The light is dying as the dark strengthens. Winter is approaching bringing with it darkness and wind-whipped stormy days and nights. This is a time and season to honor our family, kin, ancestors and the hidden spirits of the earth. It is a time to go inward and strengthen our connection with the Otherworld.
At this time near the end of October the natural world appears to be dying in its natural cycle of death and rebirth. During this period of time, festivals of the dead celebrated and acknowledged the ancestors and the dead in general with offerings of food being commonplace throughout many cultures.
At this time much is happening in the heavens and on earth as we honor the dead and ancestors during a time of transformational change and chaos.
Halloween Full Blue Moon
The October 31 blue moon is extremely close to Uranus, the planet of change and revolution. So unexpected change and uncertainty may cause anxiety, impatience, and an inability to relax.
The impulsive and unpredictable October 31 full moon has consequences for the US presidential election on November 3, 2020. Mercury stationary direct square Saturn on that same day increased the risk of delays, frustration, and disagreement. Civil unrest, violence, and rebellion are possible.
Sun opposite Moon brings your home, family, and intimate relationships into sharper focus for the following two weeks of this moon phase. Opposing forces such as work versus home, or what you need versus what you want, create inner tension and external pressures. This can lead to conflict and crises that drain your energy.
Add to this resulting in a volatile mix is Mars retrograde in Ares conjunct Eris, Goddess of Discord. Mars retrograde period coincides with the United States presidential election on November 3. Mars retrograde can “fight dirty,” so this may portend a particularly combative election campaign, with anger and divisiveness continuing after the election is over. When Mars begins retrograde, we may feel particularly reactive and, therefore, be easily triggered.
The October 31 full moon lasts for two weeks up to the November 15 new moon. Its influence is combined with that of the October 16 new moon. That new moon was square Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto. This is causing anger, resentment, frustration, and a ruthless quest for power. This could result in polarization, extremism, conflict, and violence.
The lunar qualities of emotions and instincts reach their peak at a full moon. So, use your increased emotional strength and intuition to overcome any relationship challenges. Subconscious awareness allows for an impartial and balanced look at your personal relationships. You will clearly see any relationship dynamics or negative feelings causing disharmony.
Uranus Blue Moon
Full Moon conjunct Uranus can make you feel restless, anxious, impatient, and jumpy. A sense of impending change can make it very difficult to relax. Emotional volatility and rebelliousness may lead to odd behavior, impulsive actions, rapid changes in direction, and even accidents.
Unexpected events and sudden changes can have a very unsettling effect on relationships. You may have to deal with temper tantrums, emotional detachment, separation, isolation, and a general lack of stability and security.
This erratic and unpredictable full moon is best approached with adaptability, flexibility, and open-mindedness. In this way, opportunities will arise to make creative and positive changes in your life. You will have more freedom to follow your own unique path and express your true inner self. Our forthcoming Morning Star’s Seven Steps to Spiritual Awakening, A Book of Love in the Time of COVID-19, A Mindful Guide to Love, Life, and Unity During and After the Pandemic will help guide you in healing and expressing your true inner self.
Since significant Uranus activity signals great, forceful winds of change, we can expect rapid growth as we tread on unfamiliar territory. Whilst unsettling in some ways the journey will likely be exciting and offer a glimpse of a much better way of connecting with life. Grip something stabilizing to avoid feeling completely overwhelmed; preferably something that provides a sense of safety rather than harmful activities or behaviors.
Mercury Retrograde
Mercury square Saturn brings seriousness, bad news, pessimism, sadness, misunderstanding, and arguments. Mercury stationary direct on November 3 increases the risk of disagreements, travel delays, and lost mail.
The full moon conjunct Uranus, Mercury square Saturn, and Mercury retrograde can all cause impatience and a lack of concentration. So, it is extremely important to listen carefully, pay attention to detail, and think twice before making important decisions.
And like the full moon October 2020 conjunct Uranus, Mercury retrograde square Saturn can cause distance in relationships and a sense of isolation. Words can easily become mean, offensive, shocking, and hurtful.
At the mundane level, Mercury stationary direct square Saturn, on the same day as the US presidential election, following a full moon conjunct Uranus, is worrying, to say the least. A contested result is possible but there is also a risk of civil unrest, violence, rioting and rebellion.
With all that is happening in the heavens and on earth, it is important for all of us to keep love and hope alive within our hearts and mind.
Be Well and Safe when Honoring
Burning—Feeding the Spirits
Feeding the spirits of the dead could be considered the supreme compassionate, ceremonial, indigenous religious practice. Nonetheless, there is still one dark blemish on this premier spiritual practice: down through history and throughout various cultures, there have been times when humans, even children, have become the sacrificial food of the gods.
Feeding the spirits or doing a burning is one of the shamanic/religious practices and power handed down to my wife and I by the late elders and Indian Doctor’s Mom and Vince Stogan. Since this knowledge was and still is orally transmitted, I can only reveal a few things. Before we open the ceremony by calling in the spirits, I paint myself and my wife with red paint, symbolic of blood. Three plates of food and drink are always required: for the ancient ones, the spirits of the land, and most importantly, the forgotten ones. The plates are then burned providing “food for the Otherworld.” Contrary to Festivals of the Dead that are held once a year, burnings may be done anytime during the year for such reasons as beginnings and endings—funerals, memorials.
El Día de Muertos
El Día de Muertos, or the Mexican Day of the Dead Festival originated in pre-Hispanic cultures who believed that during these days of the year the souls of the departed would return to the realm of the living, where they could visit their loved ones.
“The celebration includes offerings of cempasúchil flowers, drinks and food for the deceased placed alongside their photographs and poems. Another traditional practice is the making of the bread of the dead and the sugar, colorful calaveras (skulls), decorated and labeled with names of people (living or dead).
“The creation of the altar is an integral part of the celebration, with many of the ceremonial objects and familiar signature items of Mexican culture to many outside of the country. Altars are often decorated with flowers, whose brief life span is meant to be a reminder of the brevity of life and whose bright, earthly colors are believed to be a guide for the dead back to their loved ones. Brightly colored and intricately cut tissue paper decorates the altar, waving like multi-colored flags. Offerings of sweets, fruits, and other foods are joined by the staples of bread, salt, and water. Grooming supplies, such as a washbasin and soap, may be provided for the spirits to tidy themselves up after their long journey.” [i]
Similar to burnings where we prepare a plate for the forgotten ones, the Maya Ritual of the Dead, Hanal Pixán, honors the solitary soul. In this case, a home altar is “dedicated to all deceased who have no one to remember them on Earth, or who had no known relatives, or relatives who showed no interest in them…. This simple offering is placed on a small table with a white tablecloth, together with a large white candle, a glass of water and a plate of food.” [ii]
Samhain
This honoring of the dead was the primary celebration in the Celtic calendar until the rise of Christianity in the 7th century. This was a transition time between summer and winter and a time to honor the dead—the ancestors as well as the spirits of the land. The “dead ancestors were, in many ways, still considered to be an active part of the living community. The feast of Samhain and the idea of a link between the living world and the Otherworld are inseparably intertwined. The communal feast was the main event of Samhain. On the eve of October 31 each year, communities gathered together to partake in a ritual feast.
“There were two widespread strains of customs when it came to preparing food for the feast. The first involved preparing some food to specifically set aside for the dead ancestors to consume. In some cases, particular kinds of food were made for the dead, while in other cases a portion of the food prepared for the living was set aside for the dead. This act, by acknowledging the presence of the dead, was a means for the living to strengthen bonds with dead ancestors, retaining the souls of the departed as active members of the larger Celtic community.” [iii]
[i] https://edsitement.neh.gov/october-2010-history-and-origins-halloween-and-day-dead-celebrations
[ii] Hanal Pixán, 24.
[iii] Jessica Richard, Samhain: How Ritual Formed and Formation of Irish Celtic Identity, 448.