Mexican Day of the Dead Outdoor Altar

October is the month that Mother Nature shows off the colors of the Season. The nights get cooler as the days still are warm in the afternoons and the trees give off wonderful golds, oranges and ambers as they drop their leaves. This time of year is also known for the Pagan and Christian celebrations that brought us Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Read more about the three days surrounding this time of year here: Free Candle Spells | Honoring Your Ancestors (Time of the Year)“. This time, before we march into the winter months and cocoon to dream of bright futures, is Nature’s way of teaching us that there is a cycle in Life: birth, living, and then death, and the process repeats itself over and over. It is an opportune time to consider making an Ancestral Altar for your family lineage.

Setting up an altar for the loved ones in your family that have passed on is meaningful on many levels. An ancestor altar gives you a space to visit and connect with those who have passed, both known and unknown, and gives you a place to weep, mourn, remember and laugh. An ancestor altar is also a place of safe refuge when the World seems to be beating you with a stick. It is a place to sit in silence and ask for insight and wait for ideas to pop into your head to solve the problems of living in this world. In my Tarot card deck, I have an Ancestors card, and when it comes up in a client’s reading, depending on it being upright or reversed, it tells the client that they are their to help, as our ancestors are given the task to guide their progeny through their walk on Earth. Your ancestors will guide and protect you, but you must be receptive to the lessons and insight given, whether you like it or not. In the Bible, Exodus 20:12 tells us to “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord you God is giving you.”

Setting Up an Ancestor Altar

First, you need to determine a quiet place in your home for your ancestor altar. Considering that houses with children are noisier than adult houses, you may need to place your altar in a quieter den or corner of a back room so that their Spirits will not get upset. Do not place your ancestor altar in your bedroom, as this is disrespectful. Even a corner of the dining room is preferable than a bedroom for the altar. If you are blessed with a guest room or den, use it until you have guests visit, then you can move to another part of the house. A simple ancestor altar is a small table with a white cloth or doily, a glass of cool water and a photograph of those that have passed. Do not place photos of both living and deceased relatives on the table, as you may be inviting the living relative to pass over to the Spirit world. this ancestor altar is for your own blood line family, although some exception could be a non-relative that was “adopted” into the family, like a long term babysitter or a close friend that was always present at family gatherings and in your home.

My Parents' Ancestor Altar

Like other altars you may have on your home, an ancestor altar will grow larger as your spiritual connection with them grows. You will be given ideas and impulses to purchase and add items that ill bring their memory back, such as Grandpa’s Lucky Strikes cigarettes or Grandma’s Tabu perfume. You may want to add other personal items like a favorite bottle of brandy that you may pour out a shot glass full every once in a while. This inspiration will come from your memories of your loved ones as they connect with you and look down on you from Heaven to guide you through your walk. As you begin to create this special place, here are some general ideas to get you started with your Ancestor Altar.

Items you will need:

1.) A place to set up your altar. This could be an end table, accent table or small bookcase top. Many families set up their altar inconspicuously on the hutch in the dining room.

2.) White table covering such as a linen tablecloth or lace doily. You may add another color as an accent color if you know that was a special color to them.

3.) A photograph of the relatives you would want to honor. Please do not place any photographs of living people on this altar as to do so may cause then to become sick and die. Do not place any photos of relatives who have harmed you in any way as you do not want their guidance and spirit in your home to cause an further harm to you.

4.) A glass of cool water, preferably in glass, not plastic. One large brandy snifter or crystal water goblet is fine. You do not have to purchase new glasses; you can pick these up at the thrift store. You may also want to obtain a coffee cup or demitasse cup and saucer to offer black coffee to them after awhile. You may also want to get a small clear glass shot glass for whiskey or a preferred liquor and also another for Florida Water or Kananga Water to attract your ancestors.

5.) A white candle to burn for them to see your devotion and attract their blessings. It does not matter whether you use a 7 day novena-type vigil candle or tea lights, the meaning is the same.

Other items throughout the year may be flowers in a vase, a glass of wine, a slice of birthday cake or a small plate of turkey and all the fixin’s during Thanksgiving, a piece of candy on Valentine’s day, etc. Leave these food items overnight and toss into the trash the next day as they have absorbed the aroma and energy of the food offering and you will attract ants and such if left too long.

Prayers for the Ancestors

Once you have assembled your items and created your altar, you may begin praying for thier souls and asking them to communicate with you and send blessings and guidance to you. Here is a sample prayer that you can begin with, adding a more personalized note after establishing a connection with your loved ones.

Blessed is God, who looks down upon His children here on Earth. I ask that you look upon and bless this altar that I have set to honor my relatives, ancestors, mothers and fathers who came before me. I ask for blessings of peace, safety and tranquility in this space set for them and for protection for me ant my family, from any harm. AMEN.

I call upon you, ancestors of my family lineage, both known and unknown to me. I call all who have kinship to me and with me and aid me in my walk and wish me no ill will.

I call upon (insert all names of your relatives known to you that have passed), and ask that you hear me in my prayers and see this space that I have set for you to come to bless me any my family. I bless you and honor you with these offerings that cool and refresh you. I ask that you love and support all my intentions and the intentions of my family and that you will protect us from harm.

You may choose to change the water every morning before your prayer, but some make a weekly change, usually on a Sunday or a Friday, depending on their beliefs. From time to time, you may want to offer a cup of black coffee and an unlit cigar laid across the rim of the cup. Leave on altar for 24 to 48 hours and discard in trash/sink when done. It is wise to offer food items occasionally to give them time to bless you for your offerings.

The coming week will host three holidays that involve the Spirit world – Halloween on October 31st, All Saints Day on November 1st and All Souls Day on November 2nd. These three historically connected dates involve doing for those who have departed and remembering or honoring them in some way. For some of the younger generations, the only idea that comes to mind for them is ghosts and goblins and trick-or-treating. There is a much more spiritual meaning of the three feast days.

First we start with Halloween, or as it was known before,  All Hallows Eve. This day is the traditional day before All Saints Day, or as it is also known, All Hallows Day. All Hallows Day, the day in which we honor the lives of the holiest of devoted Christians, those  who were named as Saints. It has been said that the origins of Halloween had children dressed as these virgins and martyrs of Christianity go door to door, reminding those faithful to  venerate them ‘on the morrow’ (the next day). Sweets were given to these little ambassadors of the departed Saints, thus the giving of treats to those who know on our doors on October 31st.

All Souls Day, on November 2nd, is for us to remember the departed humans who left us and were the ordinary Jane or Jack who was a Christian. In our town, we have the Aztec dancers and Native Peoples makes burnt offerings to the directions with white sage and to blow their conch shell horns. The processional around the Saint Mary’s Cemetery on 65th Street is quite a sight with the pageantry and dedication of the various groups of people who choose to join this ceremony. The procession, taking several hours, ends with a Mass with an outdoor altar covered with images of departed loved ones, candles, flowers, sugar skulls, pumpkins and corn.

I have recently renewed my indoor Ancestor Altar upon the reemergence of my long-forgotten spirituality. I wrote an article about it called “Your Ancestor Altar and Eguns”. Click on the blue title to go to my other site to read further.

Sunday, May 9, 2010 is Mother’s Day and a time to honor your mother. Since many do not have their Mom on this earthly plane any longer, you can still honor her with this simple candle spell.

I chose the candle of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the color white to symbolize Peace, Blessing and Remembrance. Mother’s Day for the Mexican community is always May 10th, despite what day it falls on, so this years many gift and flower shops will have a long holiday getting out those gifts.

La Guadalups is the one that almost everyone in the Southwest turns to when in need. She is the “Protectress of the Americas”, both north and south, and her story is a wonderful one that tells of the introduction of the Catholic faith to the indigenous Indians of Tepayac

INGREDIENTS:

1 white 7-day “Novena” type Our Lady of Guadalupe Candle

1 White Rose or Carnation in vase

1 small glass of spring water

1 small glass of sweet liquer or wine

1 small pastry or  a few fancy cookies (on white orclear glass plate)

Photo of your Mother (no one else that is currently living can be in the photo, however, another person who has passed can be in photo)

Make a corner in a quiet area of the home or the farthest corner of the living or family room. Place small table or chest there and cover with white tablecloth, small sheet or doily.

Arrange photo of your Mother (singe shot of her and without no one else in photo), as well as flower in small vase, glass of water, glass of wine and plate of sweets in front of photo. Place cleaned candle (see how to properly clean a candle by clicking  HERE) to one side of offering. Light candle and say a prayer for the soul of your Mother. Talk to her a bit, asking her that she ‘join in the festivities’ of the day and that her Spirit will find enjoyment in seeing her offspring and grandchildren. Make sure the take the grandchildrne over to see her photo so that they can know their grandmother or great-grandmother.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I miss you more than I can say.

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