Last Minute Witchy Rituals for Halloween

The veil is already thinning but you don’t need to stress yourself out trying to rush and make the most of this magic! The best witches know that the most powerful tools aren’t $1,000 crystals the size of a medium-sized dog or rare, antique grimoires that date back to the late-12th century; the witchiest and most potent, magical items are already available in your own home.You don’t have to go above and beyond to make Halloween special. For starters, learning a bit more about the origins and symbolism behind this time of year is an excellent starting point. Halloween stems from Samhain, the nearly 2,000-year-old Celtic tradition which marks the pagan new year. Halloween marks the halfway point between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, a time where the nights grow longer and, with less daylight, we are tasked with relying on our instincts and intuition to navigate the unknown and the darkness. This can be a profound time to hone your own spiritual abilities, connecting with Loved Ones who have crossed over, or for deep, healing work and engaging with your shadow side. It’s time to center and confront what’s often ignored or left in the shadows—whether on purpose or out of fear.Dia de los Muertos is also celebrated on the heels of Halloween, beginning the following day on November 1 and running sometimes until November 3. This is the time where the veil is thin and we have easier access to the Otherside and other realms. As a result, indigenous cultures from all over the world have celebrated with similar traditions to honor this sacred portal as a moment to celebrate and venerate our Ancestors and those who came before us.From honoring your Ancestors to making blessed water, here are a three ideas to align with your inner witch this Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, and spooky season.Make Moon WaterGrab a clear, glass cup and fill it with some water. Now write a petition, prayer, or single word of what you’re trying to call in and manifest on a piece of paper. Read your desires out loud and whisper what you wrote into the glass of water. Place your petition and desires under the glass and place your glass of water under a windowsill or outside directly under the moon light. You can customize your moon water, too, maybe you want to add a special crystal in the water or enchant a piece of rosemary from your garden, so you can cook with it the next day. Get creative and let that guide you—your creative mind and intuitive mind aren’t too far apart.You can use this moon water in so many ways like watering your plants with it, cleansing your own hands with it or placing some over your heart space to open up to love and new possibilities or on your throat to speak blessings and truth. You can cook with it (if you keep the water inside, otherwise you risk some bug action if you place it out in the wild during the night); clean your home with it, or even drink it.When you’re setting your intentions and making your moon water it’s also important to pay attention to what part of the moon cycle you’re making the moon water under. This year, Halloween is taking place shortly after a dramatic Full Moon in Taurus, making this the perfect time to release and let go of anyone or anything that no longer serves you. Set intentions around breaking habits, releasing patterns, or facilitating the process of removing people, situations, and things in your life that are causing pain and stagnation, so you can open up energetically to more aligned people and opportunities in the future.Note: Once you use this specific cup for this ritual, it is advised that you do not drink out of this glass again. You just performed a special, magical ritual with it, so treat it as such. You can reuse it for future Moon Water recipes under upcoming new moons and full moons.Halloween Tarot SpreadWhile it’s generally not advised to haphazardly use a Ouija board or take your first stab at Spirit communication on a whim (especially on Halloween!), using the tarot to get in touch with your own Ancestors and Spirit Guides can be a healing and illuminating experience. Before you dust off your deck, do a simple grounding, cleaning and protection practice to root yourself and create a safe container for the Spirits in your life who have your best interest at heart to reach you.Start by planting your feet or seat firmly on the ground. Visualize a cord plunging down into the center of the Earth. Once you reach Earth’s silvery core, trust that you are grounded and protected by Mother Earth. Next, visualize a stream of light (any color of your choice) plunging down from the Heavens and entering through the top of your head, your crown chakra. Visualize this beam of healing and protective light, moving downward throughout your body–down through your throat, your belly, reaching your hips, down through your legs, and out the bottom of your feet and back into Earth’s core. Trust that this beam of light is cleansing you of any unwanted energies as it moves through you. Finish up by imagining an orb around you (I like to pretend mine is made of thousands of small, tiny mirrors or a reflective surface), and in this orb, you are safe. You are in a protective bubble and no one or nothing can cross this protective barrier.Now you’re ready to grab your deck! You can create readings on the fly with your own intuition or use the spread below to help build a stronger relationship with a particular Ancestor or Spirit Guide.Card 1: Who is this Ancestor and/or Guide?Card 2: What personality traits do we share in common?Card 3: What areas of my life are they here to guide and support me with?Card 4: How can I nurture and strengthen a relationship with this Guide/Ancestor?Card 5: Advice and guidance from my Ancestor and/or Guide about the next steps on my path.Setting Up or Cleansing an Altar Creating an altar from scratch doesn’t have to be hard or elaborate. It requires intention, a glass of water, candle, and a photo if you have one. If you are privileged to own items that belonged to your Loved Ones, feel free to add some of those to the altar, as well.Before you start an altar, it’s important to also consecrate it and the first step in that process is to make sure you engage in a grounding, cleansing, and protection ritual before getting started. (See the Halloween Tarot Spread for a suggested ritual.) Also clean the space where you want to set up your altar, moving forward consider this spot in your home as no-vacancy. You’re now in possession of your very own mini cosmic portal to the other realms!You might also consider adding something to represent the four elements: a candle (fire); a crystal, plant, or dirt (earth); incense or a feather (air), and a beverage to represent water (or even beer if your dearly departed loved to crack a cold one from time to time). After setting up your altar space, speak out a prayer, wish, or desire to consecrate the new destination for your departed. The most important thing after all is said and done is to find a consistent practice and rhythm for engaging with your altar. Don’t let it collect dust or creepy crawlies to find their way into your water. Tend to your altar and your Loved Ones like you would care for a guest in your home. Pour your love into it and, in return, your Ancestors will pour back into you.