Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Samhain
[Thanks to Brett and Anonymous and Kevin for this post]
Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year, for the Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark, at Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on November 1st. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle, just as the Celtic day began at night. For it was understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed below the ground. Whereas Beltane welcomes in the summer with joyous celebrations at dawn, the most magically potent time of this festival is November Eve, the night of October 31st, known today of course, as Halloween.
Samhain (Scots Gaelic: Samhuinn) literally means “summer's end.” In Scotland and Ireland, Halloween is known as Oíche Shamhna, while in Wales it is Nos Calan Gaeaf, the eve of the winter's calend, or first. With the rise of Christianity, Samhain was changed to Hallowmas, or All Saints' Day, to commemorate the souls of the blessed dead who had been canonized that year, so the night before became popularly known as Halloween, All Hallows Eve, or Hollantide. November 2nd became All Souls Day, when prayers were to be offered to the souls of all who the departed and those who were waiting in Purgatory for entry into Heaven. Throughout the centuries, pagan and Christian beliefs intertwine in a gallimaufry of celebrations from Oct 31st through November 5th, all of which appear both to challenge the ascendancy of the dark and to revel in its mystery.
Samhain marks one of the two great doorways of the Celtic year, for the Celts divided the year into two seasons: the light and the dark, at Beltane on May 1st and Samhain on November 1st. Some believe that Samhain was the more important festival, marking the beginning of a whole new cycle, just as the Celtic day began at night. For it was understood that in dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed below the ground. Whereas Beltane welcomes in the summer with joyous celebrations at dawn, the most magically potent time of this festival is November Eve, the night of October 31st, known today of course, as Halloween.
Samhain (Scots Gaelic: Samhuinn) literally means “summer's end.” In Scotland and Ireland, Halloween is known as Oíche Shamhna, while in Wales it is Nos Calan Gaeaf, the eve of the winter's calend, or first. With the rise of Christianity, Samhain was changed to Hallowmas, or All Saints' Day, to commemorate the souls of the blessed dead who had been canonized that year, so the night before became popularly known as Halloween, All Hallows Eve, or Hollantide. November 2nd became All Souls Day, when prayers were to be offered to the souls of all who the departed and those who were waiting in Purgatory for entry into Heaven. Throughout the centuries, pagan and Christian beliefs intertwine in a gallimaufry of celebrations from Oct 31st through November 5th, all of which appear both to challenge the ascendancy of the dark and to revel in its mystery.
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Hey thanks Martin! I appreciate the compliment. If there's anything specific that you'd like to see or read here, just let me know.
-Alice
-Alice
Hi Alice,
I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences around the Power of Intention and the flow of nature.
Love
Martin
I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences around the Power of Intention and the flow of nature.
Love
Martin
Hmm..interesting...
You might notice I rarely, if at all, ever just write as myself here...But I do think about doing it sometimes...I'll have to ponder that...I just might...Thanks!
Love,
-Alice
You might notice I rarely, if at all, ever just write as myself here...But I do think about doing it sometimes...I'll have to ponder that...I just might...Thanks!
Love,
-Alice
The reason I ask is that I foud your blog whilst doing a search on The Power of Intention. I'd just read a chapter in a book by Wayne W Dyer on the subject.
Your blogs, in your numerous guises are so diverse, expansive and informed I just imagined that you would have a great take on this subject.
Watch those shoes dont make holes in your floor :-)
Love
Martin
Your blogs, in your numerous guises are so diverse, expansive and informed I just imagined that you would have a great take on this subject.
Watch those shoes dont make holes in your floor :-)
Love
Martin
Have you seen Dr. Wayne's special on PBS about that? I borrowed the book on CD from my library called Power of Intention. I actually like to study Seth/Jane Roberts material. I'm up to the book called Dreams, Evolution and Value Fulfillment Vol 2.
Maybe you want to start off with some of your own experience and it would spark me up?
Love,
-Alice
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Maybe you want to start off with some of your own experience and it would spark me up?
Love,
-Alice
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