Samhain Meditation

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....