Three Prayers for Samhain

Samhain is the Season’s End, and we naturally think about other endings. We think about those that we have lost, in the world around us. This includes any creature or spirit in the world, anyone that has lived on this green earth. These could be humans, animals, insect friends, imaginary friends that are no longer with us – any such spirit.

There are many ways of interacting with the Ancestors. The easiest and most frequently used is recollection. This is remembering them. Sometimes recollection is of our earliest memories; sometimes it is of our final memories; sometimes it is of our most intense memories. Usually, it is some point in-between.

Ancestor interactions

It is impossible to know if our recollections make their way to the Ancestors, but on some level, I like to believe that they might. This is the most passive of Ancestor interactions, but it reaches out to them, in some abstract way, nevertheless.

Another way of interacting with the Ancestors, one that I prefer, is calling to them. Calling to them is a form of recollection but is typically utilized in combination with some other activity. One such activity would be prayers or offerings.

I feel that by saying their names aloud, we speak to them, and our voices carry into this world, and if our world and the next world intersect, into their world as well. One can say the names of the Ancestors every day. I want them to know that I remember them, that they are remembered, most importantly that they are not forgotten, wherever they may be.

Offerings

A different way to reach out to the Ancestors is by making offerings. We believe that by making offerings we build relationships or rebuild relationships. We give a gift so that we may receive some blessings, insights, or wisdom in return.

These offerings can be material, like coffee at breakfast, a bit of bread, or a drop or two of wine, beer, spirits – or even water. Offerings can also be poems, words spoken from the heart, or prayers. Speaking of prayers, I have three Ancestor Prayers for Samhain, but they can be used at any time.

Prayers

The first prayer is for the Ancestors that we knew personally or had direct knowledge. I would call these the Ancestors of our life. They have touched us by familial links, heart, or hearth links. They made an impression on us, and we reach out to them again.

My Ancestor Prayer

You are never forgotten,

As I call out to you this day.

Your memory is still fresh in my head,

In my heart,

And in my life.

You touched my life,

And you continue to do so,

And I reach out to touch you,

Today again.

I offer my blessings and thanks,

And I ask for your blessings in return.

There are also Ancestors that we honor, such as those who we see as guides, mentors, and kindred spirits that we did not know personally. Their teachings, presence, and wisdom nourished us and made us better people. It is most likely that they touched other people as well.

Prayer to the Guides

You touched me in ways,

That made a difference in my life.

You taught me by example,

By your words,

By the way you lived your life.

Though we did not know

Each other in this life,

Your guidance made me who I am.

Please continue to teach me,

And I will leave my life open,

To the blessings that you bring.

Finally, there are those ancestors we did not know, those who lived on this land, long before we did. In the spirit of hospitality, it falls to us to continue to care for the land that they lived on and that we now share with them not only in location, but in spirit. Their bones have rested within the bosom of the Earth Mother for countless ages, yet we remember them as spirits of the place.