Samhain, Judgement, and Theurgy

At Samhain, we mark the seasonal acknowledgement of a time when the veils between the world are thinnest. For traditional Witches, we are betwixt the old year and the new. We remember and honor our ancestors. We mourn the losses, and we celebrate the gains to come.

We light the fires. The coolness of the season warrants the heavy cloaks or clothing that we wear for outdoor rituals. We welcome our beloved ancestors and share the fruits of our feasts with them and with the gods. We leave plentiful offerings on altars, outdoors on plates, or wherever the practices of our traditions direct us to do.

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In my home tradition, we celebrate with pomegranates, root vegetables, and bread. The smell of a hearty stew filled with meats and nourishing, grounding foods – potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic fills our souls and hearts. As we fill our bellies, we join with our ancestors in memory and share time with them. We write their names on leaves, and allow our thoughts and wishes to the ancestors to burn in the fire.

As we feast, we share stories of our beloved ones whose memories burn bright in our hearts at this time of the year.

For some, this is the start of the dark half of the year. For others who split the year from the summer solstice or Litha to the winter solstice or Yule, this is where the dark gets down and dirty with intense internal working.

We mark the celebration with divination, an opportunity to set our intentions for the New Year and to take a walk on the inside of ourselves with our ancestors or the gods or the elements. An emphasis on shadow work is a gift of the Samhain season, when what we do on the internal may not be pleasurable, but it is necessary.

I laugh when I see a local utility’s commercials featuring a modern Frankenstein who audiences see turn into a 21st century Renaissance man, an all around wonder who chooses to embrace his new self through trying

 

 

Like Samhain, in tarot Judgement addresses endings and beginnings. On the path, this is when we awaken to reality in our lives and make much needed key decisions. I confess that when I first began to learn tarot, the Judgement card, like the Justice and Temperance cards were not my immediate favorites. Looking back it was the impact of making decisions: the external with Justice, the internal with Judgement, and the realization that moderation assists in all things with Temperance.

There is much in the world at the time of Samhain which draws the individual to the realities of decision making, both on the external and internal planes. However, the strongest influence as the veils are the thinnest is connection and decisions we make for ourselves within ourselves. Just as the smoke and flames of the roaring fire, or the liquid of the caldron present the opportunity to communicate with our ancestors, we open portals to our inner selves.

When we allow it, the choices and thoughts we have not seen due to fear can dissolve in the mist and we arise from the graves like the figures in the Judgement card. Our internal revelation leads to our individual reincarnation on the highest levels.

During the time of Judgement, we have a choice: Are we the message or the messenger? Do we heed the call to embrace renewal and the push to awaken our true selves? Are we brave enough to leave our completed past behind as we step forward into a dynamic beginning?

We live in a time when we are being asked to make choices about our lives. The challenge is to recognize where we are stagnant in our lives and where we need to go. The element of fire unites Samhain and the time of Judgment. Fire destroys, yet it also transforms.

The planet Pluto, associated with death and transformation is a natural fit for this time of Samhain and that of Judgment. Pluto addresses the steps we take to uncover the hidden, at times within our souls or our daily habits.

When we embrace ourselves during the time of Judgement, we are open with ourselves about our needs and our ability to shed what chains us to the past. We forgive ourselves and allow ourselves to move forward in freedom.

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Cauldrons, often used for cooking, take on new meaning during Samhain.

If we are so blessed through the fires beneath the cauldrons, our calls to the ancients produce a connection where we are united with our loved ones, where they can speak with us, and where we can bask in the glow togetherness and remembrance.

We use the connection of cooking with the cauldron, and using the fire with the cauldron to reflect our need to nourish and replenish ourselves during this time of the year.

It is difficult to grow if we are not able to feed or to be fed.

Our traditions nourish us. Our celebration of the Samhain, the changing from fall into full winter for many, grants us the space and fuel for our spiritual lives. We acknowledge what is good in our lives even as the leaves fall. The raisinée in the cauldron pictured above is a sweet product made from a slow cooking over many hours until the apples and pears reduce to a thick syrup. It is a terrific substitute for sweetener if sugar and other common sweeteners are scarce. For some, this is a time of scarcity. We put the cauldron on and stir the mixture for hours to create a yummy sweet treat that works for desserts, but also for a standard substitute.

My raisinée consists of humor and writing. Both take time, even as they provide a sweetener to life during these turbulent times.

I laugh when I see a local utility’s commercials featuring a modern Frankenstein who audiences see turn into a 21st century Renaissance man, an all around wonder who embraces transformation through experimentation: learning to cook, cutting his hair, spending time in online gaming groups, and exploring his neighborhood. I realize that my laughter comes from the realization that this metamorphosis requires the modern Frankenstein to step outside the past and into the unknown with no expectations. There is no acknowledgement of even the possibility of failure or negative outcomes, which is what makes the story behind the advertisement attractive.

My shameless plug for writing is the new book coming out this month, Theurgy: Seven Approaches to Divine Connection with Llewellyn Press. I have the pleasure of sharing my experiences and thoughts on theurgy with six amazing co-authors and fellow theurgists. The practice and study of theurgy changes my life on a daily basis and infuses my world with joy and continued divine connection.

Just as we seek connection with our ancestors during the time leading up to Samhain, the goal of theurgy is to sustain and increase our connection with the divine.

Like the modern Frankenstein, stepping onto the Theurgic path requires an act of faith, a willingness to trust the gods and their guidance, and a sense of humor. During this blessed Samhain season, may we release the shackles that bind us to a past that no longer serves our path, and may we transform into the best and lightest selves as we venture into our future.

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