Beyond the Veil Spread

Spread to connect with your ancestors

As we approach Samhain, it is said that the veil between the living and the spirit world grows thin. It is a time to connect with those who are no longer here with us on this earthly plane as well as our ancestors whose names have long been forgotten. 

Samhain falls at the start of Scorpio season, whose Major Arcana association is number 13, the Death card. This correlation feels incredibly apt, as the sign of Scorpio explores themes of death, rebirth, the unseen and the taboo.

The eve of October 31st marks Samhain. This celebration, more commonly known as Halloween, begins at sunset and lasts until sunrise. It is a Gaelic festival that marks the beginning of winter and is thought to be the most important of all the fire festivals on the Wheel of the Year. With the harvest season over, Samhain symbolizes a time of rest, one where we begin to spend more time indoors, and in turn, more time within ourselves. 

Connecting with spirit and beyond with what the eye can see is believed to be more accessible during Samhain. Thought to be a time where we can receive messages from loved ones who have passed, as well as ancestors who lived well before our lifetime, it is an auspicious night for bridging these two worlds.

A card symbolizing the door between the living world and the spiritual world from the Día de los Muertos Oracle

We see reverence for our ancestors widely celebrated throughout various communities and traditions. The most famous one perhaps taking place in Mexico on November 1st-2nd, although some regions will honor this tradition until November 6th. Día de los Muertos. This celebratory night embraces both the sadness and grief that come from losing someone dear to us, as well as the joy and love that we felt for them in life. This is a night where our departed loved ones are honored through offerings of favorite food, drink, blooms, games and dancing. A beautiful deck that I worked with last year to honor this time is the Día de los Muertos. I often found myself struck with grief last fall, longing for the kindness and care of my maternal grandparents. They were everything to me. Even though my grandparents passed over two decades ago, I found my grief for their absence bubbling up, leaving me feeling lonely and heartbroken. They say that when goodbyes are hard, it means that the time together was well spent. I couldn’t agree more.

We can not place a timestamp on grief. And I am a firm believer that we never get over it, but rather learn to grow around it as it becomes a part of our life’s fabric. 

I dedicated each morning to spending time at an altar I had created in honor of my grandparents. After several mornings of this practice, I came to find glimmers of peace as I realized that I could communicate with them whenever I wished. These times became sacred to me and I understood that while communication looked different, it was no less loving.

My grandparents are a part of my ancestral lineage and play a role in who I am on this Earth. Beyond these two special people is a long line of family that undoubtedly hold the key to many of my questions and so I created a spread in their honor.

I believe our ancestors hold great wisdom and may be a source of healing for us in this lifetime. I feel that while we can connect with them whenever we wish, this time of year happens to be a beautiful and powerful one for this type of work. 

I hoped to create a spread that allows us to access this connection in a heartfelt way, one that acknowledges who we are because of our ancestors, the burdens we may carry and what our ancestors hope to be realized within us. I argue that this spread may benefit anyone hoping to connect with a loved one who has passed, whether they were biological family or chosen. I believe the message can be equally powerful.

Whether those that have passed were family, beloved friends or ancestors whom we have never met, I trust that they continue to watch over us cheering us on from beyond the veil.

May this spread help provide healing and nurturing to all the parts of you.