Day Of The Dead Festival

So today I had the pleasure of attending our local Day of the Dead (Dia des Muertos) festival. It was fantastic. I was blown away. I really didn't know what to expect and for some reason I didn't think there would be as many people as there actually was. The place was packed!

The event was held in the Plaza district, one of two great arts districts in Oklahoma City. There were small booths set up all down the district. The participating businesses all had offrendas (altars for the dead). There was also a main community offrenda where anyone could go and set a light for their dead loved one. There was also a booth set up that sold marigolds, the traditional flower offered to the dead. It's believed the pungent smell is a beacon to the dead.

Mexican Folk Dancers

There were traditional Mexican folk dancers, a parade/procession, various assorted activities for children, and traditional Mexican food. It was a wonderful experience. I will definitely be attending every year. If you are in the OKC area this time next year then do check it out.

My friend setting a light for a loved one who has passed

Marigolds for the dead

A beautiful offrenda

Santa Muerte?

Christopher Lee offrenda. Notice the bread of the dead.

Offrenda for Leonard Nimoy

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The big day has arrived! I'm so excited and I'm rushing about to and fro and probably not accomplishing much of anything. I'm juggling trying to get my altars decorated as well as watch some cool Halloween/spooky documentaries. And at the time of me writing this blog entry I've just realized that I've yet to bring in the mums and asters I will use as decorations as well. 

Halloween night itself is when I get my fun and party in. November 1st, All Saints' Day, is when I honor the saints and spirits that I work with. I give them treats and presents to let them know that I cherish our relationship and that I am thankful of the help they have given me over the past year as well as the future help they will also provide.  On November 2, All Souls' Day, I honor the ancestors, those who have come before me and those whom I have loved in life whom have now passed on to the other side. I will place offerings to them as well on my altars, including things that specific spirits like. For example, my grandfather passed away shortly before the holidays last year so I will include some peanuts for him as he love eating his peanuts. Another grandfather of mine loved chocolate cupcakes so of course he will get his. My friend who passed a few years back will get his pack of cigarettes and a Monster energy drink. I will even include some dog biscuits for some beloved pets. For my ancestors who have passed and whom I never knew in this life, I will give food, coffee, liquor and cigarettes, generic stuff that I know that most people from their time like. Candles and glasses of water are placed to help draw in the spirits and freshen them. 

Tomorrow I will be attending a Day of the Dead festival which I am really looking forward to. However, tonight it is time to party. My friend and I are planning to hit a couple of parties and events and we will both be dressing up in the Day of the Dead-style costumes. 

I wish all of my readers a a hauntingly horrific Halloween! Get out there and get your spook on! 

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Halloween Conjure Finds

Every year I give a reminder to my readers that Halloween-time is the perfect time to stock up on conjure supplies as most places will carry supplies that may be difficult to purchase throughout the year. One can easily find black and orange candles, brooms, skulls, bottles, and even altar decorations.

This year I found a few things from Walmart. I got a black, glass skull and skull candles.

The skull candles are a great find. They were only $4.88 plus tax and are far bigger than the skull candles sold in most occult shops. As you may know, skull candles are great for enemy work, work with the ancestors, as well as domination work. 

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Annual Halloween Sale At The Witch Shop

So yesterday was the annual Halloween sale at a local favorite witch shop. It's a great time to stock up on supplies and goodies. The way it works is that if you buy one item you get the second of equal or lesser value at half off. So lots of people will splurge on the annual Halloween sale. Additionally they have free food, door prizes, gifts with purchase, readings, and an on-site masseuse. In past years they also offered free classes, such as on candle magic. Unfortunately the classes seem to have stopped back in the 90s. I like to go and get my reading in around Halloween time because the veil between the living and the dead is believed to be the thinnest at this time.

The annual Halloween sale has a special place in my memory as I first visited this shop during such sale way back in the early 90s. I've been shopping there ever sense. It's a great place. If you are in the area do drop on by. You will love it. You will meet lots of interesting people and have fascinating conversations as well. Oh, and just so you know, similar sales take place on various other holidays as well. 

*I would have taken pics of the inside shop but unfortunately pictures are not allowed. Over the years several people have come in taking pictures with the goal of opening their own shops and wanting to steal the layout of this shop. 

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It's That Time Of Year Again

As we near Halloween it seems I become barraged by self-styled witches who want to attack me for my blog entries.

I stand by my writings and I will not alter them to please people who have no true understanding of or education in history. By this I mean that Wicca and self-styled "traditional witchcraft" is completely modern and has no ties to any real practice of the ancient past. The accused witches of the witch hunts in the middle ages up through the 1700s were not pagans. They were not members of a secret underground pagan religion that survived the coming of Christianity. Some of the accused did indeed practice folk magic but it was Christian folk magic, not pagan. However, many of them didn't even practice that but were simply targeted for other reasons.

A while back I wrote that the "true witches" are the practitioners of Christian folk magic because they are the ones who have an actual craft and we know from history they were accused of being witches.

I love the following documentary as it touches on the fact that many of the accuses practiced Christian conjurations. It's just that the people in charge denied their power came from God and accused them of making pacts with the Devil.




Note: I have no problem whatsoever with educated people who are Wiccans or would describe themselves as witches. People can believe whatever they want but history should not be rewritten in order to maintain a fantasy.

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