For some, this time of year means much more than Halloween

By Lee Roberts

Saturday, October 29, 2005 2:04 AM CDT

Perhaps it is the witches, often depicted flying past the moon at this time of year. Or maybe it is some Halloween costumes' focus on images of the dead that mistakenly leads people to believe that the annual October celebration is part of the Wiccan religion (which, by the way, has nothing to do with broom-riding witches).

True, some practicing Wiccans celebrate Halloween on Oct. 31, just as those of many other faiths do, with traditional costume parades, pumpkin carving and bobbing for apples. But the fall holiday that is actually part of the Wicca religion is called Samhain (pronounced "sow-en") an ancient Celtic term meaning "summer's end."

While some Halloween traditions can be traced back to ancient religious rituals - both pagan and Christian - the two holidays are now actually very different, says the Rev. Selena Fox, high priestess and senior minister of the Circle Sanctuary, an international Wiccan church and pagan resource center based in Barneveld.

Halloween, as it is celebrated in the United States today, is not only not a Wiccan holiday, it is not a religious holiday, said Fox.

"What we have here in the 21st century (when it comes to Halloween) is a secular, community-oriented folk holiday. The celebrations are geared toward children dressing up in costume and having fun. It's a chance to enjoy the outdoors before it starts to get really cold."

Samhain, on the other hand, is a religious Wiccan holiday that is celebrated over a period of days, beginning in late October and sometimes extending into early November. For many Wiccans and pagans, it is a spiritual new year that honors the end of the growing season and ushers in the coming year with hope and optimism.

Fox's Samhain observation, for example, includes a series of meditations in which she assesses her life and thinks about what she would like to change.

"I make resolutions. I pray to the Divine for guidance and support in the coming year. I consult the tarot, runes and other oracles as part of my spiritual reflection and planning."

It is also a time when Fox and thousands of other Wiccans and pagans honor the dead. She does so by arranging photographs, heirlooms and other momentos of dead family members and friends atop a chest she inherited from her grandparents, along with votive candles, to create a Samhain altar.

"As I kindle candles on this altar, I call to mind memories of them and express my appreciation to these deceased loved ones for being part of my life," she explained.

At nightfall on the 31st, her household celebrates with a Feast of the Dead, at which an extra place is set at the table for deceased loved ones, who are invited to join the family members in spirit. Foods are offered on the plate and a candle is lit to represent the presence of the beloved dead.

Despite some people's perception of such rituals as being efforts to channel the dead, they are not, Fox said.

"It is all about paying our respects for the dead."

Samhain is also a very special time for Gloria Villanueva, a practicing Wiccan in Racine.

"This time of the year is the holiest time for me because I celebrate life by remembering the lives of my ancestors and those who have passed into the spirit realm," she said. "The `veils' between the Earth plane and spirit plane are lifted in order for us to feel, remember and sense spirits and other energies at this time of the year. The natural cycle of the earth, the harvest time, the death of vegetation is all around us, leaves falling, animals scurrying to prepare for winter, etc."

It is important to remember our ancestors, because they are our genetic memory, said Villanueva, who also celebrates Los Dias de Los Muertos (the Days of the Dead) at this time of year as part of her Mexican heritage.

"We honor their lives, their life force, what they gave us not only in heritage but the love they demonstrated to us, their legacy and more."

Villanueva's Samhain celebration this year will include a trip to Circle Sanctuary for its Samhain Festival. This three-day event will include a variety of activities ranging from workshops, ceremonies, celebrations and feasts focusing on endings and transformations. For more information on the 2005 Samhain Festival, visit http://www.circlesanctuary.org "I will also travel to San Antonio to visit the graves of my ancestors during Los Dias de Los Muertos. I will place `ofrendas' (offerings) of food at their graves, Mexican food, cempuchil flowers (flowers of the dead) and `pan de muertos' (bread of the dead, or for the dead). I also offer copal incense and prayers. I thank my ancestors, I honor them and I connect with them. It is a very spiritual time for me."

Samhain is celebrated at the same time as Halloween. And both celebrations sometimes include activities such as bonfires (a purification ritual dating back to the ancient Druids) and images of the dead, or ghosts.

Yet, the now secular holiday of Halloween actually has roots in ancient Christianity as well as pagan traditions. The name Halloween, for example, was derived from All Hallows Eve - the name given to the night before All Saints Day (Nov. 1), which Pope Boniface IV designated as a time to honor saints and martyrs back in the seventh century, according to information from The History Channel.

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