What exactly is Samhein?

[Kahlil the Heretic]

It wasn't until I came to this board that I kept hearing talk of "Samhein". For a while I thought it was some kind of holiday like Halloween, until I did some research and found it was the Irish word for November.

No doubt there is more to it than this. What kind of religious or spiritual significance does Samhein have for pagans, and how does it relate to Halloween, if at all? I'm curious to learn.

[Agaliha]

What kind of religious or spiritual significance does Samhein have for pagans, and how does it relate to Halloween, if at all?

Ever tied to search online?
Samhain info (history, meaning, lore, practices, symbolism)--

Myth*inglinks: Samhain, Halloween, and the Day of the Dead (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkmfn7z5F6XoBQxdXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE3ZWNpYXF1BGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANGNzU0X zEwMQ--/SIG=11s5if7oh/EXP=1161838951/**http%3a//www.mythinglinks.org/Samhain.html)
Wikipedia: Samhain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain)
Myth of Samhain: Celtic God of the Dead (http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallo_sa.htm)
Halloween or Samhain as Witches Call It (http://www.witchway.net/halloween.html)
Wicca.com: Samhain Lore (http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/samhainlore.htm)
All Hallow's Eve (http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/7280/samhain.html)
Irish Fire Festivals: Samhain (http://www.cyberpict.net/sgathan/essays/samhain.htm)
Celtic New Year, The (http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Heritage/FSCNS/Scots_NS/Clans/Henderson/General/Celtic_NY.html)
Halloween: From a Neo-Pagan Perspective (http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallo_np.htm)
Samhain: the Eve of All Hallow (http://www.irelandforvisitors.com/articles/samhain.htm)
What is Samhain? (http://www.bry-backmanor.org/holidayfun/samhain.html)
Myth of Samhain: Celtic God of the Dead (http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallo_sa.htm)
Samhain (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkkJc8D5F5j8AXjxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4dXRocjl0BGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMTYEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=128o4dgtl/EXP=1161839068/**http%3a//ladyhedgehog.hedgie.com/holidays/samhain.html)
Samhain Lore - ADF Neopagan Druidism (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkldu8D5FIIgAP01XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4cmdoaDhvBGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMjQEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=12mtlt9f9/EXP=1161839086/**http%3a//www.adf.org/rituals/celtic/samhain/scg-samhain-99-lore.html)
Halloween and Samhain: facts and misinformation (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkldu8D5FIIgAQ01XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4cm5iNzRsBGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMjUEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=11p0n08n2/EXP=1161839086/**http%3a//www.tylwythteg.com/Hallow.html)
All Hallow's Eve - Halloween - Samhain (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkldu8D5FIIgAV01XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4YzQ2MXU5BGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMzAEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=11resqr62/EXP=1161839086/**http%3a//deoxy.org/time/sabbats/11-06.htm)
Frequently asked questions about the Pagan holiday Samhain -- Beliefnet.com (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkj6r8D5FNywAuZVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4ZmVhbGVoBGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMzEEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=129o4jvoh/EXP=1161839147/**http%3a//www.beliefnet.com/story/116/story_11616_1.html)
Celtic Halloween Beliefs - Samhain (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkj6r8D5FNywAxZVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4OGRjZ2dhBGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMzQEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=12jcv2332/EXP=1161839147/**http%3a//ancienthistory.about.com/cs/celtsmyth/a/lochalloween.htm)
The Real Origins of Halloween (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkj6r8D5FNywA0ZVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4Z3RqY3M2BGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMzcEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=122dr9hn4/EXP=1161839147/**http%3a//www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Origins.html)
Samhain Lore (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkj6r8D5FNywA1pVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4YW1xYXYyBGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMzgEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=11tqaqi65/EXP=1161839147/**http%3a//www.witchway.net/hallows/lore.html)
dcls.org: A Brief History of Halloween (http://www.dcls.org/x/archives/halloween.html)
History of Halloween: It's Probably Not What You Think (http://www.new-life.net/halowen1.htm)
Halloween Customs and Traditions (http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallo_cu.htm)
Holiday Spot: History of Halloween (http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/history.htm)
Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows (http://www.loc.gov/folklife/halloween.html)
History and Customs of Halloween (http://www.wilstar.com/holidays/hallown.htm)
Halloween Customs by Dennis Doyle (http://english.glendale.cc.ca.us/halloween1.html)
Spooky Halloween: Customs, Traditions, and History (http://www.questmagazine.com/library_halloween.html)
History Channel: The History of Halloween (http://www.history.com/minisites/halloween/)
Seasons-Samhain (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkj6r8D5FNywA3pVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4ZG50c3BuBGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDNDAEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=12ibcl06i/EXP=1161839147/**http%3a//www.angelfire.com/on2/phoenixrising/SeasonsSamhain.html)
Samhain: Season of Death and Renewal (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geut5a8T5FHHwA.lRXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4Z3ZucDVhBGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDNDQEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=11u0vdlgi/EXP=1161839322/**http%3a//www.imbas.org/articles/samhain.html)And because the next day, November 1st is now All Saints (All Souls) Day here is some info about that:
All Saints Day
Also called All Hallows Day or Hallowmas
Observed by Western Christians
Date 1 November
Related to All Souls Day

All Saints - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geurCY8T5F52kAedFXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE3N2lpNDk1BGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANGNzU0X zEwMQ--/SIG=11vb4thnl/EXP=1161839384/**http%3a//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints_Day)
Catholic Encyclopedia: All Saints' Day (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01315a.htm)
All Saints and All Souls Feast Days (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/675/10256)
All Saints Day: All About All Saints Day (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geurCY8T5F52kAm9FXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE3NDlodmwyBGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDOQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANGNzU0X zEwMQ--/SIG=11sg9fq1s/EXP=1161839384/**http%3a//www.churchyear.net/allsaints.html)
All Saints' Day (http://www.canticanova.com/articles/ot/artb11.htm)
About.com: All Saints' Day (http://goeasteurope.about.com/cs/holidayscustoms/a/halloween.htm)
Halloween/All Saints' Day - Holidays (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geurBG8j5FwGsAIQFXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE4Mjc0aWtqBGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMTQEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDRjc1N F8xMDE-/SIG=1280juj6g/EXP=1161839558/**http%3a//www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/halloween/)Doesn't even scratch the surface link wise. There are sooooo many more sites, all it takes is a simple search and some time to read them.
Those explain it. Seriously.

[Faol-chù]

It wasn't until I came to this board that I kept hearing talk of "Samhein". For a while I thought it was some kind of holiday like Halloween, until I did some research and found it was the Irish word for November.

No doubt there is more to it than this. What kind of religious or spiritual significance does Samhein have for pagans, and how does it relate to Halloween, if at all? I'm curious to learn.


Have you ever heard of 'Samhain'?

Yes, it is the Irish name for what we call November. Folk etymology gives it as 'Summer's End'.
However, that was after the Roman Calendar became an institution in Ireland. The month was named after the 'season' (quarter) of Samhain.

Modern pagans often find it to be different in significance from the traditional Gaelic view.

Here is some history about it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain

[Kahlil the Heretic]

So I misspelleded it.

Thanks for all those links, anyways.

[Agaliha]

Thanks for all those links, anyways.

You're welcome. They're pretty interesting, actually.
I used many of them for one of my English 101 (college) reports (analysis of Holloween/Samhain).