HALLOWEEN, SAMHAIN, DIA DE LOS MUERTOS AND THE THINNING VEIL

 Welcome to the Divination Nation blog!
 We are Pleasant Gehman and Crystal Ravenwolf, a duo of divination divas, “spiritual sisters from another mister”. We’re life-long Tarotistas, obsessed with all things esoteric and paranormal.

We’ve created this blog to share our knowledge and to connect with the vibrant worldwide metaphysical  and paranormal community. Watch for our book “Walking The Tarot Path” in 2017.

We hope this blog is as fun for you to read as it is for us to write…Enjoy!

 An antique photograph...back when Halloween was really scary

 The end of October is a magical time, no matter what traditions you believe in. The days are sunny, but there’s  a crisp  charge in the air and colorful leaves on the ground, heralding the coming of winter. As we draw closer to Halloween, the anticipation grows. Some say the veil is thinning, and the spirit  world is thisclose  to our mundane, mortal world.

Though kids have been planning their costumes and trick or treat routes for weeks, October 31^st is no longer just a holiday for children. Thanks to voluptuous horror hostess Elvira- and the generation(s) who grew up mesmerized by her-  for decades, Halloween has been celebrated just as  enthusiastically by adults too. But for witches, Wiccans and woo-woo’s  all over the world, this time of the year is so much more than haunted houses, practical jokes, crazy parties and dressing up.

 What the average citizen calls Halloween, neo-pagans celebrate as Samhain- correctly pronounced “saah-win” or “saa-ween” – which is a Celtic Sabbath. The way most pagans see it, the  veil separating realm of the living from  the  dead has grown thinner, and on this most sacred of days, we honor our ancestors, those that have crossed the river before us.

Like the Mexican Dia De Los Muertos or Day Of The Dead, we visit the gravesites of loved ones, cleaning and tending to their burial places, often setting up ancestral altars honoring the lives of our departed. Amidst the flowers are photographs, mementos and offerings left with love for deceased family members, dear friends and well-loved loved fur babies. Many also leave random offerings outside for any lost or wandering spirits, and our dinner tables are carefully and respectfully set with a place( or places) for the dead.

2016  Has been a tough year for many; there has been a lot of loss. Since our beloved David Bowie passed in January, it  seems as though iconic celebrities have been  dropping like flies, too, affecting  the mass consciousness.  Of course, it would be more than appropriate to  set up an altar or a shrine for any or all of these gifted artists.

Samhain also marks the beginning of the  Pagan New Year, so it is a time of reflection. The long  days of winter are soon upon us, and we welcome the darkness and  silence by spending time with our shadow selves, remembering the lessons we have learned. We offer prayers of gratitude for all the blessings we’ve received in the past year.

Now is an optimal time to look back at your life- perusing any journals you’ve kept, photos you’ve taken adventures you’ve experienced.  Consider what you’ve achieved, and also what you wish to accomplish. Because the veil is lifting, Samain is also a wonderful time to seek guidance for the New Year by reading Tarot or Lenormand cards, through Runes, Scrying or any other form of divination you choose.

We love this sacred time of year… and as we prepare our offerings to the loved ones now residing beyond the veil, we wish you a happy-and safe- Halloween, and a fabulous New Year full of bright hope… may your lives be blessed and bountiful!

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 Crystal and Pleasant by Maharet Hughes

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To find out more about Pleasant  or request a reading or healing session,  click here: http://www.pleasantgehman.com/

For more on Crystal’s background, or request a  reading or healing session, click here: http://crystalravenwolf.com