Happy Celtic New Year! Did you get to celebrate Halloween, Samhain or All Hallows’ Eve over the past week?
I’ve always enjoyed dressing up for Halloween. This year I dressed as Minnie Mouse, and instead of children knocking on my door, I set up a table at the end of the driveway to distribute candy in a “pandemic-safe” manner. The children are so cute in their costumes, and it seems even the adults have fun!
The origin of the Halloween tradition, with its jack-o-lanterns, trick-or-treating, bonfires and ghost stories, stems from the Gaelic/Celtic celebration of Samhain.
Samhain marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter in the Gaelic tradition. Ancient Druids and witches recognize the overnight period from October 31 to November 1 as the end of harvest and the beginning of a new year. To celebrate Samhain, practitioners invite family and friends over and place food at the table, even setting aside a plate of food for a loved one that has passed away. People celebrate Samhain by taking a nature walk, conducting a ceremonial meal, or creating an altar that could contain a cornucopia or other items representing fall such as pumpkins, squash, cider or wine. Samhain is considered a somber and private event.
It’s believed that All Hallows’ Eve was established as a secular (religious) holy version of Samhain, which preceded All Saints Day on November 1. Beginning in the mid-19th Century, Irish immigrants brought their customs to the U.S., which included festivals and costumes marking the end of the fall harvest, and Halloween celebrations began to take root.
Depending on your perspective, Halloween may be a time for fun, a time to acknowledge those loved ones who have passed on, or a time of celebration for the beginning of a new season.
I believe the veils between worlds are thinner this time of year, making it possible for people of all beliefs to connect with loved ones who have crossed over. On October 30 (the day before Halloween), I dreamed of my dad, who passed away in 2011, as well as my cat, Pretty Girl, who died in 2019. I am pleased to report that both are happy.
A Full Blue Moon Shines During Retrograde
I am not an astrologer; however, I have discovered the astrological importance of knowing when Mercury goes into Retrograde. Mercury travels in and out of Retrograde three times each year. When Mercury is in Retrograde, it looks like planets are “moving backward in the sky.” This planetary action can result in technology failures, delays, miscommunications and other issues. The best approach is a slow and measured one. Take your time reviewing important documents, make certain your communications are clear, and realize that setbacks occur. As it happens, Mercury went direct today, so expect life to pick up its pace once again!
The Halloween Blue Moon is significant because of its proximity to Uranus, which is a planet representing revolutionary change. Although Mercury has gone direct, you can expect personal relationships to be pretty intense over the next few weeks, according to the Astrology King.
Signs from the Angels
During this mixed-up planetary time, something truly significant happened while visiting a friend in North Georgia.
On Halloween night my guides told me to look up at the sky. The next night, which was the first night of the Celtic New Year, I remembered what they said and scanned the skies again. That’s when I saw my first moonbow.
A moonbow is literally a rainbow around the moon. Quite a few factors need to be present for the phenomenon to occur: the moon is full or almost full and low in the sky, the sky is clear, there is no light pollution, and a water fall or water element must be present to create a mist to refract the light.
Some believe that seeing a moonbow is a sign of encouragement from the angels that you are on the right path. For psychics, it’s also means increased energy, which is great!
Seeing the moonbow was not my only sign of good things to come. Today, a beautiful yellow Tiger Swallowtail butterfly fluttered around me in the front yard. Tiger swallowtail represents “intuition, inspiration, consciousness,” and can symbolize metamorphosis and happiness in life.
The Heaviness is Beginning to Lift
Both of these inspiring visions offered a greater meaning to me: joy and light are available not just for me but for other people too. I believe my grandmother sent the butterfly as a message of hope. The heaviness and darkness we have experienced will begin to lift soon. Now is a time of releasing. Make an effort to keep things positive in the coming months. Consider ridding yourself of clutter and negativity, and place more focus on the things that matter – such as the comforts of home and the love of friends and family. Light a path of kindness for others to follow. Now is the time to make a positive shift in the right direction.