Journeying through the Autumn equinox, we are entering the In Between Time. We are travelling towards the darker time of year, crops harvested, seeds gathered and planted containing the promise of new life in the spring.
As we head towards Samhain, the veil between the worlds grows thin and we feel closer to those we have lost . It is a time of introspection, casting off that which is no longer needed, being thankful for what we have achieved and remembering those that we have lost.
Samhain Essence has been formulated to inspire that connection to those in the Otherworlds, crossing the veil into the Underworld of the subconscious. Into the shadows. To remember and connect with the eternal spirit that joins us all, past present and future, as above so below.
One of the hardest things we have to learn in our lifetimes is letting go of loved ones, be you a parent releasing your child into adulthood, or grieving for a lost love or family member or friend. These are the dark times in our lives, when we must sit with our pain, walk in the shadows, feel our loss in the core of our being, our heart breaks, and can never be the same again. We must learn to reflect on those we have lost, whilst celebrating their lives, accept and let go of the pain in the knowledge that while we are brief entities in this world, the soul lives on eternally.
Poppy Pomegranate and Pumpkin oils represent the Greek deities Persephone and Demeter and Hecate. The Triple Goddess. Demeter, Mother Goddess of the Harvest and Fertility, personifies the mother mourning the loss of her child when Persephone is lured into the underworld by Hades. She searched the lands in despair, but Hecate, Goddess of Witches and the Wilderness, helped her search and to learn of the abduction. Beside herself with grief Demeter cursed the lands with famine so that crops would never grow again, unless her daughter was returned to her. The gods gave her the Poppy to help her sleep and from then on Poppies sprang from her footsteps. Zeus ordered Hades to release Persephone, but as she left he offered her the fruit of the Pomegranate. On eating three seeds, she sealed her immortal bond as Queen of the Underworld and was sworn to remain there half the year. Henceforth she would return to the underworld after Autumn equinox as the world slowly begins to darken, and re-emerge to the world above in the spring.
Poppies symbolise sleep, dreams, death and the mourning of loved ones. In Greek Mythology they appear at the cave of Hypnos, the God of Sleep and Morpheus, the God of Dreams, and adorn Nyx the Goddess of Night and Thanatos the God of Death. Demeter also once mourned her mortal lover Mecon, and turned him into a poppy when he died.
Pumpkin is a food of the in-between time, symbolising transition and movement towards the darker times, carved into lanterns to light the way in the darkness and invite good spirits to follow.
Pomegranate represents Persephone's descent into the underworld, and is a symbol of the souls immortality. A symbol of life, death, rebirth, and eternal life.
Myrrh, Patchouli and Cypress with a dried mint leaf is an ancient Greek recipe invoking Hecate the goddess of witchcraft, herbs, poisons, necromancy, dogs and the waning moon. She often appears at the crossroads and entrance ways between the worlds.
Sandalwood and frankincense represent contacting other planes, but staying grounded during our reflection, and also attune to the season of Mabon, and the Autumn.
Cypress, Petitgrain and Rose also uplift the heart and help us to let go.
Pumpkin seed oil is rich in Vitamins E, B2 and B3, keeping skin firm, healthy and soft, improving the complexion. Beta carotene, omega 3 and 6 as well as antioxidants, retain moisture in the skin and fight free radicals. Potassium helps regulate the water in the cells, plus Magnesium and Zinc which help with the formation of new skin cells and the production of collagen.
Pomegranate seed oil nourishes our skin with high amounts of Vitamin C, offering regenerative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-aging properties for healthy glowing skin.
Poppy seed oil is full of antioxidants and is naturally high in Vitamin E. It is high in linoleic acid which maintains the skin's water barrier as well as oleic and palmitic acid which decrease with age.
When applying this Essence you are connecting with the Maiden, Mother and Crone aspects of the Triple Goddess. We move through different circumstances and have to draw on different qualities and strengths to survive. This essence honours the sacrifice of Persephone, the strength and power of Demeter and the wisdom of Hecate.