Or how to peek through the veil!

October 31st marks the exact midpoint between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice in the Northern hemisphere. From the Celtic celebration Samhain to the trick or treat and Jack-o’-lantern displays of Halloween, this day has always carried significance and magic.

In almost every culture this date represents the thinning of the veil and the chance to connect to the other side, the realm of the dead. Whether we believe in it or not, it’s nonetheless a good time to think about our ancestors and honour them for having walked this earth before we did.

If you feel the call to celebrate Samhain, here is a ritual that does not require many tools.

Connect to your ancestors

• find a picture of the person (people) you want to reconnect with or an object that belonged to them
• light a white candle and grab a notebook or a piece of paper
• take a few minutes to settle, breathe deeply and gaze at the flame with the intention of connecting with your passed loved one(s)
• think about the guidance you want or need to receive while carrying the picture or the object and breathe deeply
• if anything comes to your mind (lyrics, a word or expression, a colour, an image…), write it down or draw it because it brings answers or direction to your current situation, if you feel nothing, just thank your ancestor(s) and write a gratitude list
• sit in this quiet meditative practice and keep the candle lit as long as possible
• when you’re ready to go back to your day or night, put a lid on the flame to extinguish it and thank your surroundings, ancestors and yourself for taking this time

Happy Halloween or Samhain!

An idea, like a ghost, must be spoken to a little before it will explain itself.

Charles Dickens