There is something about this time of year that feels different. As September begins to give way to October, the air changes, the days become shorter, and we naturally begin turning our attention toward Halloween. For me, as an evidential psychic medium, Halloween has always carried a significance that goes far beyond costumes, candy and scary movies. The history behind this season is actually deeply connected to humanity’s long-standing fascination with death, remembrance and the possibility of communicating with those who have passed. One of the traditions most often connected with Halloween is Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of the darker half of the year. Historical accounts describe Samhain as a time when people believed the boundary between the living and the dead became less distinct. Over time, Samhain traditions blended with Christian observances such as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, eventually contributing to what we now know as Halloween.
And this isn’t something unique to Celtic history. Across different cultures, autumn has traditionally been a time for remembering and honoring those who have passed. In Mexico and other communities throughout the world, Día de los Muertos developed through a blending of Indigenous traditions and Catholic observances, creating a beautiful period dedicated to remembering ancestors and deceased loved ones. Families may create altars, visit gravesites, prepare favorite foods and tell stories about the people who are no longer physically here. These traditions are different from Halloween and shouldn’t simply be treated as the same holiday, but they share something important: the idea that death doesn’t necessarily mean that our relationship with someone has to end.
From my perspective as a medium, this is where the Halloween season becomes particularly interesting. I often find that people who aren’t mediums themselves become much more aware of their loved ones in Spirit during this part of the year. They may suddenly dream about someone they lost years ago, think about them unexpectedly, hear a song that reminds them of them, notice a familiar scent, or simply have a very strong feeling that someone is nearby. I don’t believe you have to be a practicing medium to experience something meaningful. Grief, memory, love and emotion can make us incredibly receptive, and the rituals and symbolism surrounding this season naturally encourage us to slow down and think about the people we’ve lost. Historically, many cultures intentionally created space during this season to remember the dead, so perhaps it isn’t surprising that those memories—and for some people, those experiences—can feel especially vivid now.
For me, communicating with the Spirit World isn’t about trying to make Halloween scarier. If anything, it reminds me that there can be something incredibly comforting about remembering that the people we love are more than the circumstances surrounding their death. When I sit with someone during a reading, I’m not simply looking for a name or trying to produce a dramatic moment. I’m looking for the little pieces of evidence—the personality, memories, mannerisms, relationships, phrases and details that help someone recognize the person they’re missing. Whether you believe in mediumship, you’re simply curious about it, or you’ve had your own unexplained experience, I think this season gives all of us permission to remember. So as we move into October, maybe we don’t have to be quite so afraid of the darkness. Maybe we can also see it as a season of reflection—a time to light a candle, tell a story, look at an old photograph, say someone’s name out loud and remember that love doesn’t necessarily disappear just because someone is no longer physically standing beside us.
