The History of Halloween

Like many of the modern holidays we celebrate, Halloween has roots that stem back thousands of years. The traditions and celebrations we associate with the holiday are actually taken from several different ancient festivals.

The most ancient of those is the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced SAH-wen), which was widely celebrated around 2,000 years ago. Meaning ‘Summer’s End’, Samhain celebrated the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. At the time, the year was marked in two halves; the light half, and the dark half. Samhain marked the end of the light and the beginning of the dark.

Samhain was one of four Celtic holidays celebrated throughout the year, along with Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh. These festivals were known as ‘fire festivals’, and in between these came the two Equinoxes and two Solstices. Samhain is celebrated between the Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice. These festivals were originally celebrated across Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man, before spreading throughout Europe.

Centuries after the original celebrations began, Pope Gregory III decided to move the annual festival celebrated by the Romans to November 1st, and this holiday evolved to become All Saints’ Day. The night before came to be known as All Hallows’ Eve, and this holiday eventually became the modern Halloween we now know. Many of the traditions we now associate with Halloween were carried down from these celebrations. Here’s where these customs come from.

Trick-or-Treating

As with many modern rituals and traditions, it is widely debated how the practice of trick-or-treating came about. There are two main theories. The first is that it comes from the Samhain ritual. During Samhain, people believed that the portal between this world and the next would open, and the dead would come back to Earth. People would leave offerings outside their door to appease the spirits, and to welcome back deceased relatives. Some would take this further by setting a place at the table for their loved ones.

The second theory is that it started with the tradition of people (primarily children) going from door to door, asking for ‘soul cakes’. In exchange, the beggars would pray for the souls of those who gave them the food and their loved ones.

Halloween Costumes

Again, this is a custom of which the origin is argued. Some believe that it started with the act of “mumming” and “guising,” which is when people would dress in disguises and go door to door asking for food. Others say this started on All Saints’ Day, as a genuine tribute to the Saints.

Others still believe that the custom started during Samhain, as a way for people to disguise themselves from the dead. Many people feared the spirits they believed would cross over on the night of Samhain, and they believed that if they disguised themselves, the ghosts would believe they were also dead, and would not cause them any harm.

Jack-o-Lanterns

Originally, Jack-o-Lanterns were made from turnips. The tradition changed to pumpkins when the Irish moved to the USA and couldn’t find any turnips, so they changed to the fruit. Unsurprisingly, there are many stories surrounding the origins of why we carve pumpkins. One is that they were used to scare away evil spirits. Another, very popular story, revolves around the legend of Stingy Jack.

Stingy Jack was a drunken farmer who attracted The Devil with his mean, selfish ways. However, he outsmarted the devil three times in his life, tricking him into agreeing to never claim his soul. When he died, Jack was barred from Heaven because of his evil actions. The Devil, smarting from being tricked but keeping his promise, would not allow him into Hell. He gave Jack just a lump of burning coal and sent him away. It is said that Jack hollowed out a turnip and put the burning piece of coal inside, and has been using this lantern to guide him as he has roamed the Earth alone ever since. The Irish referred to the figure as ‘Jack of the Lantern’, and this eventually evolved into simply ‘Jack O’ Lantern’.

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source https://www.psychic2tarot.com/blog/seasonal-events/the-history-of-halloween/

Ask A Psychic A Question For Free – October 2018

It’s back! We’re letting you ask a question for free and one of our psychics will answer it for you. Please remember there are rules attached to these questions. No asking anything about health, pregnancy or finances (we cannot answer those). Also, please keep it to one question. If you ask multiple questions, our psychics will only answer the first one. 

This is a free service and please remember that any advice given should always be backed up by a professional (where applicable).

One more thing – please also remember that as it’s a free service, our psychics will answer your questions when they are able to. It may take a couple of days – so please be patient.

Have a great week!!
Adam

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source https://www.psychic2tarot.com/blog/ask-our-readers/ask-a-psychic-a-question-for-free-october-2018/

Understanding Dreams: Running Late

Welcome back to our ‘Understanding Dreams’ series, where we take a look at the most common subjects people dream about, and what they mean for us in our waking lives. This month, we are looking at dreams about running late. These dreams can often cause a lot of stress and anxiety, as nobody likes the feeling of being late for something important. They are also often a result of pre-existing stress; if you have a dream about being late, it is often a strong reflection of what is currently going on in your day-to-day life. Here’s what it means if you dream about being late.

Dreams in which you are late are often very frustrating because the reason you are late is not your fault. Usually, people dream that they are trying their hardest to reach their desired destination, but obstacles keep getting in their way. No matter how hard they try, they cannot get to where they want to go. These dreams cause a lot of stress and anxiety, and can lead to a poor night’s sleep, and leave us feeling even more tired and unrested in the morning. However, if you have this type of dream, you are often already feeling tense and anxious about something, even if you weren’t fully aware of these feelings; this dream is your subconscious sending you a message that you need to do something to tackle these emotions and the situations causing them.

Dreams about running late because you’re unprepared

Often, this dream symbolises that you are up against a tight deadline in your real life, and are worried that you may not make it. It’s very common for people with high-power and fast-paced jobs such as journalists to have this dream, as they are constantly working against the clock, and this stress carries over to their subconsciousness while they sleep. However, it’s also common for people who have recently taken on bigger responsibilities, such as an important work project, or a new role altogether, or even began studying again and suddenly have assignments to consider. This new part of your life may be making you feel anxious and overwhelmed, and like you’re going to fail.

In our waking lives, if we’re late and it’s our fault, it’s usually because we were unprepared. If you’re late for an important appointment, or for work or school, it could be because you failed to set your alarm clock, or you didn’t think about what you were going to wear beforehand, or you missed your bus or train because you weren’t paying enough attention to the time. If this is you, then having a dream in which you are running late is often a sign that you need to work on being better prepared for things in your real life. You may not feel like your lack of preparation is stressing you out (it may actually be because you’re so laid-back that you’re constantly late), but this dream is a clear sign that somewhere deep down, this is causing your subconscious to panic.

Dreams about running late because of external obstacles

If you are somebody who is usually well-prepared and on time in real life, and are still dreaming that you are late through unpreparedness, it could be a sign that you are dealing with a situation in your daily life that you are not sure if you can handle. You are probably feeling like you are not ready to take on such a big task, perhaps because you don’t have the knowledge, skills, or tools to complete it. You feel as though you are rushing towards a deadline that is impossible to meet, and there is nothing you can do. If this is you, it’s time to ask for help. Look for somebody who has the knowledge, or who can provide you with the correct tools you need to complete your task, and if possible, can help you complete it before the deadline looms.

If in the dream you are trying your hardest to reach your destination on time, but are being prevented from doing so because of external obstacles, this could be a sign that you are feeling like you are being held back by something or somebody in your waking life. You are ready and willing to do what you need to do and meet any deadlines you might have, but something else is getting in the way of your success. You most likely feel very frustrated at this situation and are unsure how you can get around these obstacles and reach your goal. If this is you, it’s time to take a step back and assess the situation, and figure out what it is that is standing in your way.

Feeling like you’re falling behind

In a deeper, less literal sense, this dream could suggest that you are feeling as though you are running out of time in your daily life. Perhaps you feel as though you’re not living up to the expectations of your younger self, or those around you, and aren’t where you thought you would be at this point in your life. You may be struggling to advance in your career, or are still unsure quite what it is you want to do. Or maybe you’re feeling like you’re falling behind in your personal life; we reach a certain age when we are surrounded by people getting married, buying houses, and starting families. If you’re not quite there yet, and you’re surrounded by people who seem to ‘have it together’, this dream may be your subconscious telling you that you feel as though you are falling behind and that you’re racing against the clock.

If this is the case, it’s important to remember that life is not a race. There is no set timeline for when you must do certain things. Some people have a clear idea of what they want to do in their careers from an early age, and quickly work their way up the ladder. Others find their passion later, and some never do, and simply work to earn money. Some people meet their soulmates in their teens, whereas others don’t meet until much later, and others are simply happily single. No matter where you are in your life, don’t compare yourself to others. You’re not falling behind, because it’s not a competition. The only person you should worry about is yourself. If you do want to change your life and make progress in certain areas, then take some time to reflect on where you’re at right now, and what you can change to move forward. Once you know what to do, go and do it, and allow yourself some time to achieve those goals without feeling pressure to meet a certain deadline.

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source https://www.psychic2tarot.com/blog/spirituality/understanding-dreams-running-late/

How to cope with anxiety – A video from Olivia Remes

Today is Mental Health Awareness Day and in this video, Olivia Remes (University of Cambridge) talks about one of the most prevalent mental health disorders, Anxiety.

Anxiety affects around 1 out of every 14 people around the world. This can result in other conditions such as depression and often increases the risk for suicide. Alarmingly, very few people who often need treatment for anxiety actually receive it.

In the video, Olivia discusses how to cope with anxiety and looks at ways to unravel and treat this health disorder.

By allowing ourselves to believe that what happens in life is comprehensive, meaningful and manageable, one can significantly improve their risk of developing anxiety disorders.

Arguing that treatments such as psychotherapy and medication exist and often result in poor outcome and high rates of relapses, she will emphasise the importance of harnessing strength in ourselves as we modify our problem-coping mechanisms.

 

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source https://www.psychic2tarot.com/blog/videos/how-to-cope-with-anxiety-olivia-remes/