The time between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice is the season to embrace the approaching darkness. The days are getting shorter, the nights longer, and the temperatures begin to drop. The Autumn and Winter seasons signal the ending of the harvests and herald in a time of death, rest and ultimately rebirth. Energetically, this season of death is celebrated during the festivals and holidays of Samhain, Dia de Los Muertos, All Souls and Halloween. During this time, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is at its most transparent. Samhain honors the cycle of life by emphasizing the importance, and inevitability of death and rebirth. Dia de Los Muertos honors and venerates the dead by setting up ofrendas (altars) for the dearly departed, leaving offerings and even dressing up as the dead with painted faces.

These Autumnal festivals which celebrate and honor death, provide the opportunity to turn inward, reflect and meditate. It is the perfect time to release what no longer serves us, let go and look forward. Traditionally, it is also the time to remember and honor our ancestors and those who have departed this Earth. We create altars to help us remember and celebrate the dead and leave offerings of their favorite food and drinks. It should also be noted that while this time of year is potent and ideal for this type of work, you can connect with and honor your ancestors at any time.

Along with setting up altars and honoring the beloved dead with celebration, utilizing scent and aromatherapy to help connect us with our passed loved ones is extremely valuable. You can use aromatherapy to help shift your energy in order to enter into a time of prayer, meditation and reflection in your sacred space or at your ancestor altar. You might also use scent as a way to remember and connect with a specific person by wearing or spraying a perfume which that person wore or was fond of. Kate’s Magik has specific blends created to enhance your meditation and connection with this season of death and rebirth. Keep reading to see the collection below or click here!

Some may wonder why remembering or honoring our ancestors is important or significant. Often, we place so much emphasis on the future and what we want to manifest or bring into our lives, that we forget that the past has lessons and teachings for us as well. Of course, it is important to keep a healthy balance and remember to not live in the past, but rather to look to it for answers, understanding and inspiration.

Below are a few reasons why honoring ancestors can be rewarding and fulfilling:

• Your ancestors who lived and died well are like your spiritual benefactors. You may seek guidance, assistance and protection from your ancestors.
• We can help heal ancestral trauma by healing ourselves and breaking certain patterns or cycles. You may learn more about the dynamics, roles and relationships within your family that may contribute to your family’s healing. In doing so, you may also feel greater compassion for your family and for others.
• Receive inspiration or even messages from your ancestors through prayer and meditation.
• You may ask your ancestors for help in working through a specific issue or challenge.
• When we learn more about our ancestors, we can understand more about ourselves, where we came from and what we carry within us.
• Feel a greater sense of gratitude and appreciation for your life and the life of your family. Understanding what your ancestors have gone through may help you see your current life in a more meaningful way.
• Knowing who your ancestors are will help you cultivate a deeper sense of belonging and relationship with your family and your lineage.

If you are lucky, you may have family records or archives which detail where your family and ancestors were born, where they lived and died, who they married or what they did for work. You may have taken a DNA test to see where your ancestors come from and received some valuable information that way. Or if you don’t have much of a connection with your family or ancestors, that’s okay too! There are still many opportunities and possibilities for you to connect and learn from non-familial ancestors connected to you, ancestors of the land in which you currently inhabit or past historical figures which you feel a deep connection to.

Creating an altar where you reside is an empowering way to create a sacred space within your home as a place of prayer, meditation, worship, and reflection. Altars can be made out of anything, in or outdoors, as long as they are consecrated as sacred spaces and kept that way with preservation and care. Many create altars on special tables, shelves, cabinets or create an entire shrine space in a corner of their home. Altars can be intricate and elaborate, but they can also be simple and humble, as the intention is what is most important. Altars can be permanent, temporary or even travel-sized. Altars are typically dressed and decorated according to their specific purposes. Altars can be adorned with but are not limited to statues, figurines, photos, candles, flowers, gemstones, crystals, heirlooms and other special sacred artifacts. The aesthetic, placement and contents of the altar are completely up to each individual. What matters is that one connects with their own altar and will cultivate a relationship with this space and its intention. Read more about altars here!

Offerings are left on the altar to propitiate and please certain deities, spirits and ancestors. Altar offerings vary from burning incense or herbs, food, drinks, money, flowers, fruits, plants, trinkets and various other treasures. Offerings are left according to what deity or spirit one is working with, as Divine entities prefer different things. For example, if someone you love has passed on, leave an offering of their favorite treat during special times or when you may desire their presence or guidance.

• Choose a space in your home - the space can be inside or outdoors, small or large, private or communal.
• Clean the space physically and energetically - spray an Aura Mist, burn herbs, incense, resin, diffuse a Diffuser Oil or use other purifying techniques to cleanse the energy of the space.
• Gather altar tools such as candles, feathers, fireproof dishes or bowls, bells, etc.
• For your ancestor altar, you will want to adorn it with photos, memorabilia, artifacts, personal belongings, flowers, plants; anything that connects you with your ancestors.
• Spend time at your altar meditating, chanting, praying, reflecting and setting your intentions for connecting with your ancestors. Anoint yourself with Samhain Perfume, Anubis Perfume, Quan Yin Sacred Perfume or Meditation & Trance Anointing Oil to help set your intentions for connection, reflection and healing. During this time, light candles, burn incense, make offerings, play music or remain in silence.
• Whenever you come to your altar, come in humble gratitude, an open mind and heart and a spirit of discovery.
• After your ritual or meditation, show gratitude and appreciation for your ancestors and what they went through. You are here because of them. This can be a simple prayer or personal gratitude mantra.
• Frequently cleanse your altar with incense and herbs like Sage, Cedar, Sweet Grass, Tobacco, Yerba Santa and Palo Santo.

• Visit the graves of your passed loved ones.
• Sit with family and friends and tell stories about loved ones' past.
• Take a pilgrimage to your ancestral homelands
• Host a silent Dumb Supper where you prepare favorite foods of those passed and leave a space for them at the table.
• Research your ancestral lineage and learn more about the land, history, and culture from whence they came. All of these details will help you connect more with your ancestors.
• Turn to authors like Daniel Foor and Malidoma Patrice Somé who write about ancestors
• Watch movies like Coco and The Book of Life which closely examines honoring and remembering ancestors

Samhain Perfume is a magical potion, created harnessing the power of the mystical All Hallows Eve. Samhain is the Gaelic festival that marks the end of the harvest season, when the veil between the worlds is thin and we enter the liminal period of death and rebirth. This is the time to purify, let go and surrender to transformation. Make fires, set altars, gather with kin, honor and connect with loved ones passed and celebrate the great gift of life. Channel this metamorphic energy of Samhain at any time of the year or when you set intentions for rebirth and transformation. The Waning and New Moon are especially potent times to embark on a journey into the darkness in order to confront what may need to be released and let go. Samhain Perfume is formulated to open portals and transport you to other realms. Scent Profile: Magical, mystical Spikenard, light-bearing Marigold and safeguarding Elderflower are at the core of this transformative potent perfume potion. Anoint your Third Eye, throat and wrist, and get ready to fly.

Anubis, the jackal-headed Egyptian god, is a protector of the dead and an overseer of embalming and funerals. He has been called “Lord of the Sacred Land,'' as well as “God of Deserts and Darkness.” He embodies a protective shaman or priest who guides mortals from one realm to another. Anubis also watches over and guides the souls of the dead on their journey from the physical realm to the afterlife. Kate Anubis Perfume to help support us in understanding the temporary nature of our current life and to connect with those who have passed over. This magik potion will also help us travel beyond linear time. Scent Profile: Ancient Myrrh and holy Frankincense will help instill trust in what comes after life as we know it. Together with divine Rose we will be guided to the deeper realms beyond this world.

Hekate is an ancient Greek goddess that serves as a guide for safe passage through the underworld. The formulation downloaded in an instant of time, with no necessary alterations. Hekate perfume was born out of an acquired fascination for this Greek goddess, sacred warrior, guide of the underworld and master of perfumes. Her torch shines dim moonlight to help us find our way through the darkness. She holds the key to enter and exit the underworld from the earthly realm and serves as protector and guide along the journey. This mystical winter perfume opens the door to a hidden, secret world, where magik and transformation can unfold. Hekate supports the spiritual warrior within and provides protection as she helps lead you forward on your path. The blend for Hekate was created around the highly spiritual Indian Spikenard oil, which was commonly used as an ointment in ancient times by priests, priestesses, queens and kings, as well as Jesus of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene, for its anchoring, calming and supernatural qualities. Joy-inducing Clementine and spicy Pimento Berry bring trust and courage to this enigmatic perfume. Inhale deeply and let the transformative aroma of Hekate usher you through the mountains, valleys, and crossroads of the upcoming winter season.

Quan Yin Sacred Perfume inspires kindness and forgiveness. Quan Yin is the Goddess of mercy, compassion and loving kindness. Heavenly Rose evokes the vibration of the divine feminine and re-instills faith, while Sandalwood and Vanilla encourage forgiveness and help you live in the present.

Use Meditation & Trance Anointing Oil to aid in meditation and to enhance spirituality. This is a highly spiritual, sacred blend that's perfect for meditation, yoga, rituals, ceremonies and prayer. It increases visions and connects us to the divine while keeping a centered, grounded mind. Meditation & Trance Anointing Oil is a warm, subtle blend of Frankincense and Sandalwood. Apply to your Third Eye for intuition, sight and visualization and to your Crown Chakra for added benefits related to Higher Consciousness and connection to the Divine.

Purification & Protection Aura Mist is a cleansing aromatherapy mist created to remove negativity, relieve stress and restore balance. Purification & Protection Aura Mist features exotic Sandalwood and comforting Lavender. Use Purification & Protection Aura Mist as an instant aromatherapy treatment by spraying in a circular motion above the crown of your head. As the mist falls down all around you, breathe deeply and feel the purifying power of the essential oils as any anger, negativity or stagnation dissolves away. Take a moment for reflection and embrace your new lightness of being. This mist is also a great way to remove bad vibes and cleanse any space to create a balanced atmosphere. Make it a part of your yoga or meditation ritual to help clear the mind and set your intention for practice. Additionally, Purification & Protection Mist is a powerful alternative when you can't burn sage or other cleansing herbs.

Dragonfly Body Perfume Oil was created for clarity, strength and endurance. Evolved over 300 million years, the Dragonfly is a beautiful, strong flier that can twist, turn and change direction in an instant or hover in mid-air with incredible endurance. It is the messenger of peace and inspiration in Native American culture. Dragonfly Body Perfume Oil will enhance your inner, vital fire, keeping you alert and awake. Focus on what you want to achieve. Don't believe in obstacles! Watch the picture getting clearer and let yourself be carried into focus. Grounding bottom notes cradle the energizing spirits of Geranium and Rosemary. Fiery Ginger is added for its power to overcome obstacles. This creates a deep and full aroma with the needed spark to ignite your spirit. Lavish yourself and apply from head to toe to perfume your whole body in the fashion of the Ancient Egyptians. It’s a great way to start the day after a bath or shower and can also be mixed with your favorite unscented lotion.

Breath of Life Diffuser Oil is a calming blend of Lavender, Lemon, Sandalwood and Frankincense created to nurture the spirit and inspire sacred wisdom. Breath of Life Diffuser Oil is a perfect oil to relieve stress and diffuse during yoga, meditation or any spiritual practice.

White Sage, with its incredibly strong, aromatic resin, is the most highly prized Western Sage. It is found in the rugged mountains of the Southwest, where it is burned ceremonially for purification rituals. Its beautiful leaf clusters and enormous flowering stalks burst forth in the Spring, painting streaks of white against the rusty green hillsides and filling the air with the pungent scent of wild Sage. You can also burn Yerba Santa and Cedar for purification, protection and to clear negative or stagnant energy.

Palo Santo is known as "holy wood" in South America. The harvested wood sticks have been used for centuries by indigenous peoples to cleanse, protect and clear negative energy. Each stick burns slowly and can be used many times as it fills your space with purifying smoke and a unique, sweet smell when lit.

Made with pure Copal Resin extracted from trees of the Burseraceae family using the ancient traditional methods of the Mexican "Copaleros". Each incense stick is hand rolled, weights 3 to 4 g, and will burn for about 2 hours. This exclusive incense is never missing in the spiritual ceremonies of the Mayans. It is considered to be the "bread of the Gods", so it is used as a special offering to God. It is also used for its healing properties and to purify all persons and things around you. Fill your space with the aroma of the ancient rituals, bring blessings to your life while enjoying the mystical aroma of Mayan Copal Incense.

Frankincense and Myrrh Resin is wild-harvested in North Africa. Burn to cleanse and purify spaces. Frankincense and Myrrh have been used for thousands of years for its purifying, protective and healing properties.