What is the link between Halloween, the Day of the Dead and Yoga?

I received this fascinating question after posting the Halloween blog. I would like to share some thoughts with you
about that.

As you read from the previous blog Halloween started as a Celtic ceremony by the
druids who were the Celtic priest.
Interestingly enough the day of the dead celebrates the same as the Celts; it was a well known and common celebration by many indigenous groups (Mayas, Mexicas/Aztecs, Purepechas, Nahuatls, Totonacas), and also celebrated 3000 years ago.

In the Aztec tradition they dedicated this festivity to the goddess Mictecacihuatl (Lady of the night) and whose husband was Mictlantecuhtli (Lord of the land of the dead)
They used to honor children and relatives that have passed away.

For the Aztecs, death had not a moral connotation, there was no hell or heaven, what was important is the way people died, this would determine where to go after life.

Some of those places where:
Tlalocan (Tlaloc's paradise) Any death related to water, and children sacrificed would go here. It was a place or tranquility and abundance. They would buried them as seed to germinate later on.

Omeyocan (Sun's paradise or Huitzilopochti's place) Here was the place for all warriors, prisoners that were sacrificed and women that would died in labor (as they died fighting a big battle)
They buried them in the Palace yard so they could accompany the sun in its daily trip from noon to dusk. It was a high privilege to go to this place after life, because there was everlasting joy and music. Those in there would come back after 4 years as birds with beautiful feather's colors. (For those with symbolism interest, notice the Mars to Mercury symbols!)

There was a place for those who died of natural causes (Mictlan) and for children (Chichihuacuauhco). Depending on the circumstances they would come back to the material plane after a while.

To celebrate this days ( could be up to two months in July and August) they used to choose a tree, bring it down and decorate with bright flowers; celebrations would go for two months with dances and food to honor the dead.

In the XVI century the Spaniards brought their own festivities and blended with the natives. Moving their calendar to the Catholic celebration of all saints.

Today on November 1st they honor children and infants whereas on November 2 it is the day to honor the adults.
The celebration in some places is to go to the cemetery, clean the graves, decorate them and bring food to remember the deceased. Skulls will be display as a symbol of death and rebirth.

Others will gather at homes where altars will be set up for the deceased with food (that they use to like when they were in the material plane), candles, sugar skulls, Mexican marygold flowers with deep yellow and orange colors, incense and special bread called bread of the dead.

So where is the connection to Yoga?

In Yoga we acknowledge the fact that we are in some ways the product of our blood line.
Subconsciously or consciously our reactions are a product of what our families believe and have been.

The name for them is samskaras or imprints from the past. The more we are aware of them, the more consciously we will see how they propel consciousness into action. Who we are is blend of actions of the past and the influences we have received from family and the society we live in. For that honoring the dead is a way to reconnect with those forces and make peace with them in order to remove the subliminal activators, gain awareness and set us free.

Confused about Halloween?

I was talking with a group of women and after the talk, one woman asked to the group, what do you know about Halloween, I am conflicted because at church they told us it was evil and at the same time I have celebrated it with my kids.
The other women said, I like it and regardless of what they say I do it and it's good for my kids because they have fun!
I told them that many traditions in different religions started as pagan festivities and what those religions did is to adapt or change the name so it would be one of their traditions.
Here are some historic facts in case you want to know about Halloween.
The tradition related to Halloween started three thousand years ago in Ireland by the Celts. Their priest use to celebrate the last day of the harvest and the beginning of longer nights and shorter days. During this time the Celtic priest called Druids believed that the line between the dead and the living was thinner and spirits could come to the living plane. This celebration was call Samhain (November).
They considered that not all those visitors were friendly so in order to appease those unfriendly spirit they offered food and sweets. To placate them they also used masks and customs.
Celts also use animal offerings to bring the sun back in the Spring. This time was also used to predict the future. Many of those prophecies became stories that will go around Ireland and Europe by story tellers, each of them would add a piece of imagination to the stories.

At the same time in Rome there was a mystical ceremony called Pomona that would honor the goddess of gardens and fruit. It was the opportunity to thank for a good harvest. By 50 BC Rome had spread through Europe and spread Pomona to those places.

During the first century a religious movement (Christians) was getting organized and considered that the natural forces were hostile and against God. They thought that the Devil was deceiving pagans.
By 325 Constantine summoned the council of Nicaea, during that time the Christian doctrine was established. Pagan festivities were so deep in to the social fabric of many places that the new church tried different things to abolished them without much success. It was Pope Gregory III who decided to turn the pagan festivity into an all saints day (November 1st). Pope Gregory IV standardized the date of All Hallow's day . Hallows means to make holy, to sanctify and because it was celebrated in the evening it became Hallow's eve. As time went by you can notice how easy it could change into Halloween.

As you can see no witches have appeared so far neither fear of cats.

By 1400 the religious structure was male oriented and started to prosecute wicce (wise one). They were mostly women and many of them died burned or hanged.
It was until 1486 that Christianity linked the Devil with the Celtic rituals during Pope Innocent VIII ruling.

So how it came to the colonies?
Well, by 1600 the Catholic church was torn by the work of Martin Luther, specially in England. On November 5th, 1605 one catholic (Guy Fawkes) tried to burn the house of lords; that is the reason why in England, they celebrate this day in a similar way to Halloween (use of customs and parades).
When puritans got to the colonies they didn't like Halloween because it was either too catholic or too pagan. For that, each colony had a different approach to it; in Salem they killed around women accused of witchcraft meanwhile in Virginia Halloween became a very popular festivity. In Virginia they had divination games, carved pumpkins and games with apples.
When Irish people came to the US, many more games gained popularity and started using pumpkins as jack-o- lanterns.
In 1920 Anoka Minnesota trying to avoid pranks and vandalism during Halloween festivities, started a Halloween Parade and self proclaimed Anoka as the Halloween Capital of the World. After that the rest of the country followed its example and became a kids festivity.
Since the 70's more adults are celebrating Halloween as well, most of them grew up with this celebration and continue adding a fun way to celebrate and be a little crazy too.

Halloween is the second biggest festivity in the US after Christmas. It generates a 2.5 Billion of dollars and as you can imagine some religious groups condemn its pagan roots and keep linking it to the devil. Some places instead of celebrating Halloween they invite the parishioners to Hell-houses; nothing like instilling fear.
And talking about fear, Hollywood has helped to link Halloween with murderers and ghost movies, I guess fear is also good business.

Anyhow if you decide to go trick or treating, hope you remember that started as a way to thank the Earth for all its goodness and abundance and that trust is a big ingredient to keep all of those children safe.

Happy Halloween!

Rocio