#Autumn witchcraft

[hot-boy-autumn]

[midwestbramble]

The First Frost

*image from Aaron Burden on Unsplash*

This was a hard post for me to write. The first frost is a very personal celebration for me. I meet with spirits who are personal to my land and my practice, who I have never seen in any folklore or mythology. This specific spirit I associate with the crossroads between this world and the other. She guards the gates and decides who may enter and who may not, and I'm not sure how much I should share about her. I honestly don't know much about her yet myself.

This year, the frost was late. Next year, it will most likely be late as well. With the changing climate, who knows how much later it will be than what I grew up with ten years from now. So the first frost of the season is a reminder that the land gets to rest. It does so much for us. Everything in the garden is composted and mulched. The land grows quiet, except those squirrels who are a little bit behind. Same friend.

This night I leave offerings, I'm thinking some squash from the garden that's been cured to overwinter. Then I take flight. Commune with the spirits. Feel the new chill go down to my bones. I am alive, and it is because of this land.

[embers-of-darkness]

🖤 In my dreams, this is my home 🖤

[hedgewitch-homestead]

ECLIPSE CELEBRATION

Digital Illustration by Christina Bencina

[2000s-angell]

Cc: to the owner

[whimsigothwitch]

Must be the season of the witch..

[fairytaleprincessart]

[dionysianivy]

𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧

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What is Samhain?

Samhain, celebrated from October 31st to November 1st in the Northern Hemisphere and from April 30th to May 1st in the Southern Hemisphere, is a sacred time when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest. During this festival, the boundaries between realms dissolve, allowing the unseen to come forward. It’s a time to honor our ancestors and offer them hospitality as we transition into the darker half of the year. While it marks the end of the old year, Samhain also heralds the beginning of a new one, reminding us that death is always followed by rebirth, making this festival a powerful moment of transformation.

It is pronounced "Sow-en," which means "summer's end" and aligns with Halloween in the Northern Hemisphere. Samhain marks the time when the Earth enters a period of rest, the days shorten, and winter begins its slow arrival. During this time, the air becomes crisper, the nights grow longer, and the warmth of summer fades, symbolizing the end of one cycle and the start of another.

Samhain holds deep significance as it is a time to remember and honor those we have lost. The thinning of the veil allows for a stronger connection with ancestors, spirits, and otherworldly beings. While it’s a time to venerate these spirits and fair folk, who are particularly active during this liminal period, it’s also essential to protect oneself from any harmful entities that may cross through.

A key aspect of Samhain is honoring and respecting the dead. One simple yet meaningful tradition is to set an extra place at the table for any spirit or ancestor, offering them a meal. Many witches also visit cemeteries to pay respects, not only to their own ancestors but also to those forgotten by time, ensuring no spirit is left without recognition.

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Morrigan x Dagda and Samhain

According to legend, the Irish deities the Dagda and the Morrigan consummate their relationship today to ensure the fertility of land, people, and animals for the year to come. The Dagda, “the good god,” is the tribal father god; the Morrigan, “the phantom queen,” is often described as a “battle goddess,” although that only hints at her powers. She begins the Great Rite in the form of an old hag but is rejuvenated by the union, regaining her youth and beauty. On the eve of Samhain, the Dagda, god of strength and fertility, meets the Morrigan, goddess of war and fate, at the River Unius. As he prepares for battle against the Fomorians, ancient enemies of the Tuatha Dé Danann, he encounters the Morrigan bathing in the river. They make love, a symbolic act representing the union of the land (the Morrigan) with its protector (the Dagda). In return, the Morrigan promises to aid the Tuatha Dé Danann, using her powers of prophecy and battle to help them secure victory. Her role as a goddess of fate is essential, shaping the outcome of the war and the future of the land.

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Magic Correspondences:

Planets: Pluto, Saturn

Season: Autumn

Element: Water

Time of Day: Midnight

Tarot: The Death, The Devil, The Magician

Colors: Black, Orange, Gold, Silver, Red, Yellow, Purple

Herbs: Rosemary, Mugwort, Sage, Patchouli, Frankincense, Calendula, Garlic, Bay, Apple Leaf

Fruits: Pomegranate, Apple, Pear, Grapes, Hazelnuts

Vegetables: Pumpkin, Squash, Carrot, Potato, Turnip

Runes: Eihwaz, Jera, Othala

Crystals: Obsidian, Onyx, Carnelian, Cat’s Eye, Labradorite, Smokey Quartz, Black Tourmaline, Granite, Amber

Trees: Birch, Rowan, Hawthorn

Goddesses: Hecate, Banba, Cerridwen, Macha, Badb, Persephone, Cailleach Bheur, Kali, Bastet, Nephthys, Durga, Arianrhod, Baba Yaga

Gods: Hades, Loki, The Dagda, Cernunnos, Osiris, Anubis, Belenus, Arawn

Dragon: Grael

Flowers: Yarrow, Hawthorn, Marigold, Chrysanthemum, Blackthorn

Animals: Spider, Owl, Bat, Cat, Wolf, Dog, Rat, Snake, Raven, Cow

Magical powers: Transformation, Death, Life Cycles, Honoring the Dead, New Beginnings, Spirit Communication, Witchcraft, Faery Magick, Mirror Spells, Reincarnation, Astral Projection, Balance, Wisdom

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Activities to do:

👻 Honor your ancestors

👻 Connect with your loved ones that have passed away. Give them offerings, talk to them, and remember the happy moments

👻 Watch your favorite spooky movies

👻 Clean your altar (if you have one)

👻 Carve a pumpkin with symbols of what you want to attract (heart = love, water drops = healing)

👻 Talk with spirits through tarot cards, runes, or a pendulum

👻 Connect with your magick and your craft

👻 Honor and connect with your deities, leave them some offerings as it's an important celebration for everyone

👻 Light candles around your house

👻 Write wishes and place them on your jack-o'-lanterns

👻 Eat Samhain food or any food that makes you feel close to this sabbat

👻 Do guided meditations

👻 Make a special recipe and add some intentions

👻 Do some spells! October, especially Samhain, is the most magickal time!

👻 Leave some milk outside for Cat Síth!

👻 Honor the dead and respect life :D

👻 Write your wishes on bay leaves and burn them

👻 Honor the forgotten dead, those who don't have anyone to remember them, and light a candle for them

👻 Cleanse yourself and your house

👻 If you feel comfortable, visit a cemetery

👻 Eat lots of candy

👻 Light a Bonfire

👻 Eat apples (you can also use them as offerings)

👻 Take a walk in nature and appreciate the beauty of autumn

👻 Wear colors associated with Samhain, especially black

👻 Do candle magick

👻 Collect autumn leaves and place them in your house

👻 Use pumpkin seeds for spells—they're great for prosperity, abundance, or even love

👻 Put up photos of your loved ones who have passed, leave them food, and light candles

👻 Place figurines around your home with cats, crows, pumpkins or other Samhain symbols

👻 Throw a Samhain/Halloween feast with the people you love

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Food and drinks:

Meat – pork, especially (it’s completely okay if you don’t want to consume it), pumpkin – anything with pumpkin like pumpkin pie, seeds, bread, soup, corn – sweetcorn, popcorn, cornbread, apples – apple cake, apple pie, apple juice, apple cider, spiced wine, cider, mulled wine, honey, potatoes, roasted vegetables, stew, biscuits, salads made with veggies from your garden, recipes loved by your ancestors, pomegranates, squash

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useful sources: Wicca: A Modern Guide To Witchcraft & Magick; Encyclopedia of Witchcraft: The Complete A-Z for the Entire Magical World by Judika Illes

gifs credit: Pinterest

Tip Jar🕸🎃

[bebs-art-gallery]

A Happy Family by Riccardo Bettazzoni

[spooky-witch-cat]

[hot-boy-autumn]

🍂Autumn lovers🍂

If you liked this poll I made consider checking out the rest of my Autumn blog!

I also make aesthetic/moodboards and can possibly take requests

[midwestbramble]

Autumn Equinox

"Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile." - William Cullen Bryant

The time when day and night are equal length. We move into a season of shorter days, dying plants, and animals preparing for hibernation. As the temperatures begin to drop, we find ourselves preparing for winter and less sunlight. For me this means spending more time indoors (I still spend time outside in winter, just not as much) and focusing more on my physical home.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･🍂๋࣭ ⭑⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Contents:

Decorations

Honoring the House

Conclusion

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･🍂๋࣭ ⭑⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Decorating

Decorating starts with a deep clean, again. This time I focus on the outside of the house too. Washing outside windows to let more light inside during the winter months can help with heating costs and seasonal depression (not a cure). Cleaning the gutters makes sure they won't clog and burst as snow melts to water later in the winter season. Getting the inside ready for more people is important as well.

I like to decorate for the seasons, bringing that seasonal energy inside in a visible way gets me motivated. I switch out quilts and blankets, kitchen towels, and hang fall decorations. I also switch out my summer wardrobe for clothes that are more seasonally appropriate, such as sweaters. Having a fall or witchy playlist follow me around as I go is always a fun touch, in my opinion. As the season continues, I do add decorations as I go. Such as the corn stalk I cut out of my garden and tied to the front steps, the wreath I'll make out of the invasive vines that were taking over my fence this past summer.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･🍂๋࣭ ⭑⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Honoring the House

It's important to me to honor the house as we begin readying ourselves for winter. It is where I have been preserving, keeping my kids warm as the weather turns, it kept us safe during the summer storms, and blocked out the summer heat. It will do so much more for us in the winter. After all that decorating, I'll make an autumn themed meal to share.

In my practice, I believe in a house spirit or the spirit of the home. So on the autumn equinox, as we are changing into colder seasons, I will share a meal with it. I call it the Feast of the House Spirit. Taking the food that I have made, I will go to the shrine I made out of a match box that sits on my kitchen counter (since I don't have a fireplace), light a candle, and call out to the house spirit. There I will voice my gratitude for what it has done and my hopes that it will continue to keep us safe throughout the next couple seasons. Then I offer the food and eat some as a shared meal.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･🍂๋࣭ ⭑⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Conclusion

I don't do a whole lot since I have so much going on this time of year with my family birthdays. I usually like to get out and hike each weekend so there's no hiking to honor seasons as I do that all the time anyway. As the fall season continues there will be more opportunities better suited for my other celebrations. For now, it is the house that I focus on.

[stardustlighttt]

You‘re a witch?!? They were right.

They usually are.

[neptunesize]

𝐻𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑜𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝑜𝑜𝒹 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓎𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉

Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Devil Woman - Cliff Richard

Season of The Witch - Lana del Rey

Rihannon - Fleetwood Mac

.𖥔 ݁ ˖🕸️🕷.𖥔 ݁ ˖

and more! listen here

[2000s-angell]

Cc: to the owner

[whimsigothwitch]

Spooky