Samhain falls on October 31, the same night as Halloween. In many traditions it marks the end of the harvest and the start of the darker half of the year. It's often called the night when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest.
That makes it one of my favorite nights of the year to sit down with my cards. It's a natural time to look back, let go, and get honest with the parts of ourselves we usually keep in the shadows. Below is a simple 7-card spread I use every Samhain. You can do it on the night itself or any evening in the week around it.
How to prepare your space
You don't need anything fancy. A quiet corner, a candle and your favorite deck are enough. A few things that help me slow down and focus:
- Light a candle and turn off the big lights. Soft light helps you switch off from the day.
- Lay down an altar cloth. It protects your cards and turns any table into a small ritual space. I love the black and gold Skull Altar Cloth for Samhain.
- Choose a deck that fits the mood. For shadow work, I reach for my Dark Reflections Tarot Deck. It was made for exactly this kind of reading.
- Keep a journal nearby. You'll want to write down what comes up.
The Samhain Tarot Spread
Shuffle while thinking about the year behind you. When it feels right, lay out 7 cards in a row from left to right.
- What I'm ready to let go of. A habit, a feeling or a story about yourself that you don't need to carry into the new cycle.
- What this past year taught me. The lesson you may not have noticed while you were living it.
- My shadow. A hidden part of you that is asking for attention, not judgment.
- How to honor my roots. Your ancestors, your family, or simply where you come from and what it gave you.
- What is growing in the dark. A seed of something new that isn't ready to show itself yet.
- A message from spirit. Guidance from your guides, your higher self or the universe, whatever feels right for you.
- Where I'm heading. The energy to carry with you into the dark months and the new year.
Tips for reading your spread
- Read slowly. Look at each card for a minute before you think about its meaning. What do you notice first?
- Be gentle with card 3. Shadow cards can feel uncomfortable. That's normal. The goal is to understand yourself, not to criticize yourself.
- Look at the story. Read cards 1, 5 and 7 together. They often show a clear path from what you're leaving behind to where you're going.
- Write it down. Note the cards and your first thoughts in a tarot journal. It's lovely to look back on next Samhain.
If you'd like to go deeper after this reading, my Shadow Work Book with Tarot Spreads has 108 pages of prompts and spreads to keep the work going through winter.
A gift for yourself (or a witchy friend)
If you want everything for this ritual in one box, I put together a Halloween Tarot Gift Set with a tarot deck, an altar cloth and a velvet tarot bag. It's my favorite way to welcome the dark season.
Wishing you a peaceful and meaningful Samhain. 🕯️
With love,
Esra
Banner photo by Ksenia Yakovleva on Unsplash.