Ancestor Night

In this place that is not a place
In this time that is out of time
With friends we stand in circle

With the alfar and Wights from near and far
With the gods and goddess of many a pantheon
With ancestors, one and all
Whom we've come here to remember and honour

With water with which to wash, after travels long
With bread and cheese to break the hunger
With mead and ale to slake the thirst

With horn of mead and cake
With poem and song
We do offer these in honour of our guests

Copyright Storm Raven


Samhain approaches and the last harvest will soon be upon us. We have entered the aspect of the Crone with all her mysteries and wisdom. Many Pagans say farewell to the God safe in the knowledge that He will once again be reborn of the Goddess and the cycle of life will continue. To many of us this is the start of The New Year.

This was an important time to our ancestors, animals would have been slaughtered ready for winter food after being devoted to the Gods. All the harvest must be gathered in for, (or so it is said in some parts), that come November, the faeries or 'pooka' would blast every growing plant with their breath, blighting any nuts and berries remaining on the hedgerows. Anything that could be preserved was kept for the winter months. Our ancestors would have perhaps approached this time with some trepidation. They knew that the uncertainties of winter could bring death to the old and vulnerable.

Samahin, (also known as Ancestor Night), is the time to honour the Ancients who have gone on before us. We see this in many cultures from around the globe. Perhaps no-where is ancestor worship more visible today than in Mexico where 'The Day of the Dead' is celebrated and where family members light candles around the graves of their loved ones and lay out special feast foods for the spirits, and remain there all night. Many Pagans now leave an empty chair and a plate of food for any dead guests that may visit their homes on this night. Death symbolises endings and Samhain is a time for reflecting on mortality and on the passing of relationships, jobs and other significant changes in life. This is a time for taking stock of the past and coming to terms with it, in order to move on and look forward to the future. It is death that gives life its purpose and decay that fertilises new growth.


Samhain stands between the worlds of the living and dead and outside of ordinary time. Now heralds the time of 'Seeing' and divination as the veil between the words begins to thin allowing spirits and other supernatural entities to pass between the worlds. Divination customs and games frequently feature apples and nuts from the recent harvest, and ancient divination methods can still be seen in the modern celebration we know as Halloween. In Scotland, a child born at Samhain was said to be gifted with an dà shealladh, “The Two Sights” commonly known as “second sight,” or clairvoyance. It is said that if you catch a falling leaf on Samhain before it touches the ground it will bring you good luck and health for the coming winter.

As we approach the new year now is the time to plant the seeds of new projects, allowing them to germinate over the winter months. Samhain allows you to come to terms with your past year and leave all mistakes and regrets behind you. Look forward to what the future holds and listen to the wisdom of our ancients on this special night.

Behind the veil

Behind the veil a beating drum
the voice of the ancestors calls
at this time the blocks are undone
and they return to their halls.

Behind the veil a beating pace
as they set their feet on the path
to cross the bridge from the otherworld
and join us here at our hearth.

Copyright Ali Sutherland (Cradlehag)