51. Beyond Candy: Reconnecting with the Soul and Origins of Halloween
In the latest episode of WandHERwild Podcast, Monica Virga Al Borno invites listeners to slow down and reconsider what Halloween really means. Stepping beyond the commercial haze of costumes and candy, she offers a heartfelt reminder: Halloween wasn't originally about fear or fright — it was sacred.
Rooted in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, Halloween was once a time to honor the dead, mark the end of harvest, and embrace the turning of seasons. In this reflective solo episode, Monica shares her personal journey of reconnecting with these rhythms — and how this season can become one of remembrance, storytelling, and soulful slowness.
“Halloween isn’t necessarily about the ghosts and the scary stuff. It’s about the seasons turning. It’s about the beauty of just letting go.”
Honoring the Turning of Seasons
For Monica, Halloween marks the beginning of a sacred shift — not just on the calendar, but in our spirits. She opens the episode on her daughter’s birthday, in the thick of the season, feeling both nostalgic and inspired.
“There's something magical that happens as we move toward the end of the year,” she reflects. “It kind of starts with Halloween and the month of October.”
This transitional time, often called the thinning of the veil, is a moment when the boundary between the physical and spiritual worlds is believed to be more permeable. In Celtic traditions, this made it the perfect time to honor ancestors, tend to the land, and prepare for the inward pull of winter.
The Origins of Halloween: From Samhain to Today
With her usual blend of curiosity and reverence, Monica traces the layered history of Halloween.
She explains how Christianity eventually merged with Samhain’s timing — introducing All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2), with the night before becoming All Hallows’ Eve. Over generations, cultural customs like lanterns, costumes, and offerings blended, then evolved.
Today, she observes, the holiday leans heavily into consumerism — but we still have the opportunity to reclaim its essence.
“It wasn’t scary — it was sacred. A moment to honor cycles of life and death, express gratitude, and prepare for renewal.”
This reverence — and the desire to share it with her family — is what prompted Monica to return to the roots of Samhain in her own home.
Rituals Rooted in Presence
As a mother, Monica is constantly seeking ways to slow down and bring more intention into her family’s life. Around Halloween, that means simple rituals that honor both ancestry and the season’s natural energy.
Some of her favorite family practices include:
Creating an ancestral altar: Using natural elements — leaves, pinecones, candles, and photos — her family gathers around an altar and names loved ones who have passed. “We bring the four elements in from nature and speak intentions aloud,” she shares.
Cooking with the season: Turmeric pumpkin cookies are a new family favorite. “It’s about working together in the kitchen with spices that warm the body and soul.”
Walking in silence: Even a minute of quiet outdoors can reset your nervous system and help you tune into the shifting season. “Right as I was saying it, I heard the trees rustling behind me. I felt the sun on my face,” Monica says. “These are the moments I want to teach my kids to notice.”
Fireside storytelling: Whether it's a bonfire or a backyard candlelit circle, gathering to tell stories of loved ones or favorite memories helps anchor this season in heart and connection.
“Whether you are celebrating through story, food, fire, or just quiet reflection, this is a time to honor the past and slow down.”
Blending Fun with Meaning
Monica is the first to admit: she still loves the lighthearted fun of Halloween. Her daughter’s annual Halloween-themed birthday party includes costumes, candy from the States, pumpkin hunts, and laughter.
But beneath the fun lies something deeper.
“People used to dress up not for fun, but to blend in with the spirits,” she explains. “The living and the spirit world were so close at this time of year.”
Bringing this context into modern family traditions can create more balance — allowing kids to enjoy the joy and excitement, while gently planting seeds of reverence and curiosity.
Picture of a mother and her daughter celebrating Halloween.
Tending the Inner Seasons
This episode is also a mirror for mothers navigating inner transformation. Just as the earth prepares to rest, Monica invites us to do the same.
“There’s something about this time of year that teaches us to let go. And to do it with grace,” she shares. “Letting go of control, of old stories, of the need to be constantly productive.”
These rhythms — both outer and inner — are central to Monica’s work through WandHERwild Members Space and Wanderwild Family Retreats. Whether it’s through cacao circles, ancestral storytelling, or nature-based rituals, she guides women to embrace the wild, sacred, seasonal ways of being.
“When we celebrate with awareness, Halloween becomes a moment of remembrance, gratitude, and spiritual renewal.”
Final Reflections
In a world that often rushes through this season with plastic pumpkins and sugar highs, Monica gently offers a different path — one rooted in presence.
It doesn’t take much: a lit candle, a shared meal, a walk in silence. But these simple acts have the power to shift how we move through this time of year — and how our children remember it.
As she wraps the episode, Monica leaves listeners with this reminder:
“This time of year isn’t about being scared. It’s about slowing down. It’s about remembering.”
Pull Quotes for Emphasis
“Halloween isn’t necessarily about the ghosts and the scary stuff. It’s about the seasons turning.”
“It wasn’t scary — it was sacred. A moment to honor cycles of life and death, express gratitude, and prepare for renewal.”
“We bring the four elements in from nature and speak intentions aloud.”
“People used to dress up not for fun, but to blend in with the spirits.”
“This time of year isn’t about being scared. It’s about slowing down. It’s about remembering.”
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