El Dia de los Muertos, All Saints Day, and Halloween

by Robert Wilkinson

To me and many others, this is one of the more sacred moments of the year. It is Autumn, with its falling leaves, shorter days, and diminished vitality due to less Solar energy for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. This period, known by many names, is a time to honor the dead. The original intent of this sacred time had nothing to do with giving the candy industry a boost between Columbus Day and Thanksgiving. I've always felt these last two were very peculiar "holidays," since the former celebrates the beginning of enslavement and disease of the original inhabitants of this continent, the latter a distorted excess complete with Aggie football.

We inherited Halloween, All Saints Day, and all Soul's Day (mostly forgotten) from our ancestors, but their true meaning has been ignored by our market-driven culture. The true meaning of this time is found in the celebration of El Dia de los Muertos, or "Day of the Dead." It's not really a day, but a period where we can celebrate and honor those who have passed away, our loved ones across space and time.

When I first learned of this profound time in Texas many years ago, I was taught it is a time of the year to light candles, create shrines to honor the dead, and focus on the omnipresent power of the Eternal Life. I learned to bear witness to the universal fact that we all will eventually re-join our loved ones, and in our honoring of the dead we also will be honored in future "Dias de los Muertos" by those we leave behind.

It is not a morbid time, nor a period where we should indulge in "scary" horror stories or the bizarre associations with deviltry and ghosts and haunted places. Rather this is a point in the year where we should honor our timeless bond of love with those who have departed this Earth and grieve or celebrate as needed. It is a time to bear witness to our eternal nature, a profound moment of connectedness with where we came from and where we're going, and all the life and love we all are together. It's a great time to re-experience that we are ETERNALS, having human experiences. We have a body, we have feelings, we have a mind, but we ARE Souls, and our nature is Light-Love-Life.

So today and tomorrow, while others are eating candy, shopping, or talking about the white noise of life in this 4 dimensional reality, take a moment (or three) to light a candle, remember your loved ones, and celebrate the eternity of life, light, and love. It'll help you feel that you're very, very alive (and always will be!) Aum and blessings.

Comments

[Vicki Evans]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for putting this in perspective and going beyond the sugar. Much love, blessings and eternal light to all our loved ones who have passed on.

Vicki

[deb]

Let's remember, too, that this day is known as Samhain, also known as a time to honor ancestors. The Celts would light a candle to guide the spirits' way, would set out a chair for thier unseen guest, and even leave offerings of food on the doorstep. Considered the last harvest festival, any food left uncollected after this day was considered 'taboo' and left to compost for the next year. At this time, cattle and other livestock would be slaughtered for the winter, and bonfires were built - originally known as 'bone-fires', for the bones of the meat would be thrown in at the end of the harvest feast. Also known as Samana, Hallowmas and Shadowfest.

[Robert]

Thanks for bringing even more ways that different cultures have honored this sacred time. There's so much richness to our ancient festivals - if only the different cultures and religions in our world took the time to remember, the whole world would be a better place for it.

[Felipe Gonzales]

Roberto:

Gracias for sharing your perspective on this special day, "dia de los muertos".

In Guatemala, families gather in cemeteries to celebrate and pay tribute to their dead; they adorn the gravesites of their loved ones with bright orange marigold flowers, fragrant pine needles, ribbons and food; they light candles and burn copal incense; marimbas play music through out the day and into the night; families fly kites that symbolize the soul in its path to the heavens; the whole community gathers to celebrate and honor their dead. At home, elaborate altars are adorned with food, drinks and incense to honor and receive their departed ones and to celebrate life, death and the eternal alma-soul.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating the Mayan tradition of honoring and remembering those who transition from body to spirit. We will make a special tribute to all the souls that lost their lives during the passing of hurrican Stan in Guatemala and ask the Divine Mother to bless all souls in their sacred journey to illuminate their "espiritu".

Paz y luz,
Felipe