Dia De Los Muertos & Our Current Reality

 When it comes to celebrating life and honoring the departed, few traditions are as colorful and captivating as Dia De Los Muertos. This Mexican holiday (also known as Dia De Muertos in some regions or translated to Day of the Dead in the States), is a vibrant and joyous occasion that takes place annually from October 31st to November 2nd.

It's a time when families come together to honor and remember their loved ones who have passed away. But don't let the name fool you, it's not a somber occasion. In fact, it's a vibrant celebration filled with music, dancing, and delicious food.

But where did this fascinating tradition originate, and how has it evolved over time?

This ancient tradition can be traced back thousands of years to the indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica Mexico, such as the Aztecs and Maya. These ancient civilizations believed that death was not the end, but rather a continuation of life in a different form.

They viewed death as a natural part of the cycle of existence and embraced it with reverence and celebration. Because of this, they believed that the souls of the departed would return to visit their loved ones during this special time of year...<<<Read More>>...

The Chilling and Mysterious Origin Story of the Hay-Man

 For centuries scarecrows have been erected in fields across the world. Their singular purpose is to deter birds from steeling seed and feeding on growing crops.

Also called a hay-man, it is comprised mostly of straw stuffed inside a shirt and pants.

Sitting atop a high pole or wooden stick, the wind whips and wildly flails the arm sleeves, thus giving it the allusion of life. A large straw hats tops the display that completes the crude human replica.

To birds, they appear human. To humans, they are nothing short of creepy. While no one knows for sure who actually created the very first scarecrow, there is one tale that is as disturbing as the faceless hay-man itself....<<<Read More>>>...

 

Reclaiming Our Roots

[Daily OM]: Some cultures are more rooted to the earth and connected to their inherent spirituality. But every one of us, even those of us who have been disconnected from our roots for hundreds of years, comes from a place that was once inhabited by people who worshipped and honored the earth on which they lived. In other words, we can all claim this wisdom as an essential part of who we are.

One way we can begin to rediscover our roots is to explore the early earth-based religions practiced in the parts of the world that birthed our ancestors. If we explore the ancient spiritual practices of our ancestors, we will find that their practices and beliefs share many elements with Native American, African, and aboriginal religious traditions. People who are connected to the earth and honor her share a fundamental philosophy that we can claim as our own because we too are of the earth....<<<Read The Full Article Here>>>...

The Healing Power of Listening in Stillness

People have always experienced pain, and in the vast span of time before the colonial expansion of western culture, indigenous cultures weren’t without their methods of dealing with trauma.

For centuries we’ve largely ignored the wisdom of those among us who are still directly connected to ancestral ways of knowledge. As our modern lifestyle collides with the fact that our Earth is not capable of supporting our current way of life, we are finally starting to look to those who once lived in a state of indefinite sustainability and abundance, for a way forward.

“Dadirri is inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness. Dadirri recognises the deep spring that is inside us. We call on it and it calls to us. This is the gift that Australia is thirsting for. It is something like what you call ‘contemplation’.”
– Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann, Ngangiwumirr Elder ...read more>>>...

A Word on 'Shamanism'

Shamanism is a set of tools and techniques used to interact with the spirit world and the world around us. It has no specific pantheon of gods and is attached to no particular culture. It is a way of looking at the world and at yourself. There are no hard set rules, no hierarchy to try and work through. Shamanism is the oldest known form of spiritual practice. It is a time-tested practice, what works is kept, what doesn’t is left behind.

Shamanism is a personal quest for knowledge and inner power, but it is a quest that has traditionally taken place within the confines of a tribe or family group. The same holds true for those who follow a shamanic path today, but our groups might be different. We could work to guide and aid our family or a group of friends or a pagan circle. These groups are just as valid and appropriate a place for a modern person walking a shamanic path as a tribe was to an ancient one. A shaman's place is within a community, not apart from it.

Shamans have held an important place in many different cultures throughout the world since our beginnings. They have been mediators, ceremonialists, healers, diviners, many different kinds of artists and much more. They learn and work with power for both themselves and the good of those around them. They understand the connection and need for balance amongst all things, that all aspects of the world that we share with the rest of creation is alive, humans, animals, plants, rocks, and even the wind.

Traditionally people generally came to a shamanic path by being chosen and trained by an experienced shaman, or by inheriting the role from a parent. Often people choose or are led to follow a shamanic path after a near death experience, but that doesn’t mean that you have to go out and try to kill yourself if you want to learn shamanism. In today's world many people come to the shamanic path because they feel drawn to it or curious about it. Anyone can incorporate shamanic practices into their lives. You only need to believe that you can.

However, interest in shamanism does not make you a Shaman. If you are just starting this path it is much more appropriate to say you are following a shamanic path or a student of shamanism. Shaman is one among many titles that can be used for a person who has followed and studied this path for many years. Another common title is Medicine Woman or Man.

Another common misconception is that shamanism is synonymous with Native American spirituality. Native Americans were one of many groups that used shamanic practices in their spirituality. Many other cultures did and still do, fromSouth America all the way to Siberia in fact. Some of the better known shamanic paths include Native American shamanism, Celtic shamanism, and Siberian shamanism ... read more ...

The Medicine Wheel

Crystal Cure: In Native American belief, the cardinal directions are linked to great Powers, or intelligent forces, whose energy (or Medicine) can be harnessed. The directions can be charted on a circular map, the Medicine Wheel, which can enable one to come into alignment with these spiritual powers and absorb something of them.

The Medicine Wheel is many things on many various levels and has many different meanings and uses. It is a circle which represents natural and personal powers in complete balance, and which shows that everything is interconnected and part of one cosmic whole. It is the circle of awareness of the individual self, and a circle of knowledge that gives one power over one's life. It is a shamanic map, or philosophical system, that can be used as a guide to help us find our way and ground us when we embark on inner journeys. We can use it to understand ourselves as well as life itself. It can be used for finding direction in life and for aligning physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual realities. One can use it to attune themselves to Earth influences and forces and to the natural energies that affect their lives.

A Medicine Wheel can be used:
as a sacred space
as an aid to meditation
as an altar
as a centering device for one's consciousness
as a protector
as a framework in which to honor the forces of Nature and the levels of being.

Each direction on the Wheel constitutes a path of self-realization and self-initiation into the mysteries of life which can lead you to the very core of your being where you can make contact with your own High Self (your Spiritual Self or True Self). Each path can help you to acquire the knowledge to work changes that will put meaning and purpose into your life, bringing enlightenment and fulfillment...read more>>>...

Happy Witches New Year Everyone!

Pagan Wiccan: Samhain is known as the Witch's New Year. Samhain is a night when the veil between our world and the spirit world becomes very thin, and it's a good time to do some divination! Samhain falls on October 31 every year in the Northern Hemisphere, although in some traditions it may be celebrated on November 1. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is on May 1. Unlike solstice and equinox celebrations, this date does not change from year to year in most NeoPagan traditions. However, it's important to note that in some branches of Paganism, sabbats are celebrated based upon the astronomical calendar rather than the specific date. If you're part of one of these traditions, your Samhain celebration may need.