Welcome to the Season of the Witch
“Little Witch loves crunchy leaves, candied apples,
and fairy gatherings that go off without a hitch,
but most of all she adores the magick,
because it’s the Season of the Witch!”
– “Little Witch Hosts Samhain Supper”
Happy October 1st, Witches – our season has arrived.
There's so much to talk about today – autumn plans, full moon gatherings, magickal storytelling communities, and the eBook version of Little Witch Hosts Samhain Supper – out today!
But first, we have pumpkins on the brain.
I mean, how could we not?
At Midharvest, when the garden grows crispy, the moon brighter, and spooky stories return at long last, our plant ally – the pumpkin – appears in droves.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention gourds, squashes, and even turnips – all vessel-like fruits and roots that according to folklore, can be hollowed out to store light, wisdom, and a bit of magick.
Allow me to elaborate:
In Taoist stories about the Eight Immortals, the beloved Taiguai Li carries a gourd as a nightlight. He uses the enchanted fruit to guide those navigating the dark, but also to store his healing potions, which he generously distributes to anyone in need.
Similarly, in the folktale The Tortoise and his Pot of Wisdom, a knowledge-seeking tortoise leaves home to collect all the wisdom in the world. He uses his trusty gourd to store what he finds, and soon, the gourd overflows with information. The tortoise is forced to grab another gourd, then another. He ties them to a long string that trails behind him until eventually, he assumes he's acquired all the wisdom he needs. But, he must have forgotten a precious morsal or two, because the tortoise never learned that wisdom is meant to be shared, not stockpiled for personal use only. (Don't worry, after he drops his collection of gourds and they shatter into a million pieces, he eventually figures it out).
In some fairy tales, the pumpkin speaks to abundance and good health, but is also a catalyst for transformation, both in the metaphorical and literal sense.
All we need do is revisit our childhood favorite Cinderella, where a simple garden pumpkin transforms into an elegant carriage, transporting the would-be-princess to another world. Unlike the confines of servitude, with her magickal glamour in place, Cinderella is the bell of the ball and her wishes are finally within reach. Perhaps we might view the pumpkin as a shapeshifter, guardian, or at the very least, an unexpected magickal companion.
But, while pumpkins may conjure up images of princesses and fairy godmothers, most of us Halloween-loving westerners probably associate pumpkins with Jack O' Lanterns.
Cue Stingy Jack.
In this Halloween folktale, Jack is the town trickster who outsmarts the Devil - on more than one occasion, I might add. And the pumpkin (although some argue it was a turnip or gourd) becomes Jack's saving grace. After the Devil banishes Jack from the living and casts his soul to the in-between (think purgatory or the upside down from Stranger Things) he offers Jack a piece of coal to keep him company. Not to be defeated, Jack hollows out a pumpkin to protect and encourage the fire while he wanders the liminal – his pumpkin-shaped nightlight offering a bit of hope in an otherwise dire situation. Today, ghostly orbs, Will O' the Wisp sightings, and lit Jack O' Lanterns are attributed to the tale of Stingy Jack.
For the modern witch, pumpkins are associated with Samhain and Jack O' Lanterns, but also the moon, abundance, resilience, protection, the element of water, our spell-brewing cauldron and creative endeavors, harvesttime feasts (pies, breads, treats, you name it), and in tarot, the suit of pentacles.
And although pumpkins are aligned with water, pentacles speak to the earth.
From Biddy Tarot:
Because the pentacle is born from the earth, cards from this suit “deal with the physical or external level of consciousness and thus mirror the outer situations of your health, finances, work, and creativity. They have to do with what we make of our outer surroundings – how we create it, shape it, transform it and grow it. On a more esoteric level, Pentacles are associated with the ego, self-esteem and self-image.”
If you're curious, grab your deck (I'm using the Coleman Smith/Rider Waite) and take a look at the Seven of Pentacles. In this card, a farmer eyes six pieces of fruit peaking out from within a web of leaves and vines - a pentacle-themed pumpkin patch!
Spotting a pumpkin creeping through an otherwise tired garden feels like a timely reminder that harvest season is nigh, but things are still blooming, fruiting, and offering us the sustenance we crave.
How will we honor this notion in our own lives?
Some October (and pumpkin-related) happenings throughout the witch world…
On Monday, October 10th, Little Witch Books' creators will be guest-hosting a virtual moon gathering with astrologer Marisa (Riss) Cottrill! Kristin & Caitlyn will be discussing the magick of October, pumpkin lore, and sharing a ritual for the Hunter moon! (You know those monthly moon spells you love so much - here's an opportunity to join live!)
Riss will share her interpretation of the moon-Chiron conjunction and how it illuminates our sense of self, identity, purpose, and drive, as well as other cosmic alignments.
From her forecast:
“It's time to get honest about where we're identifying with our wounds rather than the truth of who we are. We are reclaiming the phrase “I AM”.
A sextile to Saturn brings maturation and an invitation to release the child archetype so we can take responsibility for our lives. Allowing childhood or past wounds to dictate our potential keeps us in a disempowered mindset, however, this full moon is about stepping into true courage and confidence. A square to Pluto points to death and rebirth - the fire of the phoenix allows us to release ego so we can step into who we are, and always have been. Venus forming a conjunction to the sun reminds us that our relationships should compliment who we authentically are, and not DEFINE us.”
Register for October's full moon ceremony at MarisaCottrill.com.
And for those who listened to our Nostalgia Magick episode on Magick & Alchemy and wanted to hear more, we wrote a piece on this very thing for Witchology Magazine! For their Autumn Shadows issue, we talked adding some nostalgia to your altar and embodying the season through folklore and myth. Read it at WitchologyMagazine.com.
And right after our beloved Samhain, Little Witch Books author Kristin Lisenby will be guest-teaching Stories that Go Bump in the Night, an intuitive writing class dedicated to spooky season and our muses disguised as ghosts. With the help of one of her favorite folktales, Kristin will lead writers into the liminal world of Stingy Jack to reflect on nostalgia, whimsy (with a side of spooky), and the ritual of remembering.
Stories that Go Bump in the Night will be hosted in the Bardo. The Bardo is a seven-week, thirteen-session online writing program created by Kate Belew. It's a place to reconnect to your creative spirit, to write, and to join a community of Word Witches, storytellers, and magic makers.
It doesn't matter if you're would-be-Word Witch or a published author, think of the Bardo as a magick circle, each gathering as a spell, and the outcome – a renewed writing practice and commitment to our creative paths. Learn more about the Bardo and sign up to be a part of this writing community here and connect with the creator at KateBelew.com.
And lastly, but oh-so-importantly – if you supported the Little Witch Books Kickstarter (no matter the tier you pledged), keep an eye on your email – eBooks are being delivered today, and will be for sale on the website shortly!
Crowdfunded by you and published by Pointy Hat Press, ‘Little Witch Hosts Samhain Supper’ is a Pagan Children's book about autumn, ancestors, and the Season of the Witch. No matter our age or occupation, we hope that Little Witch serves as an archetype for the inner child, liminal living, and the magick that exists betwixt and between each season of life. Order today!