Samhain is not only remembering the departed. In European tradition it is also the end of the year, not just harvest. The harvest festival is Christian. The old tradition is that November 1st. is New Year's Day!
Have a good festival of Samhain. Remember the departed, especially your own ancestors.
But please note, it has nothing to do with Halloween! That is Christian!
Ronald Hutton in his excellent Stations of the Sun writes that Samhain was a major festival in early mediaeval Ireland and marked the opening of winter as an opposing point to Beltane which marked the opening of summer.
He writes that it was the time after the harvest and when the season of confinement was setting in and that Samhain was mostly a tribal assembly during which meetings, games and feasts took place. There probably were religious rites but they are not recorded and most of what we believe about Samhain and its connection to a festival of the dead comes from much later sources.
Sources: Stations of the Sun: A History of the Rural Year in Britain by Ronald Hutton. Chapter 35 Samhain.
Astrologically Samhain will occur on November 7th 2011 when the sun reaches 15 degrees of Scorpio at approximately 10:45AM PST. In olden days, a few hundred of year ago the sun reached 15 degrees of Scorpio around October 31st. In our family we celebrate Halloween starting a few days prior to Oct. 31st through the astrological Samhain. For those who ask what to do on Halloween I would suggest immersing yourself in the festivities in your area. Don a costume and clebrate with others who are in the spirit of things. Spend some time researching the history of the seasons symbols and indulge in the flavors of autum. I like to sit by candle light, with a pommegrante and a hot steaming cup of tea and my book or computer and read about the traditions of olde, such as how the traditions of "mumming" and how people would trick the malicious entities and spirits into leaving them alone by wearing costumes to disguise themselves were mixed over history by different cultural influences. Since this is the Celtic New Year, learn about the culture and traditions. There is a lot of information to be learned.
One very popular thing to do is to host a "Silent Meal". This is to honor those who have passed on before us. The best time for this would be any time during November 7th through 9th as the veil will be at it's thinnest for the year at this time. This meal can be done by setting the table for yourself and guests, make sure you leave spaces for your loved ones who have passed over. Cast your circle in perfect love and perfect trust and invite your honored deaprted guests. The meal is consumed in complete silence to mimmick the silece of death. After the meal retire to a circle where you and your guests spend the evening communing with the dearly departed through meditation or scying activities such as crystal scrying, pendulum, water scrying or spirit board. On your altar you can have death symbols, flowers, photographs of departed loved ones and any other symbols that represent the "other side".
I had no idea that astrologically it falls on the 7th now! How do you calculate such a thing? What exactly occurs astrologically that caused the Celts to name October 31st Samhain (therefore a thin veil)? Now you have my curiousity peaked.
I understand what you said about Scorpio but I hope you understand my question is a little different than what you already explained. Samhain/Halloween has always been my favorite time of year, and I've read quite a lot about it, but never read the Nov 7th thing.
Here is a link to a good historical explanation of Samhain: http://www.chalicecentre.net/samhain.htm
Although the site talks about the November 1st through November 5th date for Samhain it is a little more complicated than that. The dates are determined on the observation of the planetary movements of heavenly bodies which is how the ancient peoples knew when to harvest their crops, plant and prepare for seasonal changes. In accordance with the season changes people gave thanks to the gods for all that they had which is seen in the celebration of the Sabats. Here are two sites that show the astrological dates speaking:
The confusion about the date changing comes with the calendar changes that occurred with the Roman Empire entering into the Celtic world. Originally the calendar was lunar and the dates stayed more stationary. In other words there were 13 months that followed the moon cycles and each month had the same number of days. When the Romans invaded they brought with them the Gregorian calendar which was a solar calendar. The Gregorian calendar had unequal days in the months and a month that added one day every 4th year (February 29th). In other words if we still followed a lunar calendar the date for Samhain would most likely stay constant maybe for thousands of years. But because we follow a Gregorian calendar the dates will change over time.
To add a bit more confusion the celebration of these Sabats is different depending on if you are in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. So to explain in the US (Southern Hemisphere) our Sabats calendar is pushed 6 months ahead of the British celebration of the Sabats, which means that when the US is celebrating Samhain on November 7-8th the Brittons are celebrating Beltane.
I hope I did not confuse the subject further.
Blessings
