As we move into the month of October and the season of Samhain, it’s important to capture the meaning of the season. As Americans embrace Halloween and all things spooky, ask yourself, why do we celebrate death during this time of year? What are the symbols of Samhain and Persephone?
Persephone, the Greek goddess of the Underworld, is especially prominent at this time of the year. She is the dark queen, the wife of Hades, the goddess of darkness. This is her reign.
So what are 9 symbols of Samhain and Persephone and how can you incorporate the spirit of this time of darkness into your homemaking and creative writing? Find out here!
Who is Persephone?
Persephone is the daughter of Demeter, the Greek goddess of the harvest, and of Zues. She, along with her mother, are both goddesses associated with agriculture and the harvest. According to the myth, Hades and Zues conspired to abduct young Persephone from her mother and bring her to the underworld to be the wife of Zues. She spends half the year ruling as queen of the underworld before returning to her mother in the spring.
Check out my article on Demeter in September for a little more info about Persephone’s mother and check out this article for Persephone’s story.
The dark half of the year represents Persephone’s reign as Queen of the underworld. She reigns over the dead souls and the darkness.
The symbols of Samhain and Persephone that are associated with this time of the year often coincide with one another.
What is Samhain?
In many ancient Celtic and Germanic cultures, and in modern Wicca, Samhain marks the dark half of the year along the wheel of the year.
The symbols of Samhain and Persephone are all highlighted at this auspicious time of the year. It is considered the third and final harvest. When the last of the crops are harvested and the time of plenty has come to an end.
The veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is thinnest, allowing souls to revisit the earth. Consider that the dead are all under the reign of Persephone and Hades and think of them as their subjects.
To honor this time, it’s important to embrace the darkness. As nature’s energy is always in balance, we cannot have light without darkness. And we cannot have life without death. This is a time to remember death. Remember that we are mortal, and remember those who have died.
The Symbols of Samhain and Persephone within your home
These symbols of Samhain and Persephone will help capture the energy of this dark season and bring the dark queen into your home.
The Symbols of Samhain and Persephone within your home
These symbols of samhain and Persephone will help capture the energy of this dark season and bring the dark queen into your home.
Pomegranates
The pomegranate is a symbol of Persephone. It’s also a symbol of death and life. The seeds inside represent future seeds of life, and the red juice represents the blood of the dead and Persephone’s link to them.
The pomegranate also represents Persephone’s abduction and marriage to Hades.
The Crescent Moon
The waning crescent moon represents release, letting go, rest, and death. All important symbols for the dark side of the year. It’s a symbol of completion. In agriculture, the earth has given its last harvest and now prepares to rest.
Incorporate the waning crescent moon in your seasonal decor to symbolize completion and rest.
Skeleton Keys
The skeleton key can be used as a symbol of Samhain and Persephone. It represents the key to the underworld and the key to the dead. Use it to symbolize your unlocking of the doors of the underworld.
The skeleton key can also symbolize Persephone’s abduction and captivity in the underworld.
Symbols of Samhain and Persephone that represent the darkness
These three symbols embody the darkness and the dark half of the year. These are symbols that represent our acceptance of this dark time.
Black Candles
Black anything is appropriate for this time of the year. But in spellcraft, black candles can be used in banishment spells and transformation spells. Set up the black candles to honor Persephone as she transitions into the queen of the underworld.
Crows and Ravens
Crows are important symbols of Samhain and Persephone. Also, crows are symbols of transformation, mystery, spiritual messages, and omens. They are associated with the dead and with graveyards because they scavenge for their food. Their haunting caws denote the coming darkness.
Ravens are representatives of lost souls. Both birds are representatives of darkness.
The Underworld River
In Greek mythology, the River Styx forms the boundary between the moral world and the underworld where Persephone and Hades reign over the dead. To cross it is to cross into the world of the dead. It’s a symbol of transformation and an end to mortal life.
Symbolize this by putting out a bowl of water on your altar as an offering. Reflect on the river as a metaphor for letting go of the past.
Symbols of Samhain and Persephone represented in nature
Connecting with nature and the seasons is vital to any spiritual pagan practice. These are three connections to Samhain and Persephone that can be found in nature.
Dark Autumn Leaves
The leaves represent the end of nature’s harvest. Gather them and put them on your altar as a reminder of the cycle of life. All things that are mortal must eventually pass. Nothing lasts forever and seasons change. Embrace this change as a transformation.
Skulls
Skulls represent the remnants of our ancestors. Decorate your altar in human skulls made of crystals and other natural materials. You could also decorate in animal skulls if you properly prepare them for use. Use them to honor your ancestors.
Torches
In the symbolism of Samhain and Persephone, torches represent Persephone’s journey into darkness. Use the torches to illuminate her path as she passes into the underworld.
Ritual Idea
As a ritual to symbolize Persephone and Samhain, you could organize a solemn procession. Gather some friends, dress in black, and carry torches along your path. Plan your procession to end either in a graveyard or perhaps near water. Once you get to the end, symbolize the releasing of souls and of Persephone into the underworld by sending paper boats into a body of water. Carried on the boats could be the names of your loved ones who have crossed the river Styx, along with some messages for them, inviting them to visit you on Samhain when the thin veil allows them to cross into the land of the living.
You should plan to do this on a waning crescent moon before October 31st.
Bringing the symbols of Samhain and Persephone into your homemaking
By putting all these symbols together, you can use your home to honor Samhain and Persephone during this time of the year.
Decorate with the symbols of Samhain and Persephone
Gather all the symbols already mentioned. Pomegranates, fallen leaves, black candles, skulls, etc. and use them to decorate throughout your home. Symbolize Persephone’s descent and her transformation into the queen of the underworld.
Create a sacred space
Create a place in your home where you can be still and reflect on this time of year. Establish daily rituals centered on honoring the dead, honoring your ancestors, and honoring the dark queen. Ask the goddess to look after your lost family members. Check out my article on Autumn Living for ideas.
Incorporating symbols of Samhain and Persephone into cooking and decluttering
Use pomegranates in your cooking as much as you can. You can create some pomegranate simple syrups to use in dessert recipes like tarts or curds.
Arts and crafts
Create a wreath using plenty of symbols of Samhain and Persephone. Create paper and biodegradable boats to release into the River Styx during your procession.
Sacred Homemaking as a spiritual practice
You should see your homemaking activities as a spiritual practice. Everything you do, from maintaining a morning and evening routine, to cleaning and decorating, to teaching children and nourishing your marriage, should be done in connection to the seasons. Suggest a few date nights to visit your local graveyard, decorate pumpkins with the kids, or do some genealogy work. These are all activities that can incorporate the energy of Samhain and Persephone into your daily homemaking life.
Making the symbols of Samhain and Persephone part of your creative writing
If you are a writer, think about how you can use the symbols of Samhain and Persephone to add to your writing craft.
Writing Prompts
Some writing prompts to think of for the season will incorporate what you have learned about the symbols of Samhain and Persephone.
- Write a story about a character who crosses the River Styx to find their lost love. The character must appease Persephone in order to be granted access to her subjects. This will require a series of tests.
- Write a scene about Persephone’s wedding and coronation in the underworld.
Using Persephone in character development
Consider Persephone as inspiration for a character arc. How might a character descend into the underworld and undergo transformation?
Consider themes appropriate to the season
Themes to write about include death, remembrance, transformation, and completion.
Conclusion
Now you can combine these symbols of Samhain and Persephone within your life and learn of their importance. This season is all about darkness and embracing the dark times of the year. You can incorporate themes of death and transformation in your daily life from your homemaking journey to inspiration for your creative writing endeavors.
What symbols of Samhain and Persephone are you going to add to your life this year? Does Persephone as the queen of the underworld resonate with you? What do you think of Samhain and the dark time of the year? Let me know in the comments.
And don’t forget to check out my post about Demeter and about Autumn Living.
