Samhain, pronounced as "sah-win" or "sow-in," is a Gaelic festival that marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It is traditionally observed on October 31st to November 1st. Samhain is often associated with the concept of death and is believed to be a time when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest, allowing for communication and interaction between both realms. While Samhain is predominantly celebrated by modern-day pagans and followers of Wicca, its origins can be traced back to ancient Celtic traditions. The Celts, who inhabited what is now known as Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, regarded Samhain as a significant and sacred time of the year. They believed that during Samhain, the boundaries between the mortal world and the spirit world dissolved, allowing for supernatural entities and ancestors to enter the human realm.
Parts novel, autoethnography, diary, travel writing, how-to, philosophy, transpersonal study, this story begins in death, as a personal interest, before becoming a doctoral psychology dissertation at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and then this book. It explores the cult of Santa Muerte, the Mexican folk saint, and the author's relationship with that twilight world as well as the author's own personal process of living and writing about death in Mexico City. It is because of death that life has meaning.
He understands the cult as one of numerous movements of religious revitalization in Mexico, linking these revivals to historical moments of destabilization and upheaval. She represents life with the possibility of respite but without ultimate redemption, and she speaks to the complexities of lives lived at the fringes of violence, insecurity, impunity, and economic hardship.
They believed that during Samhain, the boundaries between the mortal world and the spirit world dissolved, allowing for supernatural entities and ancestors to enter the human realm. As a pagan festival, Samhain was deeply intertwined with nature and the agricultural cycle. It marked the end of the harvest season, symbolizing the transition from the bountiful warmth of summer to the dark and cold winter months.
La Santa Muerte in Mexico
For over a decade the cult of La Santa Muerte has grown rapidly in Mexico and the United States. Thousands of people--ranging from drug runners and mothers to cabdrivers, soldiers, police, and prison inmates--invoke the protection of La Santa Muerte. Devotees seek her protection through practicing popular vows, attending public rosaries and masses at street altars, and constructing and maintaining home altars.
This book examines La Santa Muerte's role in people's daily lives and explores how popular religious practices of worship and devotion developed around a figure often associated with illicit activities. She represents life with the possibility of respite but without ultimate redemption, and she speaks to the complexities of lives lived at the fringes of violence, insecurity, impunity, and economic hardship. The essays collected here move beyond the visually arresting sight of La Santa Muerte as a tattoo or figurine, suggesting that she represents a major movement in Mexico.
Wil G. Pansters is a professor of cultural anthropology at Utrecht University. He is the editor of Violence, Coercion, and State-Making in Twentieth-Century Mexico: The Other Half of the Centaur.
"A welcome contribution to an emerging scholarly field."--Reading Religion
"La Santa Muerte in Mexico contributes a valuable analytical perspective to the ongoing scholarly conversation regarding this enigmatic figure."--Anna M. Nogar, Church History
"Firsthand accounts . . . make this volume revelatory, surprising, and hopeful. Folklorists, anthropologists, historians, and religious-studies scholars will find material of great interest in this work: historical and iconographic analyses, an overview of social practices and networks, and ethnographic depictions of performative engagement."--Kirstin Erickson, Journal of Folklore Research
List of Illustrations
Preface
Chapter One. La Santa Muerte: History, Devotion, and Societal Context
Wil G. Pansters
Chapter Two. Saints and Demons: Putting La Santa Muerte in Historical Perspective
Benjamin T. Smith
Chapter Three. Dances of Death in Latin America: Holy, Adopted, and Patrimonialized Dead
Juan Antonio Flores Martos
Chapter Four. La Santa Muerte as Urban Staging: Notes on the Images and Visibility of a Transgressive Performance
Anne Huffschmid
Chapter Five. Moving In and Moving Out: On Exchange and Family in the Cult of La Santa Muerte
Regnar Kristensen
Chapter Six. Devotion That Goes Skin Deep: Tattoos of La Santa Muerte
Judith Katia Perdigón Castañeda and Bernardo Robles Aguirre
Chapter Seven. Afterword: Interpreting La Santa Muerte
Claudio Lomnitz
List of Illustrations
Preface
The festival was marked by various rituals and customs, including bonfires, feasting, divination, and the lighting of candles to guide the spirits of loved ones back home. In modern times, Samhain is celebrated by pagans and Wiccans as one of the eight Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year. It is considered a time for introspection, honoring ancestors, and acknowledging the cycle of life and death. Many pagans and Wiccans believe that Samhain is a time when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest, making it easier to connect with spirits and receive messages from the other side. However, it is essential to note that not all individuals celebrate Samhain as a pagan or religious holiday. In recent years, the cultural significance of Samhain has been widely popularized and commercialized through various media and cultural practices, such as Halloween. While Halloween shares some similarities with Samhain, they are not the same. Halloween has its roots in Christian and Celtic traditions but has evolved over the centuries to become a widely celebrated secular holiday. In conclusion, Samhain is a pagan festival with ancient Celtic origins that is now primarily observed by modern pagans and Wiccans. It is a time for honoring ancestors, acknowledging the cycle of life and death, and connecting with the spirit world. It is important to recognize and respect the cultural and religious significance of Samhain to those who celebrate it, while also understanding its broader cultural influence in modern society..
Reviews for "The Significance of Samhain in Pagan Beliefs"
1. John - 2 stars - As someone who was excited to learn more about the pagan origins of Samhain, this book was a disappointment. The author barely scratched the surface of the topic and left me with more questions than answers. The writing style was also dull and unengaging, making it difficult to stay interested in the text. Overall, I would not recommend "Is Samhain Pagan" to anyone looking for a comprehensive exploration of the subject.
2. Sarah - 1 star - This book failed to live up to my expectations in every way. The author seemed more interested in presenting their personal beliefs and opinions rather than providing factual information about Samhain's pagan roots. There were also numerous spelling and grammatical errors throughout the text, which made it difficult to take the book seriously. I regret spending my money on this book and would advise others to look elsewhere for a more accurate and well-written account of the topic.
3. David - 2 stars - "Is Samhain Pagan" lacked depth and failed to deliver a convincing argument or exploration of the subject. The author seemed to focus more on trivial information and anecdotes rather than delving into the historical and cultural significance of Samhain for pagan traditions. I was left unsatisfied and underwhelmed by the lack of substance in this book. The writing style was decent, but the content was lacking, making it difficult to recommend this book to anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of Samhain's pagan origins.
4. Jennifer - 2 stars - I was disappointed by the lack of credible sources and references in "Is Samhain Pagan". The author made sweeping claims and presented them as facts without providing any evidence to support their arguments. I wanted a well-researched and academically rigorous exploration of Samhain's pagan connections, but this book fell short in that regard. The writing style was accessible, but the lack of substance and credibility made it difficult for me to take the book seriously. Overall, I would not recommend this book to those seeking a reliable and well-supported analysis of Samhain's pagan origins.
5. Michael - 1 star - "Is Samhain Pagan" was a poorly written and poorly researched book that failed to provide any substantial information about the topic. The author seemed more interested in pushing their personal beliefs rather than presenting a balanced and factual account of the subject matter. The book lacked depth and credibility, and I felt misled by the promising title. I would not recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about Samhain's pagan origins, as there are surely better resources available.