Apples
Centre:
A Samhain centre may comprise a shining candle of life, the Cailleach created to express our own wisdom as well as corresponding
death, memoriam cards of departed relatives, and a hoola hoop
representing the cycle of the year, eternity, the empty centre
delineating the void.
A selection of food and drink for the
ancestors will usually be present.
An apple and a candle symbolically provides food for their journey to the after life or Otherworld and the light guides their way.
Prayer:
Praise to the apple, the tree, the flower and the fruit.
May we learn from your example and be as sturdy, beautiful and nourishing to all beings as you are.
May we be fruitful in all our actions, in gratitude for all we share together.
| If apple trees blossom in March we may search for apples in Autumn. Duchas.ie - Wicklow |
| To bring some blossoms into a house is to open the door to bad luck. These are whitethorn, apple blossom & laburnum. Duchas.ie - Leitrim |
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Walking a Labyrinth
In 2018 we walked the Labyrinth at An Tobar.
Eating an apple you connect to what created it and what it provides.
Appreciating all that went into an apple you relish the fruit as a whole, the beautiful end result.
Liken yourself to that apple, realise that you are the outcome of what you take in.
You appreciate yourself and all that has created you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Emain Ablach:
The immortals of Lughnasadh
are Danu, the prime goddess and mother of gods and humans, and Lugh
Samildánach, being many skilled.
One legend relates that Lugh came to Tara from Emain Ablach, a mythical island paradise meaning the Island of Apples, a forerunner maybe of the legends of Avalon. It is often regarded as the realm of the sea god Manannán Mac Lir and identified in the physical world with the Isle of Man lying north west of Tara. The Island paradise was his first home, before he matured and came to his home of Tara.
There are some that believe Ireland is Avalon.
Gifts and Offerings
Please be thoughtful when you share a gift or offering at a place,
particularly outdoors. Anything bio-degradeable might seem ok but the
weight of gifts hanging on a tree can bring down branches and remember
that trees, plants and wildlife generally can be damaged by food left
lying around.
Grains, apples, bread and milk will go mouldy and they
also cause mould and rot. Food left in a building or lying on the ground
will attract rodents.
It is often enough to present your gift or offering etherically and energetically with good intention rather than physically adding something.
You can also place your gift while you are there and then remove it as you leave. Remember the country code
Take only photos, leave only footsteps.
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Angry Apples
The Angry apples bit was added to use the anger and get it out of the way before engaging with the core action of the ritual. It involved externally focusing all the anger into the apple which used visualisation and physically beating the apple.
The anger now in the apple was buried to rot in the ground so that the anger energy would fertilise the soil and promote positive growth. 2024 - Caves - Connect - Mexico and Ireland
Wandering Aengus & Apples
Though I am old with wandering through
hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
and walk among long dappled grass,
and pluck till time and times are done
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.
21st October - Apple Day
 | Samhain - Night of Joy and Merriment
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| The tree looked down at the leaves on the ground, Golden yellows, bright cheerful colours, like a skirt all around. It's gnarled old trunk and branches bare The tree remembered the dance of the breeze
A squirrel came by with a nut in its paw
A familiar friend, the
tree knew well, Carefully placing the nut at the base of the tree The secret cache of winter food. | The tree smiled, pleased to watch, for it was good That the leaves it grew at the start of the year Now served a purpose in their passing. It shed a tear. The squirrel looked up, had it started to rain?Hurrying now, there's a larder to build, Off into the wood it scampered again and it soon was a-gathering abundant supplies As gentle snow flakes descended from grey leaden skies. The tree settled quiet into a winter of ease Knowing Spring would return to awaken the trees. |
Apple Pie:
Every Irish Mammy has
her apple pie recipe, and it is beloved by all the family. Passed
down through the generations, there are secrets never to be told of
extra flavourings and ingredients.
One might involve the addition of
mashed potato to the pastry, or the use of cinnamon, cloves or
nutmeg, sour-cream, and then, of course, there is often a bottle of
something stronger than water in the cupboard... alcohol...
Do you slice or chop the apples? Do you have custard, cream or ice-cream? So many variations. And all delicious.
The Churn:
The seasonal food
celebration after the toil of harvest. The churn or churn dance is
the community party when the harvest is in and everyone can relax.
Churn is also used as the name for the harvest supper when everyone shares in the abundance of food and festivities go late into the night.
Black Butter:
This rich conserve of bramley apple, cider and spices is great on toast, with cheese or cold meats, baked into cakes, mixed with yoghurt or ice-cream, etc. Recipes for Black Butter
This is from an archived BBC page for a Isle of Jersey version - "Local women used to get together to peel hundreds of pounds of apples whilst the men and children would gather enough wood to keep the fire going for almost two days. The fire was usually lit in the afternoon, after which the cooking would go on all night and well into the next day. Today, there are only about four groups who still continue to make black butter."
10 gallons cider, 700 lb sweet apples, peeled and cut, 20 lb sugar, 3 sticks liquorice, finely chopped 24 lemons, sliced, 3 lb allspice
Boil the cider until it turns to jelly. Add the apples, stirring all the time to prevent sticking. Two hours after the last batch of apples has been stirred in, add the sugar, liquorice and lemons. In the last ten minutes of cooking add the spice. Store in jars.
You can also buy Welsh Black Butter - Beaconfoods.co.uk
