Alas, SAMHAIN approaches and the new year will soon begin for witches. Preparations are in full swing for this special holiday which pays tribute to the ancestors and honors the dead. In early pagan times Samhain included a Feast of the Dead before it became Halloween and a children's holiday for trick-or-treating. All around me the stressed trees change garments right before my eyes into their brilliant Autumn hues. I breathe deeply of the warm Indian Summer air that just smells like Fall. A frisky breeze snatches some red, orange, and bronze gems from the branches overhead, sends them skittering about my feet, and weaves them into a crunchy blanket which will comfort the earth throughout the coming winter.

It is now at the turning of the Wheel of the Year that witches celebrate by riding their broomsticks – Oops, that's just a myth perpetrated by fear and the mistaken belief that witches flew to the Sabbats on bewitched brooms. In truth, this flight was actually Astral Travel often enhanced with hallucinogenic substances and certainly NOT to dance with Satan; since witches actually do not believe in that Christian symbol which was created from the imagery of the forest god, Pan. People would carve ugly faces in turnips and gourds to frighten away evil spirits and witches — American settlers began using pumpkins. To this day, the humble pumpkin becomes a Jack o'Lantern once a face is painted or carved and it is set out to light porches and walkways during the Halloween/Samhain season. Each time I carve out a face on a pumpkin, I chuckle to think how or why any self-respecting evil being would ever be intimidated or driven away by such a silly vegetable face. Perhaps they would only be frightened once the candle's flickering light creates the illusion of living features which morph from grimace to grin to snarl to frown; and the eyes twinkle and seem to follow you, wink, and move in a most frightening way – or so, I suppose. The increase in ghost sightings, scary stories, and spiritual encounters at this season can also be credited to the thinning of the division between realms.

Whether one is a witch or skeptic or somewhere in between, admittedly the Halloween symbol of the Jack o'Lantern speaks to the psyche in many ways. As I slice, carve, and design a variety of faces on the four pumpkins I will use in ritual, I chant and infuse them with my intent. They will be placed to face outward of the circle to both watch for and welcome the positive spirits to enter; and to ward away any unbidden negatives. Since the head houses the brain/mind, perceptions, consciousness, intelligence, and all manner of thought, this bodiless icon reminds us that our power (magic and mundane) lies within our mind and intent rather than in the physical. As the face takes shape, it becomes a tool of sympathetic magic or simply a mirror or mask, accordingly.

I relax my eyes and the face begins to change – first smiling with twinkling eyes; then snarling in anger or fear; then moaning painfully; and finally a nearly expressionless alien shape. I am hypnotized with this changing, buzzing energy as it builds around and before me. Suddenly, I am transported to a past life memory. It is 1612 and my name is Elizabeth Device. I am accused and about to hang for witchcraft along with 19 others in Lancashire, England. I hear the shouts and screams. I smell the place and feel every sensation as I hear my sentence as a Pendleton witch. I protest and cry my innocence but the words are unheeded. Amidst the terror, I hear the hooting of an owl which abruptly disturbs my reverie, pulling me back among my pumpkin faces in October, 2007, once again.

The memory of that horrendous persecution of women, children, and sometimes men provides a measure to realize just how far we have come since the Spanish Inquisition, and the Salem Witch Trials. History has not told the whole story nor told it accurately, in most cases. We can change little in that regard, however, our responsibility as modern witches is to correct those lies and myths. This can be done only by how we demonstrate Wicca to the world. It really doesn't matter whether we declare ourselves to be a witch outwardly or keep the secret, but rather in the manner in which we treat ourselves and others. In that way we demonstrate by example what it truly means to be a witch.

Witchcraft has always been, by necessity, a secretive tradition and despite the fact that today we do not need to remain in hiding, there still remains prejudice, fear, misunderstanding, and outright persecution. The Federal Government has declared that Wicca is a legitimate religious practice and the Department of Defense has also now recognized this by allowing Wiccan service men and women to wear their pentacles, worship in their own manner, and have the pentacle symbol on their tombstone. However, despite any and all difficulties, witches continue to evolve, grow, live, and work according to an age-old pattern enmeshed with the cycles of the earth and passing of the seasons. Many Wiccans remain steadfastly bound by ancient, dogmatic traditions as passed down from mothers/fathers and grandmothers/grandfathers, respectively. For this reason, Witchcraft has remained unchanged despite historical treatment and, for that reason, they persevere and maintain the knowledge jealously guarded from the outside world.

Absolutely, I do NOT advocate any change in this powerful network, but would like to offer some thoughts. The energies of the earth and time itself are changing. Witches and earth-based religions are more than aware of this fact. As I contemplate the pumpkin before me, my curiosity is peaked. Just how as a witch and individual am I evolving? Recently, a friend responded to one of my “feeling inadequate” tirades, saying, “You are no longer a witch. You are a mystic.” I admit, I am not yet quite fully sure of what that means exactly; but I like the feeling it provides. I interpret this as evolution from adept to a new level of advancement. Perhaps, the faces on the pumpkins are actually our own faces mirrored back, complete with lessons and realizations by which when perceived our own truth and as we begin to understand, we grow – becoming the mystic witch. Or, perhaps, it simply means that the we progress beyond the need for physical tools. Just staring into the faces, one is immediately aware that they are ever-changing, emoting, and reflecting back our doubts, fears, and insecurities. Hidden within is the inner child kept safe in the light of the candle; yet if left untended, it withers and dries up like the pumpkin at season's end. If the face reflects fear — we react in kind. If it grins with silly abandon — we laugh and find healing joy. If the face snarls and tries to intimidate — we are feel forced to react in anger or heal it.

Our ancestral witches were forced to hide their faces behind masks of normalcy and lived in the shadow of fear and retribution. Their tools were common household items which would not bring the attention of the prosecutor – brooms, rakes, cooking pots, common herbs, etc. Many hundred years later, witches may openly purchase athames, wands, pentacles, spell packets, and T-shirts that announce proudly, “Not Every Witch Lives in Salem”. Libraries, book stores, and the Internet offer hundreds of authors and reference materials. The hands-on study of witchcraft is preferable, but in lieu of a teacher, anyone interested in the craft can begin to learn basics easily and openly.

As I seek communion with my beloved grandmother and the ghosts of the past on this Samhain, I will carry only a simple candle to light my way to the ancestor's tree and a cross-sliced apple that displays the pentacle seed pattern. This offering will honor the spirits and delight a squirrel, chipmunk or deer the next day. Just experience Drawing Down of the Moon, for another example. Sense and feel the energy of the goddess as she enters your body and empowers every fiber of your being. On days when doubts, fears, and problems seem to be controlling you, step into the middle of your living room and visualize white light filling the space. Then stomp your feet, clap your hands, and declare loudly —“I take back my power!” — and mean it. You will feel better and have instantly manifested the magical energy to start controlling your life.

Oh, I have a whole magic room full of STUFF – from books, jars of herbs, oils, candles of every color to the tools of a witch; athame, several wands, chalices, mortar and pestles, a crystal ball, scrying mirror, etc. Do I need all that stuff? NO! Do I enjoy it and want it? YES! I often think I must have been a crow in a past life because anything shiny attracts me right away. I can hardly point a talon to other crows (LOL), but my point is that in the early days of study, I “needed” tools. It was important to my growth and development as a witch to learn to use and care for them; but, now I have changed. I am ever reminded that tools have always been defined by the capability of the user – a stick can poke, serve as a skewer to cook game, start and fuel a fire for warmth or direct energy as Harry Potter's famous wand. Glue on some stones -- engrave some runes – But does the stick direct energy any better than a pointed finger or hand gesture? Of course not, but it is more fun and quite dramatic. I have noticed that lately visualization creates and manifests through the direction of mental energy, will, and intention (prayer) even before a spell would be performed in the past. In part, I believe this is due to the speeding up of time as we approach 2012. Or maybe I am getting lazy? — Maybe both. Self-awareness, self-esteem, and understanding of the ego creates a foundation for ethical and positive energy work. The will power, intent and clarity of purpose creates the fuel to drive the magic. The “Headless Horseman” from Robert Louis Stevenson's folktale may just have had the right idea. While Ichabod Crane was giving in to his fears and insecurities, the horseman took charge and threw his head (mind) into the problem. I admit that is a bit of a stretch, but it illustrates my point — Your power comes from your mind and beliefs.

My wishes for the future witch is that she/he may continuously strive toward empowerment through the practice of personal, magical, and life skills. That they continue to walk away from the past and fear-based labels into a self-assured future where the witch may walk proudly and openly in the modern professional world. That they fully enjoy and explore the occult path as it fits his/her personality, dances naked under the moon, chases the inner child merrily in the sun, and confidently manifests a peaceful, healthful future for all the right reasons.

So the next time you see a leering Jack o'Lantern on Halloween/Samhain, look into its face and chuckle as you would looking into a mirror on a bad hair day. As you reaction to that pumpkin's face, remember that you, alone, choose whether to be happy or miserable. Only you control what you attract into your life and have the power to change or enhance it. Think abundantly — attract abundance. Think negative, depressing thoughts — exist in it's shadow. Yes, in that silly vegetable face, you will see the recent and the ancient past, the present, and perhaps even the future in the face on the pumpkin.