A Day to Remember
Day of the Dead rituals give us a way to celebrate life, embrace death, and honor those who came before us
“Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides.” —Lao Tzu
If there was one day that can help give us a visual of Lao Tzu’s take on the circle of life, it would be the Day of the Dead. Día de Los Muertos as it is called in Mexico where the tradition originated, officially begins today, November 1st, and runs through tomorrow.
While most of us may not be in Mexico where this honoring of death and life is celebrated in epic fashion at this time every year, I will take you there myself with this updated repost.
Is there someone on the other side you’d like to call back, remember, have a chat with? A family member perhaps, a dear friend or loved one, a pet, an ancestral line…?
Creating a home altar is one way to connect in. You can learn its benefits and how to create your own below.
Ahhh 🌺🕯️
Updated Repost
A day to remember… (and a word about altars)
Photos and video by Stephanie Bennett Vogt
On November 1 and 2 in Mexico it is believed that the veil between the spirit world and earthly plane is at its thinnest.
What this translates into for most Mexicans is the ability to reconnect in a more tangible way with loved ones who have passed. It also translates into: let’s party!
As in…
Let’s turn this fear of death into a celebration of life that embraces death.
Mexicans prepare in advance by creating elaborate, colorful altars laden with photos and favorite foods and beverages of their beloveds. They often cover entire living rooms and cemetery plots.
As you can see below from some of the 2015 photos I took in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, they’re also gorgeous works of art:
A spirited celebration for the world of spirit
As a quiet day of reverence and vigil turns into night, things can get spooky really fast… with crowds spilling into town squares, lively music, and parades of the best, no-holds barred Catrinas and skeletal remains you’ll ever see.
Not the best nighttime photo quality with the iPhone technology I had back in 2015, but you get the idea…
Honoring a loved one with an altar
If quiet reverence is more your speed, you might consider creating an altar this week.
As a direct connection to spirit, and a vehicle to experience spaciousness, altars have many benefits.
You can use them to anchor an intention, quiet the mind, express gratitude, connect to your soul’s deepest yearnings, honor the memory of a loved one, bless and release something or someone that no longer serves and supports you, or embrace, illuminate, call back… re-member.
Creating this spiritual focal point in your home is easy, too. All you need is a table, shelf, or nook, in a quiet corner of your house, apartment, or office. The rest is up to your imagination.
My best suggestion is to keep it simple. Go with your first impulse. Perhaps a favorite photo, a possession, some flowers.
In the end it does not matter what goes on the altar. It could be a scribbled note on a scrap of paper placed with love and attention.
What matters is your connection, your intention, your willingness to feel whatever arises without doing anything to fix, manage, or resist it.
Ahhh… yes, feel.
That’s the secret sauce.
Want more?
Enjoy this 45 second clip I made from my trip in 2015:
