Walpurgisnacht · Hagwitch Herbals

Walpurgisnacht

Walpurgisnacht, held on the night of April 30th, is often described as a gathering of witches but its origins run far deeper than folklore alone.

Long before it was named or reshaped by later traditions, this night marked a threshold.

A turning point between seasons, where winter fully releases its hold and the energy of growth, fertility, and life begins to rise. But like all thresholds, it was never just about light returning.

It was about what happens in the in-between. The liminal spaces.

In Germanic and Northern European lore, it was believed that on this night, spirits moved more freely. The veil between worlds thinned. The unseen became closer, more active, more aware.

Witches were said to gather on mountaintops, most famously the Brocken, to perform rites, commune with spirits, and move through spaces not accessible at other times of the year. But these gatherings were not always viewed as celebration they were seen as something powerful, unpredictable, and not entirely safe to witness. The veil was thin, open and felt tangible in the air.

Fires were lit not just for festivity, but for protection. Smoke, noise, and ritual were used to ward off what might cross over. Not everything that moved through that night was welcomed.

And that is what makes Walpurgisnacht so compelling.

It sits at the edge of opposites. Liminal.

Light returning but darkness still present.

Life rising but spirits still near.

Celebration above while something else moves below.

Over time, parts of it were softened, turned into festivals and seasonal rites. But underneath that, the original understanding remains:

This is a night where energy shifts rapidly.

Where what has been dormant begins to stir.

Where boundaries loosen.

Where intention matters more than usual.

Walpurgisnacht is not just about witches.

It is about the moment where the world opens and what you invite, acknowledge, or ignore has a way of responding.