The ways costuming can be a mindful practice.
(Image description: A black and white photo of a guiser. A pointed cap and a dark mask cover the head and face. They are wearing a short-sleeved top with a striped scarf and a jack-o-lantern design hanging from the collar, along with a skirt and Mary Jane flats. A building and foliage can be seen behind them.) Credit: By UNK photographer: uploaded by User:WayneRay – Private collection, originals donated to York University Archives, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3188147
Halloween and Samhain/Samhuinn are only a few weeks away, and one of the traditional ways of observing both is dressing in a costume. This is also called guising. As I started thinking about the tradition, I realized there are some unexpected contemplative aspects to the practice. Contemplative practices are usually thought of as serious, but I think they can also be fun.
Based on this post by the Cailleach’s Herbarium, Samhain is historically a liminal and chaotic time. People would disguise themselves in masks, sacks, and whatever else they could get and would go from home to home, seeking hospitality, reveling, and causing mischief, depending on how they were received. Things are now typically more family friendly for trick-or-treaters, but there’s always that element of trouble-making underneath the holiday’s surface with egging and toilet papering homes and general unruliness.
Young people would would also dress in the clothes of the opposite sex, contrary to the societal norms of the day. Some people wouldn’t bat an eyelash at this type of costume nowadays, but crossing that boundary has an inherent queerness to it. Perhaps this theme lives on with how Halloween is seen as “Gay Christmas” by the LGBTQIA+ community.
A central aspect of Samhain and Halloween is that of the Other. This can refer to the fact that the Fair Folk were and are very active during this time of the year, like its mirror image of Bealtaine/Bealtainn. Revelry and mischief making stand counter to the social norms of the day, so hiding one’s identity either from the Good Neighbors or your mundane neighbors was paramount. Obscuring your identity is likely still a good idea with the Fair Folk, but there’s also a playfulness involved with disguising yourself.
Dressing up allows you to temporarily and lightheartedly assume a different identity than your daily one. It’s a means to let go of the everyday tethers and enjoy being someone or something else. As a note, this doesn’t entail that you should dress in costumes that denigrate other cultures and peoples as a caricature.
Costumes have evolved greatly, and people can spend quite a bit of money on them. Based on older photos, it’s clear people used their own clothing and whatever items or materials for their costumes. The results are actually quite eerie and suitably spooky. I can understand why it would deter someone wanting to confront the disguised revelers for any perceived Halloween slights. You don’t know who or what you’re dealing with, so that sense of unease trickled down into the love of all things scary during Halloween.
I can see a connection between Brighid and costuming. She’s linked to the arts and beauty as a general rule, and a costume is another way of creating beauty. Costuming is another type of devotional act, like acts of charity or giving offerings. The options are nearly limitless with a variety of garments, masks, makeup, and wigs, so there’s an immense palette to use in creating your “false face”.
It’s been a while since I dressed for Halloween, and I’m considering dressing as an abstract concept, rather than a person or thing. Similar to guisers of the past, I will be using what I have on hand. I have no plans to go out for Halloween/Samhain, but I can still enjoy wearing it around my home to celebrate the festival.
If you decide to dress up for the occasion, may you have fun while doing so!
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