Long before Halloween meant costumes and candy, the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain marked the end of harvest and the start of the darkening season. More than 2,000 years ago, Celts believed that during Samhain — pronounced “SAH-win” — the boundary between the physical world and the spirit realm thinned. Bonfires blazed, offerings were made and costumes were worn to protect against wandering spirits.
Writer, witch and podcast host Pam Grossman says that deep history still resonates.
“A lot of people will know this holiday as Halloween, and that holiday is certainly related to its more pagan roots,” she said. “It’s a time when folks believe they can make contact with the spirit world a little more easily and honor their ancestors — and that’s some of what we’re going to be doing that evening.”
Grossman will lead a special Samhain celebration Saturday at Madame Fortuna in Narrowsburg. The event doubles as a launch for her new book, “Magic Maker: The Enchanted Path to Creativity,” and includes ritual, conversation and creative exploration.
Grossman hosts The Witch Wave podcast and is a prominent voice in the current renaissance of modern witchcraft. She said she never outgrew the spark of magic so many children feel.
“Most people grow out of their magic phase, and I just grew more deeply into mine as I got older,” she said. “As a kid I was always attracted to mythology and magic and ritual.”
As she pursued creative writing, Grossman said she saw how imagination and spiritual practice intertwine.
“When I was entering this sort of imaginary space of writing, it was very similar to the spiritual space I tried to enter when I’m doing any kind of magic,” she said. “A lot of creative folks throughout history had practices where their creative offering was actually considered spiritual.”
Her book highlights artists such as David Bowie and Sylvia Plath who turned to tarot, channeling or other mystical tools.
“That word ‘witch’ is a word that a lot of folks still are confused about,” she said. “In modern parlance, a witch is somebody who is generally a very positive person. It’s just someone who engages with the invisible world in intentional ways. And I would argue that artists do the exact same thing.”
Saturday’s celebration will include the building of a communal ancestor altar — a Samhain tradition. Attendees are encouraged to bring an object or photo of a loved one who has passed, or of a “creative ancestor,” someone who inspired their artistic life.
“If David Lynch really means something to you and you want to honor him, please bring a copy of Eraserhead and put it on the altar,” Grossman said.
For Grossman, this time of year brings personal reflection and memory. Her grandmother Sonya, who was an artist, has become a guiding figure in her magical and creative life.
“Her birthday was actually on Oct. 30,” she said. “I often light a candle for her and thank her for all the guidance and protection that I still believe she offers me.”
More information is available at pamgrossman.com/events.
Asked how to properly offer seasonal greetings, Grossman laughed and said, “You can say ‘Happy Samhain,’ ‘Blessed Samhain,’” she said. “It all works.”
Image: Pam Grossman is the host of the podcast, “The Witch Wave” and the author of “Magic Maker, Waking the Witch, and What Is A Witch.” (Credit: Frances F. Denny)
Note: This article was updated with the correct name of Grossman’s grandmother. It is Sonya, not Antonia.