Samhain is such a wonderful festival for us witches and pagans. But it does come with a certain amount of pressure. How are we to spend this most significant time of the year? We may want to have a wonderful evening of ritual and ceremony but that is not always possible. I, for one, often feel guilty that I do not always make as much of the Sabbats as I feel I should and I feel this most keenly at Samhain.

I have found that, for me, a few short and simple rituals make it much easier to honour Samhain than anything complicated. I often spread these little Samhain rituals over the days before and after Samhain as and when I have the time and energy.

I have included a few ideas for tiny Samhain rituals below. There is nothing particularly original in the list, but I believe they honour the spirit of the season. I hope these small rituals seem achievable for even the busiest witch.

1. Mindfully eat an apple, pear or plum and thank mother nature for her last sweet harvest of the year.
2. Read ‘To Autumn’ by John Keats.
3. Collect items from nature to decorate an altar or windowsill. This year there are an abundance of chestnuts, acorns and berries in woods, parks and gardens.
4. As Samhain is a fire festival, celebrate by lighting candles or a fire if you can. If not, make your space cosy and magical with soft-toned lamps and fairy lights.
5. Honour your ancestors by looking at photographs or lighting a candle in their memory.
6. Draw two tarot cards, the first to represent what you have experienced and learned in the preceding season and the second to help you work out what you want to focus on in the next. Make notes in your journal. You may want to set some intentions for the year ahead.
7. Make or buy a soup made from seasonal vegetables such as leeks, squashes or root vegetables.
8. Journal about the experiences, challenges, blessings and lessons of the preceding year.
9. Make Vegan Soul Cakes as an offering to your ancestors and enjoy them with family and friends as you tell stories about the loved ones no longer with you.
10. Write some things you would like to release, such as bad habits or negative beliefs on paper or leaves. Burn the paper or bury the leaves.
11. Write a list of things you are grateful for in the colder weather such as a warm home, comforting food and the companionship of family and friends.
12. Think about your intentions for the year ahead, focusing on the feelings you would like to have rather than material things you would like to achieve. Perhaps you want to experience more joy or peace, or to be better able to feel all of your emotions. Perhaps you want to feel more comfortable in your own body or to focus on your health and vitality. Think about the actions you could take to promote these states of being.

I hope you found a Samhain ritual to suit your practice in these thoughts. Do share your own plans for Samhain in the comments.

Blessings at this most sacred time of the year

Eva x