All Hallows

It is at this time of year, when the harvest is done and the earth is ready to rest, that we ponder the death of those we have loved. On November 1st many Christians celebrated All Saints Day. It is a day to reflect on those who have gone before us, especially those people who have had a positive impact on our lives. 
Remembering and honoring the dead is an ancient human tradition.

Halloween is now considered a children’s holiday but it had its origin among the pre- Christian Celtic peoples who celebrated the festival of Samhain on this date. It was for them both the beginning of the year and the beginning of winter. The harvest was finished and foods were preserved and stored away to be used during the cold time of year. It was also the time to bring domestic animals back from the summer pastures and make ready for the winter months. Samhain marked the end of one cycle of seasons and the beginning of a new cycle in the never ending cycles of birth and death.

People believed that during Samhain the ghosts of the dead were able to mingle with the living because it was the time when the souls of those who had died during the year traveled into the next world. On the evening before, people lit bonfires to assist the dead on their journey and they also offered gifts of food, fruits, and vegetables.

The early Christian missionaries in their zeal tried to eliminate the holiday but they only drove it underground. Much later All Souls day was instituted on the day after All  Saints in order to acknowledge what the people already celebrated and to honor the dead including those not known to be saints. It was at this time that the ghosts wandering on the evening before All Saints were declared to be evil and stories of ghosts and fear were spread.

Honoring the dead is part of many other cultures as well. After the conquest of Mexico the traditional month long Aztec festival that honored the dead was moved to coincide with All Saints and All Souls days. On All Souls, (Dia de los Muertos) family members and friends travel to cemeteries to be with the souls of the deceased and to honor them with remembrance and the use of decorated altars, food, and beverages. Pictures of the dead and other belongings or items from the past are part of the display. Family and friends tell stories of the deceased to encourage them to visit.

Although most Christians profess belief in the communion of Saints, in resurrection and life beyond, they often react to death as if it is the end. With  scientific minds the idea of such visits from the dead are dismissed even though there are many people who do have such encounters. Most people are reluctant to talk about their experiences because they are afraid that they or their stories will be discounted.

I feel blessed that my mother came to me in a dream last week. It was an extraordinary occurrence for me and it generated a great sigh of relief deep in my heart. As her guardian I had to make the call about going back to the hospital or another round of antibiotics and though I acted with confidence (and consultation with siblings and doctors) … I had some lingering doubts about making the right choices. When I saw her healthy appearance in the dream, a normal weight, ability to walk and to be herself as I knew her, those doubts faded away. 
You can say it was only a brief moment in a dream – but for me it was reassuring and will have lasting significance. Experiences of a divine nature can always be dismissed, but those who have the experience are changed.

On All Saints Day we bring out pictures of deceased loved ones. We tell their stories. Some of us even call upon them for prayers on our behalf. We do this so that we can make manifest the connections that remain between those who have died and those still living.   
Death is a powerful mystery. 

May you too be comforted and reassured, by the after death experience of those you love.