Connecting With the Archetype of Death for Samhain

Samhain ushers in the third and final harvest and shifts us into the darker half of the year. Samhain is situated in between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. This season is our annual invitation to explore and honor not only the need for death and decay but acceptance of death and decay.

As we embark on the season of the dead, the crone, and returning to the cauldron to be transformed, we're faced with the fact that no person, animal, or plant can depart from the inevitability of the death and rebirth cycle. We see the flow of this cycle in the seasons and nature, yet so often, our human minds recoil when we think about the death phase of the cycle of life.

In this post, we'll be exploring the archetype of death in relation to the witch's new year, also known as Samhain. I'll offer some insights around why Samhain is considered the witch's new year, the importance of honoring the dead and death this season, and some ways to tune into this season through ritual and common correspondences. 

Content warning, I will be discussing death and themes of death within this post, so if you are actively grieving or recently lost someone, this is a gentle notice to proceed with caution.

Listen to this article on my podcast, Rooting into Wholeness, here.

Why is Samhain the Witch's New Year? 

Early in my practice working with the Wheel of the year and the seasons, It confused me that Samhain was considered the new year. Here in the states and many other places around the world, there's a hyper-focus on the new year being a time of celebration and newness. Why then does Samhain, our descent into darkness, mark the new year for those honoring nature-based spiritual practices?

Samhain is the ever-important gestational period before the return of the light. It is the part that's so often overlooked in the patriarchal and linear-driven society we currently live in, just like as the fetus transforms in the womb, the natural world retreats into decay and death during this time. We are also given the same opportunity to withdraw, allow parts to fall away, and alchemize from within. 

Nature-based spiritual practices are rooted in neverending cycles, not starting points and finish lines. The witch, and anyone living alongside the seasons, not only understands but welcomes the need for decay and death. At the time of Samhain, the season calls us inward to begin this process of rest, death, and alchemy. 

One of the greatest gifts of this season is the opportunity to face and learn from our relationship with death and decay, which is what we'll explore here. 

Connecting with the Archetype of Death for Samhain

How do you feel in your body when you hear the words death and decay? Do you embrace these words, do they roll off of you with ease, or does something within you want to disassociate with these words? 

It's easy to see how disconnected we are from death, especially in the West. We see celebrities that refuse to age, food with signs of decay thrown out, and many of our wise elders placed in homes outside of the family unit. Samhain is an opportunity to feel into all of this and become more comfortable accepting death and decay. It's an opportunity to heal our wounds around death to be more accepting of it when faced with it, whether in your own life or the life of a loved one. 

If you're willing to meet this season where it is, in decay and death, it has so much to teach you, so much to teach all of us. Learning how to be in this world with more acceptance around death and even aging are some of the most freeing and empowering feelings we can cultivate. Here are common ways our ancestors connected to death and a few ways I like to connect with the archetype of death during this season. 

1. Honoring loved ones and ancestors in spirit.

One of the most common themes of this season is honoring loved ones who've crossed into the spirit realm. Samhain is a time in which the veil between the physical and spirit realm is thin. If you've lost loved ones, it's an ideal time to honor and connect with them. It's also a time to connect with your ancestors. We do this at Samhain to acknowledge the lives our loved ones lived, and continue to live in spirit. Honoring deceased loved ones and ancestors can also help you tune into the archetype of death within yourself. 

As someone who's lost a lot of family members, I've found that fear of death can make it challenging to connect with loved ones who've crossed over. Facing the fact that loved ones are no longer here, in physical form, brings forth an undeniable recognition of death, which can be hard. 

It's important to note that everyone's grief process is unique and that denial is a natural part of grieving. I went through a long phase where I could not even look at pictures of my father and grandmother early in my grief process. If you have experienced deaths in your life, what I'm encouraging here is a curiosity around your relationship with honoring loved ones who've crossed over. How does it feel when you take time to sit and think about the people in your life who've died? Perhaps you're not ready to do that, and that's okay, but maybe it's something you are ready to do, but the fear of facing death has prevented you from such activities. If you've experienced deaths in your life, I invite you to be open and curious about where you are with this. 

Some common ways to honor loved ones who've transitioned into spirit are to create an altar for them with pictures, offerings of foods and treats, and items they loved. Doing this creates a sacred portal of honor, remembrance, and connection with your loved ones in spirit. A silent or dumb supper is another way to connect with loved ones in spirit. On the night of Samhain, consider creating a meal in honor of deceased loved ones, then create place settings for them to honor them and invite them in for this season. Lastly, and especially if you dabble in psychic work, Samhain is a great time to connect with your loved ones in spirit. You could do this through any number of ways that could include tuning in psychically, tarot or oracle cards, scrying, pendulums, or any other divination tool you prefer. 

Of course, this work can go far beyond that of deceased friends or immediate familial connections and can extend to your ancestors as well. If information about your cultural heritage and ancestral past is available to you, consider placing some items on your altar in honor of them as well. There's also a great past blog post from Eryn Johnson on my blog with suggestions for a guided meditation to help you connect with your ancestors for Samhain here.

2. Connecting with symbols and imagery of Death

Samhain is an opportunity to cultivate more acceptance and reverence for death. Here are some different ways to connect with the archetype of death in this way. This can be deep work. Trust that whatever suggestions you do feel called to are perfect for you at this moment. 

Explore the death card in the tarot. Dig deep into the symbology and imagery of this card. Any deck you feel called to or have handy will do. Read different interpretations of the death card. Consider journaling on the card, notice what comes up naturally, how it makes you feel, etc.?

Connect with items or symbols associated with death and decay. Some options are crystal skulls, animal bones, snake sheds, or animals often associated with death like owls, crows, moths, etc. There are so many ways to connect with these items and their inherent connection to death and decay. You could simply place any of them on your altar and notice how you feel as you engage with them regularly. You could also consider meditating with them, or if journeying is a part of your practice, you could journey to them in spirit to learn from them. 

Lastly, I invite you to be more open and curious about death and decay. When you interact with an elder or see an elderly person in public, what comes up for you, and how do they make you feel? When you come across fruits or vegetables in the grocery store with signs of decay, how does it make you feel, and do you pass over it for an item that appears more pristine? What comes up for you when you think about your death and the deaths of your loved ones? 

Though these can be difficult questions to grapple with, they each hold seeds of wisdom and ultimately growth. If you feel the call to explore death more deeply, this is an ideal season to do so. 

3. Explore and Reclaim your relationship with the dark

Even our modern interpretations of Samhain with Halloween have held onto cozying up to the dark. However, it wasn't until our early departure from Goddess-based and cyclical practices that we started to attach negative associations to darkness and death. The dark and death have not always been feared and associated with evil. It was the influx of linear patriarchal thinking, God-based religions, and white supremacy that have each deeply affected our relationship with the dark and death in harmful ways. Demetra George talks about this in her book Mysteries of the Dark Moon, which I highly recommend. 

The Wheel of the Year itself is broken into a dark and light half. The dark half of the year and Winter begins with Samhain, and the light half and Summer begins with Beltaine. Even though the Wheel itself is a relatively modern interpretation of how our ancestors celebrated, we can see in the Coligny calendar of the Celts that there was deep and equal reverence for both the light and the dark. 

I encourage you to notice what feelings arise when you think about the dark, whether it be the literal absence of light or black objects. You might even find it helpful to spend more time in the dark, outside or inside, simply to notice how it makes you feel and what it brings up within you. Once you start digging, it's hard to unsee all of the ways we've been trained to associate the dark with negativity. I don't offer these invitations to say that the light is bad, but it's our often dysfunctional relationship with the dark that cuts us off from the wisdom of death. 

Shadow work can be a great place to start when exploring your relationship with the dark, and this season is a great time to dig into some shadow work! I've got a few past blog posts all about shadow work that you can check out here. 

Common correspondences for Samhain

Here are some of my favorite common correspondences for Samhain. Most of these come from my new book, Understanding the Wheel of the Year

Themes: Ancestral connections, releasing, cleansing, death, divination, protection, the underworld

Moon Phase: Waning Crescent Crystals: Amethyst, labradorite, obsidian, onyx, hematite

Colors: Purple, black, silver, orange

Tools: Besom (broom), cauldron, skulls shapes, bones, any items that remind you of death, salt, divination tools (pendulums, tarot cards, scrying mirrors, etc.)

Plants and Scents: Mugwort, cinnamon, clove, patchouli, mullein, garlic

Foods: Apples, pomegranate, pumpkins, squash, nuts, seeds, meat

Runes: Algiz (protection, especially in the psychic realm), Ansuz (receiving wisdom), Perthro (hidden secrets and mystery), Othalo (ancestry), Isa (halt or freeze action)

Zodiac: Scorpio

Goddesses: Cailleach, Cerridwen, Hecate, Lilith, Persephone

Tarot card: Death, Wheel of Fortune

If you're looking for some less grim rituals than what I've offered here, haha, I have you covered too! This is indeed a season to celebrate, even if it centers around death. One of my favorite activities at Samhain is to do a thorough house cleansing and to add some extra protective layers to my space. I have an in-depth past blog post all about this that you can check out here. It's also a great time to perform psychic work of all kinds, which I touched on with connecting with your ancestors, but any kind of psychic work for any purpose can be incredibly potent during this season. Find more rituals for Samhain here. 

Wishing you a magical and blessed Samhain! xoxo Cassie

The Second Harvest // Honoring the Autumn Equinox with Apples

We started our triplicity of harvests with Lughnasadh, and the harvest season continues with the Autumn Equinox. The Autumn Equinox is our sacred portal into the darker half of the year. The amount of sunlight and night we experience will be in equilibrium for a moment before darkness begins to rule each day and call us more deeply inward.

In this share, we'll discuss the layered energies of the Autumn Equinox, a few ways to tune into and honor its energy, and some sacred correspondences, specifically apples. I'd also like to discuss the name Mabon often associated with this season. Listen to this post on my podcast, Rooting into Wholeness, below.

Mabon is a common name associated with this season, and though there's nothing wrong with referring to this season as Mabon, which is one of the more manufactured names on the Wheel of the Year. Names that don't quite make sense on the Wheel of the Year aren't something new and are something I discuss in my new book, Understanding The Wheel of The Year, shop it here. 

The Wheel of the Year itself, as a unified construct of seasonal celebrations, is a relatively modern compilation of celebrations from various people, not one specific culture. The name Mabon was assigned by Aiden Kelly, one of the collaborators of the modern construct of the Wheel of the Year. Mabon was a Welsh mythological figure who doesn't appear to have any real connection to the Autumn Equinox. Some believe Aiden simply wanted another short name to associate with this season and, Mabon was the best he could come up with. We may never know! That said, Mabon is a common name associated with this season by many Wiccans. If it resonates with you, use it. If it doesn't, referring to this season as the Autumn Equinox is fine too. As with all of our seasonal celebrations, this is a time to honor and connect with the earth, not quibble over names. 

A Balance of Light and Dark

There are so many beautiful energies layered into this season. This phase brings us more deeply into the waning side of the year by corresponding with the last quarter moon (a moon of equal light and dark, another visual of the balance this season brings about.) We also shift from Virgo to Libra season at this time. The sign of Libra, of course, being the scales mirroring this theme of balance again. 

Beyond the energetics, the equinoxes spur extreme physical changes as well. The sunlight no longer reigns supreme throughout our day. The plant and animal world take note, and things start to shift and change all around and within us. These physical changes can bring a heightened sense of balance and change for everyone. 

The full moon closest to the Equinox, which we experienced earlier this week, is the harvest moon. It wasn't uncommon for our ancestors to work all through the night in the fields harvesting crops in preparation for the winter ahead during the harvest moon. It's also fitting that our full harvest moon happened in the sign of Pisces (the end of the zodiac year) as we fully step into the darker half of the year. 

As with any harvest, themes of abundance and gratitude surface. What always comes up for me around these themes is the idea of equal reciprocity. Equal reciprocity is always important, but with this season being one of balance, it can be a healing theme to explore. So, as you assess the abundance in your life, can you make space also to explore equal reciprocity? If you have an abundance of food, can you find a way to give back to the earth or those who need more food? If you have an abundance of time, how could you use it to serve yourself and others best? Alternatively, if you find yourself lacking in a specific area, could you ask for more of what you need? These questions can be applied to all facets of your life. I'll touch on this more when we talk correspondences because I have a perfect tarot card for this season. 

A final theme that runs through this season is wholeness. Anytime we strive towards balance, we're moving into more wholeness. It's a time to take stock, shed what's no longer serving, and call in what you'd like to see more of in your life. We see this theme reflected perfectly in the apple, which brings me to our first ritual for this season. 

Apple Rituals for the Autumn Equinox

I will be focusing solely on apples for this ritual section! Why apples? Apples tend to ripen around this season and are a potent symbol of abundance, gratitude, and wholeness. Apples are associated with the underworld connecting them with moving into the darker part of the year. There's no shortage of myths and folklore from the Celts, Druids, and other Euro-pagans about apples, apple trees, and their spiritual significance. The island of Avalon translates to the "Island of Apples." Apples are viewed as sacred and magical fruits by many.

When cut horizontally, the apple reveals five seeds in the shape of a star. The five seeds represent the five elements and the four directions. The circle encompassing them (the outer skin of the apple) represents the wholeness these energies create when combined in equal balance. The apple is a sacred symbol of wholeness and the path to wholeness. 

Those are just a few reasons why apples are perfect for this season! There are many ways to work apples into your ritual practice this season, which is why I'm solely focusing on apples for these rituals. However, if you're looking for some other ways to tune into this season, click here or here for some past posts all about the Autumn Equinox. 

This ritual is adapted from my book, Understanding The Wheel of the Year (order it here!). 

Apple Ritual for Wholeness

You'll need: 

• One apple

• One brown candle and fireproof dish or candle base

• A piece of paper and pen or pencil

Steps: 

1. Gather your materials and ensure that you won't be disturbed for 20-30 minutes. 

2. Take 2-3 minutes to center and ground yourself. You can do this by tuning into your body or focusing on your breathing for a couple of minutes. 

3. Once you feel ready, bring an area of your life to mind that feels out of balance. Write this situation down on a piece of paper. 

4. Cut your apple across the middle, and then cut a slice from that. Your slice should have a five-pointed star on it representing the five elements. 

5. Place your paper on the bottom in a fireproof tray, bowl, or plate. Place your apple slice on the top. 

6. Hold your brown candle in your hand and ask for guidance around finding more balance and wholeness around the situation you wrote out. 

7. Place your candle on top of the apple. You'll be using the apple here as a vessel to inspire wholeness in this spell. 

8. Light your candle and say aloud to yourself, "I am whole and perfectly balanced. So it is." or something similar. Stay with the candle as it burns. 

Note: Always use proper fire safety and care when working with candles. Never leave your candle unattended. 

1. As your candle burns, gaze at the flame and tune into your breath and body. 

2. Call in each of the five elements one at a time (Earth, air, fire, water, and spirit) to restore you to wholeness and bring balance. 

3. Stay with your candle as it burns and feels the support of the five elements around you. 

4. Be open to any ideas that come to you to find more balance and wholeness in your life. 

5. Write down any ideas that came to mind to find balance and wholeness in your life. 

6. Finally, in the vein of equal reciprocity, I suggest giving an offering to the earth for any wisdom, insights, or balancing you found throughout this ritual. 

Watch the ritual in this Instagram reel I created below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cassie Uhl (@cassieuhl)

Here are some other simple ways to weave apples into your ritual practice.

• Eat apples or drink. 

• Bake with apples (one of my favorites!) As you do, be mindful and aware of their sacred connection to wholeness and consider cutting your apples horizontal to reveal their inner star for your final product! I love a good old-fashioned apple pie or tart for this season. 

• Adorn your altar or home with apples. 

• Go apple picking if it's in season for you.  

• Learn more about myths and folklore about apples connected with your heritage. Many cultures have legends and mythology about apples.  

• Meditate while holding an apple, and ask the apple to share its wisdom with you. 

• Plant an apple tree

• Save apple seeds to use in other spellwork. They correspond with magic, psychic abilities, protection, rebirth, and death. They're an excellent option for protection rituals. 

• If you have apple trees where you live, work with the wood of the apple tree for ritual or spellwork. 

Fall Equinox and Mabon Correspondences

Correspondences are energies that play well together or match. Working with correspondences is a great way to better amplify your rituals, spells or connect with a specific energy. Placing some correspondences for this season can help bring the energy of the Fall Equinox into your space. Here are some of my favorite correspondences for this season, all from my new book, Understanding the Wheel of The Year. 

• Moon Phase: Last Quarter Moon

• Energy center: Sacral, heart

• Element: Water

• Crystals: Carnelian, snowflake obsidian, rhodonite, malachite, moonstone, yellow topaz

• Colors: maroon, orange, brown, tan

• Tools and special objects: fall leaves, corn dolly, guards 

• Plants and Scents: yarrow, sage, cinnamon, patchouli, frankincense, anise

• Foods: Apples, grains, guards, pumpkins, nuts, seeds, berries

• Runes: Gebo, Fehu, Mannaz, Sowilo

• Goddesses: Cailleach, Persephone, Inanna, the Morrigan, Modron

• Gods: Avalloc, Dionysus, Mabon

I also wanted to touch on some tarot cards for this season. When we discuss equal reciprocity, the card that comes up for me and makes me think of the Equinox and Libra season is the 6 of cups. 6's correspond with Venus, harmony, and balance. And the cups mirror the water element that corresponds with this season. The card itself speaks to a give and take between one's self or between you and others. It's a great card to meditate with or journal about for this season. 

As you can see, this is a rich and powerful season. Remember, each sabbat is a season, not a day. You can tune into its energy and honor it anytime until Samhain. 

If you enjoyed this share, please consider sharing it with someone who may enjoy it too—wishing you a beautiful second harvest season.

Love & Shadow xoxo, Cassie