The Thin Veil
An October journey into witchcraft, folklore and Samhain.
Step through the Thin Veil
Every October, witches appear in our windows, ghosts haunt our doorsteps, pumpkins glow in the darkness, and for one strange night we dress ourselves as something—or someone—else.
But where did these traditions come from?
The Thin Veil: Walking with the Dark is an invitation to look beyond the familiar imagery of Halloween and explore the complicated, fascinating histories beneath it.
Together, we'll trace the changing idea of the witch through European history: how magic and witchcraft were understood, how fear and religious belief shaped the figure we recognize today, and how an identity once imposed upon outsiders came to be reclaimed by modern people.
The Ancestor of Halloween
Then we'll turn toward Samhain, exploring what the surviving evidence can—and sometimes cannot—tell us about this old seasonal festival and the customs that eventually became entwined with Halloween. Along the way we'll encounter bonfires and lanterns, apples and divination, harvest and hospitality, mischief, spirits, remembrance of the dead, and the coming of winter.
But The Thin Veil isn't meant simply to be read.
Throughout the course, you'll be invited to step away from the screen and experience the season through reflection, journaling, traditional foods, creative exercises, divination, simple seasonal practices, and time spent observing the changing world outside your own door.
Your journey includes the course readings, new video introductions and reflections from Kellie (K.M.) Rice, guided journaling, traditional recipes, seasonal practices, a 19-page interactive Samhain workbook, an atmospheric field trip to the modern Samhain Fire Festival at the Hill of Uisneach, and opportunities to explore the material at your own pace.
You'll also be invited to submit a question for the 2026 Thin Veil Q&A, joining other students walking through the course this October.
You don't need to identify as a witch or Pagan—or follow any particular spiritual path—to enter.
Bring your curiosity. Bring your questions. And perhaps light a candle.
The Thin Veil is waiting for you to step through.
Meet Kellie
Kellie (K.M.) Rice is an author, filmmaker, and lifelong student of folklore with a particular fascination for the old stories and traditions that connect us to the seasons, the land, and those who came before us.
Through The Old Ways, she combines careful historical research with storytelling and hands-on exploration of folk traditions—because folklore is not something she believes should exist only in books. It survives in the foods we cook, the stories we tell, the customs we keep, and the ways we continue to mark the turning year.
K.M. is also the creator of the long-running Happy Hobbit series and host of the Forests, Folklore & Fantasy podcast, where she has spent more than a decade exploring folklore, nature, traditional skills, food, and seasonal living.
Her courses are created for curious people of all backgrounds and beliefs. You don't need any previous knowledge or particular spiritual identity to join her.
Come sit by the fire awhile.
Course curriculum
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1🍂 WELCOME — Entering the Thin Veil
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2Part 1: Unveiling the Witch
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3INTERLUDE — Walking With the Dark
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4PART II — SAMHAIN
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5🔥 BONUS — Samhain at the Hill of Uisneach
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6THE CLOSING — At the Thin Veil