Halloween: What is it, Anyway?
By By Anonymous, a Modern-Day Pagan
The autumn often inspires feelings of freshness and new beginnings, the "clean slate" reminiscent of the first day of school, the crispness of the fall air. At the same time, it is a time of endings - the end of the year approaching, winter looming beyond the next corner. Autumn houses these contradictions, a lot of beautiful leaves, and one of the most anticipated holidays of the year: Halloween. However, Halloween has gotten a bad rap due to its associations with goblins, ghosts and evil spirits. In fact, modern day Halloween has become so skewed and so commercialized that most people have no idea of its ancient roots and what this holiday actually represents.
Where did it come from?
It originated from the pagan (meaning "country dweller") religion, an earth-based religion affirming the interconnectedness of all beings and the union of all spirits. Its sabbaths honor the cycle of the seasons, the cycle of the moon and sun, and the cycle of life. Halloween or "hallowed evening" -- the original translation of the holiday -- is the most revered festival and dates back thousands of years
What does it mean?
Halloween (also called Samhain- pronounced SOW-en) is the third harvest of the pagan calendar; all crops must be tended to and picked before the eve of October 30 in preparation for winter and the coming frost. It is also the Celtic new year, a time when one looks back at the previous year and forward to the change and possibilities of the new year. Much like autumn represents both new beginnings and endings, so does Samhain represent a time to reflect as well as a time to look ahead. (In fact, in the Celtic tradition, the Celtic Goddess inspires one to affirm life during a time when things begin to die and winter approaches)
A holy day
It is an especially holy pagan day because, much the same way Yom Kippur is a day when ones who have died are memorialized, so it is with Samhain. It is on this day that loved ones who have passed on are remembered because it is believed that on this day, the gap between the energy of the living and the energy of our ancestors is the narrowest and, therefore, enables us to receive ancestral knowledge and wisdom. So on this day, thanks are given to those who came before us and enabled us to be here now, as is thanks given for the love and lessons they gave to us.
Dressing up
Dressing up for Halloween originated as an expression of what hopes for the new year would bring. For instance, if one wanted to draw prosperity into their life, she or he might dress up like a queen or king as a reflection of that wish. If one wanted marriage, a woman would dress up as a bride, the man as a groom. Then people would travel to each others' homes to show off their costumes and share "treats" (there were no "tricks" in the original celebration of Samhain (in fact, squirt guns weren't invented until years later))
The Witch
The image of the witch as an "old hag" during Halloween is actually a representation of the Crone, the third goddess of the ancient triple goddess. The Crone is the goddess who represents the waning seasons, the time of death and, ultimately, rebirth. The Crone, however, was not evil, menacing nor disfigured as are the many modern day representations of witches. She was honored for her wisdom and power, and her ability to heal. It is only in modern times that this image reflects negative qualities and not the positive ones of ancient times.
During this month, when Halloween rolls around and there is some discomfort regarding the meaning behind the holiday, remember its origins of honoring our ancestors, remembering lost loved ones, the passing of the year, and the coming new one. It is actually a beautiful, reverent and holy holiday that was endowed with a negative significance as it was exploited, changed and ultimately misinterpreted. Allow some of this rich tradition to seep into your next Halloween experience and see if it helps you to honor the roots of this holiday, rather than the holiday it has become.
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