Extended Write-up: THE ULTIMATE "OCTOBER/NOVEMBER" INSPO LIST - (recently updated)

Luchiana, Mystic Theorist

Oct 15, 2021

LINK to this GIF, Illustration by Stephanie Hofmann

At first I thought, "wow - have I been taking time to really enjoy October?" - THEN I REMEMBERED that it's barely even fall in Texas ... and that Spooky Season is really until Dec 1st anyway. At least in my book.

So here it is, an inspiration list to fully enjoy October & November.

I think my new plan is to update this and add to it every year !

🍂💀🦇{ THE "BASIC" THINGS } 🍂💀🦇

- Go to your local pumpkin patch and pick out the *perfect* pumpkin

- Make your way through the nearest corn maze. These are honestly so fun , I love them. I already did a smaller one this year (at night) , but I have plans to return to the one we did last year was named The Texas Giant I believe , and took us about 2 hours to find all the scavenger posts inside the 4 acre maze.

- Apple picking! Wear your cutest timeless outfit and take the most aesthetic photos. Why not? How cute would those pictures be?

- Fall Foliage Hike and/or Bike Ride: this legit just means any hike in nature during the time when leaves are changing. IF the leaves even change in your area. I would generally just say a quiet, conscious nature walk is a great way to connect with liminal space and psychic insight in general. Alternatively - another great idea is to take a walk in nature while listening to one of the playlists listed below.

- Bake something "Seasonal" : THINK HEARTY, Y'ALL - stews! pies! both savory & sweet! baked goods! baked root vegetables! soups! Casserole! CHILI. Make it into a whole deal - no podcasts , no TV... Dress in your favorite comfortable clothes and play a beautiful playlist - connect with the act of making that food , and who knows? Stir some magic into it! Set the tone! Be aesthetic! Be the movie scene!

- Stargazing, with or without a telescope: when was the last time you told a story through the stars? When was the last time you looked at them long enough to identify shapes?

- Collect fall leaves & press them : so simple, but really brings out your inner child and sense of joy. Go outside for a walk and focus on nothing but listening to the sounds and finding pretty leaves. YES, even if you live in the city .

- Make apple cider : no clue how to do this, but here it is as a suggestion!

- Go get your favorite fall latte and doughnuts one morning: I love doing this anytime of year . On a morning I have off , I'll go get my favorite coffee and doughnut (or Kolache, cause I'm pretty Texan for a Brazilian) , and I'll sit on my balcony and just enjoy it . That's it. Just sit and enjoy the damn coffee! Why don't we do that? What's wrong with us??

- Scenic Drive : You know how back in the day people "went for a drive"? Like, driving the car was a fun thing - a reward - a way of relaxing. What the hell happened to that? What happened to scenic drives, pretty pitstops and DRIVING GLOVES? --- FUCK IT, buy a pair of leathery driving gloves, wear a scarf over your hair (as to keep your fab hair-do) and fashionable sunglasses . WE ONLY LIVE ONCE (as far as we can prove, anyway) .

- Read outdoors or by the window - get lost in the afternoon : ugh, I've been doing this a lot and just falling asleep and it's honestly so nice. Make no plans except to get lost in a book , look at the sky outside your window, and possibly fall asleep to the sound of nothing but white noise. Even if its just the sound of a fan , or your dryer or refrigerator. It's so calming.

- Visit a Brewery/ Beergarten/ Oktoberfest: what's better than chilling outdoors at one of those massive picnic tables - with a brew in hand and the wind splashing your face with fall goodness?

- Visit a Farmer's Market or Flea Market: Check the dates in your local city and take a leisurely stroll for some fresh fruits, flowers or antique goods.

- Check your local Museum Expos: Here in Austin we like to go to the "Day of The Dead" expo at the Mexican Art Museum. Check out what spooky historical or art displays are happening in your city.

- Weeping Willows : that's it. That's the suggestion . Go anywhere that has Weeping Willows. Why are they so beautiful?

- (newly added to list) - Open all the Windows & let in the Fall Air: this could also be an act of cleansing in itself! Pick a day when there's at least somewhat of a breeze and open every window that you safely can. Let the wind whip through your space, and take a moment to have a seat to just feel & witness it. You could pair this with playing some beautiful music, lighting your favorite incense ... and maybe doing a meditation or visualization with the intention of cleansing your space .

- (newly added to list) - Go on a picnic at the park: There's never gonna be better weather than fall for this one. Pack a basket with fall favorite foods & lay out a blanket under the trees. Maybe even bring a notebook and write a poem. No one has to read it!

- (newly added to list) - Head to a Library or Used Book Store & pick up some Fall Reads: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Edgar Allen Poe, A Book of Halloween Poetry (yes, halloween poems exist ... just look here) . Bonus points if the bookstore has old books and you can spend an afternoon flipping through some old crusty pages. Oh yeah! And The Egyptian Book of The Dead. That's a Fall read right?

- (newly added to list) - Journal about your Day: Often it feels like fall goes too fast, no? And the end of Fall comes ... you find yourself asking "What did I even do?". JOURNAL through the fall! Journaling is a great way to help you romanticize the small moments of your life. Drinking a coffee while looking out the window sounds so dreamy when you write about it. Then you're able to retrospectively look at the moment for how beautiful it really was.

- (newly added to list) - COSTUME THRIFTING: Is there anything better than building your costume out of thrift finds? I think what drives me to do this every year is that I HATE how expensive costumes are (like obviously, I'm never gonna use this again?). Also because they are mostly one use - it just seems wasteful. But mostly I don't want to spend $50 at Spirit Halloween. I love thrifting instead because I usually find separate pieces that I'll reuse as actual clothes - or that can be altered into a different costume later down the road (I actually have a tub of "costume clothing" for putting things together last minute). ALSO, might I add that it's just fun to hunt down the stuff you need! I went costume shopping with my sister and found the weirdest orange dress - then promptly decided I wanted to be an elegant vintage-halloween-party-inspired pumpkin. Yes, I know that sounds weird. It will be cute, I promise.

🍂💀🦇{ THE SPOOKY THINGS } 🍂💀🦇

- Visit an old or historic cemetery: Me & my partner did this recently and it was a cool experience . Even the historic ones are usually free. Did you know that cemeteries used to be parks? People went there for picnics and evening strolls. They only because creepy and abandoned later in history. This TedEd Video Explains it.

- Buy the "Haunted America" book for your city: Okay, look up this series! There's one for every major city (and some for general states, I believe). I live in Austin , so my copy is "Haunted Austin" obviously. Here, you can find these for sale at most grocery stores and pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS around October. The other day, on the way to the historic cemetery I read some of the stories aloud in the car while my partner was driving. It was so cool to hear the lore of our own city and then see some of their names at the cemetery. Also we ended up learning the story of names that we see all the time on buildings and streets. So that was cool.

- Take a Ghost Tour of your own city : I did the "Haunted Pub Crawl" when I was in New Orleans in 2015. And it was amazing! I've actually never done one in Austin so I'm planning to this year . Make sure you check whatever you book though - some of them are "boozy", meaning you stop at bars along the way . Which depending on the amount of people and circumstances ... can be fun!

- Look up a list of the oldest (or most haunted) buildings in your town and go visit them! Have a drink at the Haunted Bar or have a bite to eat at that weird dilapidated place. Why not? 'Tis the Season.

- Hit up the Antique Malls: I guess this one isn't creepy, but sometimes it is though? You ever pick up something at antique store and instantly put it down like "NOPE. NOOOOPEEE. NOPE!" . Not only am I a fan of antiquing because it's more sustainable than buying new ... but also things tend to be made sturdier when they're older. For example my dining room table was made in Romania in the 1950's. I'm pretty sure this table will be around after I die. And then I can haunt it!! Plus, if you're into it - the antique mall might be a good place to try your hand at Psychometry: the act of reading the past of any given object by touching it.

- Go on a Historical Landmark Tour: There's tons of these in Texas. It's basically a joke that there's one for every mile. And Texas is a big state. The cool thing about historical landmarks though is that you can take a self-guided tour and it's free to see them!

- Visit a Ghost Town : yup those still exist... or at least they do in Texas? Whole-ass towns that just got abandoned and left to the powerful hands of time & Mother Nature.

- Read Spooky poems: by yourself or aloud! You could sit around the living room and take turns reading poems like "The Raven" or "Annabel Lee" . Here's a link to 10 of the Best Gothic Poems for Halloween

- Make a bonfire (or fireplace, or just light a bunch of candles) and tell ghost stories with friends! Either tell your own or read them! This used to be entertainment before the invention of the TV, I'm sure - so take a train back in time!

- Stay at an old hotel or AirBnB : this may seem creepy, but me and my partner recently did this and it was like living in a storybook for a night. However, the place was also not haunted. So that's a factor. You can see parts of my stay in this reel on Instagram.

- Have some "no-electricity" or candle-lit nights: Stock up on candles and light them all around the place! Treat yourself to a candelabra maybe, who knows. What would you do all night if you couldn't turn on the TV or a podcast?

🍂💀🦇{ THE WITCHY THINGS } 🍂💀🦇

- Cast a Spell: Have you been meaning to cast a big spell that takes time & planing? Wouldn't this be a wonderful time to finally do it? Plan it for a full or new moon ... or get all the materials together and wait around for the perfect stormy day? Why not?

- Collect Rainwater, Moonwater or Snow: If you're the kind of person who uses natural materials in your spellwork this can be really fun. I've done all 3 and have yet to use them. Mostly because I collected them in 2020, so I feel like that energy might be useful for chaotic spells only.

- Pick and dry seasonal flowers & plants before they die off and disappear: So Goldenrod is a VERY common fall flower here in TX. Last year I dried some and put it in a tiny bottle. I've used it throughout the year for situations in which I needed "luck". And... it works? Might be a placebo, but who gives a shit? This year a bought a BIG jar - and you can bet your bottom dollar that I'm hoarding Goldenrod this year.

- Try Automatic Writing or Automatic Drawing - If you're unsure what this is - allow me to briefly explain. It's called "automatic" for a reason! Some people "channel" entities and write , others (like me) just consider this a form of subconscious writing. I see this as allowing the space for all that which I buried in my psyche to come out! Caution with this one, don't do it if you're scared or if you just want something lighthearted. I mean, it can be light hearted - but for me it's mostly "HERE'S ALL THE EMOTIONS YOU'VE BEEN AVOIDING" . Yikes right? Spooky. I actually have a printable journaling bundle made just for this. You have access to it! Click HERE.

- Try to actually make something in a cauldron: if you own a cast iron one - there are lots of people who make a "scented brew" - you know? When you boil cinnamon sticks , oranges etc ... just to make your house smell lovely? I would sift for some resources on this one. Alternatively, there are resources online that teach you how to make actual stews in a cauldron too.

- Leave space for silence, meditation, reflection: conscious moments of silence is something I've been doing a lot lately in front of my altar. My altar for the fall of 2021 has a theme of "Liminal Space" - connecting with silence and the "in between" moments is part of that. Once you get really quiet - it feels like you begin to perceive things you hadn't before ... which is pretty cool.

- Types of scrying: crystal, water, fire : Scrying is the art of Divination through looking into a crystal ball, a flame, a bowl of water ... just about anything. Personally I've had the most luck with a flame reflected of any polished stone. Here's a good resource for that: The Mystical Art of Scrying ~ The White Witch Parlour

- Go get your palm read , or a tarot reading! In person or online. Personally, when I need a reading done by someone other than me - I go to Brittany Gash.

- Build a fall altar to connect with the season: As I mentioned above, the theme of mine for fall this year is "Liminal Space". I'm wanting to connect with neutrality, mindfulness, power in the "in between" states of transition. Other popular themes during this time include Metaphorical Death, Transformation, "Dark" Deity Energy, Rest, The Hermit Card, The High Priestess Card, The Death Card - Or simply just an ode to the season itself. Decorate your altar with leaves, stones, whatever feels beautiful to you.

- Celebrate this time as The Witches New Year : Many Witches regard this time as the new year. Which makes sense when you think of the falling leaves and the sense of transition here. What do you want to let go of? What are you NOT taking with you? What are you making space for?

- Do some shadow work by the candlelight : Need I say more? Shadow Work is usually done via journaling or speaking out that which is repressed and/or may be holding you back in some way. What is your shadow? That aspect of yourself that is always there - but you deny in some way? How is denying it affecting you? These are the real inner "demons"! And are they even "demons" at all? Maybe , maybe not.

- Do a Tarot Reading for yourself by the candle light: It's just more potent that way - prove me wrong!

- Go and get your Aura photo taken: I've always wanted this done and I'm hoping to go this fall! Check your local practitioners and most likely you'll have to book ahead and you'll be out like $60 bucks. I'm just really wondering what it will look like!

🍂💀🦇{ THE "PASSED LOVED ONE" THINGS} 🍂💀🦇

- Build an ancestor altar to connect with past loved ones (they don't have to necessarily be related): I have a video on my interpretation of Day of the Dead and what I do every year available here. Basically create an altar with photos of your beloved one... decorate it and ornament it with things they would love. Personally , I celebrate this on Day of The Dead, and I usually clean my apartment like I'm getting ready for a visit from the dead. The last thing I do is light the candles on the altar (once everything is set up and clean) to invite them in.

- Write a Letter to a Deceased Loved One: In many cultures, you sacrifice or "send" things to the dead by burning it. Write a letter to them and burn it to send it off.

- Hold a Dumb Supper: "Taking place in such appropriate locales as Salem, Massachusetts, the age-old ritual of the dumb supper memorializes and honors the beloved dead. Participants eat meals, often containing the favorite foods of the departed, backwards, starting with dessert and ending with dinner rolls." - Quote from Atlas Obscura Another good (video) resource on this: Dumb Supper: A Halloween History

- Make "Pan De Muerto" : Bread of The Dead - "Pan de Muerto, no one can resist this delicious bread. Pan de Muerto is a key element in the Day of the Dead Altar, along with the Chocolate, tamales and many other traditional dishes. In Mexico, day of the Dead Bread is usually sold at bakeries and supermarkets since the middle of October."

- Make "Soul Cakes": Soul Cakes pre-date giving candy out to trick or treaters. You'd get these cakes instead ... in exchange for a prayer for the souls of the dead. Morbid, right ? Here's a video with history & recipe: Soul Cakes & Trick-or-Treating

- Take time & Space to grieve something or someone: it's the perfect time for it.

- Adjust your Display of Possessions: Do you own anything that belonged to a deceased loved one? Now may be a good time to bring it out on display. Now is also a good time to clean it, shine it, show it off and give it the love it deserves.

🍂💀🦇{ THE PARTY THINGS } 🍂💀🦇

- Have a "no electricity" party: I know I keep saying this, but I promise it's fun! Obviously you'll still use electricity for making food and playing music - but engage in some pre-television entertainment and I promise you'll love it. You can use some of the ideas I mentioned above!

- Creepy Cocktails: Do I even need to link something for this? They're all over the internet. The green ones, the purple potion ones, the smoking ones , the ones that look like blood. It's FUN.

- Play a Murder Mystery Game: Honestly I've never done this and I've always wanted to!

- Have a Divination-themed party: Try out various forms and read for each other! The fun ones too! Bust it all out - even the Magic 8 Ball.

- Masquerade Ball: If you check in your city , chances are you can buy tickets to one. Or you can hold a small one yourself. Play the thematic music and decorate accordingly .

- Vintage Halloween Party: STRICTLY play the oldies (I have playlists below), and you can engage in some more traditional "All Hallows Eve" activities (also listed below). You can even get inspired by vintage costumes and have everyone come in really simple ones. Example: Pumpkin, cat, ghost etc.

🍂💀🦇{ THE "OLDER PRACTICES" FOR HALLOWEEN} 🍂💀🦇

- Carving Turnips instead of Pumpkins: Ireland & Scotland - These honestly look way creepier. I outline more about this in my Season of The Witch Vol 5, but basically the Irish and Scottish were carving turnips for centuries. It wasn't until they brought the tradition to America that we began to do the same on pumpkins. Here's a photo of how creepy the pumpkins look.

- Bobbing for Apples: Ireland & Scotland - no need for explanation right? We all know what this is. Perhaps not recommended in the times of COVID.

- Treacle Scones: Scotland - You tie scones to a string , drench them in treacle, and you take bites out of them without using your hands. Messy!

- Nut Burning: Ireland & Scotland - couples would choose a pair of nuts to burn. If they burned silently, it would be a happy marriage. If they burned loudly - expect trouble!

- Sausage Rolls: Scotland - "The Witchcraft Act of 1735 forbid the consumption of pork pastries on Halloween. It wasn’t repealed until the 1950s and since then sausage rolls have been a popular treat at Halloween parties and gatherings." - via visitscotland.com

- Money in the Baked Potato? Ireland - Clean coins were wrapped in foil or baking paper and hidden inside boiled or baked potatoes for Halloween dinner. Children got to keep them! Some other versions say that different things would be hidden in each potato - and each item would divine your future. So if you found a shell, it meant travel, a coin it meant money, a heart-shaped trinket ... love , etc.

- See your future partner's face in the mirror: became popular in the US during the Victorian era - but likely has its roots in Scotland & Ireland as well - Remember Bloody Mary when we were kids? This is kinda like that. The idea is that you hold a candle up to a mirror at midnight and theoretically you should see the face of your "future husband" staring at you from behind your shoulder. Yikes right? Other versions include that you have to eat an apple or comb your hair in the mirror by the candlelight - but perhaps the weirdest of all is the version in which you hold a candle in one hand, a mirror in the other and you WALK BACKWARDS DOWN THE STAIRS.

- Kale, Cabbage or Leek Pulling: Ireland, Scotland & Wales - In this practice, you would go out at night and literally pull cabbage or kale from the soil as a divinitory practice. "Kale or cabbage-pulling was a particular type of divination tied to one’s marital future: unmarried men and women would go out to the patch and pull up a cabbage, and then bring it back to the farm to uncover its stalk–and the characteristics of their future mate: old or young, tall or short, strong (straight) or weak (crooked)." - streetsofsalem.com

- Apple Peel Divination: you peel an apple all in one large strand, then throw it over your shoulder. Observe the way it lands and what letter of the alphabet it most looks like. The letter will be the first initial of - you guessed it - your "future husband" .

- If you're thinking of including some weird old traditions into your celebrations this year, here's another article: Bored in quarantine? Survive the pandemic like a Victorian with these odd parlour games

🍂💀🦇{ THE "SEASONAL ADJUSTMENT" THINGS } 🍂💀🦇

- Adjust your scents, candles , soaps, incense, essential oils with the season! Treat yourself to the fancy incense that smells like frankincense & patchouli.

- Stock your place with pumpkin beer, maple creamer, cinnamon rolls, apple cider, ...all of the delights of the season.

- Plan for your reading to be on-theme - for example, I'm currently reading "Psychic Witch" by Mat Auryn and trying a lot of the exercises. I've also leisurely been reading "Witch Hunt" by Kristen J Solee. Both of those are non-fiction but you could just as easily delve into some magical fantasy OR some classics like Frankenstein etc.

- Express a lil' darkness fashion-wise - VAMPY nail polish , dark eyeliner, all black outerwear, velvet everything, capes galore, fancy gloves - make every day a fun outfit day! If you're looking for vampy polish - my favorites are INLP Holographic Series ... the dark ones. Obviously.

- Lean toward fantastical and aesthetically dark shows & movies during the season - theres a list below!

🍂💀🦇{ PLAYLISTS & MEDIA THINGS } 🍂💀🦇

Playlists on Spotify

Sabrina Spellman's Personal Playlist

Vintage Witch

Vintage Magic

Edward Scissorhands Soundtrack

Pagan/ Meditation / Witchcraft

Celtic / Nordic /Scottish / Irish

Dark Lofi

Magick Night Lof

Daughters of the Celtic Moon - Lisa Lynne i

Peter Gundry 159 songs

Corpse Bride Soundtrack

Dark Academia & Royalcore

1 Hour of Dark Music | Magic / Vampiric / Orchestral

A Playlist for The High Priestess Card/ Energy

Dark & Viking Style Music - WARDRUNA

Playlists on Youtube

A Very Vintage Halloween! (1929-1969)

Halloween Music Instrumental Fireplace - Halloween Ambience Background - Spooky Music

13 Vintage Halloween Songs from the 1910's, 20's, & 30's – Full Song Party Playlist

Hallow's Eve - A Vintage Music Playlist

Ambience on Youtube

HALLOWEEN PARTY AMBIENCE: Cozy Rain and Thunder Sounds, Crackling Fire, Haunted House Sounds

Day of the Dead ASMR Ambience 💀🌛 (Día de Muertos) | Dripping Rain, Distant Thunder, Cicadas ✨

VAMPIRE BEDROOM AMBIENCE: Autumn Rain Sounds, Writing Sounds, Soft Thunder, Crackling Wick Sounds

☔️🔥 HALLOWEEN ASMR AMBIENCE | Salem Witch House | Autumn Rain & Thunder | Fire & Boiling Cauldron

🍂🍃AUTUMN PORCH AMBIENCE: Pumpkin Guts, Sizzling Pumpkin Seeds, Fireplace Sounds, Nature Sounds

Autumn Town and Cozy Coffee ASMR Ambience

Graveyard Keeper's House Halloween Ambience With Relaxing Rain and Thunderstorm Sounds

Cozy Halloween Ambience With Music - fireplace, children outside, magical music

AUTUMN WITCH'S KITCHEN AMBIENCE: Heavy Rain Sounds, Fireplace Sounds and Bubbling Cauldron

☔️🎃 AUTUMN RAIN ON WINDOW AMBIENCE: Woodwick Candle, Rain, Scribbles, Tea Pouring, Creaking

Cozy Autumn Park - ASMR Ambience 🍂 🍁

Halloween at Hogwarts

COSY HALLOWEEN

HALLOWEEN AMBIENCE: Cauldron Sounds, Ghosts, Nature Sounds, Halloween Sounds

Haunted House Halloween Ambience With Spooky Forest Sounds (Wolves, Crows, Ghosts, Zombies)

🌾🐓 AUTUMN VILLAGE ASMR Ambience | Wind & Crunchy Leaves, Village Sounds, Horses

Halloween Spooky Ambience - Haunted Houses Village | Rainy Halloween

TV shows ( Disclaimer: I have not watched all of these )

Magical/ Dark TV Shows: The Nevers / Sabrina / Cursed / Charmed / The Originals / The Magicians / Shadow and Bone / Legacies / Invisible city / The Witcher / Luna Nera / Always a witch / A Discovery of Witches / What We do in The Shadows / Santa Clarita Diet / Vampire Diaries / The October Faction / Stranger Things / Locke & Key / Lucifer / Supernatural / Buffy The Vampire Slayer / His Dark Materials / Witches of East End / Hemlock Grove / Motherland: Fort Salem / The Order / Salem / Midnight, Texas / Midnight Mass / Castlevania / Good Omens / Bitten / The Secret Circle / Grimm / Penny Dreadful / True Blood / Bewitched / Stan Against Evil

Movies ( Disclaimer: I have not watched all of these ... also I'm not sure any of these are scary)

For "kids" ... or big kids: Halloweentown / Scooby Doo (live action AND cartoons) / Hocus Pocus / Addams Family / Beetlejuice / Frankenweenie / Corpse Bride / Nightmare Before Christmas / It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown / Casper / Coraline / Harry Potter / Haunted Mansion / Hotel Transylvania / Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of The Ware Rabbit / Coco

General October Vibes: Practical Magic / The Illusionist / The Heathers / Death Becomes Her / The Witches / The Witches of Eastwick / Teen Witch / Sleepy Hollow / Edward Scissorhands / The Craft / Crimson Peak / Sleepy Hollow / Mary Shelley / The Raven / The Brothers Grimm / Victor Frankenstein / Sweeny Todd / Dark Shadows / Interview with a Vampire / Crooked House / Radioactive /