Samhain, celebrated on the first of November, is a revered Celtic festival marking the halfway point between the Autumn Equinox (Mabon) and the Winter Solstice (Yule). As the veil between worlds grows thin, Samhain is one of the most sacred days in the Celtic Wheel of the Year—a time to honor the ancestors, embrace the dark, and prepare for the deep wisdom of the Crone. It is a festival of introspection and release, where we turn inward as the Earth slows its pulse, and nature enters its time of rest and renewal.

The word "Samhain" comes from Old Irish, meaning "Summer’s End," and it was traditionally marked with rituals and bonfires that symbolized the passage from light into the darkness of winter. Just as Beltane celebrates the fire of life, Samhain honors the sacred fire that guides us through the shadows, offering protection and the light of inner knowing.

During the Sacred Samhain mini-retreat, we will explore these ancient traditions and reconnect with the timeless practices that still resonate today. We will turn to the plants and the Crone’s wisdom, understanding how fire and herbs were used to cleanse and protect, as well as to bless the way forward through the dark season.

We will gather in a temenos circle—a sacred space of clearing and intention—where our hearts are open to the mysteries of Samhain. Here, we will craft our own Crone’s Broom, a powerful symbol of the Crone’s authority and wisdom, to sweep away what no longer serves and sanctify our path ahead. This broom, infused with the energy of the season, will be our companion in rituals of protection and blessing throughout the winter months.

This virtual, live ritual retreat will include:

• Officiated ritual and blessings;

• An overview and teaching on the significance of the Celtic Wheel of the Year, and Samhain;

• Lineage and Ancestry Connection;

• Grief Work;

• Guided personal reflection time;

• Live instruction for making your own Crone’s Broom or besom;

• Facilitated space to hear from and connect with one another;

• Support to create your own personal ceremony to deepen into the sacramentality of this festival day.

Our time together will be a potent set-apart time, a time dedicated to the seasonal energies that are moving within and throughout us, in our own inner-nature, as well as throughout the wild world.

Sacred Samhain is a time for you to reflect on the summer energies within you, and to meaningfully engage with the plant community as aids and guides to support you as you cross the various thresholds of your own life.