Beyond the Veil: Embracing Halloween
As the nights grow longer and the veil between worlds thins, October brings us closer to a season of mystery and wonder. Halloween, with all its costumes and candy, often feels so distant from the quiet, reflective tradition I grew up with in Lithuania. And celebrating with my academic family really got me thinking about the roots as beyond the modern festivities, this season holds a profound beauty, connecting us to our roots and a mystical realm often forgotten. So, today, as both an educator and a creative, I’m taking a moment to reflect on Halloween from a different angle: honouring its ancient, spiritual origins.
Halloween's history is deeply rooted in Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. This was no mere holiday—it was a sacred time to honour the dead, give thanks for the year’s bounty, and to prepare for the colder, darker days. In Lithuania, we celebrate something similar with Vėlinės, a day of remembrance for our ancestors, and a time to reflect, leaving candles to illuminate the way for spirits of the past. Growing up, this tradition left an imprint on my spirit, weaving together reverence, nostalgia, and mystery.
As I think of Halloween in this context, I see it not as a departure from my roots, but as a moment to integrate cultural traditions in a way that feels natural to me. For Halloween, much like Vėlinės, reminds us of our connection to those who came before us and our own fragile, temporal existence. It’s a time of respect, introspection, and storytelling—a time to look within and beyond the familiar.
This season has a special energy that nurtures the mysterious and invites us to explore our own unknowns. Mysticism, as I see it, is less about answers and more about the questions that linger in the shadows—the “what ifs” and “maybes” that lead us down creative paths. And for those of us who walk the path of The Artist’s Way, it’s a reminder to open ourselves to new inspiration, to let our minds wander, and to embrace the art that emerges from our inner world.
Halloween, at its core, invites us to step outside our usual selves and, for one night, become whoever or whatever we want. It’s a creative prompt—a permission slip to let go of the familiar. It’s a space where imagination can thrive, unbounded by expectations or everyday constraints. This season brings a chance to shake loose the confines of identity and, for a moment, become something deeply mystical, something ancient, something beyond ourselves.
As an educator, Halloween is also a great opportunity to nurture curiosity in others. Mystery is a powerful teaching tool—one that encourages exploration, questioning, and imagination. It’s about more than just sharing facts; it’s about igniting a spark in someone’s mind, a spark that will make them seek answers and stories of their own. When we explore topics like folklore or the supernatural, I see eyes light up, hearts open, and minds engage in ways that can be transformative. Through the lens of mystery, I get to share my passion for stories, for history, for the arts, and for the threads of human experience that connect us across time and culture. It’s my way of honouring our collective heritage, of keeping alive that sense of wonder that Halloween and its spiritual roots bring.
This Halloween, I’m reminded of my ongoing journey with grief, anxiety, and healing. It’s a process, like peeling back layers of the self to see what lies beneath, much like exploring a haunted house. This path has made me rethink how I see the world, bringing me closer to the unknown—both in myself and in life. Halloween’s mysticism reflects my own journey: the shedding of old layers, the courage to face my inner shadows, and the willingness to embrace what I find. It’s a journey of setting boundaries, of listening to my intuition, and of learning to nurture the light within me, even when the world outside is cloaked in shadow.
In these darker days, I find solace in the mysteries Halloween invites me to explore, remembering that just like the changing seasons, there’s a rhythm, a cycle, and a wisdom that guides us all. May we all find a moment this season to step into the unknown, to honor the past, and to embrace the creativity that emerges when we do.
