catholic) holidays. It preserves many pagan traditions and rituals, but modern people use this holiday more as entertainment and many do not even understand the original meaning that is embedded in these traditions.

For people who practice magic, this holiday is a super-powerful day for working with Spirits, the World of the Dead and Otherworldly Forces.

Features of Samhain in 2023

On this day, the Waning Moon will be in the sign Gemini at the age of 17 lunar day, sunrise at 17:40, sunset at 11:24 (Kyiv time).

Length of day 9 hours 49 minutes 51 seconds.

The sun will be in the sign of Scorpio, sunrise at 6:48, sunset at 16:36 (Kyiv time).

The planets will be visible: Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus.

Samhain in 2023 falls on Tuesday, the day of Mars.

Day Mars is good for ending conflict situations with the help of magic, striking back, kicking back and forth, fighting enemies, and restoring Universal Justice.

This year, on the eve of Samhain, the period of the eclipse corridor ends, which indicates a transition to a new level and the completion of karmic lessons, as well as the beginning of a new nine-year cycle!

We also remember that Samhain is the Day of the World of the Dead, so on this holiday you can work with the Ancestral systems and the World of the Dead in principle. Working with Spirits and spiritualistic seances will work well.

Note: If you are not strong in churchyard magic (beginner, amateur), then I do not recommend you to use works with the World of the Dead, Spirits, and the dead!

On this day, I recommend visiting the graves of deceased relatives and leaving memorials there, and bringing gifts and offerings to the Host and Mistress.