Nature and Nurture: Self-Care Practices for Samhain
Humankind is a part of nature. Our spirits are closely bound to the cycles of earth’s seasons, and each season brings its own energy, guiding us to align ourselves with nature’s rhythms and strengthen our inherent connection to our environment.
To help you move in alignment with nature and feel more grounded and balanced, we’re exploring the Celtic Wheel of the Year, an ancient calendar that marks the seasons with eight key festivals. These festivals, rooted in agricultural and spiritual tradition, celebrate the summer and winter solstices, the spring and fall equinoxes, and the days midway between each.
Samhain: The Beginning and the End
As much as it can be said that a wheel has a beginning, the Celtic wheel begins at Samhain (SAH-win). This festival recognizes summer’s end and is largely considered the Celtic calendar’s new year.
Celebrated from dusk on October 31 to dusk on November 1, Samhain marks the close of the harvest season and descent into the dark half of the year, when nights are long and days are short. Tradition tells us that at Samhain, the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest, making it a time to honor ancestors and reflect on the cycle of life and death.
Our Heartsong at Samhain
While children may be running around and shrieking in Halloween costumes this night, Samhain nevertheless ushers in a time of introspection and stillness. As the days shorten and cool in the northern hemisphere, we naturally turn inward, reflecting on the year that has passed and honoring our personal and collective cycles of life, death, life, death, and life again.
Emotional themes around Samhain include release, transformation, and embracing the unknown. It’s a time to grapple with and move through grief, loss, or any unresolved tensions from the previous year. As nature lets go of its fruitfulness and abundance in preparation for winter, we too are called to slow down and honor the departure of whatever is fading in our lives.
Samhain Self-Care
You can best observe the Samhain season by incorporating its rhythms into your own life this fall. Here are some practices we recommend to help you align and ground yourself with Samhain’s energy.
Create an ancestor altar: Samhain brings close those who have gone before us. Set up a small space with photos or mementos of loved ones who have passed. Light a candle to honor them. Ask them for guidance, and practice listening for their reply. (If you’re not sure where to start, consider joining us on November 7 for Ask Your Guides: How to Work with Your Helpers Beyond the Veil.)
Journal for release: As the year winds down, reflect on what you need to let go of—habits, beliefs, or relationships. Write it down as a way to release it from your heart and mind.
Let it burn. Lighting a fire at Samhain is an ancient tradition that can serve as a powerful cathartic tool. Join loved ones for a bonfire to release what no longer serves you and welcome new beginnings as we enter the dark half of the year.
Tap into your intuition. Spend some time in meditation to tap into your inner guidance, use your favorite divination tools, and set intentions for the new cycle.
Conclusion
Samhain invites us to honor the ending of one cycle and the beginning of another. As we transition into the darker half of the year, this festival encourages us to slow down, reflect, and release—to let go of what no longer serves us and embrace the possibilities of renewal.
As you honor Samhain, give yourself permission to rest, reflect, and nurture your inner world. Remember, the darkness is not something to fear but a powerful space for growth and transformation.
At The Healing Society, we understand the importance of nurturing your spirit during this transformative time. Check out our event page for ways to be in community this Samhain and all year long.