Millie the Witch - Samhain 2020

Samhain Magic for Pagan Children

© Kitchen Witch UK – www.kitchenwitchhearth.net

What is Samhain?

• Samhain (pronounced sow-een or sow-ain) is generally celebrated on 31st October, when most people celebrate Halloween. Although it is also celebrated on 1st November as well. It is the end of summer and marks the last harvest.

• We celebrate Samhain to mark the last harvest but also

to honour our ancestors and those that have gone before us. At this point in the year our ancestors would have taken their cattle and livestock to be slaughtered and then preserved to last them over the coming dark winter months.

• For witches Samhain also marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. A time to reflect on what we have achieved over the months before and a time to make resolutions and plans for the following ones.

A Samhain Ritual written by Millie (age 11)

Casting the circle – this is an opening chant I have written, you can write your own.

Walk clockwise in a circle, saying: “Together we stand in a circle Sending the bad things out And leaving the good things in” We cast the circle to claim our space as sacred.

Calling in the quarters: Air – “We call on you to bring us clear minds and to protect our circle” Fire – “We call on you to bring us passion in the things we do” Water – “We call on you to wash away any negativity” Earth – “We call on you to ground us”

Samhain Ritual (continued)

• We call on Dagda, the father God of Ireland. We call on you to protect our circle.

• We call on Danu, Goddess of creation. We call on you to protect our circle and give us life.

• On Samhain Celts would burn crops and have bonfires as a sacrifice for Celtic Gods and Goddesses.

• The Celts would wear animal heads and skins as costumes and tell each others fortunes.

• Samhain/Halloween is also about remembering and honouring our ancestors.

• Some people would also have a silent meal, called a

‘dumb supper’. They would set a place for their passed family member and give them a meal.

• Time to feast! – You could have goof and drink that

your ancestors liked or you could make soda bread or boxty to add to your feast.

Samhain Ritual (continued)

• We pass around apples and candles. We throw the apples in the fire and light the candles to remember the ones we have lost.

We tell stories about them, then we dance around the fire and have a feast.

• Closing the circle: • “We call Dagda, the father god. Thank you for protecting our circle. Stay if you will, leave if you must.”

• “I call on Danu, Goddess of creation. Thank you for giving us life. Stay if you will, leave if you must”

• Air – “We thank you for giving us clear minds and protecting our circle, stay if you will, leave if you must”

• “Fire – “We thank you for filling us with passion, stay if you will, leave if you must”

• Water – “We thank you for washing away our negativity, stay if you will, leave if you must”

• Earth – “We thank you for grounding us, stay if you will, leave if you must”

Salt & Pepper Soda Bread

Soda bread doesn’t use yeast, so it is really quick and easy to make.

225g/8 oz wholemeal or buckwheat flour 2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon brown sugar 25g/0.8 oz butter 150ml/5 fl oz milk (any kind) Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper A few porridge oats Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas 6. Grease a baking tray.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and sugar. Rub in the butter. Add in the milk and mix together to form a soft dough.

Shape into a round and pop onto the baking tray.

Brush the top with milk and sprinkle over a few oats. Bake for about 25 minutes until well risen and nicely browned.

Boxty Bread

This is traditional Irish festival bread, flat and round and marked into four portions before baking. It was often eaten on Shrove Tuesday, All Saints Day and Halloween.

225g (8oz) raw potatoes 225g (8oz) mashed potatoes 225g plain (all purpose) flour 50g (2oz) butter, melted Salt & pepper Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Grease a baking tray.

Wash and peel the raw potatoes then grate them into a clean cloth (tea towel) and wring them well over a bowl to squeeze out the juice. Place the grated potatoes in a bowl together with the mashed potatoes and mix.

Leave the starchy liquid in the bowl until the starch has settled then pour off the liquid and add the starch to the potatoes. Add the flour, melted butter and seasoning and mix to a soft dough. Knead well.

Divide into two portions (this mixture makes two loaves) and roll into flat rounds (you may need to flour the board). Place on the baking tray and divide the top of each loaf into four with a sharp knife. Bake for 40 minutes until firm and golden. Remove from the oven and serve warm with butter.

Magical Hot Chocolate

Make sure to charge each ingredient with your intent.

70g (2 1/2oz) chocolate, chopped.

142ml (5 fl oz) pot double cream 600ml |(21 fl oz) milk Method Pour milk, double cream and chopped chocolate into a pan. Bring to the boil, gently, whisking until it is smooth and lump free.

Serve in mugs with toppings of your choice Toppings Cherries - happiness, love.

Marshmallows - comfort, happiness, Cocoa pops - prosperity, fertility, protection, rain grounding, stability, happiness, love.

Ginger - Money, success, power, love, cleansing ,protection and consecration.

Clove - love, money, clarity, protection, abundance, repels negativity, prevents gossip, stress relief and truth Grated cinnamon - power, success, healing, psychic powers, protection, love, focus, lust, spirituality and changes.

Grated nutmeg - money, luck fidelity, protection Chocolate chips -love, prosperity, happiness and lifting emotions Crushed cookies - nurturing and love Cream - love and nurturing Sprinkles - love Coconut whipped cream - prosperity, allure, confidence, diversity, flexibility, protection, psychic awareness, purification and spirituality Marshmallow fluff - Sticking together, comfort happiness and love.

Animal Magic: The Cat

Those with a cat at home will know that they are gods and should be worshipped and pampered in every way shape and form…

• Cat definitely brings elegance, independence and intuition and I think it has a definite feminine energy.

• She is also full of mystery, wisdom and understanding (definitely on how to annoy humans) but she also brings healing and balance.

• And obviously curiosity (which apparently killed the cat) which also comes with definite psychic abilities and always spirituality.

Keywords:

• Independence, healing, curiosity, mystery, psychic abilities, elegance, intuition, mystery, wisdom, understanding and balance.

From Pagan Portals Animal Magic

Animal Magic: The Bat

• Some folklore stories suggest that bats were thought to be

witches and if one flew close by you it was a witch checking up on you or sending a curse. I think the bat gets a bit of bad press and the horror film industry has not helped.

• They are in fact beautiful highly sensitive creatures who bring

intuition, dreams and visions. They also have really cool night vision which can help you to see through illusions and find the truth.

• The bat is very sociable and loves nothing more than a good

ole chat with the rest of the group. Living in the dark caves of Mother Earth the bat brings rebirth as it emerges from the depths every night.

• Bat does however require a lot of commitment from you so be warned it doesn’t work with slackers!

Keywords:

• Commitment, challenges, renewal, rebirth, communication, intuition, sensitivity, illusion, truth and dreams.

From Pagan Portals Animal Magic

What can you find out in Nature?

The trees and plants are producing their seeds at this time of the year. When you are out with your parents, look around and see what you can find. You might find conkers (buckeyes) from the horse chestnut trees or acorns from the oak tree.

Oak (Quercus alba, Quercus robur, Quercus petraea) A strong and imposing tree which can grow incredibly tall and live for a thousand years (or so…obviously that’s not exact). The leaves are deciduous with catkins in spring and acorns in autumn.

Folklore says: Oak before ash, in for a splash, ash before oak, in for a soak” referring to the flowers of both trees, if the ash flowers before the oak we usually have a wet spring.

Oak trees were used as meeting places where laws were passed and declarations read out to the public. Oak is sacred to druids.

The oak leaf symbol is one of strength and used to appear on coins in England (before the lion took over). The fruit from the oak, the acorn is a symbol of strength, power and vitality.

It is said that King Arthur’s round table was made from one solid piece of oak.

Oak has built houses, cathedrals, ships, furniture, barrels, its bark is used for tanning leather, it provides dyes, the acorns are fed to pigs and can also be used as a coffee substitute (the acorns, not the pigs), the galls (oak apples) can be used to make ink, the wood can be used on fires and to make charcoal, the tree provides a favourite home for mistletoe and ivy, it provides shelter for insects, birds, animals and outlaws such as Robin Hood and Charles II. Carry oak or an acorn with you to bring good luck.

With thanks to Millie for her ritual script.

Colouring pages from The Moon Books Gods & Goddesses Colouring Book Š Rachel Patterson www.rachelpatterson.co.uk This Samhain Magic magazine has been put together by www.kitchenwitchhearth.net Images: Samhain and baking images Š Rachel Patterson Others: Unsplash