Happy Halloween!
Its time to prepare for one of the most sacred nights of the year. October 31st is Nos Calan Gaeaf - the Welsh Spirit Night that leads into the ancient Celtic first day of winter on November 1st. This is when the veil between worlds grows thin and our ancestors walk among us once more.
Nos Calan Gaeaf is an ancient Ysbrydnos ('spirit night" when spirits are abroad. On this night, our ancestors believed spirits could freely cross between worlds. The Ladi Wen (White Lady) and Yr Hwch Ddu Gwta (the tailless black sow) were said to roam the land, while the dead could be seen at midnight on every stile.
Traditional ways to prepare for Nos Gaeaf.
Light a coelcerth (bonfire): The sacred fire that reaches up and connects earth to sky. Place a white stone marked with your name into the fire. If a person's stone is missing by morning, it is believed you will not survive the coming year.
Stwmp Naw Rhyw: A traditional nine-ingredient vegetable mash prepared for the evening, often containing a hidden wedding ring to divine who would marry next.
Twco Fala and Divination: Apple bobbing (twco fala), peeling an apple in a single continuous strip to throw over one's shoulder to reveal a future partner's initials, and mirror-gazing rituals.
Turnip Lanterns: Before modern pumpkins, people carved scary faces into turnips and swedes to ward off malevolent entities.
Of course, our little cottage is currently the ultimate spooky place to have a bit of fun and take some silly photos. So we bought a cheap (fitted) white sheet and a few candles and were a bit silly for half an hour. I am looking forward to perhaps taking part in the traditional celtic rituals to see what my future may holds...
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