Samhain is a most special sabbat, but it's possible to make it even more special.  How?  By using some basic principles that can apply to any sabbat or, for that matter, any day of special observance.

That's a point that a lot of folks miss, especially those who follow the so-called "mainstream religions" .  They have their cycle of the year too, and they follow it.  But if they "punch the divine time clock" every Sunday morning, give up something they enjoy for Lent, fast when they are supposed to fast and don't do all of the things they're not supposed to do, can they tell you why?  Or is their answer something to the effect of "we're supposed to."

And so, what does that mean to us?  By making a Sabbat more personal, we make it more meaningful and a genuine part of our lives!  What is more, you give yourself a personal, and affirmative, reason for doing it!

And so, some thoughts on making Samhain more personal.  Samhain is an end and a beginning.  That's a good place to start.

As of today, Samhain is only ten days away.  It is known by several names, and in some cultures the date maight differ, but the root is the same, and the roots are as old as humanity's realization of the spiritual.

We can speak of various rites, customs, and celebrations, but so many have done that.  Instead, let's take a look at what's at the root of Samhain.

According to the ancient Celts and many others, Samhain is the time when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest.  This is the opportune time to reach across to those who have crossed over, and for them to reach out to us.  It is also a good time to consider what crossing over is all about. 

We will all die.  If you have lived any life at all, there are those who are dear to you, those whom you love, who have crossed over.  Samhain is a good time to think about how each of us deals with that.  Some are able to deal with it readily.  Others, especially cowans and those whose spiritual learning is limited, will suddenly plunge into the spiritual when someone crosses over and they can't handle the separation.  If you've been called upon to give spiritual help, you may have encountered such a situation.

Samhain is a time to celebrate those who have crossed over, and to reach out to them to let them know that they are honored, remembered, and loved.  For me, this is a good time to look at the roots of Samhain so that my celebration will have even more depth and meaning. 

Here's some ammunition, but not in the mundane sense.  Rather, the kind of factual ammunition that you might find handy when faced with the inevitable debate with someone who wants to "save" you, and bring you to a "right" path.

There's no legitimate "winning" or "losing" in such a debate.  The only outcome worth having is that both sides respect each other and honor their differences.  But that can be an elusive goal in dealing with those who think that they represent the so-called "only way".

This "ammunition" can help in other ways.  By seeing how many important threads can be found in paths which are different from my own, it strengthens my own path and helps me to respect other paths. 

I won't give you all of the answers, but I'll show where some of them are.  And we can begin with two of the questions which some faiths seem so smug about: reincarnation and whether there might be more than one god.

You've heard their arguments, I'm sure.  One is the claim that one chance at life is all you get, so you'd better get it right - and right now.  The other is that the god which they worship is the one and only god.

What would you say if I told you that their own Bible speaks of reincarnation as a fact?  I'm not talking about someone returning in the form in which they left, as some expect (a proper Passover Seder always includes a place for Elijah), but someone coming back the way Wiccans and Pagans expect: coming back by being born.

Is there really only one god, or does their own Bible show that there are others?  Did their god demand to be their only god, or did he only demand "top billing" from the people Moses led?  And what else can we find that speaks of other gods, and might even imply some respect toward them?

This is but one tase of an entire banquet. 

When I speak of "Secrets In Plain Sight," I mean it. 

Some people get really upset about books, and this one has been a bother to the so-called mainstream Christians for centuries!  In fact, it might even be said that one of the more accepted gospels, the Gospel of John, has much of its content dedicated to countering this book.

This controversial book is short and to the point, devoid of stories and other "fluff", since the author appears to have intended to have it contain only teachings.  It's a quick read, and fairly easy to grasp.  What is more, when the learning in there is taken with the context of the time and mixed with some common sense, the lessons are revolutionary.

For those who had to leave Christianity because of various issues and for those who had too many questions that the preachers and teachers did not want to answer, many of those answers are in this book.

For those who are on other paths (Pagan, Wiccan, or any other), what is taught here can be applied to any spiritual path - any spiritual path.

The book is the Gospel of Thomas.  The Gospel of Thomas is one of the books you never found in the Bible they read from in church.  Why was it excluded?  Does it contain something that someone didn't want known?  Is there something you can do for yourself in spite of others claim that you have to go through another mortal "more chosen"?  Is there an issue that people today are raising a stink about that really is a non-issue?  Are people being intimidated while being told to wait for something coming "soon" when it is already here for them to claim and enjoy?  Is there a group of people keeping others from drinking at the best well - and they refuse to drink from it themselves? 

If it weren't for the name of the person quoted in this book, it could pass for learning in any of many other spiritual paths. 

It's not what you might think.  And it is one of the secrets hiding in plain sight.

How many gods are there?  That's a tricky question, almost as bad as that old one of "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?".  And the answer can seem elusive. 

So how many gods are there?  Some will say many goddesses and gods.  Some will say many, but leading back to one.  And, of course, there are others who will claim that there is only one, and has never been more or less than one.

But if we look at what the monotheists are teaching, why is it that different groups seem to have the same "one god", but with a completely different personality.  While one has a god whose current activity seems to be little more than watching and keeping score, another one's god is actually able to do things and open doors.  And yet another has a god whose "will" can seem downright arbitrary and capricious, if not outright erratic.

Add to that, some of the so-called monotheists appear to have a second god.  At any rate, some of them give so much power and attention to their "devil" that an outsider might wonder whom they actually worship.

Assuming that the monotheists' god is not schizophrenic or suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder, is there an explanation which would make all of these viewpoints more rational?

Let's take it one step further.  If we look to the other spiritual paths, the ones which might have more than one god or goddess, and perhaps those which don't even address the issue of gods per se, will there be something which they offer which might reconcile them, and also reconcile them to the monotheists?

And if there is an answer there, what can we do with it?

There is an answer.  The application of that answer takes this topic from being something that might be explored in a late-night debate in a seminary basement to something that can be downright exciting!  Not only that, but it puts much of past history and current events into a perspective worth examining!

This is just possible one of the more powerful secrets that have been hiding in plain sight, waiting for us to discover.