Samhain Tarot: Crossing the Sacred Threshold
A Journey of Harvest, Remembrance and Reflection. Part One of our Samhain Tarot Journey
As the Wheel of the Year turns towards its darkest season, Samhain invites us to gather the harvest of our experiences, honour what has passed and prepare for the quiet months ahead. Through tarot, meditation, seasonal ritual, incense and candle anointing oil, we can create a meaningful space for reflection, gratitude and gentle transformation.
Introduction: Standing at the Sacred Threshold
There is a particular stillness that arrives with late autumn. The trees grow bare, the evenings draw in and the golden abundance of summer gives way to the earthy colours of russet, bronze and deep brown. The natural world begins to settle into its winter rest, inviting us to do the same.
For those who follow the Pagan Wheel of the Year, this is the approach of Samhain, one of the most significant celebrations in the seasonal calendar. Pronounced SOW-in or SAH-win, depending on tradition and regional usage, Samhain marks the third and final of the three harvest celebrations, following Lughnasadh and Mabon.
Where Lughnasadh celebrates the first grain harvest and the beginning of reaping what we have sown, Mabon invites us to honour the autumn harvest and the balance between light and darkness. Samhain brings the harvest season to its close.
The fields have yielded their abundance.
The last of the fruit has been gathered.
The stores are prepared.
Now comes the turning inward.
Samhain is traditionally observed around the end of October and beginning of November, with many Pagans celebrating on the evening of 31 October. In contemporary Pagan traditions, it is often regarded as the beginning of the darker half of the year and a time when the boundary between the living and the dead is considered especially thin.
It is a season for remembering those who have gone before us, honouring our ancestors, reflecting on mortality and acknowledging the cycles of endings and beginnings that shape our lives.
But Samhain is also about something wonderfully personal: gathering the harvest of our own experiences.
• What have we learned over the past year?
• Which relationships have nourished us?
• What have we outgrown?
• What might we finally lay down before winter arrives?
These are not always easy questions.
Yet, when we approach them with gentleness, they can help us recognise just how far we have travelled.
For this Samhain journey, we will be working with the beautiful Cosmosis Tarot by Fanny Wuyts and Bridge Berne, although any tarot deck you feel drawn to will be equally welcome.
Tarot offers us a language of symbols, images and archetypes through which we can explore our inner landscape. Rather than predicting what must happen, we can use the cards as companions in reflection, helping us notice themes, emotions and possibilities that might otherwise remain hidden beneath the busyness of everyday life.
So, find a quiet corner, light a candle if you wish and allow yourself a little time away from the demands of the world.
Our journey begins at the threshold.
The Three Harvests: From Abundance to Stillness
The Pagan harvest season unfolds through three celebrations, each offering a different perspective on our relationship with the earth, our work and the passing of time.
Lughnasadh: The First Harvest
Celebrated at the beginning of August in many modern Pagan calendars, Lughnasadh, also known as Lammas, marks the first harvest. It is associated with grain, bread, craftsmanship and the fruits of our efforts.
It asks us to recognise the beginnings of abundance. The seeds we planted, both literally and metaphorically, are starting to yield their rewards.
In our personal lives, this might mean celebrating a project coming together, acknowledging the courage it took to begin something new, or simply recognising the small victories we might otherwise overlook.
Mabon: The Autumn Harvest
At the autumn equinox, day and night stand in approximate balance. Mabon is widely celebrated by modern Pagans as a time of thanksgiving, reflection and the gathering of the harvest.
We pause to appreciate what has come into our lives and consider the balance between giving and receiving.
Perhaps we have achieved something wonderful, or perhaps our harvest looks different from what we imagined at the beginning of the year. Both deserve our attention.
There is wisdom in recognising not only what flourished but also what taught us through difficulty.
Samhain: The Final Harvest
Samhain completes the harvest cycle. Traditionally associated with the end of the agricultural year and the onset of winter, it asks us to gather what remains and prepare for a quieter season.
Inwardly, we might gather our wisdom, our memories and the lessons we have carried through the year.
Some things are worth preserving. Others have served their purpose and can be released.
We do not have to enter winter carrying every burden we brought with us through summer.
Samhain reminds us that letting go is not the same as failure. In nature, the fallen leaf is not a mistake; it is part of a cycle that nourishes the soil and makes future growth possible.
Perhaps we, too, can learn to release what is finished without diminishing what it once meant to us.
Why Work with Tarot at Samhain?
Tarot and Samhain make natural companions.
The season invites us to look beneath the surface and tarot offers images that can help us explore the hidden layers of our experience. A card might bring a forgotten memory into focus, reveal a pattern we have repeated, or encourage us to consider a familiar situation from a different perspective.
The Cosmosis Tarot will accompany us throughout both parts of this Samhain series. Its imagery provides a visual starting point for contemplation, allowing each reader to discover personal meaning in the cards.
As you work with your deck, try not to worry about finding a single correct interpretation. Begin with what you notice.
• What catches your eye?
• Which colours or symbols attract your attention?
• Does the image evoke a feeling, a memory or a question?
Allow your own associations to sit alongside your knowledge of traditional tarot meanings. You are not required to force an answer from the cards.
For this first journey, we will keep our work simple and nurturing. There will be time for deeper shadow exploration and ancestral reflection in Part Two.
For now, we are gathering the harvest.
Preparing Your Samhain Tarot Space
You do not need an elaborate altar to make this time meaningful. A small, thoughtfully prepared space can be enough.
You might gather:
• Your Tarot deck of choice.
• A candle in an autumnal colour, such as cream, amber, burgundy or black.
• A few fallen leaves, acorns, conkers or other natural treasures.
• A small pumpkin to represent the harvest.
• A notebook and pen.
• A piece of cloth on which to lay your cards.
• Your homemade Samhain incense, if you wish to use it (recipe below)
• Your Samhain candle anointing oil, prepared in advance for ritual use (recipe below)
If you enjoy creating a seasonal altar, arrange your objects in a circle to represent the turning Wheel of the Year. Place your tarot deck nearby, with your candle and natural treasures arranged around it.
Choose objects that hold meaning for you rather than feeling obliged to follow a prescribed list.
Before beginning, take a moment to settle. Put your feet on the floor, relax your shoulders and take several comfortable breaths.
If you are lighting a candle, place it securely away from foliage, fabrics and other flammable objects. Never leave it unattended.
Your sacred space need not be perfect. It simply needs to offer you a little room to pause.
Guided Samhain Meditation: Gathering the Harvest Within
Allow approximately 10 to15 minutes.
This meditation invites you to look back over the year with compassion, gathering its gifts and acknowledging its difficulties before the quiet of winter.
Read it slowly, or record it in your own voice if you would like to listen with your eyes closed.
Begin by Settling
Sit comfortably, allowing your hands to rest in your lap.
Close your eyes if that feels comfortable, or soften your gaze.
Notice the support beneath you. Feel your feet resting on the ground and allow your breathing to find its natural rhythm.
With each breath, imagine yourself becoming a little more present.
There is nothing you need to achieve here. No answer you must discover. For these few moments, you are simply giving yourself permission to be.
Walk Through the Field of Your Year
Imagine that you are standing at the edge of an autumn field.
The harvest has been gathered. The grasses are golden and dry and fallen leaves scatter across the earth. In the distance, the trees stand dark against the evening sky.
The air is cool, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and woodsmoke.
You are safe to explore this landscape at your own pace.
Begin walking slowly along a path through the field.
As you walk, allow the months behind you to come gently to mind.
You do not need to remember everything. Let the moments that matter rise naturally.
Perhaps there were days of laughter, unexpected opportunities or precious time spent with people you love.
Perhaps there were disappointments, changes you did not choose, or moments when simply getting through the day took all the strength you had.
Do not judge the harvest you have gathered.
Every year contains a mixture of growth, loss, abundance and uncertainty.
Notice one thing you are grateful for. Allow yourself to appreciate it without rushing past.
Now consider one thing that was difficult.
Can you acknowledge what it asked of you? Is there anything you understand now that you could not see at the time?
You do not have to turn every painful experience into a lesson. Some things are simply painful. You can honour that truth, too.
Gather What You Wish to Keep
Ahead of you, imagine a small wooden basket resting on the earth.
You may place into it the qualities, experiences and memories you wish to carry forward.
Perhaps you choose courage, a new friendship, a creative achievement, a moment of kindness or a deeper understanding of yourself.
Imagine each one as a small object gathered from the field.
There is no limit to the variety of your harvest. Even a quiet moment of peace belongs here.
When you are ready, consider what you no longer wish to carry in quite the same way.
Perhaps it is an expectation that no longer serves you, an old disappointment, a habit of being unkind to yourself, or the belief that you must always be strong.
You do not need to discard anything before you are ready. Simply notice what you might be willing to loosen your grip on.
Imagine placing these burdens on the ground beside the path.
They do not need to accompany you everywhere.
Welcome the Coming Winter
The light begins to soften. The field is quiet and the first stars appear overhead.
You realise that the earth is not empty simply because the harvest is over. Beneath the soil, roots remain. Seeds rest in darkness. Life continues beyond what the eye can see.
Allow this image to become a reminder that periods of rest are not wasted time.
You, too, are permitted to rest. You are allowed to pause, reconsider and gather your strength before the next season begins.
Ask yourself quietly:
"What would nourish me during the winter months?"
Wait for a word, an image or a feeling, without demanding an answer.
When you are ready, thank the field for its hospitality. Begin walking back along the path, carrying your basket of chosen memories and wisdom.
Feel your feet against the floor beneath you.
Notice the room around you, the sounds you can hear and the natural rhythm of your breathing.
Open your eyes when you are ready.
Take a few moments to write down anything that arose during the meditation.
You do not need to interpret it immediately. Sometimes the meaning becomes clearer with time.
A Simple Samhain Tarot Spread: Gathering Your Harvest
This three-card spread is designed for beginners and experienced readers alike. It can be used as a quiet personal reflection or adapted for a seasonal tarot journaling practice.
Shuffle your tarot cards while considering the year that is drawing to a close. When you feel ready, draw three cards and place them in a horizontal line, from left to right.
Card One: What Has This Year Taught Me?
This card represents the wisdom, experience or understanding you have gained.
Consider both the obvious achievements and the quieter changes in your perspective. Perhaps you have discovered a new strength, learned to establish healthier boundaries or recognised something about yourself that had previously remained hidden.
Card Two: What Am I Ready to Release?
This card invites you to examine a burden, expectation, habit or pattern that may no longer be helpful.
Release does not necessarily mean removing something from your life overnight. It may begin with recognising it honestly and allowing yourself to consider a different way forward.
Card Three: What Will Nourish Me Through the Winter?
This card points towards a quality, practice or source of support you can cultivate as the days grow shorter.
It might suggest patience, creativity, boundaries, companionship or rest.
How to Interpret Your Reading
Look at each card individually before considering the spread as a whole.
Write down your first impressions and ask yourself:
• What do I notice in the imagery?
• What traditional meanings do I associate with the card?
• Does it connect with something happening in my life?
• Does the card bring a particular feeling, memory or question to mind?
Then consider the relationship between the three cards.
Does the first card reveal something you are still holding on to in the second?
Does the third suggest a way to support yourself while making a change?
You might finish by completing these three sentences in your journal:
• This year, I have learned…
• I am willing to loosen my hold on…
• During the winter, I will nurture…
Remember that the cards are prompts for reflection rather than instructions you must obey. You remain the author of your choices.
A Samhain Journaling Practice: Six Cards, Six Reflections
If you would like a more complex reading, this one is for you, set aside ten to fifteen minutes after turning your Tarot cards to record your thoughts in your Samhain journal.
You do not need to write beautifully or have all the answers. The purpose is simply to capture what the cards have stirred within you, allowing your first impressions to develop into something more meaningful.
Using the six positions of the spread, work through the following prompts:
1. Perspective, Looking Back
What three experiences from the past year have shaped me most and what have they taught me about myself?
2. Leaving, Releasing What No Longer Serves
What am I ready to let go of as I enter the darker half of the year? What small step could help me begin that process?
3. Acceptance, Acknowledging What Is
What truth, feeling or part of myself needs to be acknowledged with greater honesty and compassion?
4. The Hearth, Finding My Support
What brings me comfort, strength and stability during difficult times? How can I make more room for these sources of nourishment over the coming weeks?
5. The Seed, Carrying Wisdom Forward
What is the most important lesson I have learned this year and how would I like that wisdom to influence my choices in the months ahead?
6. Renewal, Welcoming Possibility
If I were to plant one small seed of intention for the winter ahead, what would it be? What is one practical action I can take this week to nurture it?
One Final Reflection
Once you have answered the six prompts, take a step back and read through what you have written. Look for a word, phrase or recurring theme that seems to connect your reflections.
Write that word or phrase at the bottom of the page, followed by this sentence:
"As I cross the threshold of Samhain, I choose to release .......... honour .......... and nurture ...........
Complete the sentence in whatever way feels right for you. There is no need to make a grand promise or set an ambitious goal. A simple, honest intention can be just as powerful.
Before closing your journal, date the entry and make a note of the card that resonated with you most strongly. You might like to revisit your reflections at Imbolc, when the first signs of returning light begin to appear and see how your intentions have developed.
In this way, your Samhain tarot reading becomes more than a moment of reflection. It becomes a record of where you stood at this turning of the Wheel, what you were ready to release and the possibilities you hoped to welcome into your life.
A Simple Samhain Threshold Ritual
This little ritual brings together the themes of harvest, gratitude and release. It can be performed alone, with a partner or as part of a small seasonal gathering.
You will need your tarot deck, a notebook, a pen and a small natural object such as an acorn, leaf or stone.
Step One: Mark the Beginning
Place your chosen object in front of you.
Take three comfortable breaths and say, in your own words or using the following invocation:
"As the final harvest draws to its close, I pause at the turning of the year. I honour what has grown, what has changed and what has come to an end. May I enter the coming darkness with wisdom, compassion and an open heart."
Step Two: Acknowledge Your Harvest
Draw one card from your tarot deck.
Consider what it might represent about the year behind you. Write down one thing you have learned, one thing you appreciate and one thing you would like to remember.
There is no need to make the answers grand. A small kindness, a difficult truth or a moment of unexpected joy may be every bit as meaningful as a major life event.
Step Three: Release with Intention
On a separate piece of paper, write down one thing you are ready to begin releasing.
You might choose an unhelpful expectation, a self-critical thought or a habit of giving too much of yourself away.
Read the words quietly, acknowledging that they have been part of your experience.
Then fold the paper and place it beneath your natural object.
Say:
"I acknowledge what has been. I take its wisdom with me and I allow what is finished to find its proper ending."
You do not need to burn the paper. You can tear it up, recycle it, or simply keep it in your journal as a record of your intention.
Step Four: Welcome the Season Ahead
Draw a second card, asking what quality might help you through the darker months.
Write down one practical way to nurture that quality over the coming week.
If the card suggests rest, for example, you might protect one quiet evening. If it suggests courage, you might take a small step towards a conversation you have been avoiding.
Close by thanking yourself for making time to reflect.
Allow the candle to be extinguished safely and leave your natural object somewhere you will see it as a reminder of your intention.
Samhain Candle Anointing Oil: A Ritual for Remembrance and Reflection
As the nights lengthen and the final leaves fall, Samhain invites us to turn inward, honour those who came before us and reflect upon the cycles of life, death and renewal.
Candlelight has long been a companion to seasonal ritual, offering a gentle beacon in the darkness and a focal point for meditation, remembrance and intention.
Creating your own Samhain candle anointing oil can become a mindful preparation in itself. The scents of rosemary, orange and cinnamon evoke the warmth of the hearth, the fragrance of autumn and the enduring nature of memory.
This blend is intended for symbolic ritual use, helping you mark the beginning of your Samhain observances or create a meaningful focal point for reflection.
Ingredients for Samhain Anointing Oil
You will need:
• 20 ml (1 fl oz) sweet almond oil or jojoba oil
• 5 drops of Rosemary oil
• 5 drops of Sweet Orange oil
• 5 drops of Cinnamon oil
• 1 pinch of fresh or dried Rosemary
• 1 pinch of dried Orange peel
• 1 pinch of dried Cinnamon
• 1 small, clean glass bottle with a secure lid
For a simple aromatic ritual blend, use a suitable carrier oil and follow the essential oil supplier's dilution guidance. Do not assume that a recipe suitable for a candle is also suitable for skin.
The Symbolism of the Ingredients
Rosemary: Remembrance and Ancestral Wisdom
Rosemary has long been associated with remembrance. Its evergreen leaves make a fitting symbol of enduring memory, helping us reflect upon the lives, stories and wisdom of those who have gone before us.
Orange: The Returning Light
The bright, uplifting scent of orange brings warmth to this autumnal blend.
Its golden colour can symbolise the light we carry within us, even as the natural world enters its darker season.
Cinnamon: Warmth, Protection and Transformation
With its rich, warming fragrance, cinnamon evokes the hearth fire and the comfort of home.
Symbolically, it can represent inner strength, courage and the warmth that sustains us through periods of change.
Sweet Almond or Jojoba Oil: A Nourishing Foundation
These carrier oils provide the base for an aromatic blend. Jojoba is particularly resistant to oxidation and may offer better storage stability than many other vegetable oils.
How to Prepare Your Samhain Ritual Oil
Step One: Prepare Your Space
Find a quiet place where you can work without interruption. Lay out your ingredients, light a candle nearby if you wish and take a few slow breaths.
Allow yourself to become present in the moment.
Step Two: Set Your Intention
Before combining your ingredients, consider what Samhain means to you this year.
Perhaps you wish to honour an ancestor, remember a loved one, release something that no longer serves you, or simply create space for reflection.
Hold this intention gently in your mind.
Step Three: Prepare the Blend
Crush and mix together the dried or fresh Rosemary, Orange peel (I use dried Blood Orange peel and the flesh) and dried Cinnamon and place inside of your clean dry glass bottle. Add the 10 drops of Rosemary oil, 10 drops of Sweet Orange oil, 10 drops of Cinnamon oil and Sweet Almond or Jojoba oil until the ingredients are covered, leaving a little room at the top.
Seal the bottle securely and gently turn it a few times to combine the ingredients.
Step Four: Consecrate Your Oil
Hold the closed bottle between your hands and take a moment to reconnect with your intention.
You might wish to say:
"By leaf and flame, by earth and night,
I honour memory, I welcome light.
May wisdom guide the path I tread,
And love remain among the dead.
With gratitude for all that has been,
I welcome the wisdom yet unseen."
Step Five: Allow the Blend to Settle
Place the sealed bottle somewhere cool and dark.
Label the bottle with the ingredients and the date of preparation. Follow the shelf-life guidance for the carrier oil and essential oils used and discard the blend if its appearance or smell changes.
Your ritual oil is now ready to accompany your Samhain observances.
Using Your Samhain Anointing Oil
Anointing oils can be used symbolically to mark ritual objects and establish a sacred intention.
There are several ways to incorporate your blend into your seasonal practice.
Preparing your ritual space
Place the closed bottle on your altar alongside your tarot deck, seasonal leaves and other meaningful objects. It can serve as a reminder of the intention you have chosen for the season.
Creating an Ancestor Altar
Arrange the bottle beside photographs, meaningful keepsakes or objects that remind you of loved ones and ancestral connections.
The oil becomes a symbol of remembrance without needing to be applied to anything.
A Little Samhain Mindfulness Meditation Using Your Anointing Oil
Before sitting quietly with your cards or journal, hold the closed bottle in your hands.
Breathe slowly and reflect upon the memories, lessons and qualities you wish to carry forward. Let the fragrance remind you that remembrance can be both tender and strengthening.
Closing a ritual
At the end of your observance, take a moment to acknowledge what has arisen during your reflections. You might write a few words in your journal, offer a silent expression of gratitude, or simply sit quietly beside your altar before returning to your everyday activities.
A Note on Candle and Oil Safety
Important safety notice: Before using your oil, filter out the solid ingredients, you can add them to your incense blend. Essential oils and carrier oils are combustible. Do not pour oil onto the wick area, instead using your finger tips or a little paintbrush gently and carefully apply it to the outside area.
Do not ingest the blend or apply it to your skin unless it has been specifically formulated for that purpose. Keep it away from children and pets.
Samhain Incense: A Blend for the Thinning Veil
An aromatic blend for remembrance, reflection and the turning of the year.
As the nights lengthen and the final leaves fall, we approach Samhain, a time traditionally associated with the ancestors, remembrance and the mysteries of life, death and renewal.
It is a season for looking inward, honouring those who came before us and making space for the quiet wisdom that emerges in darkness.
One way to mark this sacred turning of the year is through the creation of our own ritual incense. Working with dried herbs, fragrant resins and warming spices can become a mindful preparation in itself, inviting us to slow down and turn our attention towards the season.
This Samhain incense blend combines the woody fragrance of rosemary, the earthy aroma of pine, the warmth of cinnamon and the rich, balsamic scent of frankincense.
Together, these ingredients create an evocative seasonal blend for reflection, meditation and ancestral remembrance.
Ingredients
You will need:
• 2 teaspoons Frankincense resin.
• 1 teaspoon of Dragons Blood resin.
• 1 teaspoon dried or a sprig of fresh rosemary.
• 1 teaspoon dried Golden Rod.
• ½ teaspoon dried orange peel.
• A small pinch of ground cinnamon.
• 5 drops of Pine oil
• 3 drops Sweet Orange oil
• 3 drops of Frankincense oil
• 3 drops of Cinnamon oil
Mugwort is an optional traditional botanical sometimes associated with dreams and intuition. You can leave it out entirely; the blend will still have a rich, autumnal character.
The Symbolism of the Incense Ingredients
Frankincense: Sacred Space and Reflection
Frankincense has a long history of use in religious and ceremonial settings. Its rich, resinous aroma can help establish a sense of occasion, making it a fitting companion to quiet contemplation.
Dragons Blood: Protection and Cycles
Dragon's blood is a red resin used in various rituals and practices during Samhain, the thinning of the veil between worlds. It is often associated with protection, life and death cycles and spiritual significance in pagan traditions.
Rosemary: Memory and Remembrance
Rosemary's fresh, woody fragrance complements the reflective themes of Samhain. Symbolically, it represents remembrance and the preservation of wisdom across generations.
Pine: Endurance and Continuity
Evergreen pine needles offer a reminder that life continues even as the landscape changes. Their presence in this blend symbolises resilience and the enduring threads that connect one season to the next.
Orange Peel: Warmth and the Harvest
The sweet, citrus fragrance of dried orange peel brings a brighter note to the blend, recalling the warmth of the harvest and the light that remains during the darker months.
Cinnamon: Hearth and Comfort
Cinnamon contributes a familiar, warming aroma that evokes the hearth, the home and the comfort of gathering together as the weather grows colder.
Golden Rod: Harvest and Transitions
Goldenrod is often associated with Samhain as a symbol of the harvest and the transition into winter. It is believed to have been used in traditional decorations and rituals during this time, reflecting the themes of abundance and the changing seasons
Mugwort: Dreams and the Unseen
When included, mugwort may represent the mysterious and the intuitive aspects of our inner landscape. It is entirely optional and there is no need to include it to make your Samhain ritual meaningful.
How to Make Your Samhain Incense
Step One: Prepare Your Ingredients
Ensure all your botanicals are thoroughly dried before beginning. Use only positively identified, untreated plant material from a reliable source.
Step Two: Crush the Resins
Place the frankincense resin and Dragons Blood resin in a mortar and gently crush it into smaller pieces.
You do not need to grind it into a fine powder. Smaller pieces will be easier to combine with the other ingredients.
Step Three: Add the Botanicals and Oils
Add the Rosemary, Golden Rod and dried Orange peel, grinding gently to release their fragrance without reducing everything to powder.
Add the optional Mugwort and the small pinch of cinnamon, then mix the ingredients together slowly.
As you work, take a moment to consider what you wish to bring into your Samhain practice.
Perhaps you are remembering a loved one, reflecting upon the lessons of the past year or acknowledging an aspect of yourself that is ready to be understood more deeply.
There is no need to rush.
The preparation itself can be a small ritual of intention.
Step Four: Store Your Blend
Transfer your finished incense to a clean, dry, clearly labelled glass jar with a secure lid.
Store it somewhere cool and dark, away from moisture, children and pets.
Keep the blend for aromatic ritual use only. Do not ingest it or use it in food or drink.
Using Your Samhain Incense
When you are ready to work with your blend, burn only a very small pinch using a purpose-made incense charcoal or another suitable incense burner designed for loose botanicals.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and use a stable, heatproof surface in a well-ventilated room.
Allow the fragrance to accompany your meditation, journaling or ancestral remembrance practice. You might choose to sit quietly with your tarot deck, reflect upon the turning of the seasons or simply spend a few moments in stillness.
You can also use the unburned blend as a symbolic seasonal offering by placing a small quantity in a glass vessel on your altar. This allows you to enjoy its appearance and aroma without producing smoke.
Incense Safety
Never leave burning incense unattended. Keep it away from children, pets, curtains and other combustible materials.
Smoke may irritate the lungs and can be harmful to people with asthma or other respiratory sensitivities. Avoid burning incense around birds, which are particularly sensitive to airborne irritants.
Use only correctly identified, untreated botanicals and research their safety before use.
Mugwort is best omitted during pregnancy or whenever its suitability is uncertain. If you have a respiratory condition or are sensitive to fragrances, consider using the unburned blend instead.
* Always risk assess *
Carrying the Harvest Forward
Samhain invites us to recognise that the end of a season can be both tender and beautiful.
We may feel grateful for what we have gathered while mourning what has been lost. We may welcome the quiet while missing the warmth and activity of summer.
These feelings can coexist.
The harvest we gather is not measured only by accomplishments, possessions or milestones. It is also found in the wisdom we have acquired, the compassion we have developed and the ways we have learned to care for ourselves and others.
As you move through this Samhain season, perhaps let your tarot deck remain nearby. Draw a card when you need a moment of reflection, or return to your three-card spread as the winter progresses.
You might discover that a card means something quite different to you in December than it did in October. That, too, is part of the journey.
You may also wish to revisit your journal, your meditation or your seasonal ritual in the weeks ahead. Notice what has changed, what still needs your attention and what you have begun to understand more clearly.
The purpose is not to force transformation but to make room for it.
Sometimes the most meaningful act of shadow work is simply allowing ourselves to acknowledge what is there without immediately trying to change it.
In Part Two of our Samhain series, we will explore the season's deeper associations with ancestry, remembrance and the mysteries of the unseen. We will work with a more advanced tarot spread, enter a guided meditation honouring dearly departed loved ones and ancestors and create a Samhain ritual alongside further seasonal reflections.
For now, let the harvest settle.
The earth is preparing for winter.
You are allowed to do the same.
May your Samhain be peaceful, meaningful and filled with gentle remembrance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Samhain Tarot and Ritual
What is Samhain?
Samhain is a traditional Gaelic seasonal festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. In contemporary Pagan traditions, it is often celebrated around 31 October and 1 November. It is associated with remembrance, ancestors, mortality, seasonal change and the cycles of life, death and renewal.
How do you celebrate Samhain with tarot?
You can celebrate Samhain with tarot by reflecting on the year that has passed, recognising what you have learned and considering what you wish to release before winter. A simple three-card spread can explore your year's lessons, what you are ready to let go of and what will nourish you in the months ahead.
Which tarot deck is best for Samhain?
Any tarot deck can be used for Samhain. Choose a deck whose imagery resonates with you and supports your reflections. For this Samhain tarot journey, we are using the Cosmosis Tarot by Fanny Wuyts and Bridge Berne, although your own favourite deck is equally suitable.
What is the purpose of a Samhain tarot spread?
A Samhain tarot spread offers a structured way to reflect on endings, gratitude, personal growth and the transition into winter. Rather than treating the cards as fixed predictions, you can use them as prompts for journaling, meditation and thoughtful consideration of your experiences.
How can I create a simple Samhain altar?
A simple Samhain altar might include your tarot deck, a candle, fallen leaves, acorns, seasonal fruit, a notebook and objects that remind you of loved ones or ancestors. Choose items that have personal meaning rather than feeling that you must follow a particular set of rules.
What is Samhain candle anointing oil used for?
Samhain anointing oil can serve as a symbolic part of your seasonal ritual practice. It may be placed on your altar, used as a focal point for meditation or incorporated into a personal remembrance ritual. Homemade oils should not be applied to skin or candles unless they have been specifically formulated and confirmed safe for that purpose.
What herbs are traditionally associated with Samhain?
Rosemary is commonly associated with remembrance, while pine, frankincense, cinnamon and orange peel can evoke themes of endurance, warmth, reflection and the harvest. Associations vary between traditions and the meanings you give to your ingredients can be just as important as their traditional symbolism.
Can beginners take part in Samhain rituals?
Absolutely. Samhain rituals do not need to be elaborate or complicated. A single tarot card, a few minutes of meditation, a journal entry or a quiet moment of remembrance can be meaningful ways to mark the season. Begin with what feels comfortable and adapt your practice to suit your needs and beliefs.
Do I need to work with ancestors during Samhain?
No. Although ancestral remembrance is an important theme in many Samhain traditions, you can approach the season in whatever way feels appropriate to you. You might reflect on family history, honour chosen family, remember loved ones, explore your own personal growth or simply acknowledge the turning of the seasons.
How can I use tarot for reflection during the darker months?
You might draw a daily card, keep a seasonal tarot journal, revisit your Samhain spread or use a card as the starting point for meditation. Allow your interpretations to evolve as the season progresses and remember that tarot is a tool for reflection rather than a substitute for your own judgement.
Thank you for joining us at The Guilded Veil for this Samhain tarot journey.
•♡• May your path be illuminated, your intuition trusted and your cards always reveal the wisdom you seek. Until next time… welcome to The Guilded Veil •♡•