Jabuke u pašti

Rujan i listopad su mjeseci kada se jabuke ubiru u velikim količinama, a njihova slatkoća se na veliko primjenjuje u kuhinji. Drevni narodi su također znali uživati u kvalitetama ovog voća i prepoznali ga kao simbol besmrtnosti. U nordijskoj mitologiji (u Eddama), jabuke su ono što Aesir (jednu od dvaju glavnih skupina božanstava u njihovoj kulturi) čini besmrtnima. U grčkoj mitologiji je poznata priča o hesperidinim zlatnim jabukama koje onom koji ih pojede daju mudrost i besmrtnost. U arturijanskim legendama je poznata priča o otoku Avalon čije se ime redovito prevodi kao "otok jabuka". Prema predaji, kralj Arthur nije umro od smrtnih ozljeda nakon bitke s Mordredom već je otišao na ovaj mitski otok izliječiti svoje rane. Dakle, simbolika Avalona kao otoka besmrtnosti podupire već ustaljenu simboliku jabuka. Paganske vjere, a time i neopaganske, su usvojile ovu simboliku jabuka i našli joj mjesto u folkloru sabata Samhain. Jabuke se stoga na Samhain daju precima kao poklon i znak sjećanja na njih, a njihovim jedenjem se oživljava sva spomenuta simbolika.

Potrebno je:

• 4 veće jabuke
• 4 dcl mlijka
• cca. 16 većih žlica glatkog brašna
• prstohvat soli
• 2 jaja
• 1 vanilin šećer
• 1 žlica šećera
• limunova korica (od 1 limuna)
• 1 žlica ruma
• kristal šećer za posipanje
• suncokretovo ulje

Priprema:

1. Izmutite tijesto pjenjačom miješajući mlijeko, brašno, sol, jaja, vanilin šećer, šećer, rum i limunovu koricu. Tijesto treba biti puno gušće od tijesta za palačinke pa ako vam nedostaje brašna, slobodno još dodajte.
2. Jabuke pripremite tako da ih operete, izgulite sredinu tj. koštice i peteljku (koristeći posebnu spravu koju vidite na slici s desne strane, ili je pažljivo izrežite nožem) i ogulite koru.
3. Jabuke režite na ploške oko 5-6 milimetara debljine.
4. U teču za kuhanje ulijte ulje (oko 2 dcl, ali svakako dovoljno da pokrije jabuke) i stavite ga grijati.
5. Umačite jabuke u tijesto i ubacujte u ulje (pritom pripazite da jabuke plivaju jedna do druge, a ne jedna na drugoj da se ne bi zalijepile). Kada jedna strana porumeni i poprimi zlatno-smeđu boju, okrenite jabuke na drugu stranu. Potom iz izvadite i ostavite na papirnatom ubrusu da se višak ulja ocijedi.
6. Pospite još tople jabuke kristal šećerom i poslužite. :)

Apple Fritters

September and October are months when apples are picked in bulk, and their sweetness is used in the kitchen at large. The ancients also knew how to savor the quality of this fruit and recognized it as a symbol of immortality. In Nordic mythology (in the Eddas), apples are what makes the Aesir (one of the two main groups of gods in their culture) immortal. In Greek mythology, a well-known story is that of the golden apples of the Hesperides which give the gift of wisdom and immortality to the person who eats them. In Arthurian legends there is the story of the island of Avalon whose name is often translated as "the isle of apples". According to legend, king Arthur did not die of mortal wounds after his battle with Mordred. Rather he went to this mythical island to heal his wounds. Therefore, the symbolism of Avalon as the island of immortality supports the already well-established symbolism of apples. Pagan faiths, and therefore Neopagan ones as well, adopted this symbolism and found a place for it in the folklore of the Sabbat Samhain. Apples are therefore given to our ancestors as a gift for Samhain and as a symbol of our memory of them and when we eat them, we revive all of the mentioned symbolism.

You Will Need:

• 4 larger apples
• 4 dl milk
• ca. 16 tbsp plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 vanilla sugar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• 1 tbsp rum
• sugar for sprinkling
• sunflower oil

How To Prepare:

1. Prepare the batter using a whisk and blend milk, flour, salt, eggs, vanilla sugar, sugar, rum and lemon zest. The batter should be thicker than pancake batter so if you think it's too watery, feel free to add more flour.
2. Prepare the apples by washing them, taking out the middle (i.e. the core with the seeds and the stem) using a special little utensil which you can see in the picture next to this paragraph. If you don't have it, simply do this using a knife. Then peel of the apple skin.
3. Cut the apples into slices approximately 5-6 mm thick.
4. Pour vegetable oil into a cooking pot (about 2 dl, but definitely enough to cover the apple slices) and heat it up.
5. Dip the apple slices into the prepared batter and gently place them in the oil to fry. Make sure the apples are floating next to each other and not on top of each other otherwise they will stick together. When one side turns golden-brown, turn the slices over onto the other side. When the other side is also done, take the slices out and lave them on a paper napkin (it will soak up the excess oil).
6. While they are still warm, sprinkle the apples with sugar and serve. :)

Pita od bundeve i jabuke

Nadam se da ste se svi lijepo proveli za vještičju Novu godinu! :) Pošto sam ja veliki slatkoljubac, morala sam i ovaj put napraviti neki kolač da fešta bude potpuna. I tako u skladu s dosadašnjom praksom dijelim recept s vama! Prikladan je za Samhain upravo zbog dvaju glavnih sastojaka - bundeve i jabuke. A ne samo da je prikladan, nego je i ukusan. Ako mi ne vjerujete na riječ, isprobajte kolač i sami se uvjerite. Uživajte u mojoj piti od bundeve i jabuke. :D

Potrebno je:

Za punjenje:

• 1 čaša pripremljene bundeve (ovo ćete dobiti od 2 manje bundeve)
• 1 čaša naribane jabuke (2 jabuke
• 3/4 čaše meda
• 4 bjelanjka
• _{1 1/2 čajna žličica cimeta}
• _{1/2 čajne žličice naribanog đumbira (preporučam svježi)}
• 1/4 čajne žličice mljevenih klinčića
• 1 čaša mlijeka
• 3 žlice smeđeg šećera
• smjesa od brašna i vode (4 žlice namjenskog brašna za dizana tijesta + nekoliko žlica vode)

Za tijesto:

• 3 čaše namjenskog brašna za dizana tijesta
• 1 čajna žličica soli
• 1-2 žlice smeđeg šećera
• _{1/2 čajne žličice cimeta}
• _{1/2 čaše suncokretovog ulja}
• _{1/2 čaše mlijeka}

Napomena: ova količina smjese je dovoljna za 2 pite promjera cca. 22cm.

Priprema:

Punjenja:

1. Električnim mikserom napravite pjenu od bjelanjaka.
2. Pripremite bundevu (izrežite na pola, izdubite i maknite sjemenke; meso stavite u zdjelu).
3. Izribajte jabuke (nemojte zaboraviti oguliti koru prije toga!).
4. Napravite smjesu od brašna jer će vam ona zgusnuti cjelokupnu smjesu prilikom pečenja. Smjesu radite tako da pomiješate 4 žlice brašna s malo mlake vode dok ne dobijete smjesu koja je dovoljno gusta, ali istovremeno i dovoljno rijetka da ju možete izliti u zdjelu.
5. Kuhačom pomiješajte sve sastojke za punjenje u jednu zdjelu.

Tijesta:

6. Pomiješajte sve sastojke za tijesto. Mijesite rukama dok ne dobijete kompaktnu smjesu.
7. Razdvojite tijesto na dva dijela.
8. Uzmite lim za pite (često je promjera 22cm, ali možete naći većih i manjih limova; prilagodite recept veličini lima). Nauljite maslinovim uljem i pobrašnite (nemojte zaboraviti višak ulja obrisati salvetom, a višak brašna istresti).
9. Stavite papir za pečenje na radnu površinu te na njemu izvaljajte jednu polovicu tijesta (ne deblje od 6-7mm!). Ako ste perfekcionist, možete ponekad prevrnuti tijesto kako biste valjkom izravnali ikakve nabora od papira za pečenje.
10. Stavite lim za pite naopako na tijesto (dakle papir za pečenje je i dalje ispod tijesta, a lim na tijestu).
11. Preokrenite sve (papir za pečenje će vam pripomoći da se tijesto ne lijepi za površinu prilikom ovoga).
12. Utisnite tijesto u lim. Pazite da pritom ne razbijete tijesto.
13. "Odlijepite" papir za pečenje i odrežite višak tijesta s rubova lima.

Pite:

14. Izlijte smjesu u tijesto.
15. Pecite 15 minuta na 200°C.
16. Smanjite temperaturu na 175°C i pecite još 30-35 minuta (dakle pita se sveukupno peče 45-50 minuta).

Ponovite korake 8-13 za drugu pitu i to bi bilo to.

Prijatno! :D

Pumpkin & Apple Pie

I hope you all had a wonderful time for the witches' New Year! :) Since I have a big sweet tooth, I had to bake something sweet just to make the celebration complete. To keep to my old traditions, I decided to share this recipe with you. It's appropriate for Samhain becasue of its two main ingredients - apples and pumpkins. But it isn't just appropriate; it's also tasty. Although you don't have to take my word for it. You can try out the recipe and see for yourself. So enjoy my pumpkin and apple pie! :D

You Will Need:

For the filling:

• 1 cup prepared pumpkin (2 smaller pumpkins will be enough for this)
• 1 cup grated apples (2 apples)
• 3/4 cup honey
• 4 egg whites
• 1_{1/2 teaspoon cinnamon}
• _{1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (I recommend fresh, grated ginger)}
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup milk
• 3 spoons brown sugar
• flour & water mixture (4 spoons whole  wheat pastry flour + a few spoons water)

For the dough:

• 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 spoons brown sugar
• _{1/2 teaspoon cinnamon}
• _{1/2 cup sunflower oil}
• _{1/2 cup milk}

Note: this quantity will make 2 pies approximately 22cm (9'') in diameter.

How To Prepare:

Make the filling:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until you get that fluffy, white, snowy mixture.
2. Prepare the pumpkins (cut them in half, hollow them out and remove the seeds; put the "meat" in a bowl).
3. Grate the apples (don't forget to peal the skin off first!).
4. Make the flour mixture because this will help make the filling more compact during the baking process. You can make this mixture by mixing 4 spoonfulls of flour and a bit of warm water until you get a mixture that is quite dense, but liquid enough for you to pour it in a bowl.
5. Using a wooden spoon, mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl.

Make and prepare the dough:

6. Mix together all the ingredients for the dough. Fold with your hands until you get a compact mass.
7. Separate the dough into two parts.
8. Take your pie tin (which is usually about 22cm/9'' in diameter, but you may find smaller and larger ones; just don't forget to adapt the recipe to the size of your tin). Grease with olive oil and sprinkle with flour (don'r forget to wipe off the excess oil with a paper towel and shake out the excess flour).
9. Place baking paper onto your working area and roll out one half of the dough on it (no thicker than 6-7mm!). If you are a perfectionist, you can flip the dough over a few times and roll out the wrinkles from the baking paper.
10. Put the pie tin on the dough upside down (so the baking paper will be beneath the dough and the pie tin will now be on the dough).
11. Turn everything over (the baking paper will help you in this process because it won't allow the dough to stick to the working area).
12. Gently mold the dough into the pie tin. Take care not to let it break. 
13. Take the baking paper off the dough and cut off any excess dough (if it's going over the edges of the pie tin).

Make the pie:

14. Pour the filling into the dough.
15. Bake for 15 minutes at 200°C.
16. Lower the temperature to 175°C and bake another 30-35 minutes (so you will bake the pie for 45-50 minutes altogether).

Repeat steps 8-13 for the second pie and that would be it.

Bon appétit! :D

Samhain - onkraj ove stvarnosti

Dani prolaze i kolo godine se okreće, kao što to i uvijek biva. Tako nam se bliži i Samhain. Možda se i vi, poput mene, pripremate za njega. Neki već prigodno kuhaju, drugi ručno izrađuju ukrase, neki razmišljaju o svojim životima i životima svojih predaka. Ako ste još niste počeli pripremati, ili ako vam treba dodatna inspiracija, možda vam ovaj post pomogne u tome.

Samhain (čita se /sauin/) je jedan od osam paganskih sabata, odnosno godišnjih slavlja, i onaj koji, između ostalog, obilježava početak nove godine za pagane. Ovo je vrijeme tugovanja i slavlja, koliko god to paradoksalno zvučalo. Naime, Samhain za pagane započinje na Samhainsku noć, to jest na večer 31. listopada, a slavlje se nastavlja 1. studenoga. Možda vam je ovaj datum poznatiji kao Dan svih svetih tijekom kojeg je uobičajeno štovati i prisjećati se svojih predaka. Iako je blagdan Svih svetih kršćanski, on dijeli mnoštvo misterija i aspekata s paganskim Samhainom. Oni čak dijele i datum (iako je to variralo kroz povijest). Svakako, Samhain za pagane ima i drugu, ne toliko mračnu stranu koja se fokusira na slavlje Nove godine, na nove početke, ludorije, gozbe i druge oblike zabave. No, priča oko nastanka ovih tradicija seže daleko u povijest.

Većina neopaganskih tradicija priznaje svojevrsni kalendar koji se zove Kolo godine. On predstavlja ciklus rađanja, umiranja i ponovnog rađanja te vječni protok godišnjih doba, aspekata božanstava i obnovu prirode. Smatra se da su od svih drevnih kultura Kelti imali najviše utjecaja na formiranje ovakvog kalendara. Važno je istaknuti da su Kelti dijelili godinu na dva godišnja doba – ljeto i zimu. Za njih je početak ljeta bio Beltane (1. svibnja), a početak zime Samhain (1. studenoga). Njima je, kao i svim drugim kulturama svijeta, bilo jasno da Sunce daje život. Stoga s rastom Sunca, odnosno s produljenjem dana, raste i život. Sunce počinje dobivati na snazi i rasti tijekom zime. Stoga je Samhain uzet za datum „rođenja“ godine od kojeg je ona nastavljala rasti i rasti sve dok ne bi počela pomalo opadati i, figurativno rečeno, umirati od Beltanea nadalje.

Drevni Kelti su također smatrali da svako od ova dva godišnja doba ima 180 dana. Preostalih 5 dana (30. travnja, Beltane, Samhain, 1. studenog i 2. studenog) nisu pripadala ni ovoj ni onoj strani kalendara; oni su bili „negdje između“ dviju stvarnosti (ove vidljive stvarnosti i one druge, nevidljive stvarnosti). Zbog toga se kaže da je „veo između svjetova“ tanak za ova dva sabata. Po ovoj logici, Samhain ne pripada ovom svijetu te se ne mora ravnati po njegovim normama i pravilima. Stoga je ovaj dan postao idealno vrijeme za nestašluk, ludorije i nerede bilo kakve vrste (odatle potječe popularni običaj trick-or-treatinga među djecom; ona idu od kuće do kuće tražeći slatkiše na Noć vještica, ono što je za pagane duhovni praznik Samhaina, a ako im netko odbije dati slatkiše tj. treat, onda oni počnu praviti smicalice). Duhovne, kao i svjetovne barijere su se također razbijale. Stoga pagani vjeruju da ovaj tanki veo omogućuje entitetima iz druge nevidljive stvarnosti (a između ostalog i duhovima) prijelaz u ovu stvarnost. Proricanje, komunikacija s precima i drugim entitetima imaju mnogo više smisla ako se uzme u obzir gotovo nepostojeća granica između svjetova.

Svjesnost o duhovima neminovno podsjeća i na naše pretke. Druga stvarnost, po nekima zagrobni život, također neporecivo podsjeća na ono što nas čeka onkraj života. Dakle, iako Samhain ima svoju veselu stranu, on ima i određenu mističnu, mračniju stranu koju pagani jednako prihvaćaju.

Smrt za pagane nije nužno negativna, iako je za svakoga potresna. Smrt je iz naše perspektive samo jedan korak u ciklusu rađanja, smrti i ponovnog rađanja. To se reflektira i u paganskoj mitologiji. Naime, za Mabon (sabat koji se slavi 22./23. rujna tj. na jesensku ravnodnevnicu), Bog umire, a Božica tuguje za njim u aspektu Starice. Za Samhain, mračnu noć i razdoblje kaosa, Bog prolazi kroz proces regeneracije, a Božica se preobražava u Mračnu Gospu koja utjelovljuje kaos i mračne aspekte ženskoga polariteta. No, ona odmah potom doživljava još jednu metamorfozu u kojoj se ponovno vraća u aspekt Djeve koja rađa Boga za Yule (sabat koji se slavi 21./22./23. prosinca, tj. na zimski suncostaj). Time ciklus obnove biva zaokružen.

Priroda, kao ključni dio paganske duhovnosti, pronalazi svoje mjesto i u fokusu ovog sabata. U njoj također postoji smrt, ali u smrti i novi život. Da pojasnim; Samhain najavljuje nadolazeću zimu za koju su bile potrebne brojne pripreme. Stoku se zaklanjalo u štale, urod se skupljalo i sve se skladištilo. Ljudi su trebali prežirecvjeti okrutnu zimu, a hranjenje velikog broja stoke je bila bespotrebna komplikacija. Stoga je u narodu uobičajeno da se oko Samhaina kolje stoka, najčešće ona najslabija za koju se nije vjerovalo da će moći preživjeti zimu. To je bilo nužno kako bi čovjek imao meso, mast i krzno da mu omogući život. Odnosno, smrt životinja i plodova omogućuje ljudima život. Suvišno je naglasiti da pagani iskazuju zahvalnost za ovo i tijekom svojih rituala. 

Samhain je također poznat kao treća žetva. Prva žetva, Lughnasadh (1. kolovoza) je obilježena skupljanjem žita. Druga žetva, Mabon, je vrijeme skupljanja voća, povrća, bobica i orašastih plodova. Kao treća žetva, Samhain je krajnji rok za skupljanje svih preostalih plodova koje nam je zemlja podarila. Urod je sakupljen, meso i ostala hrana/piće uskladišteno i spremno za korištenje. Ovo vodi samo jednom ishodu – gozbama! Naravno da će ljudi slaviti svoju muku i trud tijekom proteklih mjeseci i dozvoliti sebi predah od rada.

Nadam se da su vam paradoksi života u smrti i istovremenog slavlja i tugovanja nešto jasniji nakon prethodnih objašnjenja. No, potrebno je sažeti osnovne teme blagdana kako bi priča imala glavu i rep. Dakle, na čemu je fokus ovog sabata? Zasigurno na smrti, ali i na skorašnjem ponovnom rađanju, zahvalnosti, darivanju/dijeljenju, pretcima, drugoj stvarnosti, a kroz nju i našoj „sjenci“ (sve ono što čuvamo u dubini naše svijesti, odnosno sve ono čega nismo svjesni, ili čega odbijamo biti svjesni – strahova, želja, čežnji, mana, a ponekad čak i vrlina itd.).

Svaki paganin će slaviti Samhain na drugačiji način i staviti naglasak na neki drugi aspekt. Sve ovisi o tome što je vama potrebno. Ako osjećate da ne trebate istraživati smrt, nesvjesni um, komunicirati s pretcima na ovaj ili onaj način, ili općenito istraživati mračniju stranu ovog sabata, onda se slobodno prepustite gozbama, dijeljenju vaših blagodati s bližnjima i novogodišnjem raspoloženju. Neki pagani pokušavaju oba aspekta ovog blagdana obilježiti i osvijestiti. Možda vam takav pristup bude više odgovarao. Svakako, nađite sistem koji će vama biti smislen, drag, a po mogućnosti i koristan.

Ako nemate ideja kako obilježiti ovaj sabat van rituala, evo nekoliko ideja. Zasigurno su vam, barem iz američkih filmova, poznati običaji nošenja maski i izrade „Jackovih fenjera“ od bundeva. Oba običaja imaju drevne korijene koje i vi možete pokušati oživjeti na ovaj blagdan. Naime, ljudi su prije nosili maske kojekakvih bića, ali ne da bi prestrašili druge, već da bi se uklopili u svijet duhova. Vjerovali su da na taj način neće biti na meti zlih duhova te da će istovremeno izbjeći susret sa svim onim pokojnicima s kojima nisu razriješili dugove, probleme i druge razmirice. Pošto se Samhain počinje slaviti na Samhainsku noć, rasvjeta je bila nužna. Fenjeri su se radili od prigodnih plodova poput tikvi i bundeva koje se bušilo da propuste svjetlost. Ljudska mašta je napravila sljedeći korak i otvore počela bušiti da nalikuju licima (neki smatraju da su ti fenjeri čak trebali simbolizirati duhove predaka koji nas vode kroz tamu). Pošto je Samhain izvorno bila večer kaosa i nestašluka, uvijek možete sebi priuštiti malo zabave i našaliti se na svoj, ili tuđi račun. Gozbe su svakako dobrodošle, ali ponajviše s ciljem obiteljskog druženja u koje se ovog puta obavezno uključuje i naše pretke. Neki su toliko vodili računa o preminulima da su za njih ostavljali prazno mjesto za stolom tijekom „nijeme večere“ (nazvana tako jer se prije nije smjelo razgovarati tokom njezinog trajanja), servirali im hranu ili stavljali svijeće na vrata/prozore kako bi pokojnici znali doći do svoga doma. Ako ste kreativni, pokušajte sami izraditi svoj fenjer od bundeva ili tikvi (naranče su prikladna zamjena), ili napravite pokoji ukras ili vijenac za svoj dom. Iskoristite svoju maštu te boje i plodove koje vidite oko sebe. Jabuke, orašasti plodovi, bundeve, tikve, šipak… sve možete iskoristiti u estetske i praktične svrhe. Okružite se smeđim, narančastim i crvenim nijansama, a možete se u ovo vrijeme i riješiti predrasuda oko crne boje. Ako želite ugodno spojiti s korisnim, onda pripremite neko prigodno, hranjivo jelo za svoje bližnje. Mnogi pagani proriču na ovaj dan ili pokušavaju stupiti u kontakt s pretcima. Neki dublje prodiru u sebe i kroz introspekciju pokušavaju doznati više o sebi, svojoj prošlosti, svojim potrebama i općenito nastoje sebe bolje upoznati te se suočiti sa svojim strahovima (pogotovo strahom i zabludama o smrti). Proricanje i u tom procesu može znatno poslužiti. 

Naposljetku, Nova godina je simbol novih početaka. Riješite se strahova, predrasuda i kompleksa, bolje upoznajte sebe i svoje bližnje, obnovite odnose sa sobom i drugima, prebrodite stare prepirke i proslavite obilje u svom životu bez obzira u kojem obliku ono postoji. Samo budite svjesni da ono zaista postoji te da nakon smrti dolazi ponovno rađanje i novi život. Iskoristite priliku i pripremite se za njega.

Budite blagoslovljeni i sretan vam Samhain!

Vaša Witch's Cat

Samhain - Beyond This Reality

The days pass by and the Wheel of the Year turns, as it always does. Samhain is just around the corner. Maybe you, as I, have been preparing for it. Some are already making seasonal meals, others have been busy making decorations, while others have been reflecting on their lives and the lives of their ancestors. If you haven't started preparing yet, or if you need some additional inspiration, perhaps this post will be of some help.

Samhain (pronounced /sauin/) is one of the eight Pagan Sabbats, or annual celebrations. It is also the one that, among other things, marks the beginning of the New Year for Pagans. This is a time of grieving and celebration, however paradoxical that may sound. Namely, for Pagans, Samhain begins on Samhain Eve (the night of October 31) and the celebration continues until November 1. You may know this days as All Saints' Day during which it is quite normal to honor and remember our ancestors. Although this holiday is a Christian one, it shares many mysteries and aspects with the Pagan festival of Samhain. They even share a date (although this varied in history). Anyway, Samhain has another, not so dark side for Pagans which is focused on celebrating the New Year, new beginnings, on antics, feasts and other forms of amusement. But the story of how these traditions came to be has its roots in the distant past.

Most Neopagan traditions acknowledge a calendar which is called the Wheel of the Year. This wheel represents the cycle of birth, death and rebirth as well as the eternal interchange of seasons, deity aspects and the regeneration of nature. It is believed that the ancient Celts had the most influence on the formation of this calendar. It is important to not here that the Celts divided the year into two seasons - summer and winter. For them, summer began on Beltane (May 1) and winter began on Samhain (November 1). It was obvious to them, as it was to all cultures at the time, that the Sun gives life. Therefore, as the Sun grows and the days become longer, new life comes to existence. The Sun grows and regains its strength during winter. It is because of this that Samhain is taken as the date for the "birth" of the year. For then one, it would continue to grow, come to its peak at Beltane and then slowly start to decline and, figuratively speaking, die. 

The ancient Celts also believed that each of these two seasons lasted 180 days. The remaining 5 days of the year (April 30, Beltane, Samhain. November 1 and November 2) did not belong to either this or that side of the calendar; they were somewhere "between" the two realities (this visible one that we live in and the other invisible reality). Because of this, we say that the "veil between the worlds" is as thin as it can be on these days, or rather these two Sabbats. According to this, Samhain does not belong to this reality and does not have to conform to its standards and rules. And so this festival came to be the ideal time for antics, mischief and disorder of any kind (this is also where the popular tradition of trick-or-treating comes from; children go from house to house on Halloween and ask for treats; if they don't get them then they perform tricks). Spiritual, as well as mundane barriers were also broken on this day. This is why Pagans believe that the thin veil between worlds enables entities (and also spirits) from the other, invisible reality to pass into this reality. Divination, communication with one's ancestors and other entities make a lot more sense if we take into consideration the almost non-existent border between the two worlds.

Awareness of spirits inevitably reminds us of our ancestors. The other reality, which some refer to as the afterlife, also undeniably brings to mind what awaits us after this life. Therefore, although Samhain has its happy side, it also has a certain mystical, darker side which Pagans equally accept. 

From the Pagan perspective, death isn't necessarily bad, although it is upsetting for everyone. For us, death is just another step in the birth-death-rebirth cycle. This is also reflected in Pagan mythology. Namely, on Mabon (the Sabbat which is celebrated on September 22/23 i.e. the autumn equinox), the God dies and the Goddess grieves for him in her aspect of the Crone. For Samhain, the dark night and time of chaos, the God goes through a process of regeneration and the Goddess takes the form of the Dark Goddess which embodies chaos and the dark aspects of the female polarity. But right after this, she undergoes another metamorphosis in which she again takes the form of the Maiden which gives birth to the God at Yule (the Sabbat which is celebrated on December 21/22/23 i.e. the winter solstice). With this, the cycle of regeneration is complete.

Nature, as a key element of the Pagan faith, finds its place at the center of this Sabbat also. Death also exists in nature, but within it resides new life. Let me elaborate; Samhain announces the oncoming winter for which many preparations used to be needed. Cattle were taken into stables for shelter, the crops were gathered and everything was stored for the cold months ahead. People had to survive the harsh winter and feeding a large number of cattle was an unnecessary complication. This is why it was normal (and still is in some rural areas) to slaughter a certain number of livestock just before Samhain; usually it was the weakest animals that were slaughtered because they would most likely die during the winter anyway. This was necessary in order for people to have meat, fat and fur and, ultimately, survive. It is unnecessary to mention that Pagans show gratitude for this in their rituals.

Samhain is also known as the third harvest. The first harvest, Lughnasadh (August 1) is marked by the gathering of grains. The second harvest, Mabon, is the time for gathering fruit, vegetables, berries and nuts. As the third harvest, Samhain is the deadline for gathering any leftover fruits of the earth. So the crops have been gathered, meat and other food and drink have been stored and are now ready for consumption. This can lead only to one thing - feasts! If is completely logical that people will want to celebrate their effort and labor during the previous months and allow themselves a period of rest.

I hope that the paradox of life and death and the parallel celebration and grieving are somewhat clearer after my explanations. But it is necessary to summarize the focal points of this fest day in order for this whole story to be complete. So, what is the focus of this Sabbat? Surely, on death, but also on the soon-to-come rebirth, gratitude, donation/sharing, ancestors, the other reality and through it on our Shadow (everything that we keep in the deepest parts of our consciousness, or rather all the things which we are not aware of, or that we refuse to be aware of - our fears, wishes, desires, flaws and sometimes even virtues etc.). 

Each Pagan will celebrate Samhain in a different way and put more emphasis on a different aspect. It all depends on what you find necessary at that given time. If you feel that you don't have to look into death, the unconscious mind, communicate with your ancestors in any way or explore the darker side of this Sabbat in general, then feel free to just enjoy the feasts, share what you have with your loved ones and enjoy the New Year's atmosphere. Some Pagans try to be aware of and recognize both aspects of this festival. Perhaps this approach will suit you better. In any case, find a system that makes sense to you, that you like and that is preferably also useful.

If you don't have any ideas on how to honor this Sabbat outside of the ritual circle, here are a few ideas. Surely some of the following traditions are familiar to you, at least from American movies. These include wearing masks and making Jack-o'-lanterns from pumpkins. Both customs have ancient roots which you can try to revive on this day. Namely, people used to wear masks resembling all sorts of beings, but not in order to scare anyone,  but instead to fit into the spirit world. They believed that by doing so, they were less likely to become a victim of a malevolent spirit and also less likely to run into the spirit of a deceased person with which they have unresolved issues, unpaid debts and other disputes. Since the Samhain celebration begins on Samhain night, some sort of lighting is necessary. Lanterns used to be made of seasonal plants such as pumpkins or gourds which were perforated to let the light out. Human imagination went a step further and cut these holes to resemble faces (some believe that these lanterns then began to symbolize the spirits of the deceased which lead us through the night). As Samhain was originally a night of chaos and mischief, you can always allow yourself a bit of fun and joke at the expense of yourself or others. Feasts are always welcome and even more so if they serve the function of getting a family together. In this case, family should also include our ancestors, regardless of when they have left this earth. Some people take their deceased loved ones so much into account that they even leave a spare place for them at the dinner table. This practice is called the Dumb Supper (because speaking used to be forbidden while it lasted). Oftentimes, the deceased were also given a plate and full meals and candles were left on doorsteps/windowsills to show spirits that they are welcome into the home. If you are the creative type, try to make your very own gourd/pumpkin lantern (oranges are a satisfactory substitute), or another type of decoration, such as a garland for your home. Use your imagination and the fruits of the earth you see around you in this time of year. Apples, nuts, gourds, pumpkins, pomegranates...you can use all of these for both aesthetic and practical purposes. Surround yourself with brown, orange and red tones and you can even use this time to rid yourself of any prejudices toward the color black. If you want to combine "business with pleasure", then try fixing up a nice nutritious, seasonal meal for your loved ones. Many Pagans use this day for divination and contacting their ancestors. Some explore themselves in depth and, through introspection, try to get to know themselves, their past and their needs better as well as face their fears (especially fears and misconceptions regarding death). Divination can also be of great assistance in this process.

Ultimately, the New Year is a symbol of new beginnings. Get rid of your fears, prejudices and complexes, get to know yourself and your loved ones better, renew relationships, overcome old arguments and celebrate the abundance in your life no matter what form it may be in. Just be aware that this abundance does exist and that rebirth and new life come after death. Make the most of this opportunity and get ready for it.

Blessed be and a happy Samhain to you all!

Yours,

Witch's Cat

Bundevin kolač

Ovaj kolačić je ovog Samhaina razveselio više ljudi svojim slatkim mirisom koji je plutao po zraku i još finijim okusom. :) Zahvaljujem Green na receptu i trudu kojeg je uložila u kuhinji. Ja sam bila mali pomagač pa sam očistila bundeve, ali ona je bila prava kuharica! :D

Svi su bili zadovoljni s kolačem, a kao što ćete sami i primijetiti, nije pretjerano kompliciran pa ćete i vi moći uživati u njemu kada god poželite.

Potrebno je:

• 2 jaja
• 100 g šećera
• 250 ml jogurta
• 1 vanilin šećer
• 75 ml ulja
• 250 g glatkog brašna
• 1 prašak za pecivo
• 3 velike žlice pirea od bundeve (1 bundeva srednje veličine za ovu količinu)
• 100 g lješnjaka (sitno nasjeckanih/mljevenih)

Napomena: mi smo poduplali ovu dozu, podijelili smjesu na dva dijela kako bismo dobili 2 kolača i pekli smo ih formi za vijenac. Ako pečete u običnoj posudi za pečenje, onda svakako preporučam duplu dozu jer će u protivnome kolač ispasti previše plitak. 

Priprema: 

1. Odvojite koru i koštice od bundeve i na manje komade isjeckajte preostalo "meso".
2. Kuhajte bundevu dok ne omekša (kao da kuhate krumpir za pire...probajte viljuškom je li dovoljno mekana). Ako vidite da se da zgnječiti, onda je gotova.
3. Zgnječite ju kao što biste i krompir pire da dobijete pire od bundeve.
4. Pomiješajte jaja sa šećerom.
5. U tu smjesu dodajte ulje, vaniljin šećer i pire od bundeve.
6. Brašno izmiješajte s praškom za pecivo i sitno nasjeckanim/mljevenim lješnjacima. Ovu smjesu potom dodajte u prethodnu.
7. Kalup za kugluf/vijenac (ili koji god da imate) nauljite i pobrašnite da se ne lijepi i prelijte smjesu u njega.
8. Pecite na 180°C cca. 20-40 minuta (ovisno o jačini pećnice). Ubodite kolač tu i tamo čačkalicom; ako se tijesto ne zalijepi za nju onda je gotov kolač. 

Prijatno vam i sretan Samhain još jednom! :D

Pumpkin Cake

This cake brought smiles to many people's faces with its sweet smell which floated through the air, as well as its even better taste. :) I have to thank my dear friend Green for the recipe as well as the effort she put into baking this cake. I was just the little kitchen helper so all I did was prepare the pumpkins, but she was the real chef! :D

Everyone was satisfied with the cake and as you will notice yourself, it isn't too complicated to make so you will also be able to enjoy it whenever you feel like it.

You Will Need:

• 2 eggs
• 100g sugar
• 250ml yogurt
• 1 vanilla sugar
• 75ml vegetable oil
• 250g plain flour
• 1 baking powder
• 3 big spoons of mashed pumpkin (1 middle-sized pumpkin should be enough for this quantity)
• 100g hazelnuts (finely chopped/grinded)

Note: we doubled this dose, separated the mixture into two parts to get 2 cakes and baked both cakes in a wreath-shaped baking form. If you choose to bake in a normal cake form, then I definitely recommend a double dose otherwise the cake will end up being too shallow.

How To Prepare:

1. Separate the pumpkin meat from the shell and get all the seeds out. Cut up the "meat" into smaller pieces.
2. Cook the pumpkin until it gets soft (just like if you were preparing mashed potatoes...test the pumpkin with a fork to see if it's soft enough). If you can easily squish it, then it's done.
3. Squash it like you would a potato until you get mashed pumpkin. 
4. Mix eggs with sugar.
5. Add the oil, vanilla sugar and mashed pumpkin to the egg mixture.
6. Mix the baking powder into the flour and add the chopped/grinded hazelnuts. After this, add this to the previous mixture.
7. Prepare the baking form you have by oiling and flouring it up a bit so the cake doesn't stick and pour the mixture into it.
8. Bake at 180°C for about 20-40 minutes (depending on the strength of your oven). Check if the cake is ready every once in a while by sticking a toothpick in it; when the dough stops sticking to it then you know it's done.

So bon appétit and have a blessed Samhain! :D

Samhain 2013

Počela je još jedna godina...neka vam bude sretna iz svakog pogleda! 

Kolo godine se okrenulo, vrijeme je za slavlje svih plodova koje smo prikupili te odavanja počasti precima na ovu noć kada je veo između svjetova najtanji. 

Iako čestitam koji dan kasnije, zaista imam valjano opravdanje. Provela sam puna 4 dana s (pre)dragom mi prijateljicom Green i proslavila ovaj Samhain s predivnom skupinom ljudi u Zagrebu. Trebalo je koji dan da se doživljaji slegnu, ali sam se sada konačno vratila u realnost (i za računalo) pa sam trebala podijeliti svoju radost s vama!

Bundeve koje vidite na fotografiji su samo jedan od prekrasnih noćnih prizora koje sam doživjela na ovom Samhainu! Zaista je bila prava proslava...puno smijeha, puno prekrasnih ljudi, novih iskustava i lijepih sjećanja nakon svega toga. Skroz solidan početak ove Nove godine (barem nama paganima)! :D

U slučaju da vam je potrebno "ponoviti gradivo", potičem vas da pročitate moj stariji post o ovom blagdanu kako biste bolje razumjeli ono o čemu ću vam pisati.

Ja u radnoj akciji

...pa da se vidi da su i drugi radili! :D

Svakako, prije nego ispričam svoje dojmove o samoj proslavi, bio bi red da kažem pokoju riječ i o pripremama koje su bilo jednako zahtjevne koliko i zabavne. Kao i kod svake fešte, moralo je biti i hrane i pića pa je na pripremu toga otišla većina jutra svim sudionicima. A trebalo je izrezbariti i ove prekrasne bundeve na slici! No, pošto nisam sigurna čije fotografije smijem objaviti, a čije ne, neću se igrati s vatrom pa ću postaviti samo dvije fotografije. :) Makar je mnogo važniji rezultat svog tog zajedničkog truda kojeg možete vidjeti na slici poviše. 

Uzimajući u obzir da je ovo ipak noć tijekom koje se smatra da je veo između svjetova najtanji, odlučili smo to iskoristiti. Stoga je odmah nakon bundeva na redu bila šamanska radionica putovanja u svijet mrtvih. Nekima će od vas ovo možda zvučati zlokobno, ali je upravo suprotno. Ovo je iskustvo mnogima bilo na kraju zaista lijepo (iako pomalo potresno) i omogućilo im ponovno uspostavljanje kontakta s precima. Radionicu je vodio naš mudri šaman Hora kojeg ne bih mogla dovoljno nahvaliti da krenem. Oni hrabriji su podijelili svoja iskustva koja su bila čarobna, dok su drugi pak odlučili nešto sačuvati i za sebe. Ovo je super prilika za najaviti i jedan od skorašnjih postova koji će se baviti temom žitovinja moći jer je Hora vodio još jedno šamansko putovanja na Vještičjem sijelu 2013 koje se fokusiralo upravo na tu temu.

Naša literarna pop zvijezda Iolar, koji vam je sada sigurno poznat po svojim knjigama, je održao kratko predavanje o Samhainu koje nam je svima osvježilo pamćenje i vratilo nam pozornost na osnovne ideje ovog blagdana; slavljenje Nove godine te života i plodnosti koji će se vratiti s dolaskom proljeća, poštivanje predaka i osvješćivanje kaotične strane života. 

Oganj u prostoru koji je
bio multifunkcionalan

Ritual je ukomponirao sve ove aspekte, a prvenstveno poštivanje predaka. Meni je najosobniji (a ujedno i najtradicionalniji) dio rituala bio bacanje "žrtava" u vatru (u ovom slučaju zavezani končići i još neki maleni predmet/komad hrane/malo pića). Vatra sama po sebi ima jako veliku važnost u ovo doba godine jer nas i grije i daje nam svjetlost u vrijeme kada su dani jako kratki.

Umjesto gozbe preminulih, svatko je postavio jednu lučicu u krug koja je trebala simbolizirati prisutnost pretka/predaka. Sveukupni dojam ovih malih plamenčića je bio očaravajuć!

Ali nemojte me shvatiti krivo, to što nije bilo gozbe preminulih ne znači da nije bilo hrane i pića. :) Kao što sam rekla, što je fešta bez ića i pića! Ovaj je dio proslave došao na red tek nakon rituala uz ekstatičnu glazbu Tribal Jam Orchestra kojima se samo iznova divim kada ih god čujem.

...ovakvom su nas glazbom oni podarili. Bravo tribalovci!!!

Naravno, ovo su samo formalnosti koje sam ispričala. Ne znam kojim bih riječima mogla opisati koliko mi je samo druženje sa svim ovim ljudima bilo divno! Iako neke poznajem jako kratko, imam dojam kao da ih poznajem godinama, a neke čak i desetljećima! Samo se nadam da će ova prijateljstva ostati jednako snažna i lijepa kao do sada. :) 

Ovim putem želim pozdraviti sve vas koji ste bili tu sa mnom, slavili, jeli, pili, smijali se, dijelili osobne trenutke i izvodili gluposti kada je bilo potrebno! Znate tko ste ;) Jedva vas čekam opet posjetit! :D

A za sve vas koji niste bili tu da podijelite ove trenutke s nama, evo vam jedna pjesma za kraj koja bi vam mogla barem donekle prenijeti ugođaj rituala. :) 

Sretan Samhain svima!

I veliki pozdrav od vaše Witch's Cat i njezine pijane bundeve! :D

Samhain 2013

Another year has begun...and may it be a merry one in every aspect! 

The Wheel of the Year has turned, it is time to be thankful for all the fruits we gathered and to show respect to our ancestors on this night when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest.

Even though I am few days late with this post, I really do have a valid alibi. I spent 4 great days with my wonderful friend Green and celebrated Samhain with a great group of people in Zagreb. I took a few days for everything to return back to normal, but when I finally got back to reality (and my computer), I had to share my happiness with you! 

The pumpkins you see in the photo are just one of many beautiful nocturnal scenes which I had the pleasure to witness this Samhain! It really was a real celebration...a lot of laughter, many wonderful people, new experiences and finally, great memories. I have to say that this seems to be a great start to the New Year (at least the Pagan one). :D 

In case you need to refresh your memory, I urge you to read my older post on this Sabbath so you can get a better understanding about what follows.

Me at work

...and just to prove that others worked just as much (if not more) :D

Of course, before I start writing about my impressions of the whole celebration, it would be best if I said a word or two about the preparations which were as demanding as they were fun. As with every party, there had to be lots of food and drinks so preparing all of this took the larger part of most of the participants' mornings. And not to mention that we also had to carve these wonderful pumpkins! But, since I'm not sure whose photos I'm allowed to upload, I don't want to play with fire so I'll just post these two photos. :) Nevertheless, the most important thing is definitely the result of this group effort which you can see in the first picture. 

Taking into consideration that this is thought to be the night when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest, we decided to take advantage. This is why a shamanic workshop focused on travelling to the land of the dead followed the pumpkin carving. This may sound sinister to some of you, but it's actually the opposite. This experience proved to be quite pleasant for most people (although a bit soul-stirring) and enabled them to contact their ancestors again. The workshop was led by our wise shaman Hora which I just could praise enough. Those of us that were brave enough shared their experiences (which were magical), while others preferred to keep some things to themselves. This just happens to be a great opportunity to announce the topic of my next post - animals of power. We had another shamanic workshop on this topic during our Witches' Site (2013) and it was also led by Hora.

Our literary pop star Iolar, who you may now know for his trilogy Paganism in Theory and Practice (not yet translated into English), held a short lecture on Samhain which refreshed all our memories and helped us focus on the basic ideas of the holiday: celebrating the New Year, life and fertility which will return with the spring, respecting our ancestors and awakening our awareness of the chaotic aspects of life. 

The hearth which proved to
be multifunctional

The ritual incorporated all these aspects but focused a bit more on respecting our ancestry. The most personal (as well as most traditional) part of the ritual for me was the throwing of "sacrifices" into the hearth/fire (in this case, the "sacrifice" was made up of three bound threads and a bit of food/drink/another small object). Fire itself is of great importance during this time of year because it both gives us heat and light when the days are very short. 

Instead of the Feast of the Dead, everyone put a small candle in the circle which was supposed to symbolize the presence of an ancestor. The general effect of all these small candles was magical!

But don't get me wrong, just because there was no Feast of the Dead doesn't mean there was no food or drink. :) Like I said, what's a party without the two! But this part of the celebration came after the ritual just in time for the ecstatic music of a great band called Tribal Jam Orchestra. I just can't help but stand in awe every time I hear them.

...this is the sort of music they granted us. Great job guys!!!

Of course, all the things I said up to now are just mere formalities. I can't even find the right words to describe how wonderful it was just to be with all these beautiful people! Even though I haven't known some of them for very long, I feel as though I've known them for years, and some even for decades! I only hope that all of these friendships stay equally as strong and pleasing as they are now. :)

I take this opportunity to say hi to all of you who were there with me, who ate, drank, laughed, shared intimate moments and did stupid stuff with me when necessary! You know who you are ;) And I can't wait to come and see you guys again! :D

And for those of you who weren't there to share these lovely moments with us, here's a song which can depict the atmosphere of the ritual at least partially. :)

Blessed Samhain to you all! 

And a bit hello from Witch's Cat and her drunken pumpkin! :D

Samhain (October 31)

All Hallows' Eve is probably a more familiar name to you and it is the name for the Christianized form of this Sabbath. It represents the beginning of the Celtic Winter season but it is also the Celtic New Year. If we look at the Wheel of the Year, we will see that Beltane (May 1) is just across from Samhain which is the beginning of the Summer season (since Celts only acknowledged these two seasons).

Precisely because this night is on the verge of the New Year (a transitional time), it was thought that it doesn't belong to either the Old or the New Year and hence neither to this or to any other world. This is where the belief of the veil between world being the thinnest in this time came from. And then came all the stories about ghosts, demons and many other entities. But, Witches find this belief to be true and take advantage of this thin veil by practicing divination and contacting the spirits of the deceased as well as other beings which can cross from other worlds to this world more easily on this night. Or so it is thought...

I already mentioned the division of the Sabbaths into the Sun and earth Sabbaths. Samhain isn't a solstice or an equinox (hence it is not a Sun festival), it has to fall under the category of earth festivals. So what actually happened to the earth in this time of the year?

Samhain is pronounced /'sawin/, which is simply an old name for the month of November. The weather was already quite cold about this time of year and this was a time for stocking up on meat which used to be preserved using salt (this was the only was of preserving meat...and does it remind you of consecrating rituals? hehe) and keeping it in a cold and dry place. People needed to have something to eat when the winter came. Also, people would get rid of any surplus of cattle in order to have less mouths to feed and more food to eat. In short, this was a time of concern about the advancing Winter.

All of the crops had to be gathered by October 31 because it was thought that what was left was eaten by an evil spirit called Pooka which would plunder the fields and torment passer-bys. It was thought that his most common disguise was a wild black horse.

The aforementioned tradition of contacting the spirits of the deceased was called Feile na Marbh (pronounced /failu nu morv/) or in translation the Feast of the Dead. Because of the veil being so thin, the spirits could join their loved ones in this world who would be gathered around a warm fire feasting.

People would spite this period of darkness by being merry and celebrating with heaps of food and drink and emphasizing fertility and life which would soon return with the coming of the Spring.

In even earlier times, there was probably some tradition that included any sort of sacrifice (according to some stories, these were often social outcasts like criminals, but in others, it was even the King himself). These sacrifices could have been carried out using fire. In Norse and Celtic mythology, there are even stories about Kings who died in their houses because of the houses catching fire. Luckily, all of these sacrifices later became symbolic.

Even today you can see bonfires being lit on Samhain and people gathering around them and being entertained with fireworks....al of this, of course, in good intent and with the goal of simply having fun. In Scotland and Wales, family fires called Samhnagan (in Scotland Coel Coeth) were lit. Each family would prepare their own fire on the nearest hill. You can still see this tradition live and kicking in some parts of these countries.

The tradition of divination on this day is logical. I have mentioned the thin veil between world, which can, if you believe in it, justify this tradition. But there is also the factor of human curiosity - everyone wanted to find out what the incoming Winter would be like and how they would survive it. In the beginning, the Druids were the only ones who would predict the future, but this later spread out into the common population. Young women would divine in order to see who their future husband would be (either by invoking his depiction in the mirror or by the way nuts would jump while being fried). There was also the tradition of the young woman preparing a tasty meal and setting it out for her future husband. He wouldn't, of course, be able to resist it and would then come to eat it. Upon eating the meal, he would be forever linked to the lady. Though he wouldn't arrive in human form but in astral form (this is yet another element of the thin veil background story).

The traditional food for this festival includes nuts and apples and in Scotland, Sowens are pretty

popular. Sowes were supposedly made using the starch remaining on the inner husks of oats after milling. These husks would then be left a few days to soak in water and ferment. The liquor produced would then be strained off and left aside for the starch matter to settle. The final liquid part can be drunk but the solid parts were edible. They had to be cooked in water with a bit of salt under they were thick enough. Most often, they were served with butter or were dipped in milk which would give a bit of sweetness to their sour taste.

The traditional meal of Ireland for Samhain is called the Barm back - a dark bread or cake with pieces of dried fruit in it. In Croatia, this cake is knows as the Fruitcake or even the Christmas cake (since it is made on Christmas here also). You will often come across soul cakes for which you can find many recipes on the internet. I'll just leave you to decide what to make for this occasion ;)

During the feasts, there were often a few chairs left empty as well as a bit of food in case the spirits decided to join the living for the celebration.

You are all probably familiar with the fact that this night is also called Halloween. Typically, children go from house to house asking for treats and if they aren't given what they asked for, the make your life a living hell :D this is called Trick-or-treating. This is also, believe it or not, an old tradition. This night was also knows as the Mischief night. This is the night when the God of Mischief reigns surpreme but we aren't here to shun him but accept him and join in with the mischief and merriment. We have to learn to spite and laugh at all the bad things in life which could await us that winter. 

Since this festival is both merry and serious, it is recommended that it be celebrated two times; once in peace with your coven or alone (whichever you decide) and the second time with your family and/or friends where you can dance and celebrate and indulge in the happy side. Preparations can include carving pumpkins (or oranges or beets if you don't have any pumpkins at hand), put on masks and have fun according to the local traditions (or any other ones if you prefer those).

I would also like to note the importance of the tradition of carving pumpkins. Namely, Witches would carry these canldes/pumpkins while walking towards the place where a ritual was to be held on this night. They would light the way both for them and the spirits. It was only a matter of time before the carvings started resembling the faces of the souls they supposedly lead. 

By the way, when you do the ritual part (alone or in a group), leave out the sacrifice part :p haha. This tradition has nothing to do in modern times. A symbolical sacrifice of a bit of leftover food and drink for the God and Goddess is more than enough. Focus on the other aspects of this festival; feasts, divination, communicating with other entities (if you believe in them), showing respect for the deceased, affirming life and having a good laugh.

Personally, I don't believe that spirits walk around with us no matter how thin the veil may be, but that is my opinion. If you believe in this, then research it before putting it into practice. Keep in mind that Witches don't "invoke" spirits but ask them politely to join them. I believe in reincarnation and I find it quite rude (no matter how politely you may ask) to call upon a spirit and disturb its rest in the other world.

When preparing your ritual space, try to decorate it with fitting symbols (pumpkins, apples nuts or even mirrors). If you can't make a fire, then simply put more candles around. Another option is lighting a small fire in your cauldron (it is always better to have a fire not matter how small). The appropriate colors include red, black, orange and white and as for the food and drinks, I recommend you have at least something with nuts (be it a cake made with nuts of actual nuts). Like our ancestors used to get rid of surplus cattle, you can get rid of unneeded/harmful things so you bear a smaller burden during the Winter. This can include burning reminders of unpleasant events/times or even writing down unpleasant experiences and memories  and then burning that piece of paper in a fire or on the flame of a candle.

Overall, try to stay true to the traditions and character of Samhain.

Good luck with the celebration :) I hope you will have enough time to get everything ready and use at least one of these ideas in your ritual/party.

Until next time. Yours,

Witch's Cat

Sabbath:	Samhain
Pronunciation:	/'sowin/
Date:	October 31
Other names:	All Hallows' Eve, Halloween, the Feast of the Dead, Celtic New Year, Ancestors' night, All Saints' Eve, the Last Harvest, the Blood Harvest
Phase of the God:	Dies (the Oak King)
Phase of the Goddess:	Mourns the God (the Crone)
Symbolism:	End of the Summer, showing respect for the deceased
Traditions:	Divination (in smoke/fire/ mirrors), leaving food out, carving pumpkins, lighting fires
Symbols and colors:	Red, black, orange, white, pumpkins, apples, nuts
Traditional food:	Soul cakes, Fruitcakes (or anything else made with pumpkins), nuts, apples. Apple pancakes Mini pancakes Pumpkin cake Pumpkin & apple pie
Traditional incens:	Sage, apple, mint, nutmeg

Sretan Samhain

Dragi moji,

želim vam blagoslovljeni i sretni Samhain! :D provedite ga onako kako se vama čini najljepše...bilo na onim Halloween proslavama što su došle u modu čak i kod nas, ili sami kući radeći ono što vas veseli (gledajte filmove, rezbarite bundeve ma bilo što!) :D

Kako se ne bih ponavljala, možete pogledati stariji post o Samhainu ako nemate ideja i kako biste se prisjetili običaja ovog blagdana....ali i ušli u cjelokupni ugođaj :D


Ja sam svoj Samhain malo ranije proslavila zbog obaveza koje su, kao što svi znamo, ponekad neizbježne. Umjesto bundeva sam rezbarila naranče :) jedan prijatelj je to predložio i postavio svoje slike pa vam predstavljam kolaž kako biste shvatili kako se to radi :D

A evo i kako je moja rezbarena naranča ispala :D

Također vam donosim i dva nova recepta koji su prikladni za Samhain :D napisati ću ih u odvojenom postu zbog praktičnosti organizcije bloga, pa se nadam da nećete zamjeriti :)
Dakle, evo vam repceti za Mini palačinke i Soul cakes

Sretna vam keltska Nova godina :D

Do sljedećeg posta,
vaša Witch's Cat

Mini palačinke i Soul cakes

Donosim vam dva recepta koji su jako prikladni za Samhain :)

Mini palačinke

Od milja ih zovem "keksočinke" jer su zaista veličine keksiju (barem ih je tako predloženo raditi) i nije u potpunosti tijesto za palačinke. :) Ali možete i sami probati pa procijeniti. :D Ovo je improvizirani recept jedne moje drage prijateljice koja je ljubiteljica zdrave hrane kao i ja pa vjerujem da će vam se svidjeti. :D

Potrebno je:

Za tijesto:

• 2 slatko-kisele jabuke (naribane)
• 2 šake oraha
• 2 šake badema
• 150ak grama brusnica/grožđica (preporučam brusnice, i to po mogućnosti svježe, a ne suhe)
• malo šećera (2-3 žlice će biti dovoljno, ali to možete sebi prilagoditi)
• mlijeko
• voda (obična ili mineralna...vama po volji)
• brašno
• 2 jaja
• malo soli
• suncokretovo ulje

Za preljev: 

(možete/ne morate napraviti)

• šumsko voće (može i ledovo zamrznuto)
• voda
• šećer

Priprema:

Tijesta:

1. Izribajte jabuke i samlijte/isjeckajte bademe i orahe.
2. Napravite tijesto za palačinke, ali malo gušće (pomiješajte jaje, brašno, vodu, mlijeko, malo šećera i prstohvat soli - možete mikserom ili ručno...kako vam je god lakše i samo malo suncokretovog ulja kako se ne bi lijepilo pri friganju).
3. Dodajte jabuke, orahe, bademe i brusnice u smjesu za palačinke.
4. Vidite je li treba dodati još brašna kako se ne bi tijesto razlijevalo po tavi (i šećer po želji, ako volite slađe, iako brusnice daju svoju slatkoću, ali grožđice već ne).
5. Zgrijte ulje na tavu (preporučam teflonsku) i izlijte višak ulja (kolačići bi trebali biti zdravi..dakle bez puno ulja i drugih suvišnih masnoća).
6. Jušnom žlicom stavljajte smjesu što tanje na tavu da se friga i okrećite kako bi se sa obje strane ispeklo.
7. Stavite da se svaki komad ocijedi na nekakve salvete/kuhinjsku rolu sa strane.

Preljeva:

1. Šumsko voće (svježe ili iz kesice...kako je vama god lakše) istresite u tečicu.
2. Dodajte vodu i malo šećer i sve to skupa grijite na vatri dok ne bude vruće i dok se šećer ne otopi.

Posluživanje:

Keksočinke mogu biti hladne/mlake ili kakve god, ali preljev preporučam da se polije preko dok je još vruć (ili makar topao).

Uživajte! :D

P.S. primijetit ćete da kolačići djeluju dosta integralno, a tko nije navikao na takvu prehranu će ostati začuđen...ipak sam dobila dobre kritike na kolačiće  pa vi procijenite kakvi su vama i javite ishode. :)

Soul cakes

Ovo nije moj recept, već od prijateljice pa ovdje idem na povjerenje da je ukusno i dobro (makar mi se recept čini jako jednostavan i dobar :D)

Potrebno je:

• 2 štapića masla (smekšana)
• 3 ½ žlice glatkog brašna
• 1 žlica šećera
• ½ žličice muškatnog oraščića
• 1 žličica cimeta i pimenta (teško je pimentu nabaviti u nas, ali možete pokušati)
• 2 jaja
• 2 žličice slatkog octa
• šećera u prahu (po želji)
• 1 žlica sušenog voća u narančinom čaju (proizvoljno)

Priprema:

1. Pomiješajte u zdjelu maslac, brašno, šećer, muškatni oraščić, cimet i pimentu.
2. Istucite jaja i dodajte ih u prijašnju smjesu.
3. Dodajte voće i narančin čaj u smjesu.
4. Sve skupa miješajte dok se ne dobije kruta smjesa.
5. Izvaljajte tijesto i izrežite pomoću kalupa za kekse (oblik sami odaberite). :)
6. Ugrijte pećnicu na najjače.
7. Pecite 25 minuti na zamašćenoj podlozi/na papiru za pečenje.
8. Pospite šećerom u prahu dok su keksi još topli.

Prijatno vam i sretan Samhain! :D