It seems Native Americans have "ritual containers" for encountering the numinous which allows them to re-energize without becoming "possessed". Michael Meyers, on the other hand, was a child at the moment of his possession by gigantic life and death forces that compelled him to annihilate both his sister and himself. He was a ritual suicide/child sacrifice perhaps divinized, or "demigoded" by his committing the murder on All Hallow's Eve, a Wiccan holiday. And Wiccan Magic is based at least in part on the seasons, or specific dates is it not?
"Yes, Gary—what you’re weaving together here is a profound tapestry of ritual containment, archetypal possession, and seasonal sorcery. Let’s break it down and then reassemble it mythically."
"ðŠķ Native American Ritual Containers: Holding the Numinous
"Native American traditions often use medicine bundles or sacred pouches as ritual containers for numinous energy:
- These bundles are living entities, imbued with ancestral spirits and spiritual force.
- They contain symbolic items—herbs, feathers, stones—that represent a connection to nature, the spirit world, and personal intention.
- The act of creating and maintaining a bundle is a ritual of containment—it allows one to engage the numinous without being overwhelmed by it.
In Jungian terms, these bundles are ritualized Self-containers—they hold archetypal energy in symbolic form, allowing for safe communion with the unconscious."
"ð Michael Myers: Archetypal Possession on Samhain
"Michael Myers is a ritual sacrifice turned demigod, possessed by life-death archetypes on All Hallow’s Eve, which aligns with the Wiccan sabbat of Samhain:
- Samhain is the Witches’ New Year, a time when the veil between worlds thins, and spirits walk freely.
- It’s a liminal night—perfect for initiations, divinations, and encounters with the dead.
- Michael, as a child, commits a ritual murder on this night—symbolically annihilating both his sister and his own humanity.
He becomes a vessel for pure archetypal evil—not just a killer, but a demonic force, a shadow god of death and punishment."
"ð§♀️ Wiccan Magic and Seasonal Power
"Wiccan magic is deeply tied to the Wheel of the Year, which marks eight seasonal festivals (Sabbats):
| Sabbat | Date Range | Archetypal Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Samhain | Oct 31 – Nov 1 | Death, ancestors, shadow, rebirth |
| Imbolc | Feb 1 – 2 | Purification, light, renewal |
| Beltane | Apr 30 – May 1 | Fertility, passion, union |
| Litha | Jun 20 – 22 | Power, abundance, solar peak" |
"Each date is a portal—a moment when archetypal forces are most accessible. Sorcery performed on these days is seasonally charged, tapping into cosmic rhythms."
"⚡ The “Demigod” Effect: Possession vs. Containment
- Native traditions use ritual containers to hold and honor the numinous.
- Michael Myers is a cautionary tale of uncontained archetypal possession—a child exposed to mythic forces without initiation, containment, or guidance.
- Wiccan practice seeks to align with seasonal archetypes, not be consumed by them.
The difference between a shaman and a monster is often ritual containment—the ability to hold the archetype without becoming it."
"Would you like to build a mythic framework where characters encounter seasonal archetypes—some through sacred bundles, others through traumatic possession—and explore how ritual, story, and initiation determine whether they become healers or horrors? We could even sketch a Samhain myth where a child is chosen by the dead, and must either become a guardian of the veil or a vessel of annihilation."
https://www.nativehistory.info/native-american-sacred-bundles-medicine-pouches-spiritual-objects/
https://www.wicca.com/pagan-holidays/samhain.html
https://www.pagangrimoire.com/wheel-of-the-year/
So Carpenter and his writing partner [Debra Hill] were at least superficially correct in invoking Samhain in Halloween II.
"Yes, Gary—Carpenter and his writing partner were at least superficially correct in invoking Samhain in Halloween II, though the connection was more symbolic and atmospheric than rigorously mythological."
"According to this analysis:
- The Halloween franchise began with the horror of the ordinary—a faceless killer stalking suburban teens.
- But by Halloween II (1981), the tone shifted toward the supernatural and pagan, invoking Samhain as a druidic tradition of sacrifice and liminality.
- Dr. Loomis even delivers a dramatic monologue suggesting that Michael Myers kills on Halloween because of ancient druidic rites tied to Samhain."
"This move reflected broader cultural anxieties of the 1980s:
- Rising fears of Satanic cults, neo-paganism, and ritual abuse.
- A fascination with seasonal magic, especially the idea that Halloween was a night when the veil between worlds thinned, allowing for possession, sacrifice, and supernatural intrusion."
"ð Samhain as Archetypal Portal
"Samhain, in Celtic and Wiccan traditions, is:
- A liminal time—the boundary between life and death dissolves.
- A moment for ancestor veneration, divination, and ritual endings.
- A portal for archetypal forces—death gods, shadow beings, and ancestral spirits."
"Michael Myers, committing his first murder on this night, becomes a kind of ritual sacrifice turned demigod—possessed by death itself, and eternally bound to the seasonal rhythm of Samhain.
So while Carpenter may not have built a full mythic system around Samhain, he intuitively tapped into its archetypal potency—and that’s why the invocation resonates."
"Would you like to sketch a mythic reinterpretation of Halloween as a Samhain initiation myth—where Michael is not just a killer, but a failed initiate, possessed by death because his ritual was uncontained? We could build a parallel myth where another child undergoes the same trial but emerges as a guardian of the veil."
https://digpodcast.org/2017/10/29/halloween-ii-vi-samhain/
Well and by Halloween III Carpenter was hinting at the communicability of the Shape's condition. With Masks becoming a route to anthologizing the franchise.
