Samhain, or “summer’s end,” has several aspects. For the ancient Celts, Samhain marked summer coming to a close and the beginning of winter. It is considered the final harvest (for meat) of the year, the Celtic New Year, a time to honor one’s ancestors, and a night that the veil between the physical and spiritual world is thinnest. It is thought that divination is more powerful at this time, that the faerie folk are more active and that the dearly departed are nearer to us (and thus easier to contact) for this reason. Today, Samhain takes place on October 31st.
Apples and apple dishes, corn, meat dishes, gingerbread, hazelnuts, potatoes, seasonal fruits (quince, pomegranates, cranberries, kumquats), vegetables, pumpkin dishes, roasted pumpkin seeds, nuts, beets, squash, turnips, soul cakes, sweet potatoes, ale, mead, cider, mulled wine, and herbal teas.
Symbols, Associations and Decorations
Acorns, candles, torches, lanterns, apples, autumn flowers, autumn leaves, bats, besoms, black cats, bones, carved pumpkins and turnips, photos of ancestors and/or dearly departed, corn stalks, corn dolls, crows, cauldrons, gourds, jack-o-lanterns, masks, mirrors, oak leaves, pine cones, pomegranates, pumpkins, scarecrows, scythes, skulls, straw, tombstones, and spiderwebs.
Activities for Samhain
Divination (tarot, scrying, cleromancy, etc), honoring/consulting ancestors, remembering the dearly departed, holding a dumb supper, releasing the old, understanding death and rebirth, past life recall, lighting bonfires, leaving offerings for ancestors and/or faeries, cooking, feasting, pumpkin and gourd carving, lighting candles, and wearing costumes and/or masks.
Crystals and Stones
Black obsidian, black onyx, hematite, carnelian, amber, bloodstone, smoky quartz, and petrified wood.
Animals
Black cats, bats, owls, stags, ravens, crows, spiders, and dogs.
Spells and Rituals
Candle magic, divination, casting protection, shadow work, spirit work, and/or rituals/spells for manifesting transformation are all appropriate at this time.
When they tell you that you wouldn’t last a day in the real world, smile and say that is because you were created for the night skies, the moon and the stars.
Magical Things Shine Better at Night | Nikita Gill (via untamedunwanted)
Bottle magic is probably one of the most versatile and easy forms of spell casting I’ve encountered. It could be as small as a bottle necklace or as big as a large vase or jar (preferably something with a lid, though, to keep the magic in).
Actually a form of folk magic, a spell is sealed inside a container. This serves a number of purposes – the first being that it keeps the magic concentrated, and prevents it from escaping before the spell has been completed. The other nice feature of a jar or bottle spell is its portability – depending on the size, you can take it anywhere you like, whether it’s buried under a doorstep, tucked into a hollow tree, placed gently upon your mantle, or tied around your neck. You could even incorporate this kind of magic in your altar.
What sort of container you use in a jar spell or bottle spell will partially depend on the intent of your working. For instance, if you’re hoping to do magic to facilitate healing and wellness, consider putting your spell ingredients into a medicine bottle, pill container, or apothecary style jar. Personalizing these spells is easy, and makes them much more powerful. Try to use a container that means something to you if you can.
The ingredients can be vary from very simple to complicated depending on your intent and available materials. It could be as easy as putting your money aside in a jar with a blessing, or you could fill a bottle with various herbs and oils and even objects to reach your intended effect.
Keep in mind that spell jars can be plain and simple, or you can decorate them to look pretty. The nice thing about a decorative, attractive jar is that you can leave them anywhere you like, and no one will even realize that magic is afoot.
Here are some examples of some basic bottle and jar magic, to get you started:
Ocean's Meadow 