At Samhain, the veil between the worlds is thin. Here’s what this means.
The veil between the worlds is thin.
Perhaps you’ve heard this phrase, particularly in October, and even more particularly around Samhain or Halloween.
But what exactly is this veil? And why is it thin? And why does it matter?
This post explores the meaning of the phrase, “the veil is thin.”
Let’s begin this exploration by considering that on one level, we are each separate beings with our finite little lives. But on a truer level, we are each infinite and eternal. We have no beginning and no end. And we are one with each other and every single thing.
At Samhain, that relentless, all-pervasive Mystery is as close as it ever gets. And now we’ve arrived at what we mean when we say “the veil is thin.” You might say the veil is the place where the everyday illusion of separation brushes up against the divine truth of eternity and universal interconnection. The place where form meets spirit, seen meets unseen, known meets unknown.
When we meditate or perform ritual, or when we have a mystical experience of any variety, this curtain parts and we are able to gaze into the place of power, the place between the worlds.
Why does the veil thin throughout October, and particularly at Samhain? Because the days are getting shorter and the natural world is preparing to temporarily withdraw from the realm of life and growth. The harvest cycle is waning, but it’s not gone. This means Samhain is a transition: a doorway between the season of life and the season of death. Beneath this realm of constant change, there is a wide open space of eternity. A place of stillness in which the appearance of change arises. A serene openness to which we will always return, and with which we are one, even at this very moment.
This, my friends, is why we love fall. It’s also the meaning of “the veil is thin.”
Because the veil between the worlds is thin in October, we feel drawn to certain themes at this time of year. Namely…
Death
There’s no denying that as we approach Samhain and Halloween, whether or not you’re magically inclined, death is the primary cultural symbol. Scary movies, ghosts, graveyards, zombies, and skeletons abound. When the veil between the world parts, our finite nature meets our infinite nature, so the realms of the living and the dead naturally intersect.
Black Cats
If you’re friends with a black cat, you likely know that that consciously connecting with them can be like gazing beyond the veil of time and separation, and looking straight into the heart of magic. Why? It’s a mystery. But it’s absolutely true.
Magic and Witchcraft
In the space between the worlds of form and spirit, we bravely gaze into the realm of death and transcend our fear so that we can draw upon the infinite power that is our birthright. Here, everything is illuminated with that special light that reminds us that mundane is the illusion and only magic is real.
Did this explain the meaning of “The veil is thin” for you?
If you still have questions, feel free to leave them in the comments.
You may also like these 22 Samhain Quotes to Inspire You This Halloween and these 9 Ways to Sensitize Yourself to the Thinning of the Veil.
I’m trying to find out out of November 11th 2021 is when the veil is the most thin- what could go wrong if so and would it be ok to go to my grandmothers grave that night?
If the cross-quarter day is the midpoint between Autumnal equinox and Winter solstice I calculate that to be 2022/11/6 23:22:59 Universal (UK) time.
I’d consider this time more symbolic than literal, and maybe we also have access to forgotten memories, and some can be painful, but nothing can really harm us.
I wonder if they veil is thin could also be about time, so we’re also closer to the past, events past that we may have not fully processed that come back and haunt us. It might be some things just need to be remembered, as a sort of grounding of who we are and where we came from. So this time of coming darkness is a reminder of these hidden needs.
I wrote this poem 30 years ago, during college, reminds me why I’m not afraid of the darkness, but find it a friend.
The Night
It is the time of the deep and cold darkness;
of mystery and the unseen, but held alive
by the twinkling points of light above.
In this place, beyond the loneliness and fear you will find
both the vastness of infinity and the comforts of home.
The limits of vision in the darkness open other senses
and frees the mind from our over-stimulated world.
Only here in the silent darkness can you look inwards
and try to understand why you are not sleeping
like the rest of the world.
Tom, beautiful! I love it. It seems like you were gazing through the veil here for sure. Thank you for sharing.
So I went through the vail through an artifact of Lilith and so I was tested and may have met my higher self is that possible
Yes, it’s possible.