The season of Samhain marks the beginning of the dark months. Falling as it does on the 31st of October it is often connected to Halloween and associated with being the season of the witch.
It may also be because the Goddesses of this time are perceived as being the “dark Goddesses” they include Ceridwen, Hecate, Sheila na Gig and Baba Yaga. It also coincides with the Scorpio season the deep, mysterious, shadowy, and enigmatic sign of the Zodiac Ruled by Pluto and Mars the planets of Transformation, rebirth, power, and the subconscious often talked about as having a sting in its tail.
The Blood Harvest and the Celtic New Year
This season marks the final harvest of the year also known and is the blood harvest because it is the time of bringing the animals in to be slaughtered to provide the food during the dark half of the year.
The festival for this season is marked with hearty feasting on a mix of seasonal vegetables (mostly root vegetables like turnips and swede in the U.K.) and rich fatty meats. It is new year for those that follow either the Celtic or Avalonian wheel of the year. This means it is a time of endings and beginnings, when the veil thins between the worlds and we shed those things that we no longer need as we looked at a fresh start for the next journey around the year. As the day is shorten and the land around us becomes quieter, we have an opportunity to stop and reflect and what we've achieved what we've lost and what plans have not come to fruition in the preceding 12 months. The voices of our forebears are stronger across the land in the cool air that drifts slowly turning to mist and bringing with it the rains and the frosts, It is the season of the rut and the clash of antlers along with the braying of the lust of the stags feels primeval, again calling us back into the echoing memories of the past. Above us we see the circling of the flocking birds most notably the crows one of the symbols of this time of year, they are regarded as the earthly representations of the Morgens. I often talk of the Morgens and recently realised that many people do not know who they are or why they're important, so I have created a quick guide to help people understand why I refer to them.
Morgen la Fey-Antony Fredrick Sandys in Birmingham art museum.
The 9 Morgens
Who are the 9 Morgens and what do they bring to the metaphorical table?
At the simplest level they are 9 sisters who dwell in the scared Isle of Avalon, Geoffrey of Monmouth (12th century) first wrote about them in his poem Vita Merlini. They are healers, scholars, prophets and muses who hold the mystic knowledge of the Divine feminine and each embodies the energies of a specific season. Morgen La Fay (the leader) remains well known to this day, although time has transformed Her from Her true role as a powerful, wise and benevolent Goddess (as found in Welsh legend) into the scheming, vengeful and wicked half sister of Arthur in more modern tellings of the story.
Their Names, Seasons and Energies
Here a give you a very quick glimpse into the power and synergies of each Morgen.
Mazoe -Samhain-the crone, the Dark Goddess, the transformer who cuts the hang threads beneath the tapestry for us to sort as those we discard and those we keep to weave into our new tapestry for the next year. Spinning in Her cauldron we a parred down to our essence.
Tyronoe-Winter Solstice/Yule-the most ancient of all, worn thin as the air with time, She sees into our deepest depths all our secrets and fears are known to Her.
Thitis-Imbolc- the maiden, the keeper of the wells and springs, who stirs our frozen spirits with love to germinate the seeds of our desires and spins the new threads for us to weave anew.
Cliton -Spring Equinox/Ostara- She stokes the glimmering flames of our passions and creativity, driving the rising sap of our blossoming ventures.
Thetis -Beltane- She reminds us of our sensuality, our sexuality, and our lust. In Her time the power of water and fire rise impassioning us to dive forward, as she combs the threads to untangle them and help us see which serve us.
Gliten -Summer Solstice/Litha- She takes us to the heights and depths of our emotions holding us in Her boundless love. She holds our memories and allows us to sit in Her waters to nurture our wounds.
Glitonea -Lammas- the mother, who holds us in Her womb to take a while to heal our wounds, to grow and find ourselves again. She weaves the tapestry of our lives upon Her loom.
Moronoe -Autumn Equinox/Mabon- She who holds us all upon the land and steadies our steps, She of the deep knowing of the earth who understands all the wisdom of our ancestors.
Morgan le Fay-the center- the leader and holder of the deep magic, an enchantress who can beguile you, She can guide you through the mists to find your greatest self.
Ceridwen and her Cauldron
The Journey of Samhain
The best known Goddess of Samhain is the Welsh Goddess Ceridwen, a wise and powerful sorceress as well as a Goddess of transformation. In this season, I think of the tale of the creation of Awen that She brewed in her cauldron. It inspired my Samhain tarot spread in my October newsletter.
Ceridwen had a son Morfan who was incredibly ugly and also a little stupid, truly someone only a mother could love. She felt so sorry for him that she decided to brew a potion that would bless him with all the knowledge in the world. This potion needed to simmer and bubble for a year and a day whilst being constantly stirred, Ceridwen was busy with Her many other duties so hired Gwion Bach as local farm lad to stir the swirling potion.
At last the year and a day had past, the potion was complete, Awen the brew that held all the wisdom and knowledge of the world was ready to be drunk by Morfan. Just at this crucial moment the liquid rolled in a mighty boil and splashed onto Gwion’s hand, without a thought he licked the droplets from his skin! Now he was filled with the power of the potion, Ceridwen was enraged and went to beat the boy.
Now Gwion had all the wisdom in the world rather than stand and take his punishment quick as a flash he turned into a hare and ran Ceridwen turned into a greyhound and gave chase. Upon coming to a river Gwion turned into a salmon and Ceridwen took the shape of an otter, once across the river Gwion became a bird so Ceridwen became a buzzard. Eventually taking shelter in a barn Gwion became a grain of corn, Ceridwen became a hen and ate every last grain in the barn.
The grain containing the Awen grew inside Ceridwen and was eventually born as Taliesin Her youngest son, who became a great bard.
Metaphorically this season is a time of sitting in the cauldron being stirred in the potion, bubbling and simmering away what we no longer need, slowly reducing to our core. It is a time of transformation and rebirth, it may be a tumultuous initiation, but it will lead to an inspirational new beginning, the nugget of realisation to set the course for next year.
Be brave and drink the potion to step into your rebirth and transformation!!
Remembrance for your loved ones.
Final thoughts
For this season where the veil is thin and our ancestors are close, it is a good time to create a space for remembrance you can do this by placing photos or other items that remind you of loved ones in a quiet corner, place a candle in front of them any black or tigers eye crystals around and make time each day to just sit watching the flame as you think of them.
A place in our circle of 10 for an evening of meditation, ancestral tarot and a sacred beverage ceremony with Saxon Su and Ana Ford.
Saturday 28th November, 6.30pm to 9.30pm,
Location SPUD Works Sway