A samhain Meditation

[Lark]

This is an original meditation I wrote for a Samhain celebration a number of years ago. Feel free to copy it to your BOS or use it yourself, but please do not repost this to other sites as it does remain under my copyright.

Relax......take some deep cleansing breaths.....breathe in........breathe out.......breathe in......breathe out....Feel yourself connecting to the Earth below.......feel the energy of the Earth climbing up your spine......and breathe in......breathe out..........Feel yourself bathed in the energy of the Sun and wind........breathe in........and breathe out.......let go of the world around you........be right here.......be right now......you float on the wind.....breathe in.......breathe out.........and as you float on the wind.......you come to another time and place.

Night is falling....through the trees you can see the flicker of lights that are the fires of the village where your clan sits to feast....but you will not join them....you hear the wind sighing in the treetops.....you know that on this night the old year dies and the new year is born......And you, who are now old and weak.....you who are tired and full of pain.....you will pass with the old year into the darkness........

You travel down the narrow path through the forest......the way is dark and narrow, but your feet know the path......before you you see an open meadow.....you step from the trees into the grassy field...... it is dark for there is no moon, but the stars cast light enough to see.....faintly across the field you can see the barrow which is the burial place of your ancestors.......the door to the barrow stands open, lit by torches, and you approach it slowly......slowly you enter in, feeling the weight of the years upon your shoulders. The stones surround you, strong as the bones of Earth.....And ahead you see the chariot that will carry you to the realm of Annwyn.....With a deep sigh, you lie down upon the chariot.....And here in the dark of the Earth, you prepare yourself to die.

And as you lie here....here in the depths of the Earth......there come to mourn you those whom you have loved in this lifetime......parents, friends, lovers, children......you see before you the familiar faces......and you remember the good times.....the warmth of a lover's kiss.....the touch of a child's hand.......the pleasures of joy shared.....You hold each memory before you like a bright jewel.......taking one last pleasure in the thought.....then the memory tumbles to the floor to glitter like a diamond in the darkness.

And other memories come.....Memories of a lifetime lived.....memories which bring you joy.....the brightness of a summer's day......the joy of a task well done......the raising of a family......Remember now all that you can of what has been precious to you.............

And as you hold each memory in your hand, it glitters like a precious jewel, then tumbles to the floor.

Now the others are gone.....the torches flicker and go out.......and you lie in the darkness awaiting your death..... And as you lie there, other memories come......Memories that are not so pleasant, memories you would like to forget......

You remember the times when you were not a friend......when you were unkind....when you betrayed a trust......when you were too busy to care.......when a loved one hurt you or was untrue......the memories bubble up from deep inside....welling from deep inside....and there is pain once more as the tears gather in your eyes......You cry out in anger and pain.....and your tears flow downward to pool in the cauldron on the floor.....

And still the memories come....all of the failures of your life.....the opportunities lost........all that it is now to late too set right......Each painful piece of your life comes forward now and forces you to look it in the face once more....................................

And the anger and pain flow with your tears....like a stream of darkness they flow downward.....and pool in the cauldron on the floor.

And at last.....all the memories are gone....no more joy.....no more pain......only the darkness of the barrow.......Your heart slows and stops......your breath sighs outward one last time......And Death claims you at last.....you float in the darkness....and it is warm....and safe.....and there is no more pain................................

You float in the darkness.....without pain.....without grief.....without guilt......you have left all that behind......it cannot touch you now.....

You float in the darkness......surrounded by the body of the Great Mother.....safe in the darkness.....and you listen to the heartbeat of the Mother that surrounds you.......and as you listen to the beating or her heart.......you feel your own heart beat in answer.......You breathe deeply....and the air is clean and fresh........Slowly you open your eyes, and the room is bathed in sunlight........You sit up slowly.......you look at your body.....and your body is whole and strong.

You look around you......and the walls of the room pulse with life.....the floor seems covered with a carpet of jewels that sparkle in the light.....and in the center of the room is a cauldron that seems a pool of darkness.......And a voice says to you......"choose wisely....take with you what you need"......and so you chose which memories to take with you into the dawning......and you know that only that which you chose will go with you....all else will be purified in the body of the Mother.......

You step forth from the barrow.....into the sunlight.....and the barrow closes.....burying all that was of the old life deep within the Earth.....there it will cause no further pain....

The meadow is bright with sunlight now.....the sky an aching blue.....the new year dawns....You cross the meadow and enter the woods......the path now runs straight and true.......ahead you can hear the voices of your kinfolk greeting the new day.....you hurry ahead to greet them......and they welcome you home.......and you know that you are safe.....and you know that you are loved..

You feel rested.... and cleansed..... and relaxed. When you are ready, open your eyes and return to this world....

-Lark-

[Crescent Moon]

Truly Beautiful Lark.  Thank you for sharing.  Upon reading this it also brought on another idea. 

Samhain is when things die off and hide away in Mother Earth until the warmth of the Sun once again warms them and the rain fertilizes them to rebirth.

I was thinking after reading your meditation another idea for those who might want to do something a bit different (not that I've ever done this ~ as I've said it just came to me).  A list if you will (on recycled paper or something similar to reflect rebirth) of things that:

You regret that you've done ~ like as mentioned in the meditation, being unkind when caring was needed most.  Not being a friend to someone who needed you, you betrayed a trust or any other regrets or misdeeds done. Sit and reflect on them for a bit.  Sit and reflect on how you can learn from this list and then ask the Goddess & God to guide you in the coming year as you bury the list deep within the Earth. Just a thought/idea, might not be a good one though...just juggling an idea about.

Blessings,
Crescent Moon

[Still Kate]

Dear Lark,
          If you don't mind, I'd very much like to print this out and use it as part of my ritual.

(I'm preparing and cleaning the home, I've bought new items from Cornwall and have a new broom coming.)

I'd like to use your meditation. As you know, I'm chasing around after 3 chidren, I would love a meditation for Samhain but I'm not very good at writting them. Your meditation is perfect.
Bless'd Be
Kate.

[Brijrian]

Lark, I love your meditation. I shared the link to it with my coven. It is beautifully written. Where did your inspiration come from? I love the imagery.

I think that it would also be a great meditation for rites of passage, as well.

*Brij

P.S. Don't doubt yourself, Crescent Moon. Your idea is wonderful and valid!   

[Lark]

I have no problem with anyone copying this to their personal book of shadows or using it in ritual whether solitary or with their coven.  My only issue would be for it to be reprinted on the net or in a magazine or something somewhere.  But if people find it useful for their personal work go right ahead.

Brijan, in answer to your question I followed a Celtic pantheon for many years.  And I am also an amateur student of Celtic history and culture.  Much of the imagery is drawn from what is known archealogically about Celtic settlments and burial customs.

-Lark-

[Crescent Moon]

Thank you Brijrian.

And as I lie in bed the other night I realized this is absolutely a perfect idea for Samhain.  I too shall you it, if that's okay with Lark. 

[Crescent Moon]

Thanks Brijrian.

And as I lie in bed the other night in the middle of the night awake. I thought how perfect this meditation for Samhain would be.  I hope you don't mind if I use it as well Lark.  Thank you. : )

[Rowan CedarWolf]

Lark,
you always seem to know just the right thing to post when I need it! I love this meditation. It's wonderful. I have so many of your writings in my BOS, and treasure all of them. This reminds me of your writings on the 4th face of the goddess, the clearing away to make new. Thank you so much for sharing this and all of your other writings. You truely are a treasure.

[Sorsha]

I had already copied this to my BOS!
It will be the first part of my Samhain Ritual this year.
Thank you so much! 

Have a Bright and Blessed Samhain!