As spring is associated with birth and new beginnings, fall is the season associated with death and endings. But before you start thinking of this is a negative thing, remember that there can be no new beginnings without endings. Whether we have to experience a little “death” (moving away from an old home, job, or situation) in order to accommodate a necessary transition (moving into a new one), or we have to acknowledge & go through the bigger picture circle of life events, we cannot have one without the other. Let’s look at a couple most well-known celebrations which both originated with an honoring of the circle of life.
Halloween, now a Kitchy & lighthearted version of its original self incorporating oodles of candy, scary movies, black fingernail polish & costumes that tend to be informed by current events, has evolved from a festival called Samhain (pronounced sow-in) celebrating harvest & a moment in time where the deceased were more present than usual. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.history.com
/.amp/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween
Día de los Muertos, though it dwells on death and the life of those who came before us, is filled with color, joy, flowers, & celebration. In fact, its origins come from Indigenous cultures believing that “…mourning the dead was disrespectful” as “The dead were still members of the community, kept alive in memory and spirit…”
October 31 & November 1 had always been thought to be dates where the veil which separates life from death was thinner – whether that be the life of a sinner or a saint. What if we folded this aspect back into our traditions – incorporated a moment, if not a full soiree, to celebrate our departed loved ones, the fragility of our own lives, the beauty and balance of life and death?
Kate Manser, author of You Might Die Tomorrow and founder of the movement which goes by the same name, would like us to always remember that death could be just around the corner and that our life is precious. Her book and movement remind us that if we were to live like we might die tomorrow, we might just live today – move into our fullest potential and be freer versions of our often suppressed selves. Check out her Sacred Speaks podcast interview here: need link from John.
Below, find a fun recipe that is sweet, but also serves your wellbeing. Keeping some of this around just might help you avoid some of that toxic white sugar candy we are holding back from talking about here wink wink. No, really we don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun, but maybe if you missed our Eating for Mind, Body & Soul vodcast, you can catch it now:
Oh, and did you know that acupuncture is fantastic for both your physical ailments as well as your emotional ones? It’s a lesser known fact that acupuncture and herbs are amazingly effective at helping to process lingering emotions and even old traumas whose effects linger. This article summaries uses for a series of Ghost Points on the body. They are fantastic for healing emotional wounds.: https://acuproacademy.com/ghost-points-acupuncture/
Sending safe weekend celebration wishes your way!
Yours,
Leila-Scott
Co-Founder & Director of The Center
Recipe: Black Sesame Candy Recipe
1 cup black sesame seeds
2 tbsp local honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil (coconut, avocado)
Pour the sesame seeds into a large stainless steel pan and toast them for a 4 minutes on medium-high temp
and then transfer to a bowl and allow to cool while proceed to next step.
Now, pour honey, sugar, and oil into the same pan you just used and turn heat to medium.
Stir almost constantly until sugar has melted entirely and then turn off the heat.
Add seeds back to this honey mixture and stir thoroughly until evenly mixed.
Tip: work fast, this stuff hardens pretty quickly!
While still malleable, pour the mixture onto a silicone mat if you have one.
If you don’t have one, heavily grease a sheet pan to prevent sticking & pour there.
Using a greased piece of wax paper or a second silicone mat, place it over the mixture
and use a rolling pin to get it to an even thickness.
Flip flattened sheet of sesame seed candy onto a large cutting board and cut into strips.
Enjoy warm or, once cool, store in an air tight container for a few weeks.
1 cup black sesame seeds