Samhain Series Part 1: The Ancient Roots of Honoring Our Ancestors

As October unfolds and the veil between worlds grows thin, we approach one of the most sacred times of the year: Samhain (pronounced “SOW-in”). While modern culture celebrates Halloween with costumes and candy, the ancient spiritual roots of this season run deep—connecting us to our ancestors, the cycles of nature, and the mysteries of life and death.

Welcome to the first installment of our three-part Samhain series! This month, we’ll explore the history of this powerful holiday, learn how to build an ancestor altar, and discover meaningful ways to honor those who came before us. Let’s begin by understanding where these traditions come from and why they still matter today.

What Is Samhain?

Samhain is an ancient Celtic festival that marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter—the “darker half” of the year. Celebrated from sunset on October 31st through November 1st, Samhain was considered a liminal time when the boundary between the physical world and the spirit world became permeable.

The Celts believed that during Samhain, the spirits of the dead could more easily cross over and visit the living. They feared these spirits and dressed in costumes and left food outside to appease the spirits. As humans have evolved we realize there is nothing to fear with spirits and instead we offer candy to children in costume to honor this old tradition. Many modern pagans, witches and druids take this opportunity to honor their ancestors, seek guidance from the spirit world, and celebrate the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

Samhain was one of four major Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh. It represented not just a change in weather, but a profound spiritual transition—a time to reflect on mortality, gratitude, and our connection to those who walked before us.

The Thinning of the Veil

The concept of the “veil” is central to understanding Samhain. In spiritual traditions, the veil represents the energetic barrier between our physical reality and the realm of spirit. 

At Samhain, as nature itself transitions from abundance to dormancy, the veil grows thin. This makes it an ideal time for:

• Connecting with deceased loved ones

• Receiving messages from ancestors and spirit guides

• Divination and spiritual insight

• Releasing what no longer serves us

• Honoring the cycle of death and rebirth

For those of us who work with spirit—whether through mediumship, tarot, astrology, or other practices—Samhain offers a particularly powerful window for connection and healing.

How Ancient People Honored Their Ancestors

The Celts and other ancient cultures had beautiful, intentional practices for honoring the dead during Samhain. These weren’t spooky or morbid rituals—they were acts of love, remembrance, and community. Today many of those traditions are still practiced as a way to celebrate the holiday Samhain and help us stay present in the cycles of life/death. 

The Dumb Supper (Silent/Ancestor Supper)

One of the most profound traditions is the “dumb supper,” a meal eaten in silence to honor the dead. Families set an extra place at the table for departed loved ones, serving their favorite foods and drinks. The silence allows space for the spirits to be present and for the living to feel their connection. Some families prefer to tell stories about their loved ones.

Bonfires and Sacred Flames

Communities gather around massive bonfires, which serve multiple purposes: they provided warmth as winter approached, symbolized the sun’s life-giving power, and were believed to offer protection and guidance to wandering spirits. People extinguish their home fires and relight them from the communal bonfire, symbolizing unity and renewal.

Offerings and Altars

Families create altars with photos, mementos, and offerings for their ancestors. They leave out food, drink, and items their loved ones enjoyed in life. This isn’t just symbolic—it was believed that spirits could absorb the essence or energy of these offerings. Modern practices even include drinking/eating that food in honor of your loved one with the intention that they can taste through you.

Divination and Spirit Communication

Samhain was considered the most powerful time for divination. People would use various methods—scrying in water or mirrors, reading omens in nature, casting lots—to gain insight into the coming year and receive messages from the other side. Today we can use many of those methods and tarot cards, astrology charts, and pendulums to help guide us through the upcoming winter season. 

Costumes and Disguises

Yes, the ancient Celts did wear costumes—but not for the reasons we might think! They would dress in animal skins and masks, partly to disguise themselves from any harmful spirits that might cross over, and partly to honor the animals and the natural world as winter approached. This practice evolved over centuries into our modern Halloween costumes. Now modern families help children make costumes to honor this ancient tradition. Many communities have trick or treating which developed over time and is a way to make the holiday fun for children. Although children can still understand the history of the holiday and we can include them in other traditions which will help them more deeply understand the cylces of life/death. 

From Samhain to Halloween: How Traditions Evolved

So how did we get from sacred ancestor rituals to trick-or-treating? The transformation happened gradually over centuries.

Christian Influence

When Christianity spread through Celtic lands, the Church sought to replace pagan festivals with Christian holidays. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as All Saints’ Day (also called All Hallows’ Day), and the night before became All Hallows’ Eve—eventually shortened to Halloween.

November 2nd became All Souls’ Day, a time to pray for the dead. Interestingly, many Samhain traditions were absorbed into these Christian observances, including lighting candles for the deceased and visiting graves. Using these old traditions was how the early Christians convinced ancient pagan communities to convert to the system of Christianity. 

Souling and Guising

The practice of going door-to-door has medieval roots. “Souling” involved the poor going to wealthy homes and offering prayers for the dead in exchange for “soul cakes” (small pastries). “Guising” involved people dressing in costume and performing songs, poems, or tricks in exchange for food or coins.

When Irish and Scottish immigrants brought these traditions to America in the 19th century, they evolved into our modern trick-or-treating.

The Commercialization

By the early 20th century, Halloween had become increasingly commercialized in America, focusing more on parties, costumes, and candy than spiritual connection. While this created fun community traditions, it also distanced many people from the deeper meaning of the season. I feel the most impactful of that disconnection is the seperation from death. If we don’t honor the cycle of life/death when someone finally does die in our lives we are overwhelmed with feelings we have no tools to deal with. This is why grief is such a common overwhelming experience for most people. 

Reclaiming the Sacred in Samhain

Today, many people are rediscovering the spiritual significance of Samhain. We’re learning that honoring our ancestors isn’t morbid or scary—it’s healing, grounding, and deeply meaningful.

Whether you follow a specific spiritual path or simply want to connect more intentionally with those you’ve lost, Samhain offers a beautiful opportunity to:

• Remember and celebrate the lives of those who came before you

• Heal grief through ritual and connection

• Understand death as a natural part of the life cycle

• Receive guidance and messages from the other side

• Strengthen your relationship with your ancestors and spirit guides

You don’t need to be a practicing witch or pagan to honor these traditions. Ancestor veneration exists in cultures worldwide—from Día de los Muertos in Mexico to Obon in Japan to the Hungry Ghost Festival in China. The desire to remember and connect with our dead is universal and deeply human. Maybe if we brought back some of these traditions the next generation might find grief a little more manageable. 

Why This Matters Today

In our modern culture, we often avoid talking about death. We’re uncomfortable with grief, unsure how to honor those we’ve lost, and disconnected from the natural cycles that our ancestors understood intimately.

Samhain invites us to change that. It reminds us that death is not an ending but a transition, that our loved ones remain connected to us in spirit, and that honoring them can bring profound healing.

When we create space to remember our ancestors—to speak their names, share their stories, and feel their presence—we heal not just our own grief, but generational wounds. We acknowledge that we are part of a long lineage, that we carry their wisdom and strength, and that one day, we too will be remembered.

What’s Coming Next in This Series

Now that you understand the history and significance of Samhain, you’re ready for the practical work! In Part 2 of this series, we’ll dive deep into how to create a beautiful, meaningful ancestor altar in your home. I’ll walk you through everything you need—from choosing a location to selecting offerings to setting sacred intention.

And in Part 3, we’ll explore specific practices for honoring your ancestors during Samhain, including how to hold an ancestor supper, make offerings, and use these rituals for grief healing and spiritual connection.

This October, let’s reclaim the sacred heart of this season together. Let’s honor those who came before us, heal our grief, and strengthen our connection to the spirit world.

Join Me This Samhain Season

If you’re feeling called to deepen your connection with your ancestors and the spirit world this Samhain, I’d love to support you. Here are some ways we can work together:

Cosmic Wisdom Hour & Messages: Join me every Tuesday at 7pm MT on  Facebook, and YouTube for live spiritual guidance, messages from spirit, and community connection.

Cosmic Grief Reading aka Astrology Mediumship Reading: My signature service combines 30+ years of mediumship with astrology to help you understand your loved one’s soul contract, their emotional state at passing, and find healing in your grief. I connect with your loved one but use the stars to interpret the messages. This reading offers incredible accuracy and profound insight.

Mediumship Readings: Connect directly with your loved ones in spirit. Receive messages, find closure, and experience the healing that comes from knowing they’re still with you. I am an evidential medium, which means I provide evidence to help you feel connected

Samhain Ceremony: Watch for announcements about special Samhain events and ceremonies this October!

Visit DivineAndrogyne.com to book a reading or learn more about my services. And be sure to come back next week for Part 2 of our Samhain series!

Until then, may you feel the presence of your ancestors and know that you are never alone.