In this Issue
Fall and Halloween
October is now upon us and the seasons are beginning to show there change, yes, even here in Southern California where they say we have no seasons the trees are beginning to change, well not the evergreens and palms, but the rest.
Halloween was always my favorite holiday, even more than Christmas, though at the time I don't even think I had a clue as to why. As I have gotten older and seen the happenings of life and the lessons that I have carried along, I think a lot of my love for Halloween had to do with the costumes and the ability to do the one thing I couldn't the rest of the year, be someone or something else.
As adults, we try to have the courage to be honestly ourselves, but it is often easier to be what those around us expect. It is only natural that we want to fit-in, we want acceptance and friendship.
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A Thought for Your Practice
As a child, my favorite thing about October was the brisk winds and All Hallow's Eve, aka Halloween. Brought up the way I was there was always the slight idea that it was the Devil's night and Witches and Goblins were just naughty enough to get away with this one time of the year.
On this night of magic and mayhem, one could be anything they wanted. I remember the year I was dressed as my hero at the time Lt. Cmdr. Spock. My mother and I spent time finding the right shirt and pants and finally gave up on the ears but used a Sharpie to make the eye-brows (to bad they turned green almost immediately). I think this was about 3rd or 4th grade so we are talking about 8 or 9 years of age.
I always admired the fact that Spock attempted to fit in, controlling his emotions and living by logic at home and trying to fit in with the "illogical" humans in Star Fleet, at the end of the day, he was always true to who and what he was.
Happiness in many situations seems fleeting because we have spent so much time becoming what others expect or what we think they want that we have nearly forgotten who we really are. When we live in this prison of expectations, there is no way to avoid becoming upset when that clashes with the truth of ourselves.
So here's a couple of little homework assignments:
Whenever you find yourself wearing a mask to fit in, ask yourself if this is what you really are and if the answer is no, become aware that the stress of the situation is a choice you have made.
Except for Halloween and the occasional costume party, masks are not part of out selves and should be discarded. In many cases, this can require tremendous courage to stand up for truth. Some call it radical truth, I call it peace (at least in the long run) as that is what you will eventually gain.
Death: a New Perspective
When people think of Halloween, the theme of death tends to come up, between skeletons and ghosts, vampires and zombies, the night has many shades (bad pun intended). Many occultists believe that the veil between this world and the next is particularly thin on this night.
When we think of death, we often view it as an ending when those of us who believe in souls could easily view it as a beginning just as easily. In Eastern Philosophy, death is viewed as a simple transition for the soul, a change of physical clothing for the most part.
We mourn the passing of our friends but I tend to rejoice in their graduation from their current class of lessons to their next curriculum. As a friend of mine used to say, funerals of for the living, the dead have enough sense not to be there.
When I do Tarot readings for the friends and clients that ask, the 13th card of the Major Arcana usually brings fear to the person I read for as it is labeled Death and usually has a picture of the Grim Reaper on it. This card has never meant a physical death to the person I am reading for, but a situational death or transition in their lives and/or situations.
For anything new to occur, something old must pass to the wayside. Without Death the universe would end up being the junk closet of Life and its by-products.
As the Buddha said, "Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely." So live wisely and feel free to drop your fear of death. To those who know Truth, Death is nothing to worry about.
Quotations
Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.
James Arthur BaldwinThe fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.
Mark TwainThe closing years of life are like the end of a masquerade party, when the masks are dropped.
Cesare Pavese...if Death is the end, then life is pointless. But if Death is truly just a transition from one state to another and life continues in new bodies, places and/or forms, then there is a chance for justice in the universe after all. Not only would that allow for a truly gracious God, but the likelihood of validation for freedom of choice after all.
Spiritgeek
