A history of the ancient Gaelic winter festival of Samhain and its connections to Halloween. This was a time when the veil between our world and the spirit world became thin, allowing supernatural entities, such as fairies, ghosts, and monsters, to roam the land. The ancients went to great lengths to protect themselves from the dark forces believed to be at work in October. This video covers how Samhain was observed/ celebrated, looking at the historical and archeological records of fire rites conducted at the ancient mounds. We will also compare this to similar religious traditions in other parts of Europe.

In the latter portion of the video, we will investigate magical practices such as shapeshifting, divination, & witchcraft. Such things would’ve been undertaken at this time, as the intersecting of worlds was thought to grant people better access to spiritual energies, strengthening their work. We will see how all of this may have been the inspiration for our modern holiday characters like werewolves, zombies, witches, as well as the traditions of trickortreating and dressing up.

What was the spiritual/ philosophical significance of the beginning of winter to the ancients, and how can we learn from their wisdom?

00:00 Intro
02:22 Irish Solar Fall Equinox Myth
04:32 The Veil Between Worlds
08:07 Samhain Festival
18:50 The Bon Fire
21:31 Otherworldly Threats
26:54 Magical Protection
31:16 Ancestor Veneration
34:05 Divination
38:20 Shamanistic Influences
41:50 Shapeshifters
44:57 The Witch
46:56 Conclusion
50:40 Outro

#samhain #paganism #ancientreligion #irishhistory #celtic #magick #occult

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