SPIRIT WORK
It is one of the oldest beliefs in human history. At certain times — and particularly at the turning of the year from light to dark — the boundary between the living and the dead grows thin enough to communicate across. The dead can hear us more clearly. We can sense them more strongly. Messages, signs and presences that are faint at other times of year become more available at Samhain.
Is this true? What do the traditions say? And if you want to honour or connect with someone you have lost, how do you do it safely and respectfully?
The belief in spirit communication at this time of year is not unique to Celtic paganism — it appears across virtually every human culture that has ever existed. The ancient Romans observed Lemuria in May, during which ghosts of the restless dead were propitiated with offerings. The Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival falls in the seventh lunar month, when the gates of the underworld are said to open. The Mexican Día de los Muertos on the 1st and 2nd of November — which predates Spanish colonisation and draws on Aztec traditions — is built on exactly the same premise as Samhain: the dead return to visit the living at this time of year and should be welcomed with food, flowers and celebration.
The specificity of this cross-cultural agreement is striking. Across civilisations with no contact with each other, separated by thousands of miles and thousands of years, humans independently arrived at the same conclusion: in the late autumn, the dead come closer.
In modern pagan and witchcraft practice, the concept of the thinning veil at Samhain refers to the energetic boundary between this world and whatever lies beyond becoming more permeable. Practitioners describe being able to sense the presence of those who have passed more strongly, receiving clearer impressions during divination, having more vivid and meaningful dreams and feeling a stronger sense of ancestral connection.
This is not the same as the Hollywood version of spirit communication — dramatic manifestations, moving objects, terrifying visitations. It is quieter, more subtle and more intimate than that. It is the sense of a familiar presence in a room. A dream that feels more like a visit than a dream. A sudden, inexplicable feeling of being comforted. A sign — a bird, a song, a scent — that arrives at precisely the right moment.
If you want to honour those you have lost at Samhain, here are some practices that have been used across many traditions for centuries.
Create a small dedicated space with photographs or mementos of those who have passed. Add candles — white for the beloved dead, black to honour the mystery of death, orange for the season. Add their favourite food or drink as an offering. Light the candles at dusk on Samhain night, speak their names aloud and tell them they are remembered and welcome. Sit with them in silence for a while.
An ancient tradition across many cultures is to set a place at the table for those who have died — a glass of water, a small plate of food, a candle. This is sometimes called the dumb supper, eaten in silence with the dead as honoured guests. It is one of the most moving practices I know — profoundly simple and profoundly meaningful.
Samhain is considered the most powerful night of the year for divination — the veil is thin, the energy is high and messages come through more clearly. Pull a tarot spread with a specific question for guidance from those who have passed. Work with a pendulum, asking yes or no questions. Scry with a black mirror or a bowl of dark water by candlelight. Whatever your practice, Samhain amplifies it.
Many people report receiving visits from those who have passed in their dreams at Samhain. Before you sleep, place a photograph of your loved one beneath your pillow or on your bedside table. Hold a piece of amethyst or labradorite — both support vivid, meaningful dreaming and spirit communication. State clearly, aloud or in your mind, that you are open to receiving a visit. Then write down whatever you dream immediately upon waking.
Working with ancestral spirits at Samhain is a practice of love, not fear. You are not summoning demons or opening dangerous portals. You are doing what humans have done at this time of year for thousands of years — acknowledging the dead, honouring their memory and maintaining the bond of love that does not end when someone leaves their physical body.
That said, it is always wise to set clear intention before any spirit work. State clearly who you are inviting — beloved ancestors, those who loved you in life — and that you welcome only those who come in love and peace. Ground yourself well beforehand, with black tourmaline or obsidian nearby for protection. And afterwards, close the space consciously — thank those who came, extinguish your candles and cleanse your space with sage, palo santo or sound.
Explore our ritual candles, crystals and divination tools to support your Samhain practice. ✦