by Claire du Nord
For Broom Closet Witches
Samhain In (or Out of) the Broom Closet
Welcome back, Broom Closet Witches! Claire du Nord here, a High Priestess in the Temple of Witchcraft Tradition, with Article #5 in our “For Broom Closet Witches” column!
Blessed Samhain!/Happy Halloween!
I felt it might be worthwhile at this time of year to hover over a topic that gives me, as a Broom Closet Witch, a chance to relax my hypervigilance just a bit for a moment in time, (in my own mind, at least). At Samhain (Halloween), I personally find a small sense of freedom to enjoy and celebrate my Craft “out in the open” – even if the “hows”, the “whys” and the “wherefores” of the Holiday as it is commonly observed may be somewhat askew.
In the previous article it was illustrated just how “tricky” it can be to celebrate the Esbats, or Full Moon rituals, in a Broom Closet. (Unless you are an astronomy hobbyist who regularly stands outside at night for great lengths of time, staring up into the heavens.) Not a bad idea, actually – Remind me to invest in a good telescope!)
This may be stating the obvious, but it always amazes me just how easy it can be to celebrate the Wheel of the Year Sabbats in or out of a Broom Closet – right out there in plain sight, right along with everyone else! Well, not everyone, of course, but you really can’t avoid the Holidays/Holy Days, even if you try. It’s as if the Sabbats had never stopped being celebrated by the general populace! The Wheel of the Year continues to turn and be turned!
Did I just teleport into a Pagan Wonderland?
As the “Holidays” draw near, (whether Samhain/Halloween, or any of the other major ones), stepping into any large department store, (or any store, for that matter), or just looking around me, prompts my Witchy self to wonder, “What just happened here? Have I just entered some sort of parallel universe?” Maybe it’s just me, but I personally get an overwhelming sense of validation for being on the path of the Witch when the Sabbats roll around – not just at Samhain, but the others, as well. The huge amounts of time, effort and money put forth in the preparations for these events on the part of a society that doesn’t necessarily follow a Pagan path, must indicate that these times are much more than just another opportunity to have a party, and I feel this on many levels. While the scope of this article does not include a history of the Wheel of the Year Sabbats, it hopefully gives greater credence to, and justification for, our own participation, as Witches, in the various Holiday festivities and celebrations, even if that means keeping the ancient history of them hidden away in a secret place in mind and heart.
I hope this article has been helpful, and until next time, Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet again!
Bright Blessings,
Claire du Nord