7 SIGNS OF SAMHAIN
Come and be with us, share the feast,
as darkness cloaks the earth,
and the cold wind rises.”
Flossie Benton Rogers, 2015
Samhain (pronounced sow-en), a Celtic holiday meaning Summer’s End, is celebrated on October 31 or November 1. Other names of the holiday include Halloween, Hallowmas, All Hallows Eve, Shadow Fest, Feast of the Dead, Spirit Night, Ancestor Night, All Saints Day, All Souls Day, etc. I thought it would be fun to look at Samhain through a lens of signage.
EXIT
Individuals come into the world, walk through the world, and cross over into the mysterious otherworld. Who helps with this process? Featured in many different pantheons, triple goddesses symbolize the waxing moon/full moon/dark of the moon and maiden/mother/crone, as well as past/present/future, heaven/earth/underworld, and other triads. Hecate, Cerridwen, and other crone goddesses rule the time of Samhain on the Wheel of the Year and the crossing over of souls to the afterlife. The iconic witch flying on a broom is derived (some might say devolved) from the wise crone.
Artemis/Selene/Hecate
Persephone/Demeter/Hecate
Phoebe/Diana/Hecate
Luna/Diana/Proserpina
Clotho/Lachesis/Atropos
Babd/Macha/Ana
Boann/Brighid/Cerridwen
Freya/Frigg/Skadi
Hathor/Nephthys/Isis
Inanna/Ishtar/Astarte
NO DOGS ALLOWED
As purported witch familiars, cats are the primary furry creatures associated with Samhain. Black cats in particular symbolize the mystery and power of Halloween.
FIRE HAZARD
As protection against witches, the Wild Hunt, and other fearsome night spirits, Samhain revelers light candles, dance around bonfires, and carry jack o’lanterns to ward off evil. 
NO FOOD OR DRINK
Numerous herbs are associated with witches and Samhain rituals, including wolfsbane (monkshood) for invisibility, mugwort for protection, and belladonna for visions and astral projection.
FLAMMABLE LIQUID
Absinthe is the quintessential liqueur associated with witchery. Another 
name for the anise-flavored spirit is The Green Fairy.
DARK ROOM IN USE
As daylight decreases, with Samhain we enter the dark half of the year.
DANGER ICE
We also slip into the coldest part of the year.
Halloween costumes and masks help disguise us from nefarious spirits that roam the night. It’s always fun to dress up and play pretend. The candy stash after a night of trick or treating is another fun tradition. What is your favorite part of Samhain or Halloween?
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Paranormal 
Romance
Lovely post, Flossie. I enjoyed all the images you picked.
I’m glad you liked it. Thanks, Daisy.
I love the way you did this with signs. I also did not know that was how you pronounced Samhain. Great Post. I love passing out treats and watching the kids have fun.
Thanks, Cathy. I agree that handing out treats and seeing the kids having fun makes the holiday so worthwhile.
What a cleverly-done post, Flossie! I loved the use of signs/images to relate to the various aspects of Halloween/Samhain. I think the thing I love best about Halloween is it’s the one night of the year when everyone embraces the fun of make-believe.
You’re so right, Mae! Halloween brings all our inner children out to play. Other forms of pronunciation I’ve seen recently include Soe-en and Soe-ven. I like both. The former reminds me that we sow the crops, reap the harvest, and rest after Samhain. The latter sounds so wonderfully Gaelic.
I join all the others’ praises for your today post, Flossie!
I only want to add a remark. I notice that black cats (poor kitties) are in all lore the symbol of witchery and evil
In reading about the historical designation of witches and black cats to the realm of evil, most of that seems to have been done by powerful people who termed anything they couldn’t understand as evil–including women’s mysteries, natural healing, and psychic abilities. You’re right–poor kitties, to be so maligned. I love black cats and have always found them to be excellent good luck.
Found your post on the #Samhain thread at Twitter and absolutely love it, Flossie! This is my first year as a solo Wiccan really getting serious about Samhain. It’s nice to have a bit of levity, and I very much enjoyed your signs. 🙂
Thank you, Belinda! Please have a lovely holy day and meaningful year to come. I will check out your site as well.