They say (and I believe it) that the veil between the realms of the living and dead thins at this time of year in this hemisphere. The veil thins just like the tree canopy when it drops its leaves in October. At this time, we put on crazy costumes of every kind you can imagine, and party hard. The kids party on sugar, the adults on intoxicants of other varieties. Halloween is our carnival. We really get into it.
Very cool that we Americans willingly celebrate a non-Christian holiday that is also not a day of military remembrance or other patriotic fervor, or honoring a "great man." Halloween is pure paganism, oh yeah! This year Halloween falls on a Saturday night making elaborate celebrations a lot easier for those who work Monday through Friday. I've been invited to seven parties. Yes, SEVEN. Ordinarily I'm invited to one or two, but seven? Can you imagine the mood in DC? I predict a serious toad strangler of a fete, oh yeah.
Here's the thing - when the veil is thin, not only is it easier for us to sense the ghosts and spirits all around us, but I think it's easier for them to sense us as well. The Dead are no smarter than the living, remember, and they always seem kind of stoned out to me. I think they have a hard time understanding the difference between when we're awake or asleep, for instance, which is why they sit around whispering at us all night long.
There are very beneficient and/or curious spirits hanging out on Halloween, but there are also the kinds of ghosts you really don't want at your party: unhappy, angry or needy ghosts who can glom on you so easily if you've had a couple too many drinks. It's a free for all because of easy access through the thinned veil. Did you know that's why we hand out sweets to people dressed in masquerade on Halloween? We do it because you never know who is behind the mask. I mean you really don't know. Handing out candy is an offering that appeases the hungry ghosts.
My plan is to firmly set my intention, put my intention out into the world, that I would like to be guided and visited by wise, kind, and helpful ancestors rather than every Tom Dick and Harry of the ghost world. HELLO!! Are y'all listening in the spirit world? JUST the good ones. If you're in a bad mood, go haunt someone else! BOOO!!
I'm going to watch my back at the two parties I will attend, hope you take it easy, too, if possible. Just to appease my superstitiousness, hang a bulb of garlic and a sprig of rosemary on your front door, OK? Will you?
30 comments:
Wow! What a cool post, Reya! I am so going to hang that bulb of garlic and sprig of rosemary!
I think I know what the garlic is for...vampires. But what is the rosemary for?
Me too. And I have plenty of each for every door to my house.
I will definitely do the garlic and rosemary thing.
My ghosts have been bumping around the house HARD CORE the last couple of nights!
My darling Reya
too, too true
spent yesterday at the Mutter Museum in Philly
sort of made miserable by all those non PC/ non feng shei skulls and pathologies....just made me very sad indeed.
But the Bolt BUS ruled
may I add you to my list of halloweeny people to visit?
p.s. the same items would keep out deer and racoons. They don't like strong smelling plants/bulbs.
I never thought to make a request of a particular KIND of spirit - but then I'm not really gifted in that area & am clueless about what might be lingering around me. The rosemary & garlic couldn't hurt though!
Set your intention, too, Nancy. OK?
Rosemary is protective, brings clarity and draws a sweet resinous boundary where boundaries should be. Smells good, too. And keeps away deer and racoons! What's not to love??
Elizabeth, do you mean in person or the blog? You are always welcome at the blog and if you're in DC on Saturday, definitely give a call. Would be great fun to see you!
Jennacide, hang tight. Sprinkle baby powder in the closet. It'll all be over soon!!
Thank you Reya, I'll do just that.
cool bottom pic.
I set my intention for the visitations on Saturday night but did not uninvite the parasites. I DO SO NOW!
"A toad strangler of a fete?" HA! Seven parties, WOW! Talk about abundance.
Sorry that deletion was me. Had a typo!
Your photo looks like a mushroom to me! And, mushrooms have "veils" too (mostly the deadly kind).
Don't you think that odd?
Bring on that paganism! Great post!
hi reya - i love the leding of worlds . . . the cross-pollination. i have neve felt evil from the spirit world. it has never occured to me that it is a possibility. perhaps i missed that lesson. i only sense goodness. truly. the fractalized spirit essences of people i have loved who have flown away have been present for the last few days offering up love and joy. i lie awake and there it is. not a presence as much as a quality of being. i'm so grateful to these good beautiful people for the scattershot explosion of love and joy that they have left for all of us! hugs out reya!!! steven
how 'bout if i sprinkle onion salt and pin a leafy twig of catmint on the door?
..oh, and a bowl full of snickers just in case of an infestation of bell-ringing rugrats!
Steven I believe you are surrounded and protected by loving ancestors, but there are other kinds of energies floating around. Yes, there are "bad" ghosts, too. The thing is, if you just tell them to get lost, they will. Being afraid just eggs them on. Don't ask me to explain it!
Onion salt ... hmmm ... give it a try! Who knows?
My deleted comment above.
The first pic is of the head/helmet part of a street graphic used in DC to mark bike lanes.
Love the way one leaf seems to be a feather in his cap, as it were, and how another leaf looks like a fancy earring.
Looked to me as if the street graphic was dressed up for Halloween.
Whoa--the Droop Mountain Battle anniversary falls between Halloween and Veterans' Day, so I guess I'm in for an intense couple of weeks. It really spooked me last year, and I've been on an unplanned nostalgia trip parallel to yours all month, so I expect a wild ride.
Thanks for the tips--your advice always helps!
Provocative thoughts. I've missed reading your blog during my absence. But I'm back, dreadful cold and all. The side effect of flying, I'm afraid.
have a good time Reya.
wow, good post and lovely photos!!
these photos will be a good entry for our Photoclub theme of October. It ends tomorrow!
www.blogger-friends-photo-club.blogspot.com
:)
hope to see you there!
desi
Oh I shall! Great post, thanks for the heads up!
me too! thanks for that. and i wish you a merry 'toad-strangler' evening (assuming thats a good thing?) with every good intention. wonderful post - thank you. not much happening around here that i know of...but i shall do the garlic and rosemary anyhow just in case :-)
i wonder what the lions will make of that!?
it is an interesting and powerful time. I don't think that most people are aware of the significance of it---besides the collection of refined carbohydrates and foods with no known nutritional value.
Seven parties?? Good grief! I didn't get invited to ANY. But then, Dave and I plan to hunker down at home and even if I did get invited to a party, I wouldn't go. :)
Happy Halloween, Reya!
I like to burn joss sticks on Hallowseve to feed the ghosts- I am giving raisins in tiny boxes to the masked ones , which will dissapoint, I am sure...the mother's will be grateful.Bad ghosts are not welcome here, I give them nothing but dismisal and a splash of holy water I made myself.
Linda Sue! YES!! Joss sticks, a great idea.
Maybe they speak to us when we're asleep, because they realize that's when we're truly awake and receptive to the universe. Who knows.
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