Less Trick, More Treat
LESS TRICK, MORE TREAT
As the leaves fall and October draws us toward the dark half of the year, it invites us to slow down and reflect.
While Halloween often takes centre stage, with costumes and scary movies and buckets of sweets, its Celtic origins in Samhain (sow-win), offers something deeper, a time of transition (building on Septembers new starts), of rest and of renewal.
Samhain is one of the most powerful, seasonal festivals, with roots that tie nature, spirituality and wellbeing together.
In ancient times Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, a threshold moment between light and dark.
Ancient people observed the land itself changing with the crops dying back, animals hibernating and nature slowing down. It mirrored the cycles of death and renewal.
Samhain was also believed to be the time when the veil between the living and the spirit world was thinnest (think day of the dead celebrations in Mexico). People honoured their ancestors, welcoming guidance from beyond and protected themselves from mischievous spirits who could also sneak through.
For me Halloween is not something I love. I don’t like being scared and hate horror movies (they often seem to feature clowns and puppets which are my other big no no’s). I watched a few when I was younger mainly due to peer pressure, but no longer feel the need to. When I was a Florist, I refused to do scary Halloween so my flower stall was full of hollowed out pumpkins filled with flowers, advertised as Pretty Halloween (not my photo but you get the gist).
Having said that I do enjoy the idea of Samhain and the fact it feels softer, more aligned to nature, and our emotional and spiritual connection to it. I also like the idea of feeling closer to those no longer with us and using that time to reconnect with memories.
So how can we lean into this seasonal festival if we don’t want to do Halloween in the form it takes today?
Flowing with the Season
As October naturally calls us to slow down and shorter days encourage rest and nourishment, this is the perfect time to embrace healthy habits that nourish our bodies and minds. You are probably aware of the trend many people have adopted of the Danish Hygge. This is explained as an atmosphere and experience, a feeling of home, of being safe, somewhere shielded from the world where we can let our guard down (The little book of Hygge – Meik Wiking). A perfect time to embrace hearty soups and warming drinks, yoga and long autumn walks. Things that help us stay grounded as the season shifts.
Embracing our Memories
Samhain and the honouring of ancestors can remind us that we are part of a bigger story and this season can be a time to pause and reflect with gratitude the people, traditions and memories that shaped us. You could cook a favourite family recipe, perhaps from childhood, listen to a song that means something to you or perhaps read a favourite book or poem that someone you love, loved.
I’ll be continuing my mission to try and recreate the thick, hot, crunchy, buttered toast from a café in Ludlow which we had every year on our way to North Wales for our summer holiday, I’ve got close with sourdough but it’s still not right, any thoughts do let me know.
Rather than focusing on loss, this season offers us a chance to celebrate the lives and legacies that have shaped us and that continue to guide us.
Balancing Body and Soul
Health thrives when we balance body and mind and Octobers self-care can be simple but powerful:
A warm, candlelit bath with lavender for relaxation.
Comforting and nourishing foods and drinks.
Early nights to promote rest and restore energy.
Embracing nature in the garden or on autumnal walks.
A hot mug of tea, wrapped in a blanket, sat in the fresh air practicing gratitude.
Finding Connection
Samhain was once celebrated in community with feasts, stories and rituals.
We can do this today by sharing a meal with family or a group of friends, by walking together or just by sharing memories and stories.
Connection strengthens resilience as we move into the darker months.
October can be a month of balance between light and dark, endings and beginnings.
So, if like me you just don’t love the scary stuff by weaving Samhain into our lives at this time of year we can transform Halloween into something meaningful, full of self-care and wellbeing.
If you want to practice some self-care, connection and creativity before Christmas join me and Lara at Manor Farm Cottage Flowers for a day away from the to do lists where you’ll take away practical tools to help manage stress and introduce self-care and spend time creating a beautiful, personalised christmas wreath to take home. For more details go to the instagram pinned post here