Samhain for me.

There are two dates to celebrate Samhain.. the traditional one which is April 30 or the actual moment which is different every year and is worked out by the sun's path, I think..
.. I tend to go for the traditional one as tradition resonates with me.. my life is steeped in tradition, whether it is this hedgewitch path or my catholic one.. I love the tradition of both and I do believe that all of this harks back to past lives.

I wake to a cloudy day, wondering if it would rain. My plan today is to visit Laura and Williams graves in Rookwood, an old cemetery near Sydney. I plan on taking the last apple off my tree and sharing it with them.

Before I leave I set my Samhain altar, sweep my front step and wash it down with a mix of salt cinnamon and lemon oil., I then set the candles that will be lit tonight.
I chose a crystal for this season, my plan is to choose a crystal each Sabbat and in a year I will have a collection, my own portable wheel of the year. I chose jet for Samhain, I took it and cleansed it and then programmed it with intention of helping me to let go of that which no longer serves my highest good.

I gather a bunch of flowers.. and the last apple from my tree & a stone I found on Perranuthnoe beach in Cornwall.

Arriving at Rookwood, I stood in awe of the magick of the old part of the cemetery. We drove down to the Naval section

 and there were all the graves, set out in rows, in a perfect lawn.
 I see crows over in a corner, under the shade of a beautiful conifer.

 They were sitting on top of a headstone, calling.. and of course, I feel drawn to wander over to take photos and look at the grave that the crow was sitting on and was taken aback that it was Williams'.
The crows had led me to the grave of my great grandfather!..I didn’t have to search. I placed a small posy of flowers and stood, thinking for awhile and then off to find Laura, who apparently is near William somewhere, not in the naval section but close by. She couldn't be buried in with him, so when he died, she bought the closest plot near to him, that she could.

I find her almost immediately and I stand and look at her grave..there is an urn for flowers, so I place my small, humble bunch

 – in memory of the woman who made the trek to Australia. And stayed here after her husband died. With her children. The youngest being my Pa who was about 7.

Joe left me be, to wander ..

 and I sat on the side of the grave, cutting the apple in two and sharing it with her.. as I ate my apple, I told her of my hopes and dreams, of my trip to Cornwall and of my own struggles within.. of my shadows and fears.. and I felt her comfort me and I felt that she will be with me everyday, guiding me.. and I asked her to be with me to make sure. It was emotional to be there, I felt tears springing to my eyes.. they fell silently down my cheeks.. to be here with the woman I had researched and traced in Cornwall. My great grandmother. But so peaceful and I felt such a connection to this woman who I had never met. [to tell the truth, sitting beside that grave, I felt at home.. as if I truly belonged there, it was like her arms were wrapping around me, comforting me.]

I read a blessing to her..

and then I walked back to Williams grave & read to him as well.. asking him to give me his strength and courage to take my through the rest of my life.. I asked them both to help me with my own Cornish inner wisdom. And I thanked them again..

I left a stone from Tintagel on Laura's grave and as I placed it I thought that where as my backyard is the beautiful blue mts, Laura's as a child was places such as Tintagel, Perranuthanoe and lands End. Did she scamper up the rocks from Merlins Cave, did she wander the moors? Cornwall is just not a place of far away memories, it is a place where this woman, my great grand mother lived, walked and played

I took a short video of my wanderings in Rookwood... I hope you enjoy these reflections

[click here to watch] A day in Rookwood

The Morrigan - the doll I created to honour this Goddess that has taken me under Her wing for those times I need the battle warrior.