Celebrate the Life in Death

“As the air starts to chill and the wind starts to whisper, the Spirits begin to stir.”

At a time when the land is preparing for its slumber through the winter months, the world of the Spirits awaken. People reminiscing about the past – Calling to them through emotion, thought, and the whisper of their name.

Halloween and Samhain are not the only holidays to bring our passed loves ones to the forefront in this season of time. We think about them during Thanksgiving, as we gather together. Our thoughts drift to them during the festivities of December. January is a reminder of another year that has passed without them.

Call Forth Your Dead!

How do we summon the dead?

Some of the first thoughts that may emerge are of spells, complex rituals, and the use of divination techniques and tools. As more Witchy/ Esoteric people we can sometimes have a tendency to overthink and make things more complicated then they need to be. An interesting and very simple answer to this question is – tell their stories.

There are three components that come together when we tell the stories of those who have passed. We call forth their memory, we experience emotions of the story we are telling, and we are sharing it with another. Together, it is like sending out a beacon to that person, because there is a powerful energy at play when they are combined.

Memory and Emotion are fused together. As humans, we have millions of different experiences a day. Every waking second is an experience in this world – Our brains sorting through massive amounts of sensory data at any given time. Our brain only stores a fraction of it, and as time passes our brain holds onto even less.

The memories that have emotions attached to them are the one retained the longest. The more complex, rich, or deep the emotion is, the more information your brain will store and the longer it will retain the memory. Emotion is the fuel of the soul. We act because of, or in-spite of, emotion. The lessons and experiences that have shaped us, have stayed with us because of the emotions attached to them.

As we remember, or tell the story, we are feeling those emotions and the emotions of now all at once, amplifying that power or fuel. Our focus being on the person the story is about, is directing and feeding that energy to the spirit of that person. Thus building an energetic connection between you during this time.

Sharing the story with another person amplifies this again and adds spoken vibrations behind it. Now it is not just your fuel, but also of the other people hearing the story, whether they knew them or not. If they knew them the power behind the emotions will be stronger because the story will bring forth all their memories and the emotions attached to them. If they did not, the effect will be less but not non-existent. Just as we watch a tv show and feel emotions just due to the story being told – this audience will also have a similar effect.

So without any knowledge, any training, or even an understanding of what they are doing – When they tell stories of the Dead, they are also calling in the dead. If the emotions are negative towards the spirit, it will generally be repelled by it and not come forward. If the emotions are positive and joyful, it is like a moth drawn to the flame. Feeding on the energy being created and giving it some added power to make its presence felt.

Celebrating Life in Death

When we tell these stories, even if we still feel some loss, we are really focusing on their life. We are celebrating the joyful aspects of their life and what that life meant to us, how it impacted us. We are celebrating the person they were.

In the West we have some very distorted and dark views around death. It is something we do not really talk about, or is seen as something people fear and a terrible thing to happen. For me, death, like birth, is the one absolute that we all have in common. Everything that lives, will eventually die. How long that life is varies across the board, but the ending on the physical plane is the same.

The people left behind are the ones feeling grief, the pain of what they lost when the person passed – the person who passed though, is moving onto their next adventure. No matter what your belief is as to what happens after we die, if you believe in the soul, you know physical death is not a permanent end. There is something else, another beginning in some form or fashion. There is joy and celebration to be had with that knowledge. Celebrating the life they lived and wishing them a joyful adventure ahead.

Death Days

During our living life we celebrate birthdays, the day we came into this physical world.

There are many people, myself included, that also choose to celebrate a person’s Death Day, the day they left this world. Just like a birthday, it is about the joy, love, and happiness we feel for them. It is about honoring the new journey they are on and wishing them well.

I know for some this can be hard because they are focusing on their own feelings of loss, but celebrating these days like a birthday though can also bring them closer to you. It draws their spirit and presence into the space with you.

It doesn’t just have to be their death day though. You can throw them a party at any point and welcome them to join in on the festivities. Some religions and traditions have specific days they honor the dead, these too would be prime opportunities to create those connections.

The stronger the presence the more likely you will be able to feel them and communicate with them. Depending on which clair/s your strength lies, will depend on how you experience them.

If you are going to try and consciously summon them through a means of divination/ séance – throwing them a celebration first can be one way to ensure success.

Tis the Season!

Because our society heavily focuses on the world of spirit during this season of the year, it collectively opens a door between the worlds. It allows for more contact and experiences between the world of the living and the world of spirits.

You don’t have to be a medium or spirit walker to access this. You don’t have to have any special training or fancy tools. All you need to start is memory, a story, and the ability to be present in the moment.

Harness that added energy and use it to your advantage!

On a Side Note

Since we are talking about celebrating the Life in Death, I feel it is also important to share a perspective for those who have not crossed yet but are close.

For those who know death is close, the terminally ill or dying, their focus can shift all towards the death that is coming and forget about the life that is still here. Much of the time is spent on what can be done to extend the time they have. Those around them are either focused on extending the life or planning for what will happen after they pass.

As a medical professional I was surprised by how quickly the life left was dismissed. I understood it from a certain perspective, but it still surprised me. I have even had some patients and family members so clouded by what is coming, that the thought of “living” was not even on their radar. When I brought it up to them, it was like they forgot it was even a consideration.

I am not saying to stop trying to extend your time, or try any option available to you if that is your wish – but if you are only focused there, if you allow it to consume and be at the front of everything else, you will miss out on the time you have right now. The Living that could still be done. The memories you still have time to create. The love you still have to share. The joy and celebrating that can still be had.

For those who are in this situation, or have a loved one there – do not forget that while they are still here, there is still living to do. Celebrating and Living the life that is right now.