Halloween Time: Samhain, All Saints, Los Dios de Las Muertes
by Barbara Laufersweiler
Halloween, October 31, used to be called All Hallows' (or holy ones') Eve. In pre-Christian Celtic places (Britain and northwestern France) it was a night to remember the dead and be concerned that they are returning to walk among us during this night. Halloween evolved from the very old Celtic new-year festival of Samhain with some elements of a Roman autumn festival.
In current popular thought Samhain/Halloween is considered a witches'
night, though that doesn't quite fit with the origins of the festival. It was certainly a night when people took care to be safe from, and even frighten away, the spirits of the dead that might want to hurt or bother them. The Christian church did what it could with this festival in the Celtic regions, though it wasn't too effective. In the ninth century, the Church named the next day All Hallows' Day (and Samhain became All Hallows' Eve).
November 1 is still All Saints' Day, a day of acknowledging those Christians who have died who are considered saints of the Church. From St. Matthew to St. Augustine, St. Cecelia to St. Teresa of Avila, the saints are people whose lives showed us something of God. All Saints' Day is in the company of Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas as one of seven major festival days of the Christian year.
Some centuries later the Christian church named November 2 All Souls' Day, a time to remember all who have died. Christians who have died are now in some unknowable way alive and with Christ. They are remembered especially on All Souls' Day.
In Spain, Latin America, and Hispanic-American communities, the days October 31 through November 2 are los Dios de las Muertes, the Days of the Dead.
This is another very old celebration of the dead -- with parties and fun rather than warding off spirits -- that the Christian church molded somewhat but couldn't change significantly. The Days of the Dead were typically celebrated earlier in the year, but now coincide with All Saints' and All Souls' days due to pressure from the Church.
Los Dios de las Muertes traditions include plentiful representations of skulls and skeletons in decorations and food, and visits to family graves to clean and decorate them. The focus is on joyfully remembering family members who have died.
November 1, La Dia de los Angelitos or de los Niños, is for children who have died. On November 2, La Dia de los Difuntos, or Todos Santos, the adults who have died are remembered, and people visit family graves.
From Samhain and Halloween to All Saints' Day, All Souls' Day, and Los Dios de las Muertes, the traditions of these late October and early November days acknowledge death and the dead as part of everyday life.
Barbara Laufersweiler, barbara@laufers.com
http://www.faith-at-home.com/
Barbara Laufersweiler is an at-home mom and a freelance Web site and newsletter designer in central Oklahoma, USA. Her interests include liturgical churches, church history, seriously fun baking and cooking, and joining her young sons in catching snowflakes or watching sunlight through leaves, according to whim and season.
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The Power Of Music
I Believe I Can Fly
by R. Kelly
I used to think that I could not go wrong
And life was nothing but an awful song
But now I know the meaning of true love
I'm leaning on the everlasting arms
If I can see it, then I can do (be) it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
(Oh) I believe I can fly
See I was on the verge of breaking down
Some times in silence can seem so loud
There are miracles in life I must achieve
But first I know it starts inside of me
Could I believe in it?
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How to Quit Life & Start Living
by Jim Allen
1. Recognize that LIFE is what you get when you're born...
...LIVING is what you do with it!
You can sit back and wait for life to happen to you or you can make it happen
yourself. As Maya Angelou once said, 'Life likes to be taken by the lapel and
told, I'm with you kid. Let's go!'
2. Define life... It leads to the fine life.
Life is not a slogan, no matter what Nike, McDonald's, ABC, NBC, or any other
media giant might have you believe. While those 'Life is...' t-shirts are often
witty, the philosophy they propose, like the shirts themselves, are rarely 'one
size fits all.'
Define life and living on your own terms and you've a better chance of getting
both.
3. Take charge of your life.
Geoffrey Abert said that when you take charge of your life '...there is no
longer need to ask permission of other people or society at large. When you ask
permission, you give someone veto power over your life.'
To start living your life you've got to be in control of it.
4. Little things mean a lot.
Life throws a lot of little negative things in our way that must be dealt with
or else they will greatly diminish how we enjoy our days.
Stephen Vincent Benet said it best: 'Life is not lost by dying; life is lost
minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring
ways.'
5. Employ the power of positive quitting.
Most of us view quitting as something negative, but it's not. 'Winners never
quit,' we're told, when, in reality, winners quit all the time: choosing to
stop doing things that aren't creating the results they desire.
When you quit all the things that aren't working for you... When you quit
tolerating all the negative things that hold you back... You'll create a
positive 'charge' in your life as well as well creating the space in your life
for more positive experiences.
6. Charge into your future!
As you recreate this positive force in your life, take big, massive leaps into
your future. Be imaginative, bold, and brave! The results may surprise you.
7. Use everything.
You are blessed with a particular set of skills and talents that NO ONE else
has. Use every skill and talent to live your life as joyfully and abundantly as
possible.
Leave this life as Erma Bombeck wished to: 'When I stand before God at the end
of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and
could say, 'I used everything you gave me.''
____
Jim Allen is a life and business coach. Get more great ideas in you email every
week by subscribing to Jim's weekly newsletter, THE BIG IDEA, by sending a
blank email to: mailto:Subscribe@CoachJim.com (©2001 Jim Allen & www.CoachJim.com
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)
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Reach Out For Your Dreams
By Josh Hinds
Why are we afraid to chase our dreams... Why does one person find it
difficult to set out and achieve that which they desire, while others
can some how set out, without so much a care in the world. What makes
some people achievers, while others remain simply dreamers.
Is it the difference in their internal makeup? Is it in the way they
were raised? The environment they grew up in? When one studies the
lives of "achievers" one thing becomes evident. What is it that tends
to shine through in case after case?
In my opinion the most evident factor is that there simply isn't a
set pattern. These "super achievers", if you will, come from all
walks of life. These folks emerge from all social classes. Varying
degrees of socio-economic backgrounds. Some from affluent families,
while others emerge from economically depressed areas, and all
corners of
the earth.
Some of these people are college educated, others are schooled
through lessons that life has taught them; the school of hard knocks.
Many from a combination of both. However; all understand that
knowledge in any form, is a constant thing to be acquired. Skills are
constantly upgraded.
While each person has come face to face with giving up, they opted to
befriended perseverance, and used it to their advantage. Somehow
they've found a way to overcome the point at which one wants to give
up, trudged ahead and reached a point of achievement.
Yet at this point most often they tend to move onto other areas of
achievement. Not accepting the status quo. Choosing to move forward
towards new goals, and things that stand in their path. Though they
may come from vastly differing backgrounds, each has found within
themselves their ability to turn dreams into reality.
When you read this it is my hope that you take from this the
knowledge that you, are just as they are. You are in fact an
achiever. Just like these people you will have adversity. You may
have more then your fair share of shortcomings. You may experience
what seems to be at the time an inordinate amount of failure in your
life.
Even so, you are still an achiever. You have more greatness in you
then you can ever know. I hope that you will choose to use the power
of persistence to your benefit, as all those achievers before you
have. In doing so I am certain you will accomplish much more than you
can imagine you are capable of at this point in your life. Dare to
dream, but even more importantly, dare to put action behinds your
dreams... Your friend in cyberspace, Josh Hinds :-)
_______________
Written by Josh Hinds
Personal Development 24/7! http://www.joshhinds.com
Join our free ezine "The Inspiration a Day!" by sending a blank e-
mail to: mailto:iad@infogeneratorpro.com - Free copy of 7 Sizzling
Secrets of Self Made Millionaires! ebook when you join!
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