Halloween History,Energy And Crystals Too

October 31st the day kids and adults alike look forward to dressing up as ghosts, goblins or their favorite character (and there’s bond to be a sexy nurse at the adult party). The kids hit the street going door to door in hopes of returning home with a plastic pumpkin full of candy and the parents can’t wait for them to go to bed so we can rifle through and grab our favorites (usually the Reese cups).

Have you ever wondered where this holiday got its root? I sure have and I am going to share with you what I’ve learned and how we can work with energies of this season.

The History of Halloween
Halloween originated over 2000 years ago in Europe from an ancient Celtic Pagan (mainly Irish) festival called Samhain (pronounced - sow-in).

Samhain marked the end of harvest season and start of winter for the Celts. During this time it was believed that the veil between this world (the living) and the otherworld (the dead & fairy realm) was at its thinnest. The thin veil allowed spirits of lost loved ones and even fairies to cross over to the realm of the living and visa versa. It was also a time of divination where it was said that fortunes could be easily told.

The Celts built large bonfires and sacrificed crops and live stock to honor the Celtic deities. They also prepared large feasts and invited their deceased loved ones to join, setting a place for them at the table. For protection against any evil spirits that may have crossed over, they wore costumes/masks to disguise themselves. Mischievous acts where also played and then blamed on the spirits. Any of this sounding a bit familiar ?

After the Roman Empire conquered the majority of Celtic territory in 43 AD , they brought with them their own traditions/rituals that were weaved into Samhain.
Feralia honored the passing of the dead and Pomona honored the Roman Goddess of fruit and trees and was symbolized by the apple. This may help explain the tradition of bobbing for apples that we do today.

After the Roman Empires invasion the expansion of the Catholic religion began. As you can guess the church frowned upon the Celtic Pagan ways.

There is speculation that the church-sanctioned holidays known as All Saints (aka All Hallows) and All Souls Day were formed with similarities to Samhain as a way to attract and convert the Celts into the Catholic church.

November 1st was declared All Saints (aka All Hollows) Day therefore the day before, October 31st was referred to as All Hallows Eve. Sound familiar?
On All Hallows Eve the peasants would go door to door begging for soul cakes (shortbread filled with fruit and nuts) in exchange for prayers of lost loved ones. It was believed that one soul cake given equalled one soul saved. This tradition very well may have been adapted from the feast at the Samhain festival and where we get our current day trick or treating from.

Mind you this was all happening in Europe. None of these traditions came to America until the late 1840’s with the rush of Irish immigrants during the potato famine. By the 1930’s Halloween gained popularity in the US as more of a community based gathering rather than a religious holiday.

Energetic Significance of This Time of Year
By the time Halloween/Samhain season comes around, we are in thick of Autumn. You can almost feel the energy shift; not only in nature, but within ourselves. The harvest cycle is ending and we are preparing for a rest period. The energy is turning more inward - more introspective.

Ways to work with the energies
1.) Let Go
Just like nature is letting go and dying in order to come back stronger in the Spring so should we. That could be letting go of a job that is sucking your energy, ending a toxic relationship or just letting go of habits or thoughts that are not serving our highest good.
A couple crystals to help you release and let go: Amethyst and Bronzite

Amethyst is a good choice for releasing any habits and addictions and trying to get to their root cause.
Bronzite is a stone all about releasing what isn’t serving our highest good.

2.) Honor a Passed Loved One
This could be as simple as lighting a candle in their memory or as fancy as building an ancestral alter.

3.) Shadow Work
Our shadow is just the parts of us that we have repressed-probably because, well…they’re not the best parts. They may be things like: anger, jealousy, envy. They are not evil, they just lack our awareness. Once we allow ourselves to see and accept them they tend to shrink and have a less negative effect on our lives.
Now if we have more serious, trauma related shadows, seeking the help of professional to help us work through them is best and I strongly encourage that.
Some crystals that can help with shadow work include: Obsidian, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz, Rhodochrosite, Rose Quartz, Lapis Lazuli and Selenite..to name a few.

Black tourmaline or smoky quartz to help us stay grounded.
Black obsidian or snowflake obsidian will help shine a light on our shadow side. Black obsidian is a very potent crystal so if it’s too much or you’re feeling sensitive try snowflake obsidian, which has a more gentle energy.
Lapis lazuli is a great crystal for self awareness.
Rhodochrosite will encourage self-love, forgiveness and healing. Rose quartz is a great alternative as it holds the energy of unconditional love.
Selenite with its pure white light energy can help remove any energetic blockages and aid in purification.

Journaling can be very helpful. Write out questions like: “why do I feel this way”, “where is this coming from”. Take your time and just write it out.

4.) Clear Your Space and Yourself
Try purifying your space and personal energy field with black sage or any herb, resin or incense you feel called to use. Black sage clears negative energy and adds another energetic layer of protection and relaxation. Perfect to use before bed for a restful sleep, especially if you’re prone to nightmares.

5.) Have a Bonfire
Make it a fun night with friends and family. You could use this time to reminisce about passed loved ones.

Whether you celebrate Halloween, Samhain or a combo of both (or neither, for that matter) I hope you now have a little more insight into where these traditions originated. Let’s celebrate our ancestors who came before us and brought forth these ancient rituals and maybe add some new traditions of our own to honor them. I may try my hand at making some soul cakes this season.

Happy Samhain, Happy Halloween, Happy All Hallows Eve