Halloween

Past times

The blooms of high summer had faded and cold winds had caused the first leaves to fall. After the cereal crops and hay were cut and stored, and the jams and pickles made, any animals that were unlikely to survive the winter were slaughtered.

In times past, as winter approached, many people were out of work and, because life was precarious, many of the community’s elderly and infirm wondered whether they would live to see another year.

Since ancient times, the farming year was divided into “quarter” days of the solstices and equinoxes, and the “cross quarter days” of which Halloween is the most important.

Its name derives from the beginning of Hallowtide: three days from 31 October to 2 November that were devoted to All Hallows, All Saints and All Souls, when servants were hired, rents were paid and accounts settled.

In the time of the Celtic pagans, each day began at nightfall. Similarly, the year began with a celebration of summer’s end and the onset of winter – the end of the harvest season and the entering of the darker half of the year – known as Samhain (pronounced Sow-en).

Some historians describe it as the Celtic New Year and it also marked the Feast of the Dead, for Samhain was seen as a time when the boundary between this world and the next was thought to be at its most permeable.

In all cultures, remembering and showing respect for those who have died is a tradition of great importance and, in the Christian calendar, Hallowtide reflects this time of endings and beginnings by honouring those who have departed this life.

Out of work farm labourers, known as guisers and mummers, dressed incognito in costumes and travelled around the big houses providing entertainment and begging for food, cider or ale. Hobbyhorses and bobbing for apples provided entertainment for children and bonfires cleared any rubbish left over from the harvest.

Root vegetables, such as turnips, were made into soup. Churches were decked in white and bells rang out to ward off evil spirits. Divination and scrying often took place and fairies were said to be at their most active. Stories, especially of death, hardship and the unknown, were told.

Remembering the dead would include a prayerful vigil and cemetery gates were left open for visitors to light a candle at the graveside. “Soul cakes” – a cross between a biscuit and a scone – were cooked and given to the poor and to children who sang and went from door to door begging for treats.

This activity is thought to be the origin of modern day “trick or treat” festivities. In Ireland, a fruitcake is given.

Current times

Many of the past traditions survive in some form in today’s Halloween celebrations. Pumpkins are the favoured squash, the inner flesh removed for cooking and the outer skin carved into a face. A candle is usually placed inside to create a glowing lamp.

Black, orange and purple are now the chosen colours of the season. There is a tradition to peel an apple at midnight and to throw the apple skin over your shoulder. The way the apple skin lands reveals the first letter of the name of a future spouse. There are also scrying traditions with mirrors at midnight.

To counteract the reverence of Hallowtide, a polarised culture has developed which celebrates Halloween in a similar way to the past, but with a more trivial and anarchic aspect. The masks have survived, as have the costumes, which often now reflect witches, ghouls, vampires and mummies. Add to these, spiders and skeletons and it is apparent that fear of the dead, which was so prevalent in the past, has been replaced by an embracing of all that could be considered deeply frightening.

Practical jokes are played, especially by roving bands of masked and costumed children who knock on doors and request a treat, such as a bag of sweets or fruit. The homeowner who does not provide a gift is treated by the children to a “trick”, usually plants are pulled from gardens or water poured through the letterbox.

Little surprise, then, that police report a sharp rise in anti-social behaviour around Halloween. Many people condemn this “trick or treat” activity because unsupervised children can be placed at risk. In addition, it is unfair to the elderly and unwell who are inconvenienced or disturbed by boisterous youngsters calling after dark.

Many people believe this is the best time to visit a medium for proof that their loved ones in the spirit world are alive, contented, healed and at peace. Mediums, on the other hand, will tell you that the time of year makes no difference: your loved ones can communicate at any time.

However, you may feel this is an appropriate time to make your own contact with a loved one in the spirit world. If so, I suggest you set aside 20 minutes and ensure you are not interrupted.

If you have some mementos of the person, such as a photo, a garment, favourite flower or item of jewellery, place them on a table with a white candle. On the evening of All Hallows, the last day of October, when the sun has set and the sky is darkening but not quite as dark a night (known as dusk or gloaming), light the candle.

Ask your spirit guide for protection while you travel the spirit realms, then call upon this person by name, either out loud or with your inner voice. Focus on seeing this person’s face and any other distinguishing features, such as their hairstyle or eye colour.

Take a couple of deep breaths and allow your body to relax. It is time for you to speak with this person, to tell them how much you love them. Listen with your inner ear and see with your inner eye. You might be able to feel their presence in the room, and feel the huge levels of love, beauty and joy that our loved ones bring.

You can respond by sending your love and blessings. This is a precious time of contact as you reach out to them in longing and receive the nourishment, consolation and support they provide.

When you are ready, thank them for coming and for bringing you such strength and tenderness. You say “goodbye” and see them wave. Blow out the candle and return the items to where they belong. And Halloween will have taken on a whole new meaning for you.

Article by Wendy Stokes, first published in Psychic News Magazine, October, 2016.