Tonight and tomorrow is when most modern Pagans celebrate Samhain. Samhain is the start of winter and of the new year in the old Celtic calendar. This is a time when the ancestors are honored, divinations for the new year are performed, and festivals are held in honor of the gods. It is a time of final harvest before the long winter ahead. It is perhaps the best-known and most widely celebrated of the modern Pagan holidays.

Samhain candlelight labyrinth.
Photo by Readerwalker, CC License

It is a time when some communities acknowledge the Mighty Dead.

“The Mighty Dead are said to be those practitioners of our religion who are on the Other Side now, but who still take great interest in the activities of Witches on this side of the Veil. They have pledged to watch, to help and to teach. It is those Mighty Dead who stand behind us, or with us, in circle so frequently.”

This has been a heavy year, as many notable members of the broader Pagan community have crossed the veil, including Sequoia Greenfield, Tara Webster, John Lyon Burnside III, Tom K. (Phoenix), Frederick McLaren Adams, Denessa Smith, Sgt. Joseph A. Ford, Paula Gunn Allen, Cora Anderson, Alan Miller (aka Dr Christopher Hyatt), Susan Grace Falkenrath (aka Susan Wolf), and Brenda Henson.

“I love that story about Susan Anthony that Zsuzsanna Budapest tells in her book. Some journalist asked Susan Anthony, because she didn’t believe in orthodox religion, I suppose, “Where do you think you’re to go when you die?” She said, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to stay around and help the women’s movement.” So even if I don’t live long enough to see these things, I’ll be around to make a nuisance of myself.” – Doreen Valiente, the Mother of Modern Witchcraft.

Below you’ll find an assortment of quotes from the media and from fellow Pagans on the holiday.

“Samhain. All Hallows. All Hallow’s Eve. Hallow E’en. Halloween. The most magical night of the year. Exactly opposite Beltane on the wheel of the year, Halloween is Beltane’s dark twin. A night of glowing jack-o’-lanterns, bobbing for apples, tricks or treats, and dressing in costume. A night of ghost stories and séances, tarot card readings and scrying with mirrors. A night of power, when the veil that separates our world from the Otherworld is at its thinnest. A “spirit night”, as they say in Wales.” – Mike Nichols, The Witches’ Sabbats

“This night brought excitement to our European ancestors. They believed that this night was the time when the “Veil Between Worlds” was at its thinnest, and a time when the love of the living and the dead could transcend through that thinned Veil, and each side could reach to the other, to express that love.” – Terry Smith, The Town Talk

“Halloween’s constantly evolving traditions originated about 2,000 years ago in the Celtic culture that thrived in what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France. Oct. 31 marked the end of the Celtic year and the annual ancient festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). This event celebrated the end of both the summer and the harvest. It was a pivotal time for early pagans whose lives were so closely linked to the land.” – Laura Krawczyk and Eric Sever, The Cauldron

“In A.D. 43 the Roman war machine rolled through Britain and conquered a large chunk of the Celtic population. But the Romans, always the master conquerors, cleverly blended two of their own holidays with the Celtic Samhain to make the transition to Roman rule more seamless. One holiday was a celebration of the dead — easy enough to mix with Samhain — and the other was a celebration of the Pomona, goddess of fruit and trees, where, apparently, the tradition of bobbing for apples takes root.” – Streeter Seidell, CNN

“Set up an altar in your home to honor departed loved ones and ancestors, or, if you already have such an altar, place offerings and light a candle there. As done in ancient times, set a place at your table for your spirit friends and relatives, and serve them some of the food and drink you share at your Samhain feast. Throw a Come as You Were Party and have everyone dress up as they were in another life. Set lighted carved pumpkins around your home to bless it. Magically make a resolution to break out of a negative habit pattern and begin a healthier way of being. Do divination on the year ahead.” – Selena Fox, Celebrating the Seasons

May you all have a blessed Samhain, blessings to you, and your beloved dead on this season. Let this new cycle be one of great blessings for all of you.

Several blogs, and a couple fine souls, have alerted me to this story. I don’t think I can really improve on the blistering, soul-destroying irony on display here. So I’ll let you, dear readers, append your own punchline in the comments.

Exodus, Chapter 32.

“For these and other reasons Cindy [Jacobs] is calling for a Day of Prayer for the World’s Economies on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. They are calling for prayer for the stock markets, banks, and financial institutions of the world on the date the stock market crashed in 1929. They are meeting at the New York Stock Exchange, the Federal Reserve Bank, and its 12 principal branches around the US that day. “We are going to intercede at the site of the statue of the bull on Wall Street to ask God to begin a shift from the bull and bear markets to what we feel will be the ‘Lion’s Market,’ or God’s control over the economic systems,” she said.”

If the economy does any worse, we may just see some temples to Pluto, Kubera, and Lu Hsing pop up soon.

“I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, and the statue of Zeus by the Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high pyramids, and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, ‘Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught [anything] so grand’” – Antipater of Sidon

Word has come from Turkey that the famous Temple of Artemis at Ephesus is going to be rebuilt and restored to its former glory.

Artemis of Ephesus

“With support from Austrian scientists, [Dr. Atilay] Ileri [founder of the Selcuk Artemis Culture, Arts and Education Foundation] had Swiss architects prepare a plan for the reconstruction of the temple. Ileri, who has dreamed of reconstructing the temple for 10 years, said: ‘When completed, the temple will not be a copy or an imitation of the original Artemis but the Artemis itself. And its sisters of the past will set their eyes on it with pride and emulation.’”

The project will cost an estimated 150 million dollars, and will involve sculptors from around the world. The government of Turkey, while not directly financing the project, is supportive of Ileri’s efforts. The new temple will be 1,500 meters from the original temple, and is expected to break ground once official permission is granted. Ileri hopes the rebuilt temple will become a new “center of world sculpture”.

The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and was initially destroyed by the world’s first fame-seeker (who shall not be named here) in 356 BCE. The temple was rebuilt in 323 BCE, only to be destroyed once more by Goths (the Germanic tribes, not the clove-smoking black-clad subculture) in 262. The Ephesians rebuilt it once again (you have to admire their dedication), only to have it dismantled by a mob led by St. John Chrysostom in 401 CE. Some of the columns were then used to build the Hagia Sophia.

While I’m certain the new temple will be a hive for tourism and the arts, I can only imagine how rebuilding one of the most famous goddess temples will resonate culturally around the world. Will it become a place of pilgrimage? Will a new cult to the Ephesian Artemis revive? Will it signal a new trend in not simply preserving old temples and landmarks, but actually rebuilding them to their former glory? Could we see a new Delphi or Colossus of Rhodes? An embracing of our pre-Christian heritage slipped through the side-door of “tourism”, “art”, and “culture”.

Slate.com contributor Lee Ann Kinkade (she previously wrote a piece on intentional communities) outs herself as a Witch, and reveals the less glamorous side of practicing Paganism.

“This picture leaves out an important detail, and I don’t mean the whole human-sacrifice-and-stealing-Christian-babies thing. Planning a ritual, whether it’s for Halloween or any other holiday, is a conflict-filled battle. It’s like trying to herd jack rabbits on horseback. Those who practice witchcraft tend to be strident nonconformists, and the very nature of paganism, which has no unifying body or text, means that we have no obligation to believe the same thing or listen to anything beyond the dictates of our own consciences to unite in perfect accord. Often we flow together, achieving unity in which we are transported beyond ourselves, connected with the earth we love and the energy we feel from it. And just as often, we don’t.”

Kinkade shares some personal ritual mishaps from her past, and her annoyance at those who want to be “Pagan for a day” come Samhain.

“It seems like half the people I know want to be pagan on Halloween. I have no problem with a little religious tourism. I’m a bit of a spiritual slut. I have never turned down an invitation to a Seder. Bach thundering through a church transports me. But when I see visions of bacchanals dancing in my nonpagan friends’ heads, I get a little testy. Certain experiences are too comforting, too sacred to be spectacles. For me, Samhein is one of them.”

When an essay run in a major online publication discusses “Pagan standard time” and sloppy ritual preparation, I guess we really have hit the mainstream.

A very happy Diwali to all my Hindu and IndoPagan readers. Diwali, the festival of lights, is a major Indian holiday representing a spiritual new year, and a triumph of good over evil. Depending on the region and tradition, this day commemorates the return of Lord Rama, the birth of Lakshmi, and the Austerities of Shakti (among other events). Celebrants usually light lamps, set off fireworks, and wear new clothing to commemorate the day.

Hindu puja on the eve of Diwali.

“Diwali, the festival of lights, was on Tuesday celebrated across the city with traditional fervour as people decorated and illuminated their houses. People clad in new attire, thronged temples and distributed sweets and savouries among friends and relatives. The people, especially kids and youth, enjoyed the day by bursting crackers. President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Ministers also celebrated Diwali. In the national capital, all small and major markets brimmed with activity as shoppers were seen making last minute purchases for the festival which marks the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom after 14 years of exile.”

May you experience happiness and good fortune on this day, and in the year to come.

I had never heard of Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann until her recent brush with infamy, when she advocated that Barack Obama, and other liberals, be investigated for “anti-American” views by the press.

Michele Bachmann

“What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look. I wish they would. I wish the American media would take a great look at the views of the people in Congress and find out, are they pro-America or anti-America? I think the American people would love to see an expose like that.” When asked about Sen. Barack Obama’s views she said, “Absolutely, I’m very concerned that he may have anti-American views.”

However, channeling Joseph McCarthy is hardly unique among the far-right, what has caught my eye about this witch-hunting poster child is the fact that she is funneling tainted contribution money into an anti-Pagan charity.

“Earlier this month we reported Bachmann’s connection to Frank Vennes Jr., convict-turned-good who was also a heavy Bachmann contributor. She wrote a letter on his behalf requesting a pardon, but pulled it after his homes were raided in connection with the Petters’ fraud investigation. Her campaign reported that she donated at least one of Vennes’ contributions to charity, but wouldn’t specify which one. Bachmann donated a $9,200 contribution on Oct. 3 to Minnesota Teen Challenge, according to Minnesota Independent.”

A quick look a the Minnesota Teen Challenge web site would lead you to believe they are a run-of-the-mill faith-based anti-drug and alcohol organization. But appearances can be deceiving. Local anti-Bachmann bloggers have dug through the organization’s newsletters and found some pretty familiar rhetoric.

“We would have people put curses over candy and place jewelry with demonic symbols in Trick or Treat bags. When the kids take it willingly, it opens the door for demonic attack. Kids would be sick for weeks after Halloween. Drug dealers were out in full force. We would all try to recruit at least one person to come back to the Satanic meeting. Usually, we would just try to impress them with different displays of demonic power, like levitation and casting spells.”

If that weren’t all, the scandal-tainted money was donated to a charity that used to be run and funded by the very person who tainted it in the first place!

“Frank Vennes is a former board member of Teen Challenge. He’s also involved in the nonprofit Fidelis Foundation, which has served as a fiscal agent for — and donated millions of dollars to — many evangelical ministries and other religious organizations, including Minnesota Teen Challenge.”

Now supporting a charity that peddles in lies and distortions of Pagan religions is most likely the least of her worries at this point, but it certainly gives some insight into what causes Bachmann is willing to support. Being socially conservative is one thing, but unthinkingly supporting a group that teaches mentally vulnerable children with addictions that we are evil is another matter entirely. Here’s hoping that Paganistan can elect someone a bit more friendly to our faiths come November.

Enterprise News has published a remarkably even-keeled article on tarot cards by Kathryn Rem. No doubt the quality of this piece was helped immensely by the fact that she interviews tarot author and expert Rachel Pollack (who has a blog, by the way).

“‘I loved the idea that there was a story involved with each card,’ said [Rachel] Pollack of Rhinebeck, N.Y., an authority on tarot and the author of 30 books, including “Tarot Wisdom” (Llewellyn, 2008) and “Tarot of Perfection” (Magic Realist Press, 2008). “The two biggest areas that people want to know about are love and work,” Pollack said. ‘Some readers focus on future events. But modern readers help people look inside. It’s a tool for self-awareness.’”

The Tower. Art by Pamela Colman Smith.

But if talking to a respected tarot scholar isn’t exactly what you had in mind for a Halloween-season story, Penn State’s student paper The Collegian gives you a more typical “interview with a tarot reader” piece.

“She pauses. “I thought everyone felt what I felt,” she said. “You feel something, they ask you, you tell them. You don’t see CinemaScope, Dolby Sound — it’s abstract. Some puzzle pieces don’t fit.” With her gift and her tools, she said, she can give people insight — perspective into themselves, into their future, into the people around them. She tells her customers to concentrate on three questions during tarot card readings, and by the end of the session, she does her best to answer them.”

Still a bit too mundane for you? Not enough salacious sensationalism? How about the arrest of a fraudulent teenage “tarot master”, who scammed the ex-president of Taiwan?

“The 16-year-old teenager surnamed Huang, who claimed telling fortune with tarot cards for Taiwan former president Chen Shui-bian, got arrested for forgery of documents last night in a motel in Taipei County … Huang caught media’s attention when he said he was the tarot master who had told fortune and pray for blessings for Chen Shui-bian in Huang’s office … Huang confessed that he tricked Chen in his blog article on the 23rd. He said he only learned tarot from reading books and that the three lamas in the blessing ritual were also fake.”

Now we’re talking! Sadly, since it happened in Taiwan, it will most likely get a pass from the Western media. Of course no U.S. president would risk such embarrassment (they like to stick to astrology).

So there you have it, three stories involving tarot cards, ranging from respectable to sensationalistic. A journalistic buffet catering to all tastes regarding “occult” subject matter. I personally hope for more like the Pollack article, but I fear that anyone peering into the future can expect more stereotypical fare as well.