The Celts did not fear the dead. It is said they held these days and this time in great reverence; reverence for the departed, healthy fear for the sidhe or the fae, reverence for prophecy and looking towards the new year, seen at the end of the cold dark cycle of winter. Reverence for the crone, the dark mothers, the underworld. From womb to tomb and tomb to womb, we greet and move through this ending and beginning. Welcome, dear ones, to summer’s death and winter's birth, welcome to Samhain.

The final episode of Season 2 offers three things:

1) A reflection on your own ancestral inheritance.

2) An honoring of the sacred trees and plants at Samhain: Elder, Blackthorn and Croneswort. These three are also known by other names; Tree of Witches, Dark Crone of the Woods and Wormwood.

3) A sharing of my recent pilgrimage to my maternal ancestral home - Scotland - where I visited magical islands, an ancient fairy flag in a remote castle and spent some time honoring the magnificent creatrix, winter crone and hag of the North - the Cailleach.

A time of abundance,

A time of preparation,

A time of balance,

A time of release,

The edge of the bright leaning into the darkness.

A time of celebration for the harvests of fruit and root.

The second harvest, completing the cycle.

The second harvest, calling the animals home.

Let us welcome the in and the out breath, the double spiral, the balance of day and night.

This is the autumnal equinox.

Hoof and horn, hoof and horn
All that dies shall be reborn
Corn and grain, corn and grain,
All that falls shall rise again

Dear Hazel, sacred tree of the ancients, the druids, holy tree of wisdom, knowing and intuition we honor you.
We pray that your blessing of sight and vision is bestowed upon us, that we might see beyond ourselves and undertake a transformation as you do, in service of all that is highest, best, and most in its wellness.
We pray your nuts of inspiration and wisdom fill our lives and hearts such that we can walk in true honor and grace, unburdened by the pains of our pasts or the fears of unknown futures.
May inner wisdom be ours to tend and nurture as we tend and nurture your groves and forests. Blessed be this sacred tree.

Transformation, strength, accomplishment, pride, celebration of the first harvest, the grain harvest - Lughnasadh is a time for honoring all that has been achieved in the warmth of the summer sun, while starting our gentle walk away from the light towards the darker half of the year.