This Samhain I was focused on my children and Halloween. I set up my altars, and said my prayers and gave my gratitudes to my ancestors. They came to us, but more in a dropping-by kind of way. They zoomed in, and said "Thanks for the chocolate and scotch! Love you! Okay, bye!" and that was about it. No spirit visits, not major ones anyway, no dishes broken or spirit balls to be seen in the pictures. we took that night. I did not hear the screaming Host flying over the backyard nor the Fae partying all night back there. Except for the squealing teenagers getting ready to go out, it was quiet around here.
The weeks leading up to Samhain, I was overwhelmed by sewing projects...Thibaut's pretty shirt
for Spiral Dance, Will's hermit costume, and most complicated and time consuming of all, Sarah's Harry Potter Fabulous costume, which required hours of handsewing many kinds of fabulousness, feathers and glitter onto capes, dresses, and belts. I was very pleased with how they all turned out, and am happy that I have these skills to share with the people I love. To my surprise, Sarah wanted me to come with her and her friends trick or treating, which I was happy to do. She is 13 now, and I am pretty sure next year I will not be invited, so I took my chance while it was offered. I didn't go out with them last year, I sang in the Spiral Chorus and was feeling pretty overwhelmed by that, and many other things that were whirling around me then. I loved being part of such a huge powerful ritual, but was glad to not have the commitment this year, and have felt very turned in toward my family's and my own growth for the whole year. My children are older, and need my immediate attention less and less, but need my deep attention more and more.And now the night is here, the Dark is fully on us. It's cold and dark before dinner time, and cold and dark when I get up in the morning. Blessed be the Wheel as it turns.
Here is the spirit ball picture from a couple of years ago; I'm pretty sure it's my mother. She loves Halloween.
