hmm... I'm not really sure how to put how samhain makes me feel in words.. but there is a certain energy in the air that makes everything seem lighter.

It is a time when the veil between the Astral and the Material thins. ^^ It's a refreshing feeling and a beautiful time of year.

Aye it is.

When you lower the barriers of doubt, apathy, and general skeptical thoughts, you start to become more attuned with nature's influence. Negativity is what holds a person back from experincing the world in posative light. At that point, you can find a natural point of balance with yourself and be truely open to what these things mean. I've cleared my mind at one point and experinced Samhain. It's almost like a supernatural feeling of natural endorphines, as if liberating your own spirital self and for one moment feeling invigorated.

Sadly, Samhain, or All Hallows Eve for that matter, aren't really celebrated in the Netherlands. However, the days running up to Samhain itself, I feel a bit more down to earth, so to say, my feet both on the ground, and this feelings grows stronger as Samhain gets closer, until it reaches it's pinacle, so to say, on Samhain. You can almost feel the veil between the material and spiritual plains getting thinner.
Last year, or the year before, I decided it'd be fun to carve out a pumpkin, and it was good fun. It felt nice to light the candle too.

Its hard to explain feelings. When the barrier thins and ultimately blends with the astral, its a feeling that just cannot be put into words. When one lets himself go, let go of negativity, of doubt, everything that can hinder one's energy, one just feels like everything is alive and feels like all become one. At least that is my experience. Wish I was still in the states though, Brazil is nice and all and it is my home country but being a witch in a catholic country is hard lol. But yeah, that's about how I feel whenever Samhain comes around, and I feel absolutely euphoric on All Hallows Eve. Definitely my favorite time of year.

i'm not much into british/celtic paganism, so samhain as a holiday isn't very meaningful for me. i can tell you that this time of year beings feelings and thoughts of warmth, family, and thankfulness. :)

The smells, the sensations, the air, the energy. I find my self crying. Tears of joy and relief. Everything can be shed, cast aside. I can enjoy the richness of this time of year. This is truly the most special time for me. Im grateful im here to celebrate it.

I've yet to have time for a ritual. I hope to this year. The veils have been especially thin in this place anyway, I think this Samhain it will be so thin that great things will be worked.

This year...I'm moving on Samhain. XD Happy new year to me. lol

I used this time last year to commune with my departed ancestors. I did a rite that let me find the identities of my ancestors about 3 generations back. It lead me to my 4th great grandfather! It's weird though. I've tried to retrace my steps and refind the names in the online database I used but it is always really hard. It's as though, for that one nignt, I was able to flawlessly reach back into my family tree and pull out names from the depths. I honor Ole Sam Hain for the experience. I love this holiday!

Samhain is a special time for me although it is only now in my later years that I can do much about it or even have a sense of what it is I am sensing. This year it will be the last day of my vacation, falling on a Wednesday which I have only recently arranged to be a day off every week for me. I have always kept this time of year special in my heart and while I may not have the materials to do much I do think and contemplate all things spiritual in a kind of meditation.

This time of year is one of my favorite times. The crisp air, the energies that are available, and the opportunity to commune.

I did my first Samhain in Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 2003 after hearing about it through a local Pagan group that ran a store called "The Green Goddess." Very touching...it was out back in a huge field behind the host's farmhouse. Cool breezes, fall scents in the air, and a big bonfire. It helped me to realize that Wicca/Paganism was the right path for me.

For me, my first Samhain wasn't really "celebrated", more "experienced" - when I became more aware of how I was maturing and who I was turning out to be.

It was a pretty bad year for me in a terrible town with horrid people, and I'd started to surround myself with too much negative energy. So it was interesting that during Samhain, without me even being consciously aware of it, I'd ended up having a sort of epiphany in which I told myself "You know what? I don't need to feel so terrible and helpless all the time! It's my life and I choose how I want to live it!"

October usually becomes the time of year that I start planning towards next year and what goals I'll keep in mind. So whatever happens this year, we'll just have to see.

My first Samhain ritual was at a UU church here in the Seattle area.

Having started exploring paganism, I had also been going to this particular church, and it just happened that, on this day, it was such a ritual.

It was truly moving. It was a reflectionn on the end of the year, death, and a calling of names for our dead.

And moreover, it was nothing of what I expected, having come from an evangelical Christian background. I had pretty much decided, at that point, that this was the path I wanted to explore.

This was in 2008.

As to what I plan for this year, I think a little bit of a solitary thing is up for my home. I am also planning on being at a rit on Sunday at a friend's home.

I am rather orthoprax so, spiritually, I am not very active. However, I love discussing it with friends, I love the season, the food, I love the symbolism and, of course, the good nature prankish nature everyone has!

I used to celebrate in eclectic groups that tried to incorporate a little bit of everyone's beliefs into each holiday. It was great for me, because I don't particularly follow any path. The nice part of that was learning the traditions of others, and all the different paths that are out there, and which holidays held more importance to others.

Now that I'm solitary again, I seldom do much. I usually work in some sort of ritual, but it's nothing big. I'd like to change that when I'm not so poor. It'd also be nice to celebrate holidays with someone. I have more motivation for that. It'll be nice when my other pagan friend moves closer, and we can celebrate together.

I am new in integrating myself into rituals so I don't have any stories about that but I do feel more alive during Samhain. I feel empowered, strong, like I can do anything if I wanted to try it. I am not afraid to admit this either but I feel rather sensual [an effect of the empowerment]. I am not talking about sexual but I feel more self confident about myself as a woman and about my features and looks in general.

I have always enjoyed the feel of the nights growing longer, of the sights as leaves and the earth going through the changes of the season and my heart sings as the new year lays before me. Its promise of the Lady's consort soon to return. This is the time when the veils are thin and our loved ones that have gone before are again able to talk to us, if we are willing to listen. During my solitaire years of practicing, it was a time of inner reflection and self growth. When I was with my sister coven it was a time of sharing, passing on traditions and the old ways. But as I find myself once again going it solo, it is a time when I can be at ease with my self and feel the pulse of the ways stirring in my blood. I have planned some wonderfully creative abundance spells to share with my furfamily, also a night of tarot readings with the Lord and Lady blessings.

Blessing Be to all of my fellow practitioners on this most scared Sabbath of Samhain!

I celebrated my first two or three Samhains at a UU church with the church's CUUP's group (Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans). I was really blessed to have found such a great group to work with. Their rituals were really moving and powerful, and beautiful.

I'm not sure what I'll do this year, but if I am able to find a private space to work in, I'll probably bundle up, clear a space to sit, light some candles, and take time to relax and reflect on the past year. :)

I stepped outside last night and saw the most gorgeous moon. Not quite fully anymore -- that was last night -- but still big and bright and beautiful. The Eye of the Goddess is beautiful any time of year, of course, but there is just something special about a harvest moon that makes me feel watched -- in a good way -- and protected. This IS a time of year for thankfulness.