As a follower of Bríg, a part of my personal Samhain celebration is to sit by her flame, with the memories of my beloved departed and write. This year I’m celebrating by myself, so I thought I’d share a poem I wrote for her and them, and all of us really. Blessed Samhain, all!

The veil has thinned

And once again,

Beloved’s arms thrown wide

We greet our lost

Among the hosts

That walk the other side.

Through joy and tears

As winter nears

With dear ones we abide

Til our own path ends

And with our friends

To Tír na nÓg we’ll ride.

Sláinte!

Edited- apologies for formatting, am on mobile lol

There's a lot of talk about giving offerings - food, drink, objects. But who offers other things to the gods? I offer poetry and singing, my time and labour as a writer and teacher, speaking up about the environment and animal rights (those last two are particularly important to Epona, I believe).

I'd love to hear what others are doing.

Hey all!

I asked another pagan Reddit, but I wanted to ask here too. What are y’all doing for the holiday?

Im gonna grab some food, clean my graves, and come back home to light some candles/fire and just clean and make food! Saw some people make altars that look awesome!

As many of you know, Samhain was historically celebrated on the new moon that begins the eleventh moon (modern November; except on leap years blah blah) since Celtic months start on the new moon (and days begin at night fwiw).

The Gregorian calendar we all use today makes it so that the start of months do not usually begin exactly on the new moon. It just so happens that November 1 2024 is indeed a new moon, making it so that Halloween this year does line up with lunar Samhain. That is, the new moon will rise at daybreak on Nov 1 and Halloween night (between Oct 31 and Nov 1) will have no moon. Just as it should be. So that’s cool.

Edit: A bit of a side-note, but I no longer think Celtic months usually started on the full moon so I striked that out from my post. That was an assumption I made based on other lunar calendars I'm familiar with, but u/Fair_Beautiful8856 informed me that the Gaulish calendar (which is Celtic) started its months on the first quarter! I wasn't aware of this, but it does check out on Wikipedia (and the sources for it there). Importantly for this post, however, this does not change fact that Celtic holidays were probably originally celebrated on the new moon, making tomorrow (starting with tonight) the "real" Samhain.

After making this post, I'll pack some of the things required.

A couple of small bowls,
A couple of small plates
A lancet
Alcohol swabs
Some milk and water
Sea salt
Kelp
A pendant of Celtic design
Coins
Candles
A tablecloth.

And then I'll head to a nature reserve and hope that a spot I like doesn't have anyone there, else I'll have to find someplace else maybe.

From there, I will lay down the tablecloth onto the grass and place a plate and a bowl on top of it.
I will then start to place the offerings to my primary patron, Danu.

For Danu:
I will pour the milk into the bowl, since she's a fertility goddess, I guess that would make sense. Afterwards, I will place some flowers, leaves, and stones/pebbles onto the plate. Followed by heating up a candle at its base and mushing it onto the plate so that it sticks (hopefully) and then light it up. I will begin my prayers to her,

"Benevolent Danu, I call to you as my guide and patroness. Flow through me like the rivers, and help me find balance with the earth beneath my feet. Grant me wisdom, patience, and strength. May I honor your spirit through harmony with nature that surrounds us. Be with me on this journey, Mother of all."

After the fire burns out, I will move on to Manannán mac Lir. I will pour the milk onto the soil and set the offerings for Danu aside.

For Manannán:
His is the simplest, I will just pour some water into a new bowl and add some sea salt into it. I would love to add seashells or driftwood or something like that, but I don't have any of that near where I stay. So I think I will just place some kelp/seaweed onto the plate instead. And then light a blue candle and pray,

"Manannán mac Lir, I call upon you, Son of the Sea, and Guardian of the Otherworld. Guide me through the shifting tides of life, and lend me the courage to face the unknown waters. Let your wisdom lead me safely through storms, and may your mysteries open my eyes to the unseen. Shield me as I wander, and grant me insight on my path. May your hand be upon me when I cross into the next realm, guiding me safely through the mists to the lands beyond. Stand beside me, Great Traveler."

After the fire burns out, I will move on to Macha. I will pour the saltwater onto the soil and set the offerings for Manannán aside.

For Macha:
I will pour some water into the bowl. I'll then wipe a fingertip with some alcohol swab and then, using the lancet, I'll prick my fingertip and squeeze three drops of blood into the water, and mix it. I will then place a metal pendant and some coins onto the plate. I will then light a candle and pray.

"Mighty Macha, I call upon you as my protector. Strengthen my heart and sharpen my mind, that I may face injustice and punish those who do evil with vengeance. Instill in me the strength to protect those in need, and let your fire burn in my spirit. Guide my steps in times of conflict, and grant me courage and clarity. Stand with me, fierce Macha, in all my struggles."

Then as the fire burns out, I will make one last simple speech.

“Today, I dedicate myself to this path and to the worship of Danu, Manannán mac Lir, and Macha.
I pledge to honor and respect each of you.
May you accept me as your follower, and may my life honor your presence and guidance.”

Then I guess I'm done. I'll clean up the area and leave the offerings in place. Hopefully that doesn't really constitute as littering lol. I guess Danu's and Manannán's are biodegradable, so it's fine, only the pendants and coins for Macha the only litter. Or am I supposed to take these bacK? But offerings aren't supposed to be taken back, right?

Oh and then tonight and tomorrow night, I'll light some candles, do some prayers, and leave some food offerings for any spirits during Samhain. Hopefully, today goes as planned.

Also, does this actually sound stupid? Whatever, I'm still going to do it.zydYyfpxð

Edit: urgh..... I bloody knew it. I definitely would've forgotten something (tablecloth). I'm already on the way, dang it.

Edit 2: Nooooooooo!!!! I didn't bring a freaking lighter!!!!!😭😭😭😭😭

Edit 3: it's raining now......so I guess candles wouldn't have worked anyway.

Hi, this is my first post ever (so exciting), Was wondering if Celtic pagans work with the oak and holly kings. Thanks

I’ve always believed in the existence of gods, but I’ve never been sure who to devote myself to since I was a kid (I’m 24 now). I’ve only ever been interested in Paganism since I was about 12. It wasn’t until the last 3-4 years that I really started considering actually adopting Paganism.

I'm a bit worried this might be some kind of phase or that I’ll abandon it because of ADHD, depression, laziness, or just losing focus. Like, what if I don’t do offerings for a couple of weeks or more, or if the whole thing just doesn't cross my mind much? I also feel a bit out of place since I'm Southeast Asian and about as far from Celtic roots as you can get. I really respect Celtic Paganism, and I’d be disappointed in myself if I started this journey only to drop it after a while.

And yeah, the reason I want to convert tomorrow is, well—what better time to become a Pagan than Samhain? Lol.

What do you guys think? Should I give it a shot or.....?

EDIT: Wow. I was not expecting this overwhelming amount of positive responses. I really suck at expressing gratitude in writing, but thank you so much, everyone, for the encouragement and advice. I greatly appreciate you all! I think will make another post about what I would do today/tonight (it's already 31st where I am).

I have a university project based on folklore and the one I chose is the concept of Annwn from Welsh folklore such as the Mabinogion. This project is focused on what a gate of Annwn could look like and so I'm asking if anyone knows of any symbols, art, descriptions, depictions, important iconography etc of Annwn, or even just vague Welsh medieval symbols that are more than just the random spirals or "celtic" ones which are just nordic etc.

I know of the Cwn Annwn and am planning on including them in some form but any other important characters, creatures, plants, places, things I can turn into symbols and icon would be helpful. Sources are appreciated since I need citation/references, thank you :)

Recently, I have been trying to make a contemporary list of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and so far I have Abarta, Abcán, Abhean, Bec-Felmas, Aed, Aengus/Óengus, Aibell, Áine, Ainge, Airmed, Aillen, Fennen, Aoi, Ollamain, Badb, Banba, Bé Chuille, Béḃinn, Boann, Bres, Brian, Brigid, Caer Ibormeith, Cermait, Cían, Cu, Cethen, Clíodhna, Creidhne, The Dagda, Echtgi, Danand, Danu, Delbáeth, Dian Cécht, Donn, Ecne, Elcmar, Ériu, Ernmas, Étaín, Fand, Fiacha mac Delbaíth, Fionnuala, Aodh, Fiachra, Conn, Flidais, Argoen, Bé Téite, Dinand, Fódla, Fúamnach, Goibniu, Iuchar, Iucharba, Lí Ban, Áed Abrat, Lir, Luchtaine, Lugh, Macha, Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht, Mac Gréine, Manannán mac Lir, Midir, Morrígan, Nechtain, Nemain, Neit, Niamh, Nuada, Ogma and Tuireann

Hello, I'm new here. I was wondering since Samhain is right around the corner, do any of you have a recommended book(s) for something on the topic of old Irish ghost stories, to study up a bit more on Banshees and The Dullahan. Recently, just looking through the Barnes & Noble website I found "True Irish Ghost Stories" by St. John D. Seymor and Harry L. Neligan. I don't know if this book is credible or not, so if anyone knows anything about the book please share. Also, if there is a better website to buy books on Irish Mythology please share as well.

Hello there I like to make purification sprays for the different pantheons I worship. For example, I made sea salt and spring water for the Hellenic Deities and baking soda and spring water for the Kemetic Deities.

So my question is what ingredients would I use to make a purification spray for the Celtic Deities?

I'm an artist (or at least a wanna-be artist) And I just deeply struggle trying to find references for clothes when drawing Gaulish/Celtic Deities 😖 So with anyone knows any good sites or resources talking about clothing in that period I would really appreciate it🙏

Thank you!

Hello y'all, So I am wanting to get into Celtic paganism, particularly interested in Scottish related paganism, but given the scarcity of information surrounding this whole subject, I don't know how selective I can really be. Which brings me to my first question. How acceptable is a more pan-celtic paganism in general? Obviously I understand that there are quite important nuances between different Celtic paganisms and that lumping them all together entails cultural erasure, something that I quite strongly dislike and don't want to participate in. But with how scarce information about Celtic paganism seems it feels difficult to find specific information about different pantheons, beliefs and the like, so is some level of mixing between different areas ok? As long as I understand their unique origins perhaps? On top of all of this, with the amount of research that this religion requires to actually practice, it seems rather difficult to me to be able to actually construct an everyday practice, not just a researched understanding of this religion. However I know that there are actually practicing Celtic pagans and as such my second question is are there existing resources on how to actually practice this religion, things such as prayers, offerings, understanding gods from a practical level? And if there are what are they?

Anyway, Thanks for reading my veritable essay.

Ode to Sulis

I lost my father. He's been in hospice for the last two weeks and I was told he passed last night surrounded by family (I live across the country and wasn't able to be there) I know Manannan Mac Lir served as both a guide to the dead as well as the god of the sea and storms. I want to ask him to guide my father where he's going as well as asking for a rain storm if possible (it would help me. I'm weird, I know) Can you please let me know what an appropriate offering would be?

I mostly work with An Dagda and Brigid, so I'm in the family, but I've never reached out to Manannan

Thank you for any help you can offer

Hiya all. Old Irish ,Gaelic (both Irish and Scottish) and Manx are hard to read . It's the 21st century and it's all a bit hard to look back on some times. What are your ways of observing the diming of the sun? I personally make sure I tell stories of people's who have passed over and I ask people to talk about people they haven't lost.

There Is no wrong way to observe this time as long as you are keeping the dead in your heart. Grief is hard and we should all help each other the it.

Post anything to this nature here. I miss my grandparents. I'm glad I knew them and I'm sad I. Don't see them anymore.

Bridge love on all of you x

If you are here to observe our ways or you are into Following our way then you are welcome. Ignore them who say you can't because you ain't a Celt. They'll say loads of shite but I'll counter it with my Nan's word's

"A friendly face is always welcome"

Now, the evenings are draw in and the sunlight is a brief friend remember. This is the time for stories. Tell all the ones you know and listen to the ones you haven't heard.

fáilte abhaile

Welcome home and get in to the warm would ya! X

Hello, I'm new here. I'm wanting to shift toward using a lunisolar calendar (as opposed to the arbitrary Gregorian calendar), and also curious what the Celts considered the new year? I've seen many refer to Samhain as the new year, but also reference to the new year being in May.

this one may be a little stupid, so strap in, and be kind.

up there, down here, and below here. makes plenty of sense to me thus far.

the liminal spaces between each being high places like mountains (for between here & the sky), and low places like the sea (between here & the below)

the "down here" is associated with all the shit down here, pretty straightforward. things like you, reading this. (and me, writing this, still confused)

the "below here" is, to my understanding, associated both with the dead, and also the otherworld. (though it seems the otherworld also has places that overlap with the surface "here" but for sake of brevity, I digress.)

so what exactly is going on in the up there...? like, sure the sun and stars or whatever, but i feel like i haven't heard much talk on that. i think i've heard some people see the sun and moon themselves as divine beings, but like, what's that about? are they of the tuath de? how did they get up there??? you know, for as much as the ancient gaels were allegedly looking up at the sky or whatever, i know an awful lot of fuckall of what they thought they were seeing.

tangentially related, greek writers saying celts were afraid the sky was going to fall? is something holding it up? what's that about? so many of questions, so little answers (that don't promptly raise 80 more questions.)

Hey guys! I've been seeing lots of conflicting information on the true date of the beginning of Samhain and I'm wondering which is correct. I understand that our current calendar isn't quite correct, but I have seen different sources saying that the true date falls on the 6th day after the October full moon and others saying that the date is halfway between the vernal equinox and the winter solstice (November 6th this year). Any insight into this would be much appreciated! Thanks guys.

She's shown up consistently throughout my life in all her amazing aspects. As an ancient pagan Goddess, as a modernized saint, as a trusted crone. We did beer and banter. It was really nice.

She inspired me to selflessly give. I spread the joy, helped the less fortunate, participated in my community the best I could. As much as charity fills her heart, it has left me spiritually depleted. Maybe I'm in the wrong communities, but I just feel completely taken advantage of, financially, spiritually, and energetically. The more I give, the more they want. Give an inch, they'll take a mile.

This has left me feeling empty. I recently had a traumatic health experience that I'm still recovering from. Despite reaching out and asking for help, I was left all alone. No one showed up for me and it's broken me to pieces.

She needs angels and I'm just simply not feeling angelic anymore. I appreciate Brig and her generosity so much, but I need time to myself for awhile.

Love and warmth!

I’ve been learning about my Gaelic ancestry and have been embracing the culture and neopaganism and I was wondering if there was face tattoos found amongst the Celtic people outside of the picts. I also wanna learn how they looked and what they meant

Hello! I'm a bit new to giving offerings and tributes to the gods and am curious if presenting offerings and cuisines from other cultures outside of Irish (I worship the Tuatha De Dannan and specifically The Dagda) would offend the gods in any way? This question isn't routed in ethnicity vs ethnicity but rather history as I've recently gotten into ancient Roman recipes and have some goodies I'd want to present to the All Father, but don't want to be offensive in any way.

I would like to see others opinions. Some believe it’s different Gods. Some believe they are connected to Awann, the Fomorians, the Dumnomi and other theory’s.

So I'm a fairly new Celtic Pagan and I'm getting to worship Mannanan Mac Lir. I decided to do my first offering to him today and give him some pork, clean water, an image of a triskelion and a drawing I made. I didn't have any like good pork i could cook tho (cant drive either) so I gave him some bologna

Was I being disrespectful I am worried if I did it right or wrong T ^ T

i don’t love internet articles or long videos but i like shorter videos and books!! i wanna learn about Áine specifically because she’s my favorite.

naturally, being in this space, i rub shoulders w/ a lot of people who self-identify as druids, 'neo-druids', bards, and all things of the like.

i feel like this is a very nit-picky pet peeve to have, but i really don't like the use of historical titles like druid to just be a catchall for 'irish / celtic pagan'.

afaik druids were as important as rich-as-shit nobles according to brehon law, and they were revered as such for what they brought to their community. what they did for others, using their intellect and spiritual knowhow.

when so much of spiritual practice nowadays is so individual, personal, and self-serving, its so strange how people give themselves titles of people who do great good for the people around them. it just feels more like a thing that is bestowed to you, and something that must take so much time.

i'm not a druid. god knows i want to do enough good to become like one. if i could help my friends using what i learn from this space, and give them some amount of knowledge, or increase their quality of life by any metric, maybe i'll know ive started on that track. but for now, i am just a learning pagan!

again, i'm sure this is such an eyeroll of a mild complaint, but i think how we can positively influences others via the practices we share on here is wayyy more important than how we can help ourselves, and i hope to see more of that (or at least put more of that out here myself.)

I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic today while packing. Getting ready to move and I know it’s the right decision since my house and land require too much maintenance for one person. I have almost an acre. I’m only moving 20 minutes away, but the area has less greenery.

I always relax outside whenever I need to clear my head, meditate or just enjoy the beauty of nature. I love it and it’s the only part I’ll miss. There’s one giant tree directly next to my house in the backyard. So if I’m on the porch, it’s very close to me. I also sit towards the back of my yard by the fire pit and gaze upon the sky and trees there. Regardless, I’m always near a tree watching over me. I love them, I think they’re so beautiful. Especially in the breeze.

Anyways, I didn’t realize I was doing this….but my mind auto assigned these trees personalities, especially the ones by the fire pit. One is my mysterious/kind/wisdom tree. It’s the one I stare at most when outside, the sun rays always peaking through. The second is the God tree. I’ve always called it that…just felt it somehow. I stared at it a lot when I was sick last year. Asking questions and seeking comfort to still my mind. If I heard a strong , deep response…it seemed to be linked to that tree. Plus, a crow would always land on the very tipy top whenever I glanced over. It was so strange and magical. No birds ever land there, now that I’m better…but crows still LOVE to chat at me. So loud and distracting lol.

The third and fourth trees are off towards the side but I call them the mama/papa ancestor trees. They’re quiet but I know they’re there, peaking in time to time with love.

I believe everything is connected, with God residing everywhere, within and outside us. However, I just came across the term nature spirits. I never really thought of it that way. But now I wonder….the strong Clairaudience I have (which I still have trouble deciphering EXACTLY where it comes from sometimes)….is it the trees? lol. Like am I picking up the energies from the trees/nature themselves, since they hold so much historical energy?

I was sure that I read somewhere, that Muman had a son with a high king, fled with madness, after giving birth, and then her son was killed because he had snakes in his heart that would destroy the world. But I'm struggling to find a source text, I'm I mixing things up? Does anyone know the tales I'm going on about?