SFI Spiritual Gathering - October 28, 2018

The end of October marks the beginning of a busy holiday season; Halloween, Samhain, All Saints’ Day, All Souls Day, and Día de los Muertos.   

Halloween – October 31st

Halloween, also known as All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve.  It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival of Samhain; that may have had pagan roots; and that Samhain itself was Christianized as Halloween by the early Church.  Besides your typical trick-or-treating, costume parties, pumpkin carving, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, and scary stories and films, the Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve includes church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead.

Samhain (saah-win)

As October turns to November, thousands of Witches, Wiccans, Druids, and other Pagans across America, Canada, Europe, and elsewhere observe the sacred time of Samhain. Samhain is a festival of the Dead. Meaning "Summer's End", a celebration of the end of the harvest and the start of the coldest half of the year. For many, Samhain is the beginning of the spiritual new year.

Samhain originated in ancient Europe as a Celtic Fire festival. The timing of contemporary Samhain celebrations varies according to spiritual tradition and geography. Many celebrate Samhain over the course of several days and nights, and these extended observances usually include a series of solo rites as well as ceremonies, feasts, and gatherings with family, friends, and spiritual community. In the northern hemisphere, many Pagans celebrate Samhain from sundown on October 31 through November 1.

Others hold Samhain celebrations on the nearest weekend or on the Full or New Moon closest to this time. Some Pagans observe Samhain a bit later, near November 6, to coincide more closely with the astronomical midpoint between Fall Equinox and Winter Solstice. 

All Saints’ Day (November 1^st) & All Souls Day (November 2^nd)

All Saints' Day is also known as All Hallows Tide, All-Hallomas, or All Hallows' Day, and it's celebrated in many areas of the United States, especially where there are large Roman Catholic populations.

In New Orleans people gather in local cemeteries and decorate graves with flowers. The descendants of French Canadian settlers around St Martinsville, Louisiana, observe this day in the traditional French manner by laying wreaths and bouquets and lighting candles on even the most obscure graves.

All Saints' Day, which is celebrated globally, is closely tied with All Souls’ Day, which was first instituted at a monastery in France in 993 CE and quickly spread among Christians.

All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day are also closely linked with Halloween, which is shortened for the name “All Hallows' Eve”. 

In the United Methodist Church, All Saints' Day is observed on the first Sunday in November to remember deceased members of the local church congregation. A candle is lit as each person's name is called out, followed by a prayer offered for each soul.

Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) November 1^st and 2^nd 

The Day of the Dead is not the same as Halloween. While Halloween is celebrated Oct. 31, Day of the Dead is celebrated right after, on Nov. 2. Many communities that celebrate the Day of the Dead also celebrate Halloween.

Day of the Dead originated in ancient Mesoamerica (Mexico and northern Central America) where indigenous groups, including Aztec, Maya and Toltec, had specific times when they commemorated their loved ones who had passed away.

After the Spanish arrived the commemoration of the dead was intertwined with two Spanish holidays: All Saints Day (Nov. 1) and All Soul’s Day (Nov. 2). Day of the Dead is often celebrated on Nov. 1 as a day to remember children who have passed away, and on Nov. 2 to honor adults.

Today, the Day of the dead is celebrated mostly in Mexico and some parts of Central and South America. Recently it has become increasingly popular among Latino communities abroad, including the United States.

It’s a celebration of life, not death. Ancient Mesoamericans believed that death was part of the journey of life. Rather than death ending life, new life came from death. This cycle is often associated with the cyclical nature of agriculture, whereby crops grow from the ground where the last crop lies buried.

The ofrenda is often the most recognized symbol of the Day of the Dead. This temporary altar is a way for families to honor their loved ones. Pictures of the deceased, along with items that belonged to them, and objects that serve as a reminder of their lives are placed on the Altar. Every ofrenda includes the four elements: water, wind, earth and fire. Water is left in a pitcher so the spirits can quench their thirst. Traditional paper banners represent the wind. Earth is represented by food. Candles are often left in the form of a cross to represent the cardinal directions, so the spirits can find their way.

Ministers Message

This is a good time of year to contemplate the endless cycles of life, death, and rebirth.  We gather the final harvest of our gardens and our fields become brown. Many trees have lost all their leaves and gone dormant.  Darkness overtakes the light of the day as our nights get longer. With the loss of light our temperatures get colder. Through our traditions of Halloween, Samhain, All Saints Day, All Souls Day and Día de los Muertos, we take time to remember and honor the dead.      

Ceremony to honor the dead

Place some fresh rosemary on the Altar for remembrance.

We remember those who have lived and died before us, those who have crossed through the veil and are no longer with us. We remember.

The north is a place of cold

The earth is silent and dark

The east is a land of new beginnings

The place where breath begins

The south is a land of sunlight and fire

who’s flames guide us through the cycles of life

The west is a place of underground rivers

The sea a never-ending, rolling tide

The Wheel of the Year turns once more

and we cycle into darkness

At the end of that darkness comes light

And when it arrives

We will celebrate once more

The gateway between our world and the spirit world is thinnest.

We honor our ancestors and the Ancient Ones.

We honor this time of transition from light to dark, from outward to inward.  

Spirits of our ancestors, we call to you

We know you watch over us always, protecting & guiding us, and we thank you.

We invite you to join us and share your wisdom.

Each person lights a candle for their ancestors and states who they are and their lineage.

I am (name), the son/daughter of (name), grandson/granddaughter of (name), etc. I light this candle for my ancestors, known, unknown & for those who have been forgotten.     

Meditation 

Connect to our ancestors and honor the cycles of life, death and rebirth.

Ribbons - White for life, black/midnight blue for death, red for rebirth.

    Braid or knot your three ribbons together

We bind these strands together remembering those we have lost.

Sharing

Share a special memory, a new message or an experience that came to you while braiding your ribbons.

Give Thanks

We give thank for our ancestors, for their wisdom, guidance and protection.

Reverend Felecia Mulvany, D.D.

President

Sacred Foundations, Inc.

Spiritual Center and School of Divinity

www.sacredfoundations.net

Spiritual Gatherings held at 10:30 AM

The 2nd & 4th Sunday's of the month

At Laughing Giraffe Therapy Center

100 O'Connor Drive #14, San Jose CA 95128

Join our Meetup Group @ https://www.meetup.com/Sacred-Foundations-Inc

Sacred Foundations, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit church. We affirm the Divine in all its manifestations on earth. We honor all paths and embrace the wisdom of all the Sacred Text across the globe. We believe that only through dialog, education, and community sharing that humanity will find a way to live peacefully together in tolerance and diversity.   

Response to the tragic shootings at the Tree of Life Synagogue

At Sacred Foundations, Inc. we affirm the Divine in all its manifestations on earth, honor all faiths and embrace the wisdom of all the Sacred Text across the globe. However, we do have one exception, extremist whose hearts are full of hate and choose to harm others based on that hate.

We stand in love, compassion, and solidarity with our brothers and sisters at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh along with their families, friends, and everyone affected by this tragic act of violence.   

Let us not let hate speech become normalized and end the spread of hate on social media. Let us each do our part to be a beacon of love and light that uplifts all those around us. Let us help those who are hurting so that hate doesn't consume their light. Let us come together and find ways to connect with one another. There is common ground.  Let us open our hearts and minds, listen to understand, and allow compassion to lead the way so that we can create a culture of peace and healing in your communities and around the world. 

May peace be with you and may you feel loved. 

Reverend Felecia Mulvany, D.D.
President
Sacred Foundations, Inc.
Spiritual Center and School of Divinity
www.sacredfoundations.net

Positive Family Communication, October Asset of the Month

Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parent(s).

This document is designed to help adults throughout Santa Clara County develop materials and activities to promote the asset of adult role models. 

Newsletter Content

The following text may be used in organizational newsletters. Please include the attribution at the end of the article.

The Importance of Positive Family Communication

Young people who experience positive family communication experience higher self-esteem, decreased substance use, less anxiety and depression, and greater school engagement. However, in Santa Clara County, only 63% of 4th-6th grade students and 33% of 7th- 12th grade students reported in Project Cornerstone’s 2011 survey that they and their parents communicate positively and that they are willing to seek advice from their parents. To help promote this valuable asset, October is Positive Family Communication month in Silicon Valley.

For positive family communication to occur, all family members must be comfortable sharing their needs, wishes, and concerns in an honest and trusting environment without fear of rejection. Establishing positive communication when children are young may help keep the channel open in adolescence. No matter how old your children are, it’s never too late to start!

The following questions can help your family. Encourage your child to answer these questions honestly:

• Who do you enjoy talking with, and why?

• What makes it easier to talk to family members, and what makes it more difficult?

• Which topics are easiest for you to talk about with your parents, and which are more difficult? Why?

The communication skills that young people develop in their families help set the pattern of how they’ll communicate for the rest their lives. Teaching your children to communicate effectively with friends, teachers, co-workers, parents, peers, and others is a lasting legacy that parents can give to their children.

This article was provided courtesy of Project Cornerstone’s Asset-a-Month program. For more information, visit www.projectcornerstone.org.

 Activities

The activities below are a starting point to help adults find ways to show youth that they are valued and appreciated.

For Families

• Create opportunities for unstructured communications. Sometimes the best conversations occur when you’re side-by-side instead of face-to-face, such as when you’re driving or working together in the kitchen.

• At dinnertime, instead of asking “How was your day?” play Worst and Best, where everyone—including parents—takes turns sharing the worst thing and the best things that happened to them during the day.

• Hold regular family meetings to check in with each other and discuss family issues like holidays or chores. Make sure everyone has an opportunity to participate.

• Try having each parent set an “individual date” with each child where they spend time together away from home somewhere where they can talk, like a restaurant or coffee shop. This kind of one-to-one conversation makes it possible for a young person to discuss issues privately with their parent’s undivided attention.

• Listen more than you talk.

• Positive family communication isn’t just between parents and children—siblings should also be encouraged and supported to communicate with each other openly and effectively.

For Adults

• Model positive, respectful communications at all times.

• Talk to young people about the importance of family communication.

At school or in youth programs

• Send home a list of “conversation starters” with information about the value of positive family communication. (See Resources at the end of this document for suggested books.) • Assign homework that requires students to talk to parents or other family adults.

• Create and deliver a unit on “family” that helps youth understand different kinds of families and appreciate their own.

Resources

• The following books offer practical tips on creating and improving family communication:

o How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk

o The Essential Guide to Talking with Teens

o Conversations on the Go: Clever Questions to Keep Teens and Grown-Ups Talking

 • The Parent Further web site covers several topics related to positive family communication, including tips on how to talk about emotions, developing listening skills, and the impact (positive and negative) of digital technologies on communication. For more information, visit http://www.parentfurther.com/parenting-matters/familycommunication  

About the Asset-a-Month Program

The goals of the Silicon Valley Asset-a-Month program are to help align adults throughout our diverse community in their efforts to promote positive youth development by fostering developmental assets. For more information about the Asset-a-Month program, contact Project Cornerstone at (408) 351-6482 or info@projectcornerstone.org. 

Reverend Felecia Mulvany, D.D.

President, Sacred Foundations, Inc.

revmulvany@sacredfoundations.net

www.sacredfoundations.net

877-877-4275