Halloween

What do all the things we use or buy on Halloween mean?

Witches and Black Cats… The word “witch” comes from the Anglo-Saxon Wicca, or “wise one” Witches were thought to be possessors of magick. They say witches have living talismans that they derive their dark powers. That they invoke evil spirits to enter the body of the talismans. Some have dogs, snakes, owls, wolves, but the most common is the Cat.

Maybe the witches used animals within their spell work because they was very powerful and had Magick within them that worked better together with a human than on its own. Or it could be the fact that animals back within time was classed as very sacred and had different meanings within the symbolism.

The black cat is known as a supernatural omen with power.

So to the witch the most prized possession, but all animals are valued in the same light, as the Hare is also a very spiritual and powerful omen, not one to be caught easily and that of high power and fertility, the Snake being one of going between worlds and sacred to birth, everything has their place within the world, weather its on a pagan path or not, I just feel that the western world has lost the meaning of life and just ignores the symbolism surrounding them, a shame really.

It is a known fact that “All hallows Eve” is meant to mean the Devil or that of bad spirits running around and bringing bad luck or placing bad spells upon houses and people, or known that the bad people within the world are left to haunt earth, orders from that of Satan!

You are meant to put out nasty things in windows or outside and dress in horrid costumes, and play trick or treat, to confuse that of the evil spirits, so they do not know where they are going? But it is meant to ward them from your property.

Also you are meant to leave a drink and offering outside your house for spirit that leave curses, if they like your offering then they bring good luck upon your family if not well you know the rest. This is one tradition that is still in place today dating right back 2000 years ago.

Skulls & Skeletons

Skulls and skeletons are a very important role within the witchcraft life as they are sacred. They are skulls of our ancestors, and they are used to establish a connection to the spirits of the dead, skulls and skeletons are known to increase the fertility of soil, so again everything has meaning and purpose.

Fire rites

Fire Rites it is known that Halloween is a Celtic new year’s festival; many of its rituals trace back to the Celtic feast. The Fire Rite was practiced mostly all over the world on the night before the New Year. The old fires was put out and new ones was lit, they was classed as sacred fires, as to give the waning sun light and aid in banishing evil spirits. The Druids built hilltop fires to celebrate important festivals. It was known that Ghosts and witches feared fire, it was thought, so fire became the best weapon against evil spirits and that of witchcraft, so was punished by burning at the stake. Fire being used as purification. The embers, or lights that came off the fire were a sign of being sacred. Of course fires do cleanse a lot of things, but to cleanse or kill a witch or as were known Nurses, Dr’s midwives healers and so on, no matter how you look at it, to kill is murder. The western world is a very big contradiction with all the laws, but again so is the commandment. But each to their own.

Apple Bobbing

A very popular game at Halloween is apple bobbing. It was a means of divination among the witches and druids, and again survives in this day and age but was influenced by the Celts. As the apple is a known love charm, and to go ducking apples is associated with selecting a lover, apples are of course a fertility symbol and used in many rituals so seems fitting to this fun and great game.

A few suggestions for fun on Halloween.

If you want something that little bit different this year why not go and book yourself into the west end and take in the great show WICKED

Or if you have that little bit more of money then go to Disney land Paris and enjoy the Halloween fireworks.

Food for thought on Halloween.

Spaghetti Guts: Just do your spaghetti bol the normal way and just cut out shapes of zombies in the garlic bread.

Mashed Zombies: Make some cheesy mash and zombie fingers…known as pigs in blankets, just do them in a longer finger shape and put funny faces on the ends

Zombie Pumpkin: Do a Red and Orange jelly in a round mould then stick jelly snakes through the top to make a pumpkin…. Or just poor the jelly into a carved out Pumpkin even better!

Flapjack Ghosts: Make your flapjacks then just make meringues and shape into ghosts and stick on top on flapjacks.

© Wendy Binks aka Lady Snake 2011