Sacred Harvest Fruits

The Samhain (pronounced Sow-wane) is the ancient Celtic New Year. On Oct 31, the last night of the old year, the veil between the worlds is lifted and ghosts and spirits roam the night.

How do Witches celebrate?

Like all the other folks! We dress up in our New Year's Eve finery and party down at the Witches' Ball! Some witches like to dress spooky in the old Celtic tradition, and other modern Wiccans like to dress like beautiful gods and goddesses or fairy sprites or magickal symbols because they believe that the costume they wear on this night symbolizes the energy brought into the New Year. Some witches like to play it low key on Samhain and stay home with family, close friends, or coven members. They practice quiet meditation and ritual to prepare themselves for the coming year. They use divination to communicate with the ancestors and spirit guides for advice on the coming year.

On the Autumn Equinox (Sep 21), the power of the pagan god is cut down and symbolically buried in the earth to seed and fertilize for the coming spring. The time between Samhain (Oct 31) and the Winter Solstice (Dec 21) is the time and rulership of the Crone. It is the night of Hecate; Queen (and Goddess) of the Witches. She is honored with chants and a spiral dance to raise Her cone of power. It is also traditional to draw down the Goddess into a Priestess of the Coven. The Priestess serves as a channel to receive and speak the words and messages of the Goddess.

There are two foods which are sacred to Her and associated with the Autumn Harvest. The first is the apple and the sacred power symbol of the witches is hidden within the core of the fruit. Cut an apple in half horizontally and you will find the pentacle inside. Make a wish and eat half to empower your body and soul. Offer the other half to the Goddess. Leave as a libation under a tree. The second sacred fruit is the pomegranate. This represents the blood and womb of the mother. It is said that Persephone ate 3 pomegranate seeds to enter the underworld. Many witches are superstitious about eating too many seeds because they do not want to pass through the abyss. It is important to know that in other middle eastern mythologies, the pomegranate represents prosperity and well being and it is tradtional to eat as many seeds as possible. Open the fruit and offer half to the Goddess. Eat as few or as many as ye will.
Blessed Samhain and Happy Halloween!