SIPA Samhain 2025

Schedule

Sat Oct 25 2025 at 06:00 pm to 10:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Gaia House Interfaith Center | Carbondale, IL

Samhain Ritual led by:
Tara Nelsen
WHEN:
Saturday, October 25, 2025
Gathering starts at 6:00 p.m.
Ritual at 7:00 p.m.
Potluck after ritual
WHERE:
Gaia House Interfaith Center
WHAT TO BRING:
* Items for the Ancestor Altar
* Items or writings of things to banish & burn the banishment box in the fireplace.
* Monetary donations to cover rental costs (optional)
*Potluck items (optional. Ideas listed below)
Samhain Ritual 2025
Every sabbat has it's theme, it's vibe, it's focus. The sabbat is what the sabbat is after all, and Samhain is always about the final harvest, honoring our ancestors, death, banishing and the end of the Pagan year. The focus of the ritual rarely strays from these ideas but I try to create and lead a slightly different Samhain ritual every year while keeping in mind the...well...reason for the season!
This year the ritual will have 2 basic parts: the Ancestor Altar and Banishing.
The first part of the ritual will be the Ancestor Altar. This is part of every SIPA Samhain ritual. This is the place to honor those you have loved and lost, recently or long ago. We will build the altar as part of the ritual as each person places items that represent those they wish to honor. These items can range from photos, keepsakes, cards, letters, family heirlooms, candles to light in honor, favorite food, drink or other items of the deceased, human or fur baby. There will also be candles available to light if you did not bring any.
Each person will have time to speak to and remember their ancestors as they step up to the altar. This can be an emotional and painful part of the ritual, the remembering & the honoring, but Samhain is the perfect time to connect and to honor those we have loved and lost. I want to encourage everyone to NOT limit or censor yourself, to NOT hide from the emotions, this is a sacred time in a sacred and safe place, and that can be a rare experience. You will be safe, protected, and supported.
The second part of the ritual will be focused on Banishing.
For this year's banishing I want to strongly encourage folks to prepare something before ritual and to bring that thing or things to the event. I'm calling this item made by you the “Banishment Creation”.
I want you to think about every and any aspect of your life that you want to banish, that you want to be gone, that you want to let go of: toxic people, bad habits, harmful behaviors, ways of thinking or reacting that are not healthy for you, etc. I want folks to take the next few weeks to think deeply about these things. To find items that represent what you want to banish from your life or to create a physical item such as a letter, painting, collage, etc. A physical, emotional, spiritual THING you have found or created that you can see, feel, touch.
Maybe write out any and all things to banish or print off the computer. Maybe add photos or drawings or poetry. Whatever tools will help you to decide what to banish, that will help you to connect to those things and to physically let them go.
No one but you will see what you create. No one but you will know what you are banishing unless you choose to share.
We will be utilizing fire and a Banishment Box to get rid of the things that are no longer welcome in our lives.
***We will be limited in size for the banishment so please think of what will fit inside the round banishment box and the fireplace.
There will be basic supplies at the ritual for those who don't bring a “banishment creation” but I really want to encourage folks to use the weeks we have before the ritual to focus and create a powerful tool, a personal and meaningful piece of energy and intent. Get creative! Get all multi-media with words, photos, paint, colors, symbols! Whatever will help you decide what needs to be banished from your life. The simple things and the complicated things. The harvest season is your time to cut away the dead or diseased, to say goodbye and be willing to leave those things, people, habits, whatever...in the past.
This can also be a scary thing to do. It can be hard to say goodbye to old habits, actions & reactions, behaviors, beliefs, wants & needs, people and places. I want to encourage folks to be strong, courageous, and to choose what is best for your mind, body, and spirit. To choose what's best for you, even or especially when it hurts and terrifies you. The energy and power created on Samhain is like no other and it can change your life...but you have to be open enough to let it and sometimes make the hard and scary and painful choices!
The past few years have been really hard for many of us and being able to let go of the pain & stress is extra important this year so we are definitely going to putting extra power into our 3-word chant of "BURN THAT SHIT!!!"

* POTLUCK ITEMS: (optional...below are suggestions, but please bring what you wish):
• Water signs (Scorpio, Pisces, Cancer): Main Dish
• Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn): Side Dish/Veggies
• Air signs (Libra, Aquarius, Gemini): Drinks
• Fire signs (Sagittarius, Aries, Leo): Desserts
AS ALWAYS, RITUALS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO EVERYONE!
*No pets at this event.
For more information contact:
Tara Nelsen: 618-924-0263 (text msg please) or FB Messenger
Andi Darnell: FB Messenger

Where is it happening?

Gaia House Interfaith Center, 913 S Illinois Ave,Carbondale, Illinois, United States
SouthernIllinois PaganAlliance

Host or Publisher SouthernIllinois PaganAlliance

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