Samhain Essay

High Holy Day Essay #1

Samhain 2019

  I attended Northern Roots Grove’s Samhain ritual, titled The Swan and the Crow, held Nov 3^rd at Gwyfyn Coedwig (Grovemate’s personal Grove). This ritual was a blend of OBOD and our own COOR. We called upon An Morrigan as well as Caer Ibormeith. The whole ritual was facilitated by fellow Grove members, Mallaidh and Diane, who wrote all the music and prayers, as well as created the ritual.

  The ritual focused on sacred drama and music, bringing us to the holiness of this time of year when the mists that separate us from the Otherworld. We brought offerings to An Morrigan and to Caer Ibormeith, and read the omens via rose stems ogham, as well as a system created by Diane using various bird feathers. The offerings at first were accepted, with the caveat that An Morrigan wanted more, and so additional offerings were given and accepted. We entered the Cave of Cats, and left offerings of black paper feathers for the departed there. We also heard stories about the Cave of Cats, as well as the legend of Caer Ibormieth, who was wooed by Aengus Og.

  It was a very formal ritual, but ultimately very fulfilling. It was interesting to learn about the Goddesses, and the magic of the evening was certainly uplifting. I could feel An Morrigan very strongly in the Cave, and it made me remember that She has asked me to honor Her more often. While I am personally a Brighid devotee, I could feel the calls to others that evening: An Dagda andOghma. So, ultimately, I will be creating a larger sacred space after we get settled in our new home.  

Upheaval

  There will be a lot of internet ink spilled over this subject, so I will only say that I believe the ADF Mother Grove did the right thing, and that I truly believe we will emerge from this stronger and ready to really be in the modern era. I will continue to be a part of this organization for the foreseeable future, and hope to be a part of that change.
  This week for the DP class, we had to write our first two essays: the historical high day one, and a write up of our last ritual we attended. I confess that my historical one was a bit rushed, and really isn't up to what I would consider snuff. That said, I did do it, and not even late! I haven't written my ritual essay yet, although I did get the template filled out so I wouldn't forget what happened at it. So, what I will do is post both here as a back up, so if my computer decides to go belly up, I will have it saved online. I really ought to use my notebook for a "hard copy" as well, but currently I have enough on my plate, and need to focus. So, online and hard drive will have to do.
  I have been attempting the 9 Days of Brighid, and so far have not been able to do a complete day. *sadface* However, the attempts have been met positively, so I am going to continue to try. Having a daily practice, even if it's only for 10 minutes, is a goal I have for my own faith path, and this is helping me to at least be aware of it. I also am having some mixed feelings over my henotheism... lately I have been feeling the "call" to have multiple altars, or at least one main for my Lady, and a shrine with others. Oghma, An Dagda, and An Morrigan have been asking for recognition... and I really don't think I can put it off much longer. The Ancestors have also been starting to ask for something more permanent... so, I am not sure how I will proceed at this point. Moving has consumed me, and while I would love to set up so much for all of Them, I really don't have the space for something like it. And there is the setup for the Altar essay...Thank you Lady for the Imbas (Go Raibh Maith Agat)
  So, without further ado, here is my first historical high day essay:

1^st Essay: Cross Quarter Day: Samhain

11/1/19

                Samhain is a Fire festival, set between the fall equinox and winter solstice. There is evidence that in Ireland this was a New Year type of festival, complete with games and the final slaughter before the cold of winter set in. The “Good People” walked freely between Sidhes, and the Dead could be honored with a place at the table. Depending on the area and people, mumming and pranks could be done, with food and coins given to the players to appease them so no tricks would be done.

                A lot of what we know about Samhain is rather limited. We are far enough removed from the origins of this High Day to really not know for sure what was done in the past. We have some folklore, myths and legends, true, but historical and archeological evidence are really rather scarce. The scant little bits we do have, however, make this a special time of communion with those who have gone before us, and the Spirits that inhabit our world around us.

                Despite having no concrete evidence other than small gleanings from the fields of the past, this High Day is one that many Celtic Pagans feel very akin to. It signals the Dark Half of the year, and we now can spend our time in our homes, preparing for the coming New Year, strengthening our practices and paths. We may never know the exact rituals and words used by our ancestors, but we can commune with them in this time, and honor our gods and goddesses in our new ways.

Eh, it's not bad. I have a year to tweak as necessary. There are quite a few essays that need to be written, but thankfully most of them aren't too long. 

  Today is a cold day, but that's not unusual up here in Minnesota at this time of year. Everyone is starting to gear up for the long darkness that is the winter here in the upper Midwest. I am going to miss it. Virginia is a "foreign land" to me. It's close to the Atlantic, an ocean I have communed with before with good outcomes, but the land is "different". I grew up in a rural community in Wisconsin, and I am very much "tied" to that area. (I also just realized I used a lot of quotation marks, sorry... trying to denote feelings or sensations in the written word is difficult) So, got a lot to work on to establish a connection there as well. Going to be very different living in a military situation as well. I'm at the age where lots of changes like this are hard to overcome quickly. 

  I hope everyone else has a good weekend, blessings to you all!

Alyssa

Renewal

  It is November 1st, 2019, and I am starting over again with this blog, and the Dedicant Path for Ár nDraíocht Féin, or ADF for short. A lot of things will be different going forward, and hopefully I will not "fall off the path" again! I am setting myself up a task to blog every Friday, like I did before. It's a good end of the week goal, I think.
  I have been participating, as much as I can, in Echo Summer's DP class on Google Classroom. She is doing a much better job than I was at keeping assignments going. The Study Group is still a thing, but it's pretty quiet now. I am unsure how to really proceed with it, but I am not gonna get rid of it either.
  Today begins the 9 Days of Brighid, hosted by Clann Bhride. It consists of 3 morning prayers/offerings/flame tending, 3 midday prayers/offerings, and 3 evening prayers, etc. I did it somewhat a few years ago, when they were starting it, and was able to keep up for a bit. Today I missed the morning prayers, but did do the midday ones, and hoping to remember to do the evening ones. The groups Book of Hours is lovely, and hopefully I will get the handwritten, illustrated version done that I started.
   We do have Northern Roots Grove's Samhain ritual, which is Sunday, and so looking forward to it. 
  It's cold out...and the skies are darkly grey. I both love, and hate, this time of year. I love the coziness of a warm home and blankets, rich soups and the fun of holiday movies and treats. I hate how dark it is. I have lived in the upper Midwest all my life, and I still hate when it gets dark so early. It makes my depressive episodes longer, and in general makes me feel snappier, crankier.
  This year I know will be especially hard. My husband is away at army chaplains school, and I won't get to see him until mid December. As we are moving in literally 2 months, I cannot decorate to help lighten the place. In fact, by the time it gets truly dark up here in Minnesota, I will have mostly bare walls, and boxes everywhere filled up with our lives. I do not thrive in chaos, and yet here we are.
  I will do what I can to make myself continue working on my Path...bullet journaling, the Google Classroom setup, writing in this blog. It's something that is fulfilling, and needs to be tended, just like a fledgling forest.

Awen,
Alyssa