Dia de los Muertos, All Saints Day, and Halloween 2007

by Robert Wilkinson

Each year I honor the sacred day known as "The Day of the Dead," consecrated to honoring those who have passed before us and a true celebration of life. It is an incredible experience to enter into, and helps our inner nature remember that it's okay to celebrate the dead as well as those of us in a body. I picked it up through living in Texas, where it is one of the most amazing celebrations of the year. Already started many places from here to everywhere, take a moment to honor and thank your dead for being there for you to love. What follows is last year's post, with much to ponder.

This is one of the more sacred times of the year. The ancient Chinese thought this was the season of "cutting and destroying," where the leaves fall, the fruits are available, and the life force begins to go dormant for its Winter rest in the Northern Hemisphere. This period at the end of October, known by many names, is a time to honor the dead. The "Day of the Dead," or Dia de los Muertos, is more than a day. It is a period of depth communion with those who have passed away before us. It is a time to honor our connectedness with our departed but not forgotten loved ones.

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. This time also has zero to do with fear of ghosts, real or imagined.

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. In the year cycle of light and dark, manifestation and rest, this is a time of love and celebration WITH the Spirits of those no longer in a body, our loved ones across space and time.

I first learned of this profound time in Texas many years ago. I was taught that it is a celebration of community, a time of the year to light candles, create altars and shrines to honor the dead, and celebrate the omnipresent power of the Eternal Life. I learned feel the global reality that we all do eventually re-join our loved ones, and in our honoring of the dead we enter into a timeless stream that will be honored in future "Dias de los Muertos" by those we leave behind. It is a time to celebrate continuity and connectedness of life.

Though many feel sorrow, it is not a morbid time. It certainly should not be a time to create fear in children through "scary" horror stories or the bizarre associations with deviltry and ghosts and haunted places. The deeper meaning of this time of year we enter a collective zone where we can honor our timeless bond of love with those who have departed this Earth. It is a time to grieve AND celebrate.

We can open to experiencing more fully our eternal nature in a profound on-going moment of connectedness with where we came from and where we're going, and 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 over the next few days, 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.

© Copyright 2007 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Lorna]

Beautifully said, Robert. Thank you for sharing this with your readers and for sharing your knowledge with us. I always look forward to your posts.

[Mollie Santa Monica]

Just a beautiful comment on those three days of remembering and celebration!
My favorite time of year. Thank You Robert. See Ya!

[Lauri]

OH Robert, I really love reading your posts. Your language and spirit are beautiful. Thank you for again for clearing the post-post modern world's maya haze and putting much light on the core importance of living. Hugs, as always. One day we will meet.

[Helen]

Hi Robert,

With Thanksgiving, how about Dallas football? I remember visiting a friend down in Dallas for Thanksgiving. We had to finish eating in time for the game.

Great writing. I'm glad I know you, my friend.

Peace,

Helen

[Lori]

Hi Robert,

My ex who was also an astrologer (he started that journey around 1972) used to tell me that October and around Halloween was my "quiet time of the year". That makes sense. It would make sense of why I've never really been into the Halloween parties and costumes etc this time of year. I enjoy handing out candy to the kids - but other than that, it's kind of an introspectve, reflective, thoughtful time of year for me. I've also had Mercury retrograde in the 12th house the past 3 weeks.

Lori

[Helen]

Hi Robert,

This morning I lit candles for my deceased love ones and thank them for what they had contributed to in my life.

My grandfather-the first and maybe only man that loved me and wasn't afraid to show it.

My grandmother-She was born on August 13th. Fellow Leo! In fact, her family nickname was the Queen. She taught me grace and manners so I could go out into the world and meet almost anyone included Queen Elizabeth herself.

My mother-she gave me my wit. She was a true friend. She gave me the love of books.

And most of all, my father--his wisdom about the business world equaled Trump. I can still hear him say, "Helen, want does have to do with you?" But his greatest gift was storytelling.

Also, I lit a small candle for your daugther.

Peace,

Helen

[Robert]

Hi Lorna, Mollie, and Lauri - Thanks. Honoring the dead is a big deal with me. Glad you appreciate this "time of the season." It is said there are only two really important times in life and the rest are commentary. One is birth and the other is death. If we celebrate the living, the least we can do is celebrate the once-and-future living, since parts of us "die" while other parts of us never die.

Hi Lori - This is a deep time for many. Enjoy the seclusion while you listen more deeply to your heart.

Hi Helen - Well, T'giving was always UT v A&M in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, so please consider this my nod to the great Church of Texas Football. ;-) Your tribute to your family is touching. And really, thanks for the candle for someone past but never gone.

[dcu]

Thank You Roberto for reminding us of this very special time of year. My wife was really touched by your post and has forwarded it out to some of our friends. We honor and remember all of our ancestors today. Indiginous people everywhere have always known that our ancestors never forget us. they are always ready and willing to help us along the way. We have but to ask for the help, in accordance with universal natural law. Then they are more than willing to be with us and support us. They are always so grateful when we think of them in some small way. The Lakota ancestors in this area of the world say "Smoke a little pipe for me." Any kind of candle, incense, smudge, etc. is very pleasing to our ancestors. Muchas Gracias mi hermano. dcu

[Robert]

Hi dcu - Glad your spouse found enough of worth to want to forward it. It's truly a day of deep feelings for me, given all who have died in my life up to now. Karen came up again recently....

[Lori]

The physical body is gone - but loved ones continue to express in limitless and countless ways from their real and true infinite self which is the spiritual, eternal, whole, peaceful, vibrant body of light and the language of light. The essence of pure love and pure light that each one is. The continuity of connection continues always.