The dead

As a witch I acknowledge three types of the dead: Beloved, Mighty and Ancient. I work with them. I do not command them nor do they command me. It is relationship much like the kind you would develop over time with the living. 

My first experience with the dead was pretty typical of anyone elses' experience with the dead: my Grandmother who had passed the veil. This type of experience is classified as the Beloved Dead. One whom you knew in life and loved dearly. The dead in this category are generally easy and safe to work with as they have you best interests at their hearts core. They are easily called upon. More often than not, they show up without being called upon. The beloved dead can also include any furry/ feathered/ scaled friends that you may have kept company with.

The Mighty Dead is usually associated with traditions and large groups of people. For example: in specific traditions of the craft there are those who pass the veil and remain in contact with the living members of that magical tradition. They can be called up in times of need for assistance and guidance. It is rare that they just show up. The situation for that to happen is usually dire. However, we can also break this category of the dead up into association by country. For America our Mighty dead would consist of the founders of the country as well as anyone who has served in the military and has passed the veil. This category can also include national heros and icons. A recent example of this would be Pat Tilman: Football player and Army Ranger. Working with the Mighty Dead requires that you use a whole bunch of common sense. They do not live your life, they sometimes have their own agenda that is not compatible to your situation. They are more interested in the good of the of the whole they represent.

The Ancient Dead are just that. They are the dead of those whose names have been long forgotten to history and have walked a similar path to your own. In my case these would be the witches, the wise women, sages and healers who feet tread the crooked path before history was recorded. They generally are the bringers of prophesy, warning and revealers of secrets lost to history. They do show up and when they do it is often an unnerving experience. Not because they are of malevolent intent, it is usually because they power they bring with them heralds from long ago and has done nothing but increase in strength for thousands of generations. When working with the Ancient Dead, common sense and caution in the extreme are highly necessary. While they may be trying to show or teach you something, the message and power they are revealing to you are hardly safe to dabble with. You either commit to it or you do not attempt it at all. To do anything other than commit to it, should you agree to take lesson from the Ancient Dead, is to be scalded by the light. The policy the Ancient Dead seem to take is: don't call us. We'll call you.

Why, Nalaya, are you bringing this up??? Why why why?? It's not even Samhain yet!

Because the dead are not relegated to a season. They are always there, they are always watching and appreciate it when you remember them through out the year's wheel. They are more likely to help you out if you treat them like you would treat one of your living friends. Light a candle, have an open dialogue with them, leave an offering of something they like. In my tradition, and I am sure this is true of others as well, there is an altar in the West set up just for them.

While the Samhain season makes it easier to communicate with the dead, if you work with them throughout the year's wheel, the veil no longer becomes an obstacle.

The dead have few friends; be one of them.

     

Skull, skull, skull!

We live in a time when every time we turn around, someone is wearing a skull. You see them cutesy with heart shaped eyes, on earrings, pendants, T shirts and skin; sometimes they are fierce and grim. This witch has to wonder: what is it that is resonating so deeply within our culture that we must subconsciously call upon the power of the ancestors? I realize wholly that on the surface of things people think they are cool, hip and even cute, at least the heart eyed ones, but I was brought into awareness of the fact that we are attracted to certain kinds of energy in certain modes of thinking. Skulls have a very specific energy.

Skulls represent the power of wisdom and our connection to our ancestors, even the power of death and release. Skulls also represent the transmission of ancient teachings and mysteries. With that said, it could also be that skulls represent the ability to learn and evolve. All of man's ability to exist physically depends on what is within the skull and it's well being. All of society requires a healthy mind in each individual in order to function smoothly.

How do you make a mind healthy when we treat them all like cookie cutters and stampers and attempt to train them all in the same exact manner? Each individual mind works differently, we see this most clearly in school. When we take a look at how each student learns it becomes apparent that the mind of each individual takes in and processes information different. Some are visual, some are textural others yet are auditory. These are just surface analysis of the subject, what if it goes as deep as perception? What if one student is literally seeing something that most others cannot? Does that make this person crazy because his or her peers cannot verify or measure what this person is perceiving? I'm not certain that this is always the case. 

Shamanism and psychosis often times share symptoms. Those who could be shamans could indeed become psychotic with out proper awareness of what is occurring and without proper training. We are no longer a society that openly embraces shamanism. We like to call things in  black and white labels: sane and insane, good and evil, day and night. I reasonably suspect the mysteries of the ancients and ancestors are beyond the black and white labels. It may be time as a society that we openly teach basic mind stabilizing techniques in schools while children are young. Stabilizing and clearing basics such as grounding bring peace and harmony to the operation of the mind. Regardless of a person's religion, wouldn't this be a beneficial thing? There would also be the potential of an added benefit: it may increase a child's ability to learn. 

We may be calling upon the spirit of our ancestors. We may indeed be lost with out an understanding of what has become of our culture and society. We may be experiencing discordant resonances created by our lack of understanding in how our minds work.  We may be experiencing these societal traumas because we have forgotten how our minds may be connected to much more than our bodies. Maybe our minds are connected to a large streaming network of humanity not only in current existence, but past and  future as well. It is said repeatedly by spiritual leaders and spiritual people that we are all one. 

What if they are right and we are a one large organism? An organism consists of many different types cells that form and operate differently. With that said, not only would not everyone be able to be a heart cell, each grouping of cells would require a different type 'education'. It is also a strong possibility that within each cell type grouping, each cell learns differently. Maybe part of this ancient knowledge that we  lost includes information about how each of these 'cell groupings' are best identified and taught the skills they need to help the organism function smoothly. 

Maybe now that we seem to have embraced the imagery of ancient wisdom without a fear reaction it's time to start asking: what have we forgotten and how do we relearn it?

This video is one in a series of eight about ancient teachings being transmitted through crystal skulls. All eight are avail able on You tube. This is just to get you started ;)

Terrance Miller talks about Shamanism and Psychosis here. It is an interesting thought form. Enjoy!