Samhain Sabbat: 2022 Recap
The Samhain Sabbat is a time to celebrate the lives of family, friends, acquaintances and elders of the faith who have passed on. This year, I hosted a Samhain Sabbat celebration at Brigid’s Circle on October 29. It was a wonderful gathering filled with prayer and company.
The evening began with an introduction from each guest and an overview of the old and new traditions of Sahmain. Then, we moved into the prayer-focused portion of the celebration.
Invocation: Great One, God of life and love. As we stand at the edge of winter, our fields are bare and empty; the trees stand sleeping; our hearts turn inward, and the world’s fabric grows thin. We feel the souls of those who have crossed over, brushing past us in the air. May their way be blessed as they travel to Summerlands. Remind us that what seems now to be ending, is only the beginning of something new, though it lies outside our sight. The seed must die, the earth must sleep, and trees must stand bare and silent, before new life can come. We, too, must die before we can be reborn. This day of darkness is but the dawn of something new.
Continuing in unison, we then called in the Four Elements.
Element of Air: (Facing east we pray)
Hail to the element of air, to the elementals that make the wind blow and the weather flow, hail to the guardian of the watchtower of the east, Raphael, watch over this circle that we may have cause for joy in learning, and protection from injury.
Element of Fire: (Facing south we pray)
Hail to the element of fire, to the elementals that make the fire dance and the heat warm, hail to the guardian of the watchtower of the south, Michael, watch over this circle and protect us from all harm.
Element of Water: (Facing west we pray)
Hail to the element of water, to the elementals that stir from within, hail to the guardian of the watchtower of the west, Gabriel, watch over this circle, and guide our awareness to what will benefit our consciousness.
Element of Earth: (Facing north, we pray)
Hail to the element of earth, to the elementals that give us our quiet, hail to the guardian of the watchtower of the north, Uriel, watch over this circle and guide us safely through this journey.
Remembrances: When the veil between the worlds is thin at Samhain, we call into the circle the names of the deceased we wish to honor at this time. You may also call in your maternal lineage saying: I am ______________, daughter of _____________, daughter of _________________ going as far back as you know the names of your ancestors.
Reflection (read in unison)
Calm my mind, cool my soul, send me within to find what I know. Open my vision, lead my heart, tell me what wisdom you have to impart.
(Five-minute meditation in silence. At the five-minute tone, we silently walked around the grounds, paying close attention to what called us to bring it to the altar. Another tone sounded to call everyone back to the circle. Once all were back in the circle, one at a time, we placed our found items on the altar and spoke to why they called to us.)
Masks: Next, we decorated masks. Behind our masks, we may become our shadow self; the self we keep hidden from others and perhaps from ourselves. We then gathered in a circle again and named our hidden selves, speaking with her voice.
Then, we closed the evening with a prayer.
Prayer to St. Brigid:
Brigid, You were a woman of peace.
You brought harmony where there was conflict.
You brought light to the darkness.
You brought hope to the downcast.
May the mantle of your peace cover
those who are troubled and anxious,
and may peace be firmly rooted
in our hearts and in our world.
Inspire us to act justly and
to reverence all God has made.
Brigid, you were a voice for
the wounded and the weary.
Strengthen what is weak within us.
Calm us into a quietness
that heals and listens.
May we grow each day into greater
wholeness in mind, body and spirit.
Amen.
~ Janice
