A comprehensive examination of the rituals and philosophies of the Celtic holiday of Samhain, the inspiration for Halloween. • Presents the true meaning of this ancient holiday and shows how contemporary observances still faithfully reflect the rituals of pagan ancestors. • Explains why this holiday, largely confined to the English-speaking world since the advent of Christianity, has spread throughout the rest of Europe over the last two decades. One of humanity's most enduring myths is that the dead, on certain nights of the year, can leave the Other World and move freely about the land of the living. Every year on October 31, when the children of the world parade through the streets dressed as monsters, skeletons, and witches, they reenact a sacred ceremony whose roots extend to the dawn of time. By receiving gifts of sweets from strangers, the children establish, on a symbolic plane that exceeds their understanding, a fraternal exchange between the visible world and the invisible world. Author Jean Markale meticulously examines the rituals and ceremonies of ancient festivities on this holiday and shows how they still shape the customs of today's celebration. During the night of Samhain, the Celtic precursor of today's holiday, the borders between life and death were no longer regarded as insurmountable barriers. Two-way traffic was temporarily permitted between this world and the Other World, and the wealth and wisdom of the sidhe, or fairy folk, were available to the intrepid individuals who dared to enter their realm. Markale enriches our understanding of how the transition from the light to the dark half of the year was a moment in which time stopped and allowed the participants in the week-long festival to attain a level of consciousness not possible in everyday life, an experience we honor in our modern celebrations of Halloween.

'An excellent and comprehensive exploration of this fascinating subject.' - Philip Carr-Gomm, author Druid Mysteries ' Samhain was the entry point into winter, a time of hardship, cold and hunger ... It was also a time of introspection, of communing with the dead and the otherworld – themes that have somehow survived, albeit distorted, into the modern era.' The modern celebration of Halloween is derived from the ancient festival of the dead known in Ireland as Samhain. It is from Ireland that we have inherited most of our Halloween traditions, mainly through the diaspora. Delving into the ancient past, this book uncovers the history of this festival in Britain, Ireland and Brittany, including the forgotten goddess Tlachtga and the sacred temple of the Druids in Co. Meath, where the first Halloween fires were lit.

This book is intended to give the reader an account of the origin and history of Hallowe'en, how it absorbed some customs belonging to other days in the year,—such as May Day, Midsummer, and Christmas. The context is illustrated by selections from ancient and modern poetry and prose, related to Hallowe'en ideas. Those who wish suggestions for readings, recitations, plays, and parties, will find the lists in the appendix useful, in addition to the books on entertainments and games to be found in any public library. Special acknowledgment is made to Messrs. E. P. Dutton & Company for permission to use the poem entitled "Hallowe'en" from "The Spires of Oxford and Other Poems," by W. M. Letts; to Messrs. Longmans, Green & Company for the poem "Pomona," by William Morris; and to the Editors of The Independent for the use of five poems.

A wide-ranging, illustrated look at the history of Halloween illuminates the holiday from ancient Celtic ritual to billion-dollar industry. 32 halftones & line illustrations.

• A daybook containing information about rituals and celebrations that have for centuries been associated with the changing seasons of the year. • Includes charts of equinoxes and solstices, movable holy days, and monthly lunar phases through 2033 • First edition sold more than 30,000 copies Pagan rites and festivals are at the root of many traditional holidays in the Western world. Embracing a sensitivity we have lost, the Pagan traditions emphasize mystical spirituality, reverence for the feminine principle, and the links between people and the earth. This unique daybook contains a treasury of information about rituals and celebrations that have for centuries been associated with the changing seasons of the year. Included are the observances of the ancient Greek, Roman, Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse traditions, as well as Wiccan traditions and the worship of the Goddess. In The Pagan Book of Days the author provides details on auspicious and inauspicious days, holy days of ancient gods and goddesses, and the eight stations of the year (the solstices, equinoxes, and cross-quarter days). He also includes lunar and solar charts indicating dates of major Pagan celebrations from the year 2011 through 2033. Illustrations throughout depict images from the classical and northern European traditions. The Pagan Book of Days is an enlightening way to incorporate these ancient cultural and spiritual practices and awarenesses into your daily life.

His girlfriend kidnapped and his best friend murdered, amateur private eye Joe Holiday tracks a mysterious Satanist wing of the Illuminati to the end of the conspiracy, Halloween and their ultimate creation.

An Alchemical Journey to Harmony and Healing The Noble Art provides spiritual, psychological, and energetic tools for reclaiming your essence through the stages and seasons of life. Each spoke of the Wheel of the Year represents an opportunity for transformation. Tiffany Lazic provides meditations, inner workings, and rituals that invite you to drop into the landscape of your unconscious and restore your light. Explore how Hermetic principles can be utilized to reflect your highest potential. Engage in powerful rituals for planting seeds of intention and overcoming shame and emotional blocks. This book also offers recommendations for stones, chakras, and affirmations that deepen your healing work and further support the transmutation of shadow into light. The Noble Art provides a hands-on approach to build your foundation in Hynni Energy Healing, which Lazic introduced in her previous book, The Great Work. Hynni actively weaves Earth cycles into relationship with higher vibrational energies, providing an effective tool for healing blocked energy and pain as you make your soul whole again.