Hallowe'en, a Time to Remember Your Past

Hallowe'en, or All Hallows' Eve, signified, in pagan times, the turning point from summer to winter, and it was a celebration of the long days of light and the gifts of abundance of harvest just gone, and a preparation for the months of human hibernation to come. It was important, too, for the belief of the time that this was when the veils separating the human world from the higher realms were at their thinnest.  It was the true betwixt and between time. This day, today, is special for what it is and for what it anticipates on 1 November, tomorrow: it is symbolic in itself as a point of transition, and as it moves to its culmination at midnight, when the joy turns to solemnity, it becomes a time of nothingness when the present is frozen, and magic can occur. If you will, remember the great spiritual festivals of Stonehenge or Avebury, when there was feasting and dance and fire for days before, at a given time, the carousing ceased and the old, familiar rituals of chanting, sacred movement and prayer became the focus of attention for the thousands who had come together from far away, just for this purpose. [caption id="attachment_1599" align="alignright" width="150"] Celtic Cross[/caption] It is humbling to recall the commitment of these pilgrims, with their priests, to their spiritual purpose which was the most important feature of their lives. You were one of them, and your joy at being part of those great ceremonies was almost ecstasy. These two days, now, of which I write are a time to remember, with affection and pride, those many lives you lived as saint and supplicant, martyr and leader, sinner and teacher, so many experiences bringing you to the greatness of who and what you are today. It will be the Day of the Dead shortly, and while you may wish to reflect upon the names and memory of others, do not forget yourself in your prayers for those long gone. In this year of 2013, such a point of change for so many, consider re-enacting, gently, what you have done so often before at Hallowe'en and on All Hallows' Day - whatever name was used for these sacred times then. Celebrate, in your own way, the imminence of the great spiritual ritual soon to come and then, at the cusp of this day, let it become rich with Spirit, and spiritual meaning. This is your time, as it ever has been.   [byline]  ]]>