Bits n Pieces about Samhain

Referat zum Thema Religion

von  Henning

(Samhuinn, Hallowe’en, All Hallow Souls etc.)

This is – and is intended to be so – only a short and incomplete overview about what Samhain is, the religious meaning and where the word/name comes from. Those people who are interested in more details may read the very well researched article about Samhain in the Wikipedia – a very versatile encyclopedia in the internet.

Samhain was always – in the Proto-Celtic and Celtic societies and tribes long before Christianity – a very important religious event and festival at the same time. According to the (ancient) calendar, it marks the end of the summer (hence ‘Sam-Hain’, summer-end) and is a so-called ‘fire’ festival, i.e. a festival, where huge bonfires (a verbalhorning of bone-fire) were lit and used within a religious ritual and also later for a festival of contemplation and happiness as well.
Even in the very ancient times, fire had a divine and spiritual cleansing character and meaning – animals were driven through two bonfires to ‘purify’ them, ritual tools were ‘purified’ over smaller fires before they were ‘blessed’ with holy incense smoke etc. – the knowledge and the usage of the so-called ‘elements’ (fire, water, earth and air – not to confuse with the chemical elements!) what present at all times.
It also marks the transition from the ‘lighter’ part of the year to the ‘darker’ one, hence, because there were in the very ancient times only two (!) seasons, from summer to winter (the distinction of four seasons including spring and autumn is a relatively new idea). It is the counterpart in the cycle of the seasons to ‘Bealtaine’ – and as ‘Bealtaine’ is a festival and celebration of fertility – and as such a festival of sexuality and death. The latter combination might sound strange in the ears of the ‘normal people’, but in those ancient times was a close connection between the powers of sexuality/creation and the powers of death/destruction. And even if you have a look to modern science, we have the two controversial powers of the universe: (biological) ‘Life’ as the order giving, creative counterpart to the ‘entropy’ – the ‘getting colder’ of the universe, bringing disorder, chaos and ‘death’.
Samhain is the one point of the yin-yang eclipse, leading to coldness and chaos and darkness, before the wheel is turning up again to warmth, order and light. And because it is a point of change, like Bealtaine, the connection to the so-called ‘Otherworld’ or ‘Summerland’ is close, or, as commonly said under some Pagan people, ‘the veil between the worlds is thin’ or ‘gates between the worlds are open’.
In former times at or shortly before Samhain was also the last harvest, mainly apples, berries and nuts. What was left on the trees and bushes fell (intentionally or un-intentionally) to the ‘Puck’ – a little nasty spirit who usually was stealing from the humans and in this way it was hoped by the abundance of goods he would leave the men alone for a while.
The today’s customs of wearing masks and costumes (mainly by the children on their ‘trick or treat marches’) has also very old roots: Because of the believe of the wide open gates and the possibility for spirits of the Ancients to visit this world, people had the idea to wear horrible masks and nasty costumes to scare the bad, negative spirits away and it was also hoped that those demons would not recognize one in disguise – even the ‘trick or treat’ has those old reasons: In spending some ‘goodies’ (see above, for the Puck) for evil spirit, men hoped to be let alone.
Maybe you can tell your children – when they are a bit older – about these historical backgrounds  of Halloween – I am sure, they are highly interested…


Anmerkung von Henning:

Something in English - for those of you who are able to speak and to read it. And for those who are interested in alternative religions.
Well, and if people want to read it in German, please, tell me!

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grüni (56)
(15.10.18)
Dieser Kommentar ist nur für eingeloggte Benutzer lesbar.

 Henning meinte dazu am 18.10.18:
I was already wondering with your first version of your comment - since I don't know any author with the name Marion Zimmerman. But, in reading my own article again, I noticed two typos in there as well. I shall correct this a.s.a.p.
To let you know - the author Marion Zimmer-Bradley was actually 'one of the "craft"' - that is, she was a practicing Witch. 'Witches' are actually people with a - recently in many western countries recognized Pagan religion, so not only those you probably know from fairy tales. In this sense, 'Witches' are pretty much real - and normal religious people like Christians, Jews or Muslims. You yourself are not religious? Don't worry - nobody is perfect. If you want to read about Witches and Pagans in general, there is so much about these topics in the internet, that it would take hours, to mention even the basic. I can recommend you, however, books from following authors: Raymond Buckland, Vivienne Crowley, Janet & Stewart Farrar, Dion Fortune, Gerald B. Gardner, Marian Green and Alex Sanders - just to name a few. If you want contacts in your area (famous and not so famous ones), look to the web site www.witchvox.com. And one of the well-known teachers in Paganism topics is Arkana (Arkana_Ireland@yahoo.ie). I hope I could be of a little assistance. :)
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