Samhain is acomin'

...as it edges nearer, and the desert autumn comes fully into season...

I think it's time to include my Child in a rite. This is the sort of thing Child can understand. Honoring those who have passed beyond this life and into another makes sense to Child. Now I just need to come up with an inclusive ritual.

We will honor my paternal grandparents and my sister, none of whom my Child remembers, but we will also honor some who are known to Child, like our cats Naanaa and Alison, and our dog Chaunzy.

We will pay respect to Hela in our ritual.

This might be a good time to foster a stronger relationship with our home and the spirits that live here, or even our totem animals.

It will have to be very active, to keep Child's attention.

That's what I know at this stage of planning, which is preliminary at best.

~

I've decided to take some tips from Circle Round, by Starhawk, Diane Baker, and Anne Hill. There are quite a few suggestions for activities, so I'm thinking of making a week of it, maybe doing one or two things each day for the five days or so before, then culminating with a Feast of the Dead ritual (of my own devising) on Samhain.