Today’s spread was all pretty serious, as you can see. Healing, protection, and the Underworld all made themselves known. However, the Jack-O-Lantern stood out.
Many folks no longer understand the intent of the Jack-O’-Lantern – protection and illumination. Not just a fun tradition for Halloween, the glowing grin is meant to protect us from undesired spirits traveling that night. Pulling this card means we are under his protection, but that we should be careful not to put ourselves in positions where we are easily hurt by others. Boundaries and good judgement are key.
Blessings!
Thistle
Jack-O’-Lantern – Protection
Oh Jack! Oh Jack!
Let me carve my protection
Shine your fire outwards
Evil rejection and reflection
Halloween wouldn’t be the same without the carving of pumpkins into scary jack-o’-lanterns. Glowing menacingly from porches, dinner tables, and porches everywhere, Jacks actually have a rich history and a spiritual bent.
The original jack-o’-lantern was a will-o’-the-wisp, an old British term. The will-o’-the-wisp was a small bundle of sticks used as a flame or torch. The Irish and those living in the Scottish Highlands all carved winter vegetables – not just pumpkins but also parsnips, carrots, and beets. The time around Samhain (Halloween) was of course when the fae and goblins were said to be roaming wild and so the lanterns were intended to be both scary (scaring off the undesirable) and to light the way in the dark.
Today, carving pumpkin jack-o’-lanterns has become an art in itself and a true icon of Halloween. Intricate designs both scary and funny can be found in almost every home that celebrates the holiday. Both electric light and candles now illuminate the inside of the lanterns.
Should Jack shine his light upon you, know that you are protected and that you are capable of creating the life that you want and that the universe supports you in this. Boundaries are important to teach people how to treat us and drawing this card indicates that you may wish to renew the ones you have or to establish new ones.
The Halloween Oracle by author Stacey Demarco and artist Jimmy Manton
Parting the Mists 
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