Samhain Divination
August 24th, 2009 by John Wolfe
I found an interesting article at Witchway.net, discussing a few quaint, traditional Celtic methods used for divination on Samhain (essentially Halloween night). During this ancient celebration, it seems the goal of “scrying” primarily focused on determining future mates, and whether or not one would have a bountiful year. I suppose the more things change, the more they stay the same. Many centuries later, we are still seeking to find some insight into these exact subjects. Here’s a couple of examples from the article:
Hang an apple from a string with a coin pushed deep inside and try to bite out the coin without using your hands. Succeed, and your pockets will be full throughout the coming year.
If you pare an apple all in one piece on Samhain night and allow it to fall to the ground unaided, it will spell out the intials of your future mate.
The image in this photo depicts a modern day celebration of Samhain. If you look closely, you can see people behind the paper lanterns. Here, in New Mexico, the paper lanterns (known as farolitos or luminarias) are always associated with Christmas, so it’s cool to see them being used during fall celebrations as well.
Photo source: Flickr user readerwalker via CC
August 24th, 2009 at 9:12 am
One of my all time favorite scenes from Halloween ARE the paper lanterns!!! There’s just something about the deep illumination of the light shining through the bag, set up against the dark night sky that really tends to calm me down. In fact, looking at the photo you provided right now could easily put me to sleep, course getting only 2 hours of it last night doesn’t help….darn insomnia!! This also reminds me of the chinese festival they have of releasing paper lanterns balloons up into the air late at night symbolizing the spirit of their long lost loved one. Sadly, I don’t see many paper lanterns around here come Halloween time but I think I found 2 homes last year that decorated the path to their front door with ‘em. Cool subject matter John, yet again, you expand that SOS library of information
Oh, thanks for your opinion regarding “Casper.”
August 24th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Great post! I was taught as a child to turn the apple’s stem and call out the alphabet and when it snaps off, that’s the letter of your future husband’s name. I can’t tell you how many times I turned that thing purposefully to get it to snap at the right letter! One time, I was so desperate, I sought the boy’s middle name to be certain that if I landed on that letter, I’d know it was him. I figured that gave me four letters I could have for him (his first name, his nickname, his middle name, his last name). I love the luminarias. When I first moved to Arizona and saw them, I was quite impressed. We had nothing like that in the East. People here line them up along their walkways, but I did notice on Halloween some of the neighbors doing it too. It has such a beautiful orangish glow and is so haunting looking, it seems appropriate!
August 25th, 2009 at 1:58 am
Goldie,
I don’t usually see paper lanterns here at Halloween either, but they are everywhere at Christmas. Do people decorate with the lanterns in your neck of the woods at Christmas? I’ve seen those balloons. They get some major altitude from a simple heat source!
I hope you get some rest and no worries about Casper, I was glad to do it. You guys should absolutely keep taking photos, I bet you’ll continue to find even more curious things. There’s definitely something going on at that location.
autumnforest,
It seems a lot of the divination tools were primarily used by women or girls as they looked for a “suitor” or future husband. However, I did try one when I was a teenager — it had to do with writing a name on a piece of paper and burying it under a tree (less about divination and more of a ritual I suppose), along with some incantations, if I remember correctly. The girl ended up being my girlfriend for quite some time after that.
The “ceremony” was a lot like what the Darlins would do on the old Andy Griffith show!
I bet you guys have just as many luminarias in Arizona as we have in New Mexico during the holidays. They are extremely beautiful, especially when they place them throughout the old town square in Albuquerque.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.