and now for something completely different!

I need to banish the gloominess of my last post.

It's like riding a bicycle, no? But even if it's not, I will get there!

Anyhow, I was going to call this post "For entertainment purposes only...."

Next Saturday we celebrate Samhain (sahwenn), the pagan New Year. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about that:

Samhain (pronounced /ˈsɑːwɪn/, /ˈsaʊ.ɪn/, or /ˈsaʊn/ in English;^[1] from Irish samhain [ˈsˠaunʲ], cf. Scottish Gaelic samhainn [ˈsavɯɲ], Old Irish samain [ˈsaṽɨnʲ] "summer's end", from sam "summer" and fuin "end") is a festival held at the end of the harvest season in Gaelic and Brythonic cultures. Principally a harvest festival, it also has aspects of a festival of the dead. It had its roots in ancient Celtic polytheism, and continued to be celebrated through medieval times, and is seen as contributing to the modern celebration of Halloween. Many scholars believe that it was the beginning of the Celtic year.^[2][3][4]
The term "Samhain" derives from the name of a month in the ancient Celtic calendar, in particular the first three nights of this month, with the festival marking the end of the summer season and the end of the harvest. Samhain was also called the Féile Moingfhinne ie "Festival of Mongfind". According to Cormac's Glossary, Mongfind (mod.Irish spelling Mongfhionn) was a goddess the pagan Irish worshipped on Samhain. The Gaelic festival became associated with the Catholic All Souls' Day, and appears to have influenced the secular customs now connected with Halloween. Samhain is also the name of a modern festival in various currents of Neopaganism that are based on, or inspired by, Gaelic traditions.<sup>[3][4][5]

Wikipedia can give you a lot more info about Samhain...

Samhain, as the new year, is the time when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. For that reason, it's easier to communicate with those who have passed...see, all those ghosts at Halloween are rooted in Pagan tradition! Some people leave offerings for the dead. Most years my coven will center a ritual around honoring people who have passed from this world, as well as people born this year.  We bring photos, if we can. We light candles. We speak their names.

I have so many people to honor, to call into my circle this year...more than any other year. Some of them are people I haven't even met, but who have touched my life deeply in their passing.

The pagan New Year is also an excellent time for divination. The veil is thin, and it's possible, at this time of year, to get a clearer glimpse of what may come over the next 12 months. Three years ago, I was scrying, and saw a fetus in my water bowl (scrying is done with a dark bowl or a silvered mirror by candlelight or moonlight). And I thought to myself "that's silly! I'm not getting pregnant!" And now, here I am, reborn!

So, here's my thought. I work with tarot, and I am just beginning to develop my skills. If you want me to do a three card reading for you (past, present, future/body, mind,soul/beginning, middle, end), you can leave me a comment...or email me.

You can comment anonymously if you wish.

You can ask a specific question. Or not. It's interesting to see what comes up when I don't know who someone is, and they don't have a specific question. You could be thinking "wow! She's the next Sylvia Browne (without the killer fingernails)...or you could be shaking your head at me, and wondering why I ever thought I could read tarot.

All in fun, right? And good practice for me. If you do respond, let me know if I should post your reading as a comment, or in a separate blog post. I can also email you, if you want to be private..or anonymous and private.

One good thing: at least no one will ask for their money back!  :)</sup>