From one fire to another

Last updated on: November 1, 2012 at 2:21 pm by Niki Whiting

From one fire to another 2012-11-01T14:21:53-08:00 Niki Whiting

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Last night was Halloween. Did you dress up? Have trick-or-treaters at your door? Halloween (October 31) is the holiday I reserve for the fun, cultural aspects of this particular season. I enjoy the knocks on the door and walking around in the dark. I admit I take a perverse pleasure in getting to peek inside people’s homes. I don’t enjoy the abundance of cheap sugary crap and “sexy” costumes, but much of that can be avoided with a little creativity and diligence.

My kids dressed up as Luigi (from the Mario Brothers game). Son was Firepower Luigi and daughter was regular ol’ Luigi. My husband dressed up as LeBron James. I went as myself: “sexy” theologian. Hey, at least I amuse myself. Hopefully I’ll have some pictures to post later in the week.

Now, with that sugar fest behind us, I can turn to the more meaningful aspects of the season. Today is All Saint’s Day and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead); tomorrow is All Soul’s Day. Tonight my family will observe our dumb supper. Adam’s grandmother has not passed; in fact, she’s doing better and is doing well in her own home. No new faces will grace our table this year.

This time of year I honor Death and I choose to welcome the Dead into my home. A common refrain is ‘the veils between the world are thin.’ I don’t know if I feel this or have experienced it, but I do feel a shift. Autumn is fully entrenched here in the Pacific North West. Dinner times are dark. I feel the energy shift within me and without.

I’m feeling weary from all the blazing of the fires of summer. My ashes are smoldering and I need time to sit with the embers as the die down, reflect on what has burnt to the ground, and prepare for the cold that comes when that fire goes out. It’s time to light a smaller fire, one that will warm me through winter as I hibernate, gestate – all those good hunkering down metaphors.

This year I have felt the fires acutely. I have been burned, I have blazed, I have seen the fires consuming those around me. Burn, burn it all to the ground, so that we can rise like phoenixes. But I’m tired. Really, profoundly tired. It means I won’t be attending a Feri ritual on Saturday; I just can’t make the 80 minute drive each way. I’m not sure I would have anything to offer. I’m not sure how able I am to connect with the spirit world right now. That disappoints me.

But I feel the fires. I honor that. I’ll sit with that. Maybe I’ll have more to report later and maybe I won’t.

Happy Samhain to all! May your fires be contained and may you find rest and celebration around them.

Previous Post

October 30, 2012

Samhain Thoughts

Next Post

November 3, 2012 The Not So Dumb Supper

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Alaska altar altars Ana Ancestors Anderson witchcraft Arddu Bhairava Biography bodies books Christianity Christmas community current events death Delphic Maxims Dhumavati dual observance Durga Faery family life feminism Feri Feri tradition Feri witchcraft food ganesha gratitude Guest Post guru health Hinduism holidays Jesus Kali Lakshmi land links magic Many Gods West movie review movies music my heart mystery myth Navratri Orthodoxy pagan pagan culture paganism pantheacon parenting Place politics polytheism practice pratice prayer Red Goddess review ritual sacred arts Samhain Saraswati Shinto Shiva singing Star Goddess Tantra tarot the Gods theory Uncategorized values virgin mary wales washington winter witchcraft year in review yoga

Select a Month September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was the name of the disciple in Damascus who was sent to pray for Saul after his conversion?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Philip Silas Ananias Barnabas