Cross Quarter Day: Samhain

[Weather-history]

Tomorrow is Samhain, the cross quarter day that is the halfway point between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. We are now entering the period of our orbital cycle in the northern hemisphere where we receive the least amount of sunlight which is between Samhain and Imbolc (early February), which is the cross quarter day between winter solstice and the spring equinox.

Edited November 6, 2011 by Mr_Data

[Terminal Moraine]

Tomorrow is Samhain, the cross quarter day that is the halfway point between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. We are now entering the period of our orbital cycle in the northern hemisphere where we receive the least amount of sunlight which is between Samhain and Imbolc (early February), which is the cross quarter day between winter solstice and the spring equinox.

I've never heard of those terms so, today, I've learned something. I'm also very glad to hear it; embrace the darkness!

[SP1986]

Samhain I believe was a old festival (celtic?) to celebrate this. Usually conjures up images of witches and cauldrons, although I'm not sure about that, it was probably just a standard seasonal celtic-middle age festival (I'm not entirely sure whether it was as old as celtic)

[4wd]

What's the betting the original way to mark the transition was bonfires.

[sundog]

Samhain I believe was a old festival (celtic?) to celebrate this. Usually conjures up images of witches and cauldrons, although I'm not sure about that, it was probably just a standard seasonal celtic-middle age festival (I'm not entirely sure whether it was as old as celtic)

Samhain is an old celtic festival.. "Oiche Samhain" is Irish for Halloween. Samhain means "end of Summer" and marked the end of the celtic year.

[chionomaniac]

Tomorrow is Samhain, the cross quarter day that is the halfway point between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. We are now entering the period of our orbital cycle in the northern hemisphere where we receive the least amount of sunlight which is between Samhain and Imbolc (early February), which is the cross quarter day between winter solstice and the spring equinox.

Is there a name given to the time period between Samhain and Imbolc?

I guess that this is a different way of dividing the year up into 4. We have the darkest 3 months, the lightest 3 months and the 2 others which have equal amounts of dark and light.

Do the other mid points have names as well?

[Gray-Wolf]

Too perfect a measure for the 'Old Ways' Mr D. The 'Sahmain' I know was the last dark moon and though your calcs are spot on I feel that the 'timings' the ancestors used were more tied to the moon phases.

As for the 'festival' both Beltain and Sahmain (pronounced Sar-wen) are probably the oldest festivals linked to the move from hunter gathering to a more 'settled' way of life. Both festivals are linked to 'double bonfires' (which the stock were driven between to drive off bad spirits). In spring the stock are driven out to pasture and in Autumn the ones that were to overwinter were driven into the winter quarters.

I know we have a 'Bonfire' for the failed attempt on Parliament but is it also a reflection of the old Sahmain fires?

The only 'Pagan Celebration' that didn't have Christianity convert into a saint's day seems to be the Beltain festival with only 'May Day' as a reminder ( unless you know of any Fire based celebrations remaining in your locale?).