Samhain Deities

[Mnemosyne]

Yeah, Samhain is finally here! :boing:

Many folks honor Hekate or the Morrigan for this day. On this day, I think about the Greek goddess of the underworld, Persephone. Who do/did you honor for this special day? Do you honor a special god or goddess or do you just honor your patron deity?

[RubyBlue]

Hi Mnemosyne,
I thought i'd come and reply to your thread, seen as you have helped me so much! :)


As you know, i honored Hekate this Samhain, lighting two orange votive candles (to symbolise the torches She carries) and meditated, thanking Her for Her presence in my life.

What did you do, Mnemosyne? Did you do any rituals or anything?
Also, did you do it in the day or at night? (i was wondering if people do things in the day on Samhain too)

I'd love to hear what you did, and i'm very interested to know what everyone else did ...?

[Armitage]

The Norse goddess Hel, Grandmother of Wolves. To me, Samhain is about the growing darkness, the encroachment itself that proceeds until Solstice when it peaks.

[Mnemosyne]

Cool, Armitage, I overlook Hel sometimes.
RubyBlue, it sounds like you did a nice job in showing reverence to Hekate.
I didn't do anything too elaborate for Samhain. My mind wasn't clear yesterday, so I couldnt' get too involved in the day. I did also ask Athena, my matron deity, for blessing for the upcoming new year.

[Pan]

I actually read that Loki was a Samhain God...

I honoured Loki and Demeter.. Pan and Airmed. All 4 because of my transition ritual.. Speakin' o' which..

I have to go tell ya how it went!

I was temped to honour Hecate.. I've been feeling a pull from her lately.. but I'm just too... well... SCARED!

*flees!*

[Asherah]

I honored Ashera/Ishtar/Innana as she descended into the underworld looking for Baal/Tammuz/Damuzi...

And I wait for her return at Yule.

[RubyBlue]

Hi Loki :)

I was wondering why you are scared of honoring Hekate? I feel that way too, even though i did honor Her.

When i first started to feel a pull towards her i had a dream where terrifing black hounds were rampaging ....i was pulled to safety, as people that had done me wrong (very wrong) were mauled by the dogs. As you will know Hekate is accoiated with black hounds, so....

So i was wondering if you had the same sort of fears as me? What are you're fears?

(if you don't mind discussing them with me...if not ... i don't mind)

[Pan]

I don't mind discussing it. I just.. I don't really know why I'm afraid of her. I guess it's the whole "you gotta have a good reason to talk to her or ELSE" thing everyone's told me. Even those that work with Hecate have told me that so I've kind of avoided her.

I just don't want to say hi and all of a sudden WHAM! There goes my leg/eye/arm/neck..... so there's why I'm afraid of her..

*continues fleeing*

And yet.. I'm all hunky-dory with Loki. Odd.

[RubyBlue]

Wow...... have you met people who have had bad stuff happen to them because they worked with Hekate? :ack:

That is frightening ... a lot of people on here work with Hekate, and they seem to be alright... but i understand your fear cuz i share it... i was just wondering how people you know or have heard of came to the "you better have a good reason to talk to Her or else" conclusion ...?

[Mnemosyne]

And to a certain extent, I share the same fear that you guys have. In my opinion, many of the darker goddesses represent finding your inner strength and not tolerating any injustices. While these goddesses teach you not to tolerate anything wrong, they themselves do not put up with anything unnecessary. Many of these goddesses signify change; maybe it's we who are scared of these goddesses, because we fear change. That's my explaination for myself anyway.

[RubyBlue]

Mnemosyne, do you think anything bad would happen if you worked with Hekate?


Does anyone have a personal experience or opinion regarding what Loki wrote?

I'm kinda scared again too now... :(:(:(

[Mnemosyne]

RubyBlue, I think that it is perfectly fine to work with Hekate. I am happy with other goddesses at the moment, so I don't feel compelled to have a connection with Hekate. I have been thinking about what she represents lately; however, I have just left my thoughts be.

Remember that Hekate is associated with many good things. She can be thought of as the goddess of birth and renewal. In ancient Greece, the Greeks put up pillars to represent Hekate at crossroads, so Hekate could dispel evil. I also think of her as the goddess of travel. We all see the goddess in different ways, so how I see the goddess is going to be different than how you see her. Follow your own instincts!

I think Loki Panwit is an example of the previous statement. Many people may see Loki Panwit's patron deity, Loki, as frightening. However, Loki Panwit feels a deep connection to the god.

[Pan]

Eh-heh 8O I didn't mean to make anyone afraid of working with Hecate because of what some people have told me. I don't know how they came to that conclusion.. that's just what I've always heard. I've heard it so often and for so long that it's been ingrained in me to think that way. And nothing short of a miracle would change that anymore.

This thing is so deep that I fear even reading about her. I'm one to chat idly with my Gods.. but I feel that I can't do that with Hecate. *shrugs* I guess it's just years of brainwash? lol

[RubyBlue]

:) It's not your fault Loki ... just when you hear your own fears voiced by someone else ... you know ...


It just gets me on my train of thought... CHOOOO CHOOOO! :D

[tainted echoes]

i know i'm kind of late, but as for the doing things in the day on Samhain, i know i would, if i practiced wicca. the whole day is the holiday, not just the night, although that's when "forces would be strongest" or whatever.

[Mnemosyne]

Originally posted by tainted echoes
i know i'm kind of late, but as for the doing things in the day on Samhain, i know i would, if i practiced wicca. the whole day is the holiday, not just the night, although that's when "forces would be strongest" or whatever.

Hi again, Tainted Echoes! :) Nice to see you writing in Gods and Goddesses again!

You don't have to practice Wicca in order to celebrate Samhain. Loads of people celebrate Samhain under the name of Halloween. An easy way to celebrate the day is decorating your home with the holiday's symbols and colors. There were loads of threads on Samhain here a few weeks ago. I just want to remind you that you can celebrate this day next year even if it means you are decorating your home in orange and black and placing your goddess' symbols on your altar.

[Ganga]

finding your inner strength and not tolerating any injustices.

I really, really liked that definition of what the dark goddess represents.

BTW, I just found out that the Finnish Pagans used to celebrate Samhain, too. It was called Kekri, and it was the beginning of the new year. Many Finns dislike the fact that "Americanized" (consumerist) Halloween has been introduced to Finland during the past few years. Some non-Pagans who oppose Halloween school-parties actually recommend celebrating Kekri instead!

[Mnemosyne]

Hey, Samhain is almost here again!!!! Woohoo!! Sadly, I'm not really into the Samhain spirit yet since the weather has been so darn hot in my area. Hopefully, I'll get more in the spirit next week. Well, here's some useful info on Samhain deities.

[Kadynas]

Well you'd love the weather here then...we just got our first snow yesterday! :lol: I don't know if I'm ready for snow yet...
But back to the topic... do most of you celebrate Samhain on Halloween or do any of you use the astorlogical timing? As an astrologer, I tend to go by the astrological date, which is when the sun reachers 15 degrees of Scorpio, which is usually around November 7th or 8th...

[Morgandria]

Usually on Samhain I like to call The Morrigan, since she is my matron. This year, tho, I am planning on calling The Callieach, since I have just recently begun working with her.

Personally, I celebrate astrologically, but I also work with groups who celebrate on the 31st.

Should be interesting. :)
-M.

[Moon Dragon]

Well, last year for Samhain, we attempted to do a small Samhain festival, but had maybe 10 people tops show up outside of our group. Then I went and meditated and cleansed our new ritual items that we had purchased earlier in the week, and then I went to see the guy I was dating after he got done with his own group thing.

This year, our group on campus is putting on a small four hour blurb concerning divination, Samhain, aromatherapy and herbs, and stereoptypes and discrimination. Afterward we're going to drive out to Belmont to Moon Gardens for a group potluck/whatever with the Grand Rapids Pagans group called Sanctuary of the Winds. My wiccan family and I might do something after that, but we're missing a member right now, since she's doing an internship in Florida. But if anyone lives in the Grand Rapids, MI area, stop by Grand Valley Campus between 2and 6p (Pere Marquette room, 2nd floor of kirkhof) and check things out.

I'm hoping for a good year :)

Brightest Blessings,
MD

[Theres]

i usually work with Hekate on Samhain, and this years ritual is devoted entirely to Her.
but in the past i've also worked with Hermes as a Samhain God, as well as Anubis and Hades.

and i think the Loki association is from the celebration by some traditions of the 'Lord of Misrule', a type of trickster archetype.
or not!

[Pan]

I might honour Hades this year. It seems each year I do another dedication to a different pair of deities. Strange that it should happen on Samhain each year. I might end up doing it again! 8O

I really don't know what I'll do, considering I don't feel very much in the Samhain spirit. :/

[CalliopeHellice]

The group I'm doing ritual with for Samhain are honouring the Celtic Bebhionn and Arawn.

[zakzekezedd]

hmmm..last year I just honored the Lady and the Lord. I confess that the only goddess I really feel a connection to is Bast. However, the Raven is one of my spirit animals so maybe I'll honor Morrigan this Samhain. I'll have to think on it a bit...