Comparing 3 traditions-musings on our march toward death

Halloween October 31st-this years date 10/31/13 which adds up to 9 is very auspicious-celebrates the darker side; death, rot, ghouls and ghosts and gives people a chance to dress up and present any part of themselves they have been repressing or wanting to express. Children are encouraged to go door to door and say "Trick or Treat." Who could give them a trick without a treat? This year I was the wicked queen in Snow White disguised as a peasant woman selling poison apples.
That was my trick, because I did have treats-expensive candy with no artificial anything. However, some of the children expressed an extreme desire to take an apple as well. One little boy didnt even take the candy. He ran away squealing with delight "I got an apple!" while holding it up in the air. Had he never heard of the razor blades that could be in anything not packaged? I wondered as I gave them out-organic apples-how it even would be possible for a misguided individual to disguise a sharp object in a piece of fruit and it not be detected, and hoping these children who really seemed to crave something healthy would be allowed to eat their apples.

According to Wikipedia All Hallow's Eve is a Christianized feast that was originally a Celtic Harvest Festival. It coincides with a late fall Harvest, nuts, apples, roots and squashes-pumpkins!
In pagan and wiccan tradition this is the 3rd and final Harvest Holiday which is the beginning of the Celtic year. This festival is called Samhain.

Samhain November 1st, or more specifically celebrated sunset October 31st to Sunset November 1st is not only the final harvest but symbolizes the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker half of the year. Animals were slaughtered for winter and rituals performed like lighting bonfires for cleansing. It was/is seen as a time when the veil between the worlds-the spiritual world of spirits, faeries, elves, etc. and the physical world-is thinner so there is more of a chance to call spirits of the dead or other spiritual beings into the world or to communicate with them. Costumes were worn door to door as one of the rituals. The costumes were possibly employed to disguise oneself from the faery folk. Also places were set at table for ancestors and their spirits were offered to sit and partake in the feast. The Roman Catholic Church changed Samhain to All Saints Day on November 1st and eventually All Souls Day on November 2nd.

All Souls Day as practiced by Western Christianity was to help the souls of the dead who were not cleansed from temporal punishment and could not attain the beatific vision. It is also known as Day of the Dead which is practiced in Mexico and other countries around the world to honor those who have died. Again food-the favorite foods of those deceased being honored-is placed on alters built for the occasion and graves are visited. This tradition is also based in the ancient culture-in this case Aztec culture-and the festival lasting for a month honors a goddess known as The Lady of the Dead. Now in Mexico Dia de los Muertos is celebrated sometimes for 3 days-October 31st through November 2nd. November 1st is often Dia de los Angelitos, honoring children and infants.

It seems that this time of the year which in this half of the hemisphere is when fall brings beautiful death to things in nature has inspired similar festival feasting and ritual. And closer to the equator there was still a celebration involving feasting and honoring ancestors that was celebrated.

I like the idea of a time to honor ancestors and this year I am honoring my grandmothers. I have 3, one is a Great Aunt or distant cousin who was an influential person in my life. I want to thank them all for their love, appreciate what they have shown me, and together strengthen and heal the continuum for those who come after us. And today being November 1st I am honoring my own sweet sister angel and my cat companion of 17 years, Icy.

I liked the idea of the evil Queen at this time of year when the unconscious gets expression and death is the predominant observance. I also liked the idea of a double disguise. A rich woman disguising herself as poor? A middle aged woman disguising herself as old. She expresses her regret in the aging process and exemplifies her envy of youth, or more simply expresses fear(of being left behind.) Although most of us hope to be more graceful in the aging process and generous to those who are in an earlier stage on this continuum than this evil queen, we do regret and we do mourn at many stages in life. This time of year gives voice to those darker fears and feelings. The evil queen uses magic to hold onto her youth, which fall reminds us is impossible, and when she cannot becomes jealous of her step daughter's beauty. Although evil is expressed, it does not win, but what does...is love.