31 Days of Creative Samhain Day 15: Creating A Dumb Silent Supper To Honor Ancestors And Beloved Dead

A Dumb or Silent Supper is a Samhain tradition to honor your ancestors and your beloved dead. You cook a meal and set out one or more plates just for your ancestors and beloved dead. You can enjoy the Silent Supper alone or invite family members. The meal is eaten fully in complete silence reflecting on your ancestors and beloved dead with gratitude.

For your Dumb Supper, you can cook any food you like. If you know your ancestral heritage, researching foods from your ancestry and making a few dishes can be a beautiful way to connect. If you want to honor your beloved dead and know their favorite foods, create some of those dishes. I did this one year and it brought many special memories and connection to my beloved dead and ancestors. A meal of autumnal harvest, seasonal foods is also lovely to serve. Soul Cakes are also common to bake for a Silent Supper on Samhain.

While cooking and baking your meal quietly reflect and connect to those ancestors and beloved dead you are honoring.

Decorate your table in a beautiful celebratory way with lovely dishes and tablecloths. You can decorate in an autumnal, Samhain season way or a way that represents your cultural heritage and ancestry. You can place photos or objects to symbolize your ancestors and beloved dead at their place setting if you would like, but it is ok to just have one empty chair to represent everyone who is being honored.

Smudge and cleanse the dining area first. Light candles at the table and cast a circle. Black candles are lovely to light for a Silent Supper.

Place food on the table and on the plate or plates representing your ancestors and beloved dead, as well as your plate and guests.

Sit quietly and reflect on your departed loved ones and ancestors as you eat mindfully your delicious meal.

After the meal you and your guests can write and leave notes on paper of gratitude for the ancestors and beloved dead at their place setting. These notes can be burned safely or placed on your ancestral altar after.

Remember to open the circle and thank the ancestors and beloved dead before you leave your meal. A group prayer can be said as well for the ancestors and dead after the Silent Supper has ended.

Enjoy this beautiful ritual honoring your ancestors and beloved dead on Samhain.