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This week: For All the Saints Edited by: Sophy  
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Hi, I'm Sophy ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter. With Halloween coming up soon, this week we'll take a look at the pagan origins of the spiritual traditions of All Hallow's Eve and All Saints/All Souls Days.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book "Finding Your Religion," compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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For All The Saints
All Saints falls on November 1, a day set aside by the early Christian church to commemorate the original church saints and martyrs, followed on November 2 by the observance of All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead, since everyone can't be a saint but we still may want to honor them. 
How did these Christian holidays focusing on the dead land in early November so close to Halloween, also known as All Hallows Eve? Well, not coincidentally, All Saints falls on the day after Samhain, the pagan sabbat celebrated on October 31, which coincides with "summer's end" and is one of eight pagan high holy days. It is considered by many to be the most important date on the pagan calendar, the beginning of their spiritual "New Year," which falls halfway between the Autumnal Equinox and Winter Solstice. Pagans believe their ancestors marked the end of the harvest season and the coming of winter with ceremonies, feasts, and other observances. In addition, they believe that the veil between worlds became especially permeable at this time, and "thin places" more accessible. Today, modern pagans reflect on that transition in nature as well as in their own spiritual lives, as they look back in remembrance, honoring their ancestors and loved ones they have lost. At the same time they look ahead with renewed spirit for the coming year.
Pagan author and teacher Starhawk writes that Samhain is... "the night when the veil is thin that divides the worlds...when the harvest is gathered and the fields lie fallow. The gates of life and death are opened and to the living are revealed the Mystery: that every ending is but a new beginning. For Pagans, death and birth are intertwined. Our goddesses and gods all represent aspects of the cycle of birth, growth, death, and regeneration. Every good gardener knows that fertility is born out of decay. Every fallen leaf becomes part of the soil that feeds the roots of growing trees. At Samhain, we take time to remember and commune with those who have gone before, to express gratitude for what they've given us. In our frantic pace, we tend to forget our past. Few of us know much about our families beyond a generation or two back. Remembering the dead can help us keep a sense of connection to our roots."
Obviously the celebration of Samhain has a long history which predates Christianity, which only started commemorating the Feast of All Saints sometime during the 4th Century, using the occasion to honor the lives of the early church saints and martyrs before branching out to remember all who had passed on, which is done the next day, on All Souls Day. All Saints and All Souls traditions tended to mirror those of Samhain, wherein special attention was given to praying for the souls of the dead and honoring the influence they'd had in their lives. Originally celebrated in May, Pope Gregory moved the observances to November 1 and 2 in the 9th Century - part of the then common practice of "Christianizing" pagan holidays (like moving the date of the birth of Jesus near winter the winter solstice, for example). There can be little doubt that our Christian observances of All Saints and All Souls have their roots in pre-Christian traditions, including those of pagans as well as many native peoples.
One such native people are the West African tribe portrayed in the movie "Amistad," which recounts the true story of their bloody rebellion aboard a Spanish slave ship, the Amistad, off the coast of Cuba, which was later captured near Rhode Island. Defending them on murder charges and fighting for their return to Africa is a young, struggling idealistic lawyer named Baldwin, played by Matthew McConaughey. Slowly winning their trust and friendship, Baldwin later wins their freedom and clears them of murder charges, but the case is appealed to the Supreme Court by President Van Buren, concerned about America's relationship to Spain if they are allowed to return, free, to Africa. Enter John Quincy Adams, played by Anthony Hopkins, whom Baldwin implores to argue the case before the Supreme Court, since he has no experience before them and Adams, a former President, has won cases before them in the past. After much cajoling, Adams agrees, and meets with one the leaders of the rebellion, Cinque, in his own home. And as they wander through Adams' greenhouse, he says to Cinque, "You know this is going to be exceptionally difficult."
Cinque replies, "We won't go in there alone. Many will be us."
Adams: "True, but good feeling and political support only go so far."
Cinque: "I mean we will have my ancestors. I will call into the past ~ far back to the beginning of time and beg them to come help be at the judgment. I will reach back and draw them into me. And they must come, for at this moment, I am the whole reason that they have existed at all."
"I am the whole reason that they have existed at all" - what a wonderful image for the role ancestors play in our lives. According to Cinque, his ancestors lived and breathed and had their own lives, obviously not knowing any specifics about the people who would exist in the future, but still, in a sense, living for these future West Africans, for their sakes, so that their strength and honor could be called upon when needed. Cinque would live his life in the same manner, with awareness and attention for those whose lives would come after his, as well as calling upon the ones who came before, continuing the cycle as well as the obligation. That's pretty powerful stuff, and ideal for us to consider on this All Saints morning as we acknowledge that we are a part of a community, a communion of saints that stretches through time carrying a story that is about us, but transcends us. We are stewards of this present moment but we are also surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who are not only with us but also within us. They are a part of us. They are our people.
The significance of this time of year within pagan and Christian traditions is that it gives us the opportunity to honor role models of the past, and to celebrate and claim the gifts of our own ancestors - as well as to consider what we might leave for those who will come after us. For better or worse, we are products of those who came before. Though we may try our best to pick and choose what we'll pass on to the next branch in the family tree, and to the world around us, we are all unavoidably shaped by our ancestors, and especially by those from the more recent generations. And even though some of those saints weren't as perfect as we might have wished, All Saints and All Souls days are an occasion to honor and celebrate the best of who they were, to nurture that continuing spirit in our own lives, and to consider what we might contribute for those who will come after we are gone. The biblical tradition is full of rituals and practices that involve honoring one's ancestors. The spiritual practices behind them focus attention on the importance of remembering, which can include a service of naming, out loud, those who have gone before us, as if naming them brings them back to life in a way, and enables us to benefit by their continued influence.
There are other traditions as well. The Japanese celebrate the souls of the departed by sending candle-lit lanterns in little boats out on the waterways leading to the ocean. The ancient Celts held night celebrations, lighting huge bonfires not only to mark the New Year, but also to warm the souls of the departed. Another ritual invites you to reflect upon three different kinds of ancestors in your life: (1) Family Ancestors, deceased loved ones you are related to by blood/adoption; (2) Cultural Ancestors, heroes and sources of folklore that are part of your heritage; and (3) Spiritual Ancestors, traditions and teachers that have helped shape your spirituality. These three are written down or named out loud, and as they are recalled to one's memory, they are honored for the gifts they bring to one's life.
For me Samhain, All Saints and All Souls are an invitation for us to ponder the past, not with a desire to return to it, or to second-guess it, but with a mindfulness and appreciation of what and who have gone before.
Until next time, Sophy |
Below you'll find a few items about Samhain, All Hallow's Eve/Halloween, and All Saints/Souls. Some are older items but well worth a revisit. Please let the folks know if you read their piece by leaving a thoughtful comment or review.
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Here are some comments from my last Spiritual Newsletter on "Making a Difference," "Spiritual Newsletter (September 21, 2011)" , as well as a couple in response to an early one on "Facing Our Fears:"
From njames51 
Sophy ~ thank you so much for highlighting my essay "The Journey Of Fear". Obviously your last newsletter made me evaluate the word "fear", and sent me on a lenghty writing excursion. This month, again, you present another call to arms. My entire career as a Social Worker involved caring for, advocating, counseling, and being a voice for those societry had cast aside. Now retired, I know my writing Can still make a difference. I am glad for the challenge. You inspire me!
Thanks so much, glad to have offered some inspiration for your writing. And congrats on your successful career of caring for others, which continues beyond retirement for sure!
     
From prenwa 
this is really nice and encouraging. i am moved to start using my write ups to save lives and give hope to the hopeless. thanks a lot!
Thank you for your kind comment.
From Mogay Ryt
I've been inspired! I might just write my first submission on writing.com
I hope you do! 
From Mr.Ice 
Hi Sophy:
The world is complex, there are emotions seen and unseen but the results are the same. Fear is bad and fear is good. Yet fear is needed. Fear is a line and there is no end of fears. we all must walk that line. Not to walk that line does not say fear is absolutely confined to a line. We have fear all-over. However, it can control one. We ought to learn from science and its teaches us there is nothing.
There is an answer to every question... I will be glad when we stop creating words that are powerful and then use those same word to achieve means to an end. Here are words that have no need being said, there are no reasons on this planet for anyone, anywhere to suffer.There is food in your kitchen and far more in others.
Yes your edition is meaningful. I am at lost, one can live in 25-room home, own 25 automobile, his neighbor in a Habitat Home. We call this capitalism.I believe one ought be thankful for whatever state one is in...
The Rev. Ike Lawrence Reed
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us. I am not sure there is one clear answer to every question, but I do appreciate what you have said.
From skywriter30
I was living in fear all the time before I found the Lord. He made me see the fear is only the devil trying to hold me back from really giving my Lord my all, He woke me up to the wanting, and needing of him. So, I say, let fear go, it only hinders you. may God bless you !
Thanks for sharing your experience with fear.
Please keep your comments coming, they are greatly appeciated! ~ Sophy
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Spiritual: October 19, 2011 Issue [#4670]
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