Samhain - a guide to Altar setup, honoring your ancestors and beloved dead.

Samhain is fast approaching and it’s a wonderful time of year for many of us this is a time to dig deep down in to your internal roots. Many magical practitioners do ancestral work but the focus is heightened at Samhain as this is one of the high holidays where the veil is lifted for us. This work can be continued throughout the year, but at this time we can get closer to those we honor, we can heal, learn, for ourselves and future generations. Resolve past emotions, release mourning, or conflicts. It is also the New Year! Many of you do this work already or are familiar of the content.

By paying respect to those who’ve been here before you, you’re recognizing that you are who you are today because of those who helped shape you by influence, those that laid the foundation for you. By venerating those we have a connection to, we help heal not only ourselves but remove blockages and karmic debt for them as well.

What is the Altar for?

There are many answers to this one question but I’ll start with it is a place to commune, just as we create relationships with our friends in the living world we can also create relationships with those beyond the veil, by giving them a space to sit with us and enjoy our company from time to time. It is a place to remember to share and to discern what is best in your own personal way how you want to proceed. Ancestral work changes and evolves it can be simply visiting and honoring your dead, to really diving deep and working on healing.

My experience with Altarworking for my Ancestors Initially started off being a place for simple offerings and beginning a connection, as it has evolved my practice has changed to include consulting, visiting, and healing. The Altar will work with you so long as you take time with it.

Spend time with your ancestors at least acknowledge them daily and a good hour or two weekly or monthly will allow communication to develop. Some people break down their altars after the first week of November. Many will keep them up year round to maintain a strong bond.

Creating the Altar

I create my Ancestral Altar in the West to follow the Irish tradition of opening a window or a door in the west on Samhain night. You can change this based on your own path.. Keep in mind this is going to be your personal connection to spirit, and a place where energy gathers. It may not be helpful to have this space in your bedroom since energy will gather here.

Where?

A flat surface that has been cleansed with warm salt water, or polished with lemon oil other items that can be used Florida water or Rose water. Be mindful of the surface of your altar, do not use ingredients that will strip wood, or use ingredients that may be harmful on a surface you know to be porous. When in doubt always spot test.

If you’re limited on space don’t fret you can use any space available to you. A shelf a nook an end table just dedicate this space only to the intention of Ancestral work and all will be well.

Who’s the altar for?

Ancestral Altars can honor any deceased blood relatives, teachers, friends, spiritual kin (think of famous authors or artist who have influenced you spiritually) You’re not limited to those that were once human ancestors, you may be missing your past pets or familiars, an old oak tree, or the land that may have been burned or lost. The key is that you’re working with the deceased they are no longer in this realm. We’re not working on this altar with living spirits.

Tools to gather?

-white cloth is suggested however any color you feel strongly about will do-photos or objects associated with the ancestors or deceased you wish to call in, honor, or work with during this time. If photos or objects are unavailable, write each ancestor’s name, or the name of a group of ancestors, on separate pieces of paper or even place cards to get creative.

-a glass of clean water

– white or light blue candle

– items that represent sentiment to your ancestors

– Tarot cards XIII comes to mind

– many people use skulls I use a few crystal skulls that rarely leave my altar

– a space for flowers or potted plants

– a space for offerings

– simple or elaborate so long as it makes you feel connected to your ancestors, save one caveat: never offer a picture of a living individual on the ancestral altar. (It’s just poor taste to tempt death.)

-Consecration incense & Clearing incense

Remember ancestors do not have to all be related by blood, perhaps a philosopher or writer who has passed has strongly influenced your life. You can also honor elements, forests, lands of loss that you feel called to. Creating these relationships, honoring our connections empowers these elements to act with us and create stronger foundational roots for oneself. If you feel later that a presence is no longer called to the space you can respectfully remove them at any time just simply ask them to leave peacefully and re-consecrate using water or incense.

Examples of offerings: foods that you know your ancestors enjoyed. If you don’t know, suggested substitutes: milk, bread, honey & cornmeal are popular. I personally prefer nuts, apples, & pomegranates save for any fruit on Samhain through or after the first week of November.

Additional Altar dressing suggestions: favorite perfumes, a trinket box, pieces of jewelry, stones from a favorite location, earth (gathered dirt) from a significant location, quotes from authors that have inspired you, fallen branches, leaves, postcards, an urn, pictures of favorite destinations, anything that you know your ancestor has an affinity to.

Optional Scrying mirror or pendulum (black mirror) Clear quartz active generator can also be used as a vessel Animals that help with spirit communication e.g. Snakes, Owls, Crows, even Bees.

Prior to starting this work, always open a protective circle, call in your guides, or call in the directions whatever you do in your practice before spiritual work to ensure you’re protected. I do this even while the thought form begins because once you’re in the flow of things emotions come in.

Take some time to prepare your altar, cleansing the objects, dusting off photo frames, anointing your candle, and preparing your mind to relax for meditation. Then, light the candle and place the glass of water on the altar. Welcome each of the ancestors to your altar using their photos, objects, or name cards. “I welcome “name of deceased” to this altar. If you have a bell you may ring the bell before each announcement. If you’re trying to connect to a lineage, I welcome any benevolent spirits from ”family insert your last name” to this altar. If you do not know your ancestors last names, focus instead on the family lines you carry. You can call on your ancestors through your maternal or paternal lineages by naming or acknowledging them in general terms, For example, saying, ‘I call upon the ancestors of my mother’s line’ or ‘I welcome the ancestors of my father’s line.’ You may also speak from the heart, inviting those who are connected to you by blood, spirit, or shared lineage to be present and offer their support. Ensure you’re asking for those who are working in white light or benevolent spirits only. You’re able to invite who you wish and rescind invitations at any time. Keep in mind your ancestors may choose to also not take part. If the energy is such that an ancestor requests to leave, do not be alarmed, they may not be ready to commune or are called to do work elsewhere. Thank them for their time and burn some cleansing incense of your choice and continue your work.

The first few times remember you’re building a new relationship, this will be new and emotional on both sides. Try not to ask many questions of your ancestors immediately to give time for the relationship to build, over time you’ll be able to create a stronger bond where one might do these sessions to gain insights on self healing, familial healing, and inner knowing. It’s important as it is in life to build on the relationship. If your first night is on Samhain you can feel free to ask what it is the ancestors would like to share with you.

Spend some time remembering your ancestors, envision them here in this space and take notes of any messages that come through. If any energy feels unsettled, you can sprinkle water from the glass with your fingertips over the altar to cool things down so to speak. When you are ready to end communication, if you’d like to honor other lost souls or send a peaceful bid to any recent tragedy now would be a good time for silence on this. After this, bid farewell to your ancestors, extinguish the candle, and pour the water outdoors or in flowing water away from the home. Remember to refresh your water the next day (if you so choose to keep the altar going). Declare the work complete, close your altar by closing your circle and thanking your guides.

On Samhain night

Continue the working above adding in your foods selected and feast with your ancestors, there are two ways of doing this, some prefer to be serious at this dinner having a mourning type of ritual or what is called a dum supper, and others do this ceremony by engaging in a more jovial occasion playing music and dining near their altar. Choose what you feel is best for you and your lineage. Whatever is appropriate to your ancestry is fine. For me this is an offering to spirit and is done in silence with light music so that I may hear my ancestors' messages.

Why is Samhain an important time for Ancestors?

Below is a very brief summary of historySamhain (Summers End) Marks the end of the Harvest Season and the beginning of winter known as the Darker Half of the year. Typically Celebrated 10-31 through November 1st. Halloween night is inspired by this ancient Celtic festival. I will be focusing mainly on its Irish roots. During Samhain, the boundaries between the world of the living and the world of the otherworld become thinner, allowing spirits, and other supernatural entities, such as the Aos sí to pass between the worlds to socialize with humans. Extensive preparations were made for the sharing of a communal feast that included the departed as guests of honor. To enable them to come and go freely, all doors and windows were left unlocked; special cake was made exclusively for their consumption, and a feast was set aside just for them. This had to be left untouched by any mortal for the duration of the ritual period. Eating the food of the dead was considered to be major sacrilege and it condemned the perpetrator to becoming a hungry spirit after death, forever banned from sharing in any future Samhain feast. Divination rituals and games were also a big part of the festival and often involved nuts and apples. Turnips had faces carved in them to ward off evil or tricky beings. People would go door to door in disguise called ‘mumming or guising’ often reciting verses in exchange for food or offering prayer for lost souls. Those who had been wronged came back to haunt the wrongdoer. There’s many stories by county in Ireland that still exist today.

As Samhain is approached in a more modern way, One such article I find amusing to revisit was published in the Limerick Leader October 2009 it’s Author is unknownand now can only be access via web archives.https://web.archive.org/web/20091102012547/http://www.limerickleader.ie/features/A-to-Z-of-Halloween.5779425.jpIt’s no surprise that this holiday has in later years inspired the American Halloween and has gone on to be something entirely different.

November 1st

There is a large amount of texts regarding the old Celtic tradition but much is still shrouded in mystery in exactly how the ancients practiced. The reason being is that Celtic Tradition like many at the time was an oral tradition and many books of reference such as The Book of Invasions or Lebor Gabála Érenn, are usually written by the outsiders perspective one can only imagine what happens during translation. We do know it was summers end, the belief of the veil being lifted and BonFires were lit to remove decay, the night of, of Samhain was to ring in the new year another Bonfire was lit for warmth and renewal. Perhaps in some ways re-lighting these altars releasing our fears and speaking to our ancestors we can then understand a bit more about releasing and healing prior to the new year beginning.

To Ring in The New Year

So you’ve spent 31st on healing the past, removing the old.The evening of November 1st is the new year, now you are ready to step forward into New. Write your petition in the evening of November first of all the things you’re grateful for that will come to pass in the year, as you’re writing them feel gratitude as if they’re already present or have come to pass. As you feel this energy release these to the new bonfire knowing that your ancestors will carry this message for you as well.

Brief Halloween Lore

For fun I’ve included a short story about Jack O’ Lanterns below:

The story originates from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn’t want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree’s bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.

Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern.”

In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the jack o’lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack o’lanterns.

Irish tradition of the Ivy Leaf: Each member of the family places a perfect ivy leaf into a cup of water and it is then left undisturbed overnight. If, in the morning, a leaf is still perfect and has not developed any spots then the person who placed the leaf in the cup can be sure of 12 months health until the following Samhain.

I originally wrote this article over on wordpress in 2018. My practice hasn't changed much except that I am able to commune with my ancestors year round and the messages become more heightened around the end of August as we draw closer to the darker half of the year. Except for now I do observe both the 31st and Astrological Samhain which is closer to the right time to celebrate this year. In the Northern Hemisphere, Samhain occurs around November 7th, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it is marked around May 5th in 2025. I add this to let you know you have more time to build your Altars and commune.

 If you like what you’ve read or want to share anything, please feel free to reply. I am always happy to hear more perspectives.