Samhain - Second Spin

Since I began this blog to help me on my "Wheel of the Year" quest, it's time for me to continue with some of the things I've found as I go through my books and notes during study group. I'll try not to bore any of you silly!

Shelf one of my pagan books didn't reveal much of interest, and I'm still going through the second shelf, so you'll have to wait for those comments to surface later on.

One thing I'd not brought to the surface of my thinking was the idea that Pagan holy days are not just about a singular *day*, but are the ending of the old season, and the beginning of the new. So, in the grand scheme of things, for example, the Wiccans celebrate Samhain as the final harvest and the beginning of the Dark time of the year. It isn't just Halloween, as many new-to-the-Path pagans assume. Samhain begins at sunset of the previous day of the holiday and ends at sunset the following day. Some Pagan traditions consider the holy days to include the day before and day after as well. And, still others don't consider October 31 the official holiday at all - instead, they follow a lunar calendar and consider Samhain to be the three days of full moon; the day previous to full, and the day past full.

In my first post about Samhain, I expressed a desire to find *why* it was felt that Samhain was when the veil was thinnest and the easiest time for living and dead to communicate with each other. I've yet to find any sort of legend or explanation that makes sense to me. However, I do understand why Samhain was considered the Festival of the Dead. The last of the harvest had come in. It was possible to tell how well people and animals would be able to survive the winter, because the harvest had been gathered. Animals were brought from the grazing lands and would have to survive on what grains and hay had been stored. Many animals were "harvested" as well. It was far better to slaughter the animals who were newly fattened for winter, instead of waiting to kill them at the end of winter when times might be horrendous. So, many cattle, sheep and goats were slaughtered and preserved for winter use, with only the healthiest of the herds left to produce the following year's herds. This was also the time when many of the sick and elderly were prepared to die; living conditions were harsh and many did not survive illnesses that we take for granted today with our medicines and antibiotics. So, it's quite understandable that the time surrounding Samhain would have been dreaded by people.

There will be more to follow - but it's time for me to fix supper and spend some time watching one of the few shows I watch each week. Sunday is pizza night in this household - Jeff, I'll have to share this particular recipe with you...you can add it to your cooking repertoire! LOL

See y'all on the next round.