BS: Samhain

Subject: BS: Samhain
From: Cats
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 06:51 AM

Brightest Blessings and kindest thoughts.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 06:55 AM

This festival is always referred to by its Irish name(Samhain). What is it called in other Celtic languages? Anyone know?

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Bill t' bodger
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 07:50 AM

Love light and good happiness stuff to all on this turning of the season and remembrance of those departed

Blessed Be

Bill

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 08:04 AM

Samhuinn, Oiche Shamhna, Nos Calan Gaeaff.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Rapparee
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 09:02 AM

Blessings and good memories to all.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: MBSLynne
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 09:55 AM

Peace and happiness to all those living. To those who have gone before, peaceful rest. Blessings to all on the Night of the Dead and for the following year

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST,An Bochdan Doribh
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 11:07 AM

Fom sundown to sundown we will dwell among you. Beware, we are not easily appeased!

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: open mike
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 12:44 PM

dia de los muertos

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Rapparee
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 02:08 PM

If you dwell among us and need appeasement, could you take that current bunch in Washington, DC? Pretty please?

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Micca
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 02:44 PM

May This New Year bring the putting aside of the past and bring the much needed renewal of spirit, the stepping forward into a brighter future that we all need at this time, Bright Blessings, Blessed be, Micca

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 02:51 PM

That is beautiful, Micca.

Rapaire, LOL!

Blessed Be to all among us, in all dimensions and planes of existence. May we all nurture our dreams, hopes, ourselves, and one another, during this time of rest and contemplation, attuning to the heartbeat of our Mother until the greening is upon us once again.

Light, Life, and Love,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Fiolar
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 08:40 AM

I remember watching a movie some years ago. It was a horror movie and if I remember correctly was one of a series. Anyway in one scene an "expert" was called in to deal with some ghost or other. The person who was the so called expert started spouting on about "Sam Hain". I nearly fell out of my seat laughing. I kid you not.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 10:51 AM

Blessings?? Happiness?   Love?!?!

WTF people!?! get a grip on Hallowe'en would yas....

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST,Lady P Who's cookie has fell off....
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 03:51 PM

We have dearest Clinton.

Hallowe'en - or rather All Hallow's Eve, is the christianised version of the celtic/pagan new year. On this night we think back to our ancesters and what has gone before, we review the past year and let go what we must. We take the spark of light and spirit of hope into the new year to start the wheel's journey through the year once more.

Of course if you're happier with just the fancy dress and the candy........

May the light of a thousand stars guide the path to your dreams.

Happy new year guys.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Polly Squeezebox
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 04:53 PM

I've asked for the help of the Weaver of Dreams
To cast her starry spell
To look down upon you where you are
And bless the place wherein you dwell

She called upon her sisters then
to shed their light also
To bring you love and peace and joy
And let them around you grow

May you in happiness abide
To the fullness of your life
May light and love be always yours
With never fear or strife

BLESSED BE THEE
AND THY ABODE

Polly

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 05:20 PM

Well I spent a splendid day with some ME time... something that's been missing for the last few weeks.

And how did I spend it? Looking up the ancestors and finding what could be another generation back - making it 1690.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 05:20 PM

Bright blessings to all Catters.

May the New Year bring you all that you wish and that would be healthy and good for yourself and all the people around you.

Blesséd be

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Cats
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 05:47 PM

And this evening, in Bodmin, I did a performance of 'Spirit in the Storm' the true story of Joan Wytte, the woman from Bodmin who was accused of witchcraft and ended up as an exhibit in the Museum in Boscastle until Graham buried her. A fitting time to tell the story of a woman so wronged but now at peace.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Tig
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 05:53 PM

Blessed be to those friends who have gone before, those who we know now and those we are yet to meet. Let us wish the New Year brings comfort, happiness and hope to all.

Love, light and hugs
Tig
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST,An Bochdan Doribh
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 08:11 PM

The time it is upon us! Let us relect and cleanse our thoughts so that we may enter the next cycle! Fallow lies the Earth until Belteine!

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Shiamsa
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 08:27 PM

In Irish the month of November is called Samhain, or Mí na Samhna (month of Samhain-genitive case).

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 09:32 PM

Don't go annoying these people with facts now, Shiamsa. It might pull the cornerstone out from under their twee pagan 'high holy eve' constructs. Then, all they will be left with is a bank holiday.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: jimmyt
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 10:43 PM

Blessed Be   jimmyt

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 02:41 AM

Well, I think of this more as a night to pig out on candy bars; but I was inspired this evening, seeing my beautiful wife dressed as a witch, drumming to the moon.

Blessings to all.

-Joe-
(and the Butterfingers tasted especially good this year)

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: MBSLynne
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 02:50 AM

Bank holdiay??? Some people get a bank holiday for Samhain?????

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST,Cats
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 05:14 AM

Yes, Lynne, I'm working on it!! I am contending under Equalities Act 2006 that Paganism is now a recognised religion and, as such, should therefore be allowed the same religious holidays as any other religion.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 05:46 AM

Bank holidays are not the same as religious holidays. I daresay you would have the rigyt to take a religious holiday but it would have to come out of your annual leave. I can't see any new bank holidays beiing based on religious holidays else we'd never be working.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: mandotim
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 05:49 AM

I'm really interested in the pre-Christian side of this (which I confess to knowing nothing about.) What was the significance of Samhain? (come to that, how DO you pronounce it, for the less educated of us?.
Had the usual trick-or-treaters round last night; all around 16 years old, demanding sweets with menaces. My standard response is to ask 'Are you Americans?' If the answer is 'no', then I ask why they are performing an American tradition in the UK? I then offer them some sweets if they can tell me why we celebrate Halloween, and what the proper name for it is in the Christian tradition. Doesn't take long for the word to get round, don't usually get more than a couple of knocks on the door. Similar approach for the 'carol singers' at Christmas. When they sing the first two lines of 'Away in a Manger' and stick the hand out for the cash, I go and get the guitar and the carol sheets and have them sing a few good ones all the way through. Again, word gets around. It's fun being a grumpy old man!
Tim

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 06:33 AM

Pronounced as = sow-ann.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 06:53 AM

Manitas, I was meaning in the same way as any other relgious holiday, but as I teach and my holidays are set, the two biggest days for us are in term time. Teachers have no 'annual leave' as such. This is something which is being considered already under the new legislation and I did bring it up at the highest levels as part of the government consultation. The same applies to anyone who has set holidays whose religious obsevance days are outside of their set holidays. I am not talking about having them as Bank Holidays and didn't say that.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST,An Bochdan Doribh
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 10:38 AM

Samhain was a hig holy day of the pre-Christian Celts. It celebrated the completed harvest and the start of a new year. During this time of transition barriers between yhe natural and supernatural world were reduced and spirits could easily return. Even after Christianity became the new religion of the Celts they continued to observe Samhain. When the clergy could not stamp out, what they considered a pagan practice, Rome invented All Saints Day to mask the celebration and to try and give it some legitamacy. Many aspects of other Christian hollidays also reflect Celtic Druidism.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST,An Bochdan Doribh
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 10:42 AM

hig   "big"

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST,An Bochdan Doribh
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 10:44 AM

yhe "the"

Bochdan needs a proofreader.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 11:37 AM

"the celtic/pagan new year. On this night we think back to our ancesters and what has gone before, we review the past year and let go what we must. We take the spark of light and spirit of hope into the new year to start the wheel's journey through the year once more."

What a load of New Age claptrap.... Who sold you the books you got that from?

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: mandotim
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 11:38 AM

Thanks for the info folks; it's encouraged me to go and do some serious reading. Any recommendations?
Tim

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 12:59 PM

Mandotim... it was a British tradition first, predating the America we know by some hundreds of years..

People would go around neighbouring farms/villages in disguise (or guise, from which we get 'geezer'), singing and playing music, dancing or acting a folk play (like the Christmas Mummers plays) in exchange for beer. If the householder didn't let them in, they ran the risk of having water barrels upended, chicken coops opened or other pranks. It was a good way of blowing off steam and getting your own back on people who had ticked you off during the previous year.


LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: lady penelope
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 01:21 PM

Clinton, my mother will be delighted to hear some one thinks she is a 'New Age' book full of claptrap. Her mother, Granny Burns, would merely call you something along the lines of "an arrogant sod who thinks he knows it all and is too rude to keep it to himself". This is a discription I would not debate.

No one made you read this thread. If it offends thine eye, why not go parade your ignorance elsewhere?

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 01:39 PM

The ignorance here is not mine.

The plural of "evidence" is neither "anecdote" nor "tradition"

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: MBSLynne
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 01:52 PM

Tim, Ted does much the same sort of thing. He sings "Soulcake" to them at this time of year.

Cats, all the time my children have been at school they have had Beltane off and the schools have been told that it is a religious festival for us. No one has ever argued or questioned it.

Lady P. I shouldn't bother to read CH's posts either if I were you. I always pass them by.

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: lady penelope
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 02:01 PM

And disclaming something as "New age clap trap" with no corroborative evidence is no demonstration of knowledge of any given subject either Mr Hammond.

It appears your opinion of what I have to say about Halloween, is that it is worthless. Fair enough. Everyone's entitled to an opinion.

Yet I fail to see the reason you feel compelled to comment on it in such derisory and confrontational manner, whilst complaining of a lack of evidence. Especially considering that you have failed to present anything resembling a supported argument yourself.

Would you care to enlighten me as to a) what, precisely, you take exception to and   b) what, in your opinion, is the reality of the matter?

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 02:39 PM

There are two meanings to the word ignorant. One is a lack of understanding. The other, as used here in Lancashire and I am sure in other areas, is similar to rude or bad-mannered. Thus, if someone pushes their way to the front of queue they would be an 'ignorant bugger'. If someone however was to show a lack of understanding in a particulary bad-mannered way I think the only term to use would be an ignorant ignoramus. Any use to anyone?

Cheers and belated Samhain wishes to all.

:D (tG)

(BTW - I thought it was pronounced some-when. Dunno why.)

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: GUEST,Lexie Luther
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 03:24 PM

Aw don't be too hard on Clinton! He's just funning. He don't really mean it and it isn't totally his fault that he was born with SHIT for brains.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: MBSLynne
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 09:55 AM

To quote from "Alice"...."He only does it to annoy because he knows it teases"

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Cats
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 12:49 PM

Lynne, You can take your children out of school for religious observance but it is different if you teach and try to get it off. Nevertheless, I'm trying......

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 01:56 PM

"no corroborative evidence"

Start here.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Age

follow the links, especially in the referance section.

Do your own homework

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: lady penelope
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 03:54 PM

Do my own homework? So I'm to spend time and energy researching why you are being derisive towards me, whilst you cannot even be bothered to answer a straightforward question?

Fine. If you want to act like a five year old child, that's entirely up to you Master Hammond.

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 04:06 PM

I provided you with a damn good source of 'evidence'.

Are you afraid to read it?

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 05:34 PM

Wikipedia? A damn good source of evidence? Excuse me a moment...

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Sorry about that. Oh, hang on, I feel another fit coming on.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Cough, cough, cough.

I've had a drink of water. Better now.

:D (tG)

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 05:39 PM

Wiki is a damn good place to START... which is exactly what I said.

So choke on it DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Samhain
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 Nov 06 - 05:40 PM

I suppose I should give a reason for my outburst:-)

Here's one where the founder himself casts some doubts and a panel do some independant research. I know the Guardian has it's faults but I know who I would sooner believe.

DtG