Why a Halloween Dance?
Halloween is one of the eight sacred days of the year, corresponding to the pagan holy day of Samhain. Samhain is the end of the old yearly cycle and the start of the new. At this ‘changeover’ time, between the worlds, the ‘veils’ are said to be thin, allowing easy access to other realities. To most of us who have little experience of shamanic realities, it can be a scary time.
This holy time is dedicated to our Ancestors who can, and do, have free access to the Earth. They come visit and it is our chance to acknowledge them, and honor them for helping to ‘prepare the way’ for our incarnations here on Earth. There are two main types of ancestors: Blood, and Spirit Ancestors.
Blood Ancestors are members of our family tree, who affect us through the blood that once flowed in their veins and which flows through ours now. Spirit Ancestors are those beings (who have passed over), who may or may not have a blood connection with us, but they are people who have affected us deeply in our lives. They can be our heroes, heroines, role models, people who we admire, teachers through stories and books, etc.
Dance is a universal way of expressing our deepest beingness. Spontaneous movement creates an energetic bridge that connects the Above with the Below, through our bodies; it is a way Spirit enters us and brings the Sacred to Earth. Through dance we can communicate things impossible to express through words, and, if we learn to step out of our own way, we become channels for the gods and goddesses to dance with us. Creation flows through us and we are filled with blessings.
We dance our joys, our pains, our radiance, and our shadows… and it is all good. Our dance is an offering, a gift, a prayer, a sacrament we offer to the altar of life. It can express our love and respect for the Ancestors, and make them happy. Yes, those who have passed benefit from our love, our caring, our tender words and thoughts of gratitude. Many religions and belief systems throughout the world state that if the Ancestors are happy, then there are many great blessings to be shared with those still alive on Earth.
There are so many beliefs out there in the world, and sometimes it can get confusing. Sometimes I choose to believe something, if it feels good to me. This is why I dance for the Ancestors at Halloween. I dance to remember them and share my gratitude with them, I choose to believe that they will benefit from my dance and feel honored, and I choose to believe that my dance will bring a little of the special heavenly stuff down here to Earth, where all will benefit.
