día de los muertos

day of the dead. sounds a little ominous and dark, but it's a mexican holiday that i have grown really fond of. holidays and traditions of other cultures are nice moments of reflection (especially when they are so different than anything i traditionally did as a kid). after traveling to merida, mexico with a company i danced with several years ago, i really connected and was inspired especially by the day of the dead. in our culture, we often fear death or ghosts or connections to the after life. this day is often quite light hearted as people reflect positively upon those they have known that have now passed into the after world. it's also an opportunity to bring focus to other aspects of the life cycle: fertility and life for the future. traditions include creating an offer to honor the dead using sugar skulls, photos of those who have passed, marigolds and even favorite items or foods of dead loved ones.

my friend jenni had a wonderful gathering on saturday where we drank mexican coffee, ate pumpkin bread, made sugar skulls, and added family photos to her amazing alter. i didn't take any photos, but hope that i can get some from her to show how magnificent it was.

found one! here's the amazing alter at jenni's house!

here's my small alter in honor of my great aunt pat who passed away this year and my great grandparents lovingly called "dandy & pop." dandy lived until i was 21 years old - i am so grateful to have had such a relationship with a great grandparent. she is missed dearly.

i invite you to bring a mindful moment into this tradition. reflect on those that have gone before you - people you knew and even ancestors or people that shaped your life that you didn't know. imagine where you would be without these influences and send gratitude toward them and thanksgiving toward the life, the body, the health that you have today. welcome to november.