I came across Santa Muerte a few years ago, and like you was intrigued by it in the context of my larger interest in folklore and folk spirituality. I agree that the lack of dogma is a real attraction, but I think it goes deeper.
Before I start, I hold folklore and spirituality with as much respect as I do established religions. There are times when religion becomes oppressively dogmatic and folklore becomes superstitious, and neither are good, but in neither case does the abuse and misuse justify condemnation of either, as a whole.
Organized religions, since probably the dark ages, have sought to monopolize the spiritual experience and life of the people under its control. In most cases a professional clergy evolves, and once that happens there is a tendency for people to become spiritually passive and subordinate to clergy. In areas where folk religions dominate people are very active in their spiritualities. Personal spiritual experiences are considered normal, and a nearly constant active relationship between the spirit world and the physical world dominates the culture, which includes a relationship with the dead. That interactive, personal, active spirituality is the norm for most of human history and I think our evolution as a species evolved to integrate its presence.
In many places in the world today, even with highly dogmatized and regulated religion we find, especially in ethnically homogenous populations, a folk practice continued alongside the established religion, even in the face of violent persecution. The fairy faith in Celtic lands, the belief in Elves and Gnomes in Nordic lands, and the spectrum of African, Mexican and Caribbean beliefs we see in those regions. Even in Appalachia we find remnants of European and Native American folk belief still active alongside traditional religions.
These folk beliefs provide comfort, integration and an ethical system that serves those communities in a way I think most people would envy. The power of these beliefs should not be underestimated. In Iceland a few years ago a highway was routed to avoid an area believed to be inhabited by elves. In Romania a village was abandoned in the 21st century to avoid werewolves and in a nearby location anti-vampiric rites continue to this day. In the UK, the ‘Black Dog’ tradition is still an active belief system, and the last ‘Pellars’ and ‘ ‘Cunningman/woman’ were still advertising their services into the mid 20th century (and probably still do). Even in mainstream religion we see echoes of folk traditions celebrated openly, though often without awareness. There are elements of Easter and Christmas that clearly show these influences and in the west Halloween is clearly a connection to folk beliefs. In Tibetan Buddhism we see the influence of the Bon folk practices. Hinduism is barely removed from their folk traditions. In Iceland, when Christianity was enforced by the crown, it was decided the ‘old ways’ could be practiced at home and Christianity would be practiced in public. This compromise prevented many deaths and preserved fold traditions that live on until today.
Taking my cue from these modes of living I established an altar to my familial ancestors, and regularly on their birthdays and death days and on All Hallows, light and candle and incense on that altar and sit with their memories, reliving our experiences and affections. It’s a comfort to me, in a way that nothing else is, and frankly it’s helping me integrate my own inevitable death. I have other folk practices that I engage in regularly, and those practices ground me in the place I live, and connect me with my ancestors and culture.
>>>I established an altar to my familial ancestors, and regularly on their birthdays and death days >>>and on All Hallows, light and candle and incense on that altar and sit with their memories, >>>reliving our experiences and affections. It’s a comfort to me, in a way that nothing else is, and >>>frankly it’s helping me integrate my own inevitable death.
Having experienced actual, as opposed to hollywood/media hype, Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico years ago, Melinda and I have, along with our family, adopted very similar practices on that date.
We create with items that were important to our lost loved ones, decorate, and as you say, just sit with our memories of them, in celebration. We find this to be extremely moving and comforting.
But, as with everything, the intention must be right. From time to time, others who have learned about what we have done for this holiday have sought to join us. Once we were joined by a friend who did not hold the proper mindset and was too bought into the hype around Day of the Dead, and it ruined the experience for everyone.
This is a beautiful experience that can help with grief, loss, and our own inevitable mortality. But only if it is approached with reverence.
As a society in North America, we've shunted death into a subject we don't like to talk about. We used to have rooms in our house set aside for wakes, where the bodies of the deceased were put on display until interred. Ever wonder why we call one of the places in our house a "Living Room"?
But the civil war, where men were killed hundreds of miles away, and a lack of refrigeration, resulted in the undertaking business and embalming to ship loved ones back home to be buried. This lead to the establishment of funeral homes, removing death out of the house and into a business, a one stop shop for death. From there, the subject of death was removed from the family, and it became something we just don't talk about. Why are funeral homes such hushed and solemn places? Not what you'd expect at a wake I'd imagine.
I've written up a short lecture about the entire thing, and why things like the memento mori are now shunned. It's all related.
The issue you point out is I think damaging to us. It fills us with unreasonable dread of death, and it makes the grieving process much more difficult.
I would be very interested to read, or hear, your lecture about this if you are willing.
I came across Santa Muerte a few years ago, and like you was intrigued by it in the context of my larger interest in folklore and folk spirituality. I agree that the lack of dogma is a real attraction, but I think it goes deeper.
Before I start, I hold folklore and spirituality with as much respect as I do established religions. There are times when religion becomes oppressively dogmatic and folklore becomes superstitious, and neither are good, but in neither case does the abuse and misuse justify condemnation of either, as a whole.
Organized religions, since probably the dark ages, have sought to monopolize the spiritual experience and life of the people under its control. In most cases a professional clergy evolves, and once that happens there is a tendency for people to become spiritually passive and subordinate to clergy. In areas where folk religions dominate people are very active in their spiritualities. Personal spiritual experiences are considered normal, and a nearly constant active relationship between the spirit world and the physical world dominates the culture, which includes a relationship with the dead. That interactive, personal, active spirituality is the norm for most of human history and I think our evolution as a species evolved to integrate its presence.
In many places in the world today, even with highly dogmatized and regulated religion we find, especially in ethnically homogenous populations, a folk practice continued alongside the established religion, even in the face of violent persecution. The fairy faith in Celtic lands, the belief in Elves and Gnomes in Nordic lands, and the spectrum of African, Mexican and Caribbean beliefs we see in those regions. Even in Appalachia we find remnants of European and Native American folk belief still active alongside traditional religions.
These folk beliefs provide comfort, integration and an ethical system that serves those communities in a way I think most people would envy. The power of these beliefs should not be underestimated. In Iceland a few years ago a highway was routed to avoid an area believed to be inhabited by elves. In Romania a village was abandoned in the 21st century to avoid werewolves and in a nearby location anti-vampiric rites continue to this day. In the UK, the ‘Black Dog’ tradition is still an active belief system, and the last ‘Pellars’ and ‘ ‘Cunningman/woman’ were still advertising their services into the mid 20th century (and probably still do). Even in mainstream religion we see echoes of folk traditions celebrated openly, though often without awareness. There are elements of Easter and Christmas that clearly show these influences and in the west Halloween is clearly a connection to folk beliefs. In Tibetan Buddhism we see the influence of the Bon folk practices. Hinduism is barely removed from their folk traditions. In Iceland, when Christianity was enforced by the crown, it was decided the ‘old ways’ could be practiced at home and Christianity would be practiced in public. This compromise prevented many deaths and preserved fold traditions that live on until today.
Taking my cue from these modes of living I established an altar to my familial ancestors, and regularly on their birthdays and death days and on All Hallows, light and candle and incense on that altar and sit with their memories, reliving our experiences and affections. It’s a comfort to me, in a way that nothing else is, and frankly it’s helping me integrate my own inevitable death. I have other folk practices that I engage in regularly, and those practices ground me in the place I live, and connect me with my ancestors and culture.
>>>I established an altar to my familial ancestors, and regularly on their birthdays and death days >>>and on All Hallows, light and candle and incense on that altar and sit with their memories, >>>reliving our experiences and affections. It’s a comfort to me, in a way that nothing else is, and >>>frankly it’s helping me integrate my own inevitable death.
Having experienced actual, as opposed to hollywood/media hype, Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico years ago, Melinda and I have, along with our family, adopted very similar practices on that date.
We create with items that were important to our lost loved ones, decorate, and as you say, just sit with our memories of them, in celebration. We find this to be extremely moving and comforting.
But, as with everything, the intention must be right. From time to time, others who have learned about what we have done for this holiday have sought to join us. Once we were joined by a friend who did not hold the proper mindset and was too bought into the hype around Day of the Dead, and it ruined the experience for everyone.
This is a beautiful experience that can help with grief, loss, and our own inevitable mortality. But only if it is approached with reverence.
That's an absolutely wonderful essay, can I share to my lodge group?
Please do Brother! I would be greatly honored if you were to share it!
As a society in North America, we've shunted death into a subject we don't like to talk about. We used to have rooms in our house set aside for wakes, where the bodies of the deceased were put on display until interred. Ever wonder why we call one of the places in our house a "Living Room"?
But the civil war, where men were killed hundreds of miles away, and a lack of refrigeration, resulted in the undertaking business and embalming to ship loved ones back home to be buried. This lead to the establishment of funeral homes, removing death out of the house and into a business, a one stop shop for death. From there, the subject of death was removed from the family, and it became something we just don't talk about. Why are funeral homes such hushed and solemn places? Not what you'd expect at a wake I'd imagine.
I've written up a short lecture about the entire thing, and why things like the memento mori are now shunned. It's all related.
The issue you point out is I think damaging to us. It fills us with unreasonable dread of death, and it makes the grieving process much more difficult.
I would be very interested to read, or hear, your lecture about this if you are willing.
Sure, any time!