Embracing Samhain – A Tribute to Wise Women

As we enter Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the start of winter, we find ourselves at a moment that’s deeply intertwined with reverence for life’s cycles, reflection, and connection to those who came before us.

Samhain, celebrated from 31st October to 1st November, is a powerful time for introspection and honouring our ancestors, a practice rich in mysticism, which historically held particular significance for women, often the healers and keepers of wisdom within communities.

However, this connection to the “otherworld” and healing arts has, over centuries, tragically led to persecution. In Europe from the 14th to 17th centuries, societal anxieties, economic instability, and rigid patriarchal structures led to witch hunts that targeted thousands of women. These women, often healers, midwives, and herbalists, were accused of heresy and witchcraft, largely because of their knowledge and practices that lay outside the church’s doctrines. Figures like midwives, with their intimate knowledge of childbirth, and herbalists, who understood plant medicine, were seen as a threat to male-dominated societal control, and thus labelled as "witches."

This dark history is a reminder that the persecution of women’s wisdom, autonomy, and connection to nature has not disappeared. In modern times, women worldwide continue to face challenges for asserting control over their bodies and lives. From the harsh restrictions on women’s rights in countries like Afghanistan to ideological movements in the U.S. aimed at restricting reproductive health care, echoes of historical suppression resonate painfully today.

This Samhain, let us honour those wise women, both past and present, by reclaiming our collective strength and wisdom. Whether through gathering in sisterhood, practicing self-healing, or fostering empowerment within our communities, we can honour these women by nurturing our connection to ourselves, each other, and the earth. Remember: every woman holds within her a lineage of resilience, courage, and wisdom. May we recognise this power, not as something to be feared, but as the essence of life itself.