It’s Halloween, a holiday that is traditionally celebrated by dressing up in costumes, trick or treating, and all things that are dark, scary, or spooky.

Like many of the holidays we celebrate today, Halloween’s origins are both ancient and global, as the traditions we practice today are derived from different cultures worldwide.

Much of how we celebrate  Halloween is based on an ancient Celtic pagan festival called Samhain, which was a time when the veil between the world of the living and the realm of spirit became very thin and that you could more easily connect with the spirits of your ancestors. 

This idea is also central to Dia de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead”, a festival that began in Central and Southern Mexico thousands of years ago. 

It is believed that on this night that the spirits of your ancestors returned to visit, and instead of grieving the death of your loved ones or the skulls and skeletons that are featured as scary or macabre, it is instead a colorful and bright celebration of life and a chance to honor the memory of those who have passed.

In many parts of the world this time of year is seen as a chance to continue your connection with your ancestors, to draw on their wisdom and see your life today in the context of the past and our history through your own lineage. 

Yes, this idea of the veil between worlds can be scary (thus the reputation of Halloween!), but it is also a beautiful reminder that exploring the dark and the shadow is just as important as the light, and that death is an inevitable part of life. 

And, this time of year is when the harvest is complete, the leaves have fallen from the trees and we fall into the silent magic and beautiful mystery that is the darkness. 

So tonight- summon your ancestors, invite a “ghost” or spirit to visit, ask them for advice or to share their wisdom with you, and look to the unseen as the veil thins between worlds.

Happy Halloween!