Samhain

The Pagan year begins and ends with Samhain, a time of both reflection and powerful magic. Samhain marks the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead, when the veil between realms is at its thinnest. During this night of supernatural power, Pagans can more easily communicate with loved ones who have passed on.

Samhain is a celebration of death as a necessary precursor to rebirth. At Samhain, as darkness grows and the Goddess reigns in her Crone aspect, the God journeys into the underworld. Only through his death can he be reborn of the Goddess again at Yule.

Samhain is a time for Pagans to honour those who came before, to look back over the past year, and to recognise that there can be no new life without death. Though a solemn occasion, Samhain also sees divination, insight, and magical abilities enhanced. Pagans believe the powers of the sight and communication with spirits to be especially strong on this night.

Samhain marks both the beginning and end of the Pagan year, a time of reflection and a time of change as the old passes away and the new emerges. It is a powerful turning point, both literally and figuratively, in the ever-continuing cycle of life, death, and rebirth.