Memories grow from the
Seeds that have been
From a heart filled
With experience.
Memories flow like water
Caressing new growth in
A vessel of flesh and bone
Breathing slowly towards the sun.
Memories stretch and reach
From a pillar of mind and
Heart having become one
In a memory’s making.
Memories grow strong and beautiful
Trees of past and future rising
From the pages of each present
Day’s journaling of the Soul.
These 30 days have been filled with memories. Memories of loved ones no longer in this physical plane. Memories of Samhain celebrations long past. Memories of what called you to this path to begin with. Newly made memories of this year’s promises and inspirations. And, memories of the daily reminder that you are truly Divine in all of your parts.
Tomorrow is our final post: What Have You Left Behind?
We stand at just a few days before astrological Samhain. And, as we ride the cresting of this Sabbat’s energies, take note that the days following Samhain are those that will carry you through the darkening and time of deeper introspection culminating with the Winter Solstice.
These are the days of revelation and diving deeply into the veils of mystery and if there is courage enough, choosing a less trod path awakening a sense of curiosity and desire for what “could be”. There is no right or wrong in the path of your choosing because ultimately all paths lead to the Goddess, in all of Her forms and all of her iterations both as archetypal energy and mantle of transformation.
You may feel that this is a “new” process, and indeed it is to some degree, as we are always evolving and changing, even in the moment. But, it is also the work that has been percolating at times overtly and boiling over needing attention and at other times a slow rising simmer, extracting the most flavor before coming to its fullness.
We have talked a lot during these Samhain musings about standing at the crossroads, which by its very nature infers that there is more than one path of choosing. We have called to the Dark Goddess as Hecate to guide our journey, always mindful that SHE will not chose for us,even when it appears that She is casting us upon a path not of our own choice. What I do wish to impart to you is a practical way of exploring these many paths.
These are just a few of the ways that you can move onto a path of your choosing and take it as far as is fruitful for you:
Organically, aligning them with the lunar phases of New, Full and Dark (to clarify, anytime after the 4th Qrt. Moon and just prior to the New Moon). I wold recommend using all three phases for one specific path at a time. There is benefit in seeing to its conclusion, the unfolding of catalytic new energy, ripeness of full energy and the withering away of what is not viable through the dark.
Using a Monthly cycle; beginning at the start of the month-Day One- and moving through each day, incrementally working your way further along the path chosen.
Using the anti-polar energies of a solar month. Beginning when the Sun transits into the next astrological sign and following through the entirety of the cycle until the next solar transit into the following sign. The approach allows both the Light and Dark to interweave their energies. Each serves its own purpose in holding the space of energy for your explorations.
Be creative and intuitive in your approach. Be mindful that you are the Divine and that all roads ultimately lead back to YOU.
To get you started, I am sharing a live recorded pathworking that was part of the experiential work of the series I just finished teaching-The Labyrinth of the Dark Goddess. It is a brief opportunity to ease into stepping onto a path that leads into the deeper recesses of your being and cultivate the necessary understanding to inform what you desire to reveal and have unfold. The directive with this pathworking is to enter into and cross the threshold with no expectation. To allow what will present to do so and to stand in the presence of the Dark Goddess, knowing your true worth and without hesitation entering the unknown.
In past years our coven has offered our annual open ritual in celebration of astrological Samhain. We journeyed into the otherworld leaving the light behind and saw the reflection of our true self as the Mirror Wraith awakened. Offerings were given to Cerridwen’s Crow and once prepared, each sought the counsel of Cerridwen, Herself. HER Cauldron of Wisdom was opened and time was spent with a chosen beloved and token of their blessing gifted from the Cauldron. We returned to the world of the Living and Light forever transformed.
This ritual was written several years ago and offers another aspect to how Samhain may be celebrated. We use the Goddess, Cerridwen and the myth of Her cauldron of wisdom to journey to pass through the veils and journey to the otherworld seeking wisdom, healing and transformation.
In this ritual we add the energies of the Mirror Wraith and Cerridwen’s Crow personified. The Mirror Wraith embodies the Spirit of the Black Mirror of True Reflection. Each participant stands before the Mirror Wraith and if courageous enough, stares into the reflection presented. In the realm of the otherworld, all is presented in its true form. Death strips away all that we have clung to in life and the false identities that we rely upon as our masks.
Cerridwen’s Crow asks each participant what they will willingly offer up to be consumed before meeting Cerridwen, Herself. In the myth of Cerridwen, Gwion Bach, was entrusted to stir the brew of transformative brilliance, creativity and inspiration that Cerridwen had created for her son. This elixir needed constant tending and stirring for a year and a day. Gwion accidentally spills some of the brew on his finger and blessed with the gifts of great intelligence, flees the wrath of the Goddess.
A pursuit ensues where Cerridwen and Gwion enter into a shapeshifting contest with hopes of Gwion always remaining one step ahead of the Goddess. In the final hours of that pursuit Gwion is eaten when Cerridwen transforms into a Crow and Gwion foolishly shapeshifts into an ear of Corn. As is the way with many of these tales, the Goddess becomes pregnant from the seed of the corn and Gwion is reborn into the youth who becomes the great Bard Taliesin; inspiration, creativity and intelligence having won out.
In this ritual, all are Gwion, and the Crow- a direct extension of Cerridwen, Herself, consumes what is illusory in preparation for healing and rebirth in the abode of Cerridwen. The audience with Cerridwen that follows is a personal and private experience with each participant seeking the counsel of the Goddess.
Upon emerging from Cerridwen’s abode the seeker lights a candle of new birth and is now ready to receive the blessing of their chosen deceased beloved; scrying into her cauldron of wisdom and taking a gift from it.
In joy, new found healing and wisdom all that has been learned from this experience is carried into the world of the living. We’ve felt the touch of the Divine and the love of our ancestors, and now we move back into our mundane world having witnessed the beauty of Samhain.
There are many ways we can honor the regenerative nature of Samhain. This is one pantheon we have used, but there are many others that are awaiting our call. Find your own space of calling and then let the creativity of your own inner wisdom guide your way…
Reaching Back to Stand Fully Present in the Future
We’ve past the usually celebrated marker of Samhain on October 31st. and in these last few days of this series we are reaching towards the astrological date of Samhain on November 7th (12:14p.m. EDT).
On the Witch’s Wheel of the Year, the quarter Sabbats are marked by the dates of the Equinoxes and Solstices. These are the fixed astronomical dates and on the dates at the mid-point between each Equinox to Solstice, Solstice to Equinox the cross-quarter Sabbats of Samhain-Imbolc-Beltane and Lammas are celebrated. As it sounds, the true date of these events is the calculation of exact mid-point of days between those quarter dates.
In the case of Samhain and Beltane, what we call “the veils” between the worlds parting moves up and through these astro(nom)logical dates. So, today I would like to offer a perspective of using the energy of the Autumnal Equinox that catalyzed Samhain’s potential and the carrying forward of its energy towards the Winter Solstice.
The Autumnal Equinox held the balance of light and dark in a paused equilibrium. This was an opportunity for synthesis and reset in the scales filling with the energy of the increasing night and the gift of introspective refining. This was considered the second harvest; the culling of what is not viable and the reaping and gathering of what will sustain throughout the Winter months ahead.
As we moved from that day of balance, the night crowded in and the final and last harvest of Samhain became the place of goal. All that is cut down and dies will be reborn again and with the harvest and the reset that occurred at the Equinox, the veils between life and death opened. We celebrate and honor our beloveds who passed beyond the veils and we reap within ourselves what will carry us forward in our efforts of inner reflection and seeking the wisdom that is hidden in the shadows.
As we move from the transformative power of Samhain and begin a journey anew, having in many ways been reborn, we nurture the place of light within feeding and fueling it with our hope and new found wisdom. The Winter Solstice marks the transition from longer nights to longer days; soon to offer the gift of standing in the light and enjoying more of it for our mundane pursuits.
Having sought the wisdom of the ancestors and acknowledging the ever continuing cycles of life and death that although giving the appearance of separation are just different forms of each other’s state of being. This is the potential of our future and more importantly, the blessing of our immortal Spirit that continues well beyond the corporeal form.
So, as we near the astrological date of Samhain, remember to reach back marveling at what you have reaped from an abundant harvest as you stand fully awakened in the power and beauty of your physical presence knowing that the burgeoning light tat will be the brilliance of the winter solstice will guide you towards a divinely created future.
Today’s post is about a very special celebration of the Dead, Dia de Los Muertos. As a culture, we tend to have a very somber and to some degree separated view of death. Of course there is sadness in the loss of a loved one and grief can be overwhelming; but celebrating as an act of joy and reverence honoring that death is another phase in a continuing cycle of life can heal in a way that truly integrates the life that was lived and the life that is left in legacy that is being lived. And, Dia de Los Muertos does that and more….
Linda Stone, co-owner of the restaurant, positions photos on the alter at the Day of the Dead celebration held Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016, at Casa Borrega. (Dinah Rogers Photo)
…At midnight on Nov. 1, Dia de Los Muertos begins. It is a significant day on the Mexican calendar, and a holiday that is widely misunderstood in the United States.
First things first: It has nothing to do with Halloween. It’s a family time, joyful and uplifting, its own celebration. It’s probably too late to put this skull-faced genie back in the bottle, but some Mexican Americans feel it’s disrespectful to wear or celebrate anything to do with Day of the Dead on Halloween, or to incorporate the two. (The upcoming Disney/Pixar movie, “Coco,” which includes a young boy’s journey in the “Land of the Dead,” is set for Oct. 27 release in Mexico but has a deliberately delayed release date of Nov. 22 in the United States for this reason, according to bloggers invited to press events.)
Dia de Los Muertos runs through Nov. 2. It is when the souls of the dead are invited back to reunite with their loved ones in the land of the living. The first night, Nov. 1, is for children who have died, and Nov. 2 is for adults. The holiday affirms that death is part of the cycle of life; it is not to be feared. It is not sad or scary.
Dia de Los Muertos dates back 3,000 years and began with Aztecs honoring of the dead, then evolved after Catholicism arrived in the region. It coincides with the Catholic feast days of All Souls Day and All Saints Day. Families celebrate by visiting ancestors in cemeteries, cleaning tombs, building decorations and picnicking as mariachis stroll around. The magic of the candle-lit, flower-bedecked cemeteries, particularly in Oaxaca, draws tourists from all over the world….
Marigolds, the flower of the dead, decorate many Dia de Los Muertos altars. The marigold’s scent helps guide the spirits home and represents the fragility of life. (Photo by Judy Walker)
The Voices of Dia de los Muertes
In San Francisco, California, Martha Rodríguez-Salazar has been working with the San Francisco Symphony for the past 10 years in their annual Día de los Muertos community celebration, which includes music and altars commissioned from different artists.
..The tradition [in Mexico] is you invite people to your house for pan de muerto and then you go to the cemetery. You eat food there, drink tequila or mezcal, and that’s the celebration. You want to leave your door open because a stranger can bring a spirit of your loved one. You never know…
“I am a Mexican-American born in the border city in El Paso, Texas. My identity is both Mexican and American. Growing up, I knew about Día de Muertos, but it’s not something my family really did, since it came more from southern Mexico,” he said. “When we moved to New York, I met people from Puebla, and I started learning more.”
When his father passed away, Castaño wanted to do something special, so he decided to make his first altar.
“It was really a beautiful experience…It’s a very personal thing,” he said. “I remember looking at the altar and putting coffee there, because my dad loved coffee. My mom said, ‘No, he would never like it like that — and she took it away and made it piping hot with a little sugar, and the experience created a conversation between us,” said Castaño. Dia de Muertos is very powerful, because you feel peace and a beautiful experience remembering someone and celebrating what they did and who they were.”
“The Day of the Dead, remembering loved ones, goes back to Aztec times, los Aztecas, los Toltecs, los Zapotecs,” says Ramírez in his characteristic way of weaving both English and Spanish in his conversations.
The eve of Día de los Muertos, on November 1st, is when the “angelitos” (little angels) or the spirits of children who have passed, descend. November 2nd is when the spirit of the adults follow.
“Los cielos se abren, (the heavens open) and the spirits come down from heaven to be with us and we receive them,” says Ramirez.
The altar “receives” those who have passed with their favorite foods, drinks and even some of their personal belongings.
The construction of an altar starts with a table covered with a white cloth, representing purity. Once that is in place, explains Ramirez, the creation of an altar requires the elements that constitute the universe.
“It is the wind, the water, fire and earth. That is almost the whole universe. That is what it is composed of,” Ramirez says.
The wind is represented with the paper ornaments called “papel picado” since it moves with the wind. The water, according to Ramirez, has a dual meaning.
“Water can be included with a glass of water because the spirits are thirsty when they are coming down. The water can also be seen as cleansing, as a ‘limpia.”
The fire is represented by candles, which also symbolize the lighting of the path for the souls and the burning of copal, a natural resin used as incense.
Other crucial elements in the altar are the marigold flower, or cemasuchil – a bright orange blossom similar to a chrysanthemum symbolizing the sun – and the placement of bread of the dead, or “pan de muerto,” a round baked good with cross bones as decorations. The fruits can either be part of the favorite foods of the deceased though they also symbolize a harvest.
“Sometimes,” says Magdalena Cervantes, “I think you focus on the mourning and the loss and you forget the little things, like the molcajete (a stone mortar and pestle). To me, when you think of grandma, you think of the molcajete.”
Expressing love to long departed loved ones, says Ramirez, is exactly the emotion that makes each altar unique. “So, this connects you better with the memories and the spirits and if you really get into it, you can almost feel the presence of your ancestors.”
This past Tuesday night I was honored to lead a ritual of experience and opportunity to commune with those beloveds who have crossed the veil. Our coven traditionally celebrates Samhain on its astrological date as an annular open event. This year my plan was to offer another, very different ritual (from the usual. What evolved, was a ritual entitled “Parting the Veils: Calling to the Ancestors”.
The ritual used a complex system of castings as overlays and stabilizers for a central space of using a mirror as the portal between the worlds; candles to light the way and an offering of rum. Guests entered a room of darkness and candle light and stood in anticipation as sacred space was created. I called to the Air of mind that was receptive and fertile ground for inspiration and the Fires of will that would fuel the desire to commune and interact with the beloveds. The sacred Waters were called forth as the depths of intuitive sight and intelligence of the heart would guide the way and Earth, in the form of ourselves became the vessel of beacon for resonance and calling. And, the place of Spirit was awakened within each as we walked between the worlds.
Now that the boundaries of sacred space were constructed the inner space of direct communication was called into presence, providing the gate of opening. The mirror was opened as portal and “skype” of sorts to the other realms and the intended beloved.
Each guest had the opportunity to cross the threshold between the worlds and spend time in communion with their ancestor. A track of trance drum served as the vibrational energetic and also drone into contemplation on your experience.
When all was complete, the mirror was closed and the veils closed as each layer was grounded and released. The tone was reverent as we gathered back in the room where we started this journey and everyone had something to remember from this evening’s work.
The beauty of this type of work is that whatever is called into yourself moves with you as support in the months ahead. This is the gift of Samhain’s energy and the gift of choosing as a part of that celebration to reach back towards those who ave informed and laid the path and foundations of you are now.
As I told the participants…. Always remember that we honor our ancestors, friends and beloveds who have departed this manifest form with each of our actions. Everything is a thread that reaches back into how they helped us formulate our thoughts, heart , will to action and way in which we physically move through this world.
Finally, the veils have opened and the way is clear to seek the lessons of this season and explore the deeper mysteries of death.
For many one of today’s activities will include some form of divination as means of connecting with the energy and potency of today. The Moon is is in the astrological sign of Pisces for most of the day and as a water sign of depth, compassion and intuitive feeling will support your efforts in this water scrying offering.
So, settle in and open this Samhain day to receiving answer to your query…
Suggested Audio you may wish to use to accompany your scrying:
A space where you will not be disturbed for approx. 30 minutes
Place the bowl on a surface that is tall enough for you to peer down into it. If you are sitting, use a low table. You want to be able to look from above down into the water. Place two of the candles on either side of the bowl. Place the third candle directly behind the bowl. Pour enough water into the bowl to rise about 2/3rds of the way.
Dim the lights and reposition the candles if necessary so they are not directly reflected in the bow. They should provide back lighting, but not be a distraction. Take a few deep breaths, acknowledging your physical body in the space of your choosing and the surroundings. Take several more deep breaths, now envisioning that your space is filled with peaceful energy and that only that which is positive and for the highest good for all will be held within.
Take another deep breath- if you have chosen a piece of music to accompany this session begin it now- and quiet your mind and any distracting thoughts. Breathe deeply- and hold the intention of allowing your sight to be opened and whatever visions wish to present themselves to fill the energy of the water.
Adjust your gaze as you peer into the bowl. Soften the lids and allow the impressions to flow.Continue to breathe deeply and fully simply remaining open to the experience. Remain in this state of intention for as long as you wish, but no more than 30 minutes.
When you have engaged for some time, begin to restore your clarity of hard focus on the bowl and candles. Offer the space of gratitude to what you have experienced and breathe deeply feeling lungs expanding against ribs. Return your focus to your surroundings and fully engage your senses in the physical experience. Breathe deeply and extinguish the candles, restore the lights and write down the details of this experience.
As we continue our journey towards astrological Samhain, tomorrow’s post will be a sharing of images and thoughts from tonight’s ritual: Parting the Veils!
The Hounds nip at my heels as I move through the dark veil of Samhain Night.
I breathe deeply feeling the pain of sharp teeth and hot breath as grateful reprieve comes as winged feet take flight Soaring and carrying me upward.
Time pulls at my back drawing me down into a descent of shadow and light I breathe deeply and feel the strain of forward momentum gaining speed and clarity shatters the fetters of illusion.
Thoughts gather and commune in my mind each measured by scale of will and intent as the breath of death and decay swirls around me .
The Hounds nip at my heels still running at fevered pace my breath coming in shortened gasps and heart that beats like syncopated drumming.
The Hounds nip at my heels coming closer still until I offer up my dues and surrender to the renewal of rebirth returning to manifest life with Hounds laying obediently at my feet.
It is Samhain Eve and magick is afoot! Breathe into the dark spaces and enter with courage and a heart of pure intent. All that we wish to gain mastery over rises to the surface as shadows and specters swirl about us; probing, prodding and pushing us towards our goals of release, wisdom and celebration.
The darkness crowds in and what we believe to be true is opened like the center of a rare and succulent fruit; awaiting the delight and sensual pleasure of consuming. The light flashes and we see the beauty of what awaits our transformation and we arise from the weight of our doubt to embrace Samhain’s gifts as the hounds nip at our heels…
The Gift of My Ancestor A Tarot Spread for Samhain
Samhain is ripe with potential for honing your psychic skills and divination plays nicely as a tool of fine tuning. There are many tools that can be used for divination, but Tarot is one that is at the very top of the list in versatility and access for learning. Today, I am offering a specially created Tarot spread to be used to seek answer to a query you have for an ancestor.
What You Will Need:
Your favorite deck of Tarot Cards. Rider-Waite Tarot is the deck most used for beginning study and deepening your interpretations;
A solid color scarf or piece of fabric to be used to lay out the spread;
A small candle (optional) or two;
A small crystal (optional) of choice that you associate with as opening your psychic senses. A small quartz point is a generic choice.
A drink and small portion of food favored by the Ancestor you are reaching to for answer. Have a second portion of each for yourself to be eaten as a point of communing and gratitude to your beloved after the reading is complete. These should be placed nearby, but not on the reading cloth.
About the Spread:
You will use Five (5 )cards for this spread. Five was selected for its numerologic significance as being a number of change and transformation. It also aligns with the five alchemical elements of air, fire, water, earth and the sixth, of Spirit.
Air represents mind, thought, breath and flexibility. It is the only element that cannot be visualized. We see the by products and effects of air, such as the curtains blowing or the breeze across our body, but we do not physically see air.
Fire represents the will and resultant action that is catalyzed by that will. Fire stimulates us to create and stirs us to quicken what we wish to fuel with passion.
Water represents the heart and emotions. The depths of intuitive sight bubble up as we “feel” our way through experiences. Water has no boundary or shape of its own; rather it takes on the form or shape of the container that it flows into.
Earth represents all that is manifest, physical and corporeal. Earth is our body and the body upon which we make our home. Earth is the final manifest product that Air (Mind) creates that breathes into the Fires (Will to Action) that begin movement towards the goal that is birthed in the space of Water’s (Heart) and intuitive knowing.
Spirit is the imminent part of our being that is the source of our divine nature. Spirit contains the four alchemical elements within itself, acting as the synthesis of each one’s higher form and essence.
Additionally I’ve pulled the energy of “as above, so below” using the six pointed star that is comprised of two triangles; one pointed upwards as above and the other dipping down into manifestation as below.
Using this energy, Cards 2 and 3 straddle the mid-point of synthesis where the triangle of Spirit and Manifestation intersect. So, their reading encompasses what is received in both layers of expression.
Ready, Set, Go!
If you have a nice piece of fabric or scarf that is a solid pattern (to avoid distraction) use that to lay your cards out. You may want to add a candle and feel free to add a small crystal (I like to use a clear quartz point) to place on the cloth and use to open my awareness.
Select your favorite deck to use and shuffle the cards well. This serves a dual purpose of ensuring that the order of cards will be random and you will also be embedding your energetic imprint into the deck. Once shuffled, take a moment to hold the deck in both hands, speak your query out loud or silently and breathe the energy of your intention into your deck. Place the deck on the surface of the cloth. Divide into two piles and reassemble putting one on top of the other.
Turn your attention now to the ancestor you wish to commune with for your answer. Draw up the image of that beloved on your inner screen with as much detail and clarity as possible. Imagine them sitting across from you and guiding the energy of your card selection as way of reply to you. When you feel the blessing of their presence, audibly say…
… “thank you for your wisdom and joining me”
You are now ready to select your cards. Without looking at the cards, select 5 cards from anywhere in the deck and lay them face down as below:
Place the remainder of the deck off to the side and out of the way. Pause for a moment and then turn each card over, one at a time, moving in order. When all are facing up, begin reading your cards, focusing on what their intention and placement is. You may wish to take a picture of the spread for future reference and write down your interpretations in a journal so you can piece it together later.
Note:Although traditionally accepted, I don’t usually do reverse card (upside down) readings of the card. If a card is turned over and is upside down I just place it upright. If you prefer to read the cards as they present upright or reversed, honor what you are used to.
The Intention of the Cards:
CARD 1: EARTH/THE PHYSICAL – Where is your place (or gift) of anchor?
This card is rooted as the point of the manifest world (“as below”) and represents what in the physical world keeps you strong, grounded and stable.
CARD 2: AIR/MIND – What will serve as my blueprint (or plan) of design, originating from my spiritual self (or path)? and What will serve as my blueprint (or plan) of design, originating in the physical world?
This card straddles the manifest and the spiritual and receives two spaces of use. The answer given to this query will play out in these two aspects of yourself- the spiritual and the human. The synthesis of answer comes from the ability to draw from the plan that originates from your higher self and blends with the human self to manifest a product that will serve all aspects of your being.
CARD 3: WATER/HEART – Where will I find my passion in the spiritual world? Where will I find my passion in the physical world?
This card also straddles the manifest and the spiritual and receives two spaces of use.
The answer given to this query will play out in these two aspects of yourself- the spiritual and the human. The synthesis of answer comes from realizing that will to action is fueled by your hearts desire and passion for what you wish to achieve. The intuitive sight received from the heart of the spiritual self and the passion that evolves in the birthing waters of what you offer your heart to.
CARD 4: FIRE/WILL – What action must I take?
This card is rooted in the spiritual self (“as above”) and emanates from the higher self. The answer to this query will be fused in right action and in accord with the highest good for all.
CARD 5: SPIRIT – THE ANCESTOR and WISDOM SHARED – What will be your gift to me? and How will I honor you?
This card represents the essence of the ancestor from whom you’ve requested help. The two questions represent the reciprocity of gratitude. The gifts received in reading the other 4 cards provide the foundation (4 is a number of stability and foundational effort) and align the elements of self that will act upon the wisdom received.
When you have completed all five cards and are satisfied with the information received, be sure to spend some time “hanging out” with your ancestor and thank them for what was shared with you. A toast and favorite food, shared with your ancestor, is an excellent way to end the reading.
To Learn More About Tarot:
Audio Course:
Live Presentation of a workshop presented on the Major Arcana of the Tarot. Handouts, images and audio available. A Walk Through the Major Arcana
Card Interpretation if you are new to Tarot: Aclectic Tarot – a good online reference site
and…..Stay tuned for an online course beginning soon to learn the Tarot on my blog, Tarot for Troubling Times.
Memories
A Witch's Sacred Journey 