Happy Halloween, My Alchemists!
This is my favorite time of year! I love the fall. The clear crisp air, the cooler temps, sweaters, jeans and my favorite red coat! I have always loved Halloween. I think this was instilled in me by my family.
You see my Mom even had us pose on the kitchen table with a home made Jack-o-Lantern as toddlers. My maternal grandmother also loved Halloween. She would always dress up with us. She liked being a hobo. She’s out on her old gardening clothes and wrap up some bandanas and put them around a stick and take us around to the neighborhood houses.
Mom was a Girl Scout Leader. One year she and Grandma set up a haunted house in 
Grandma’s basement. There were sheets hung up to guide the path and all sorts of silly things to do like putting your hand in a box of cooked spaghetti so you’d think it was brains or something equally scary. Most of all she loved her toys, dolls that talked, and sang and lots of silly items like a box box with a skull on the top which was actually a cigarette dispenser that played the Funeral March from Chopin’s Sonata #2! Along with this we had the usual harvest games like bobbing for apples, making ghosts out of marshmallows, other simple, fun, and not too gory, Halloween games like The Pumpkin Tells and songs like Witches’ Brew and The 13 Days of Halloween. Good times! We’re even playing a game in Voice and Biz Alchemy and several Alchemists have won free readings for Halloween! Click the picture above to join in the fun!
Back in those days I didn’t have allergies. Growing up, I didn’t have any reactions to candy or make up. That would come later. About 10 years ago, I began having mysterious symptoms that were written off as anxiety and stress. I disagreed with my doctor and kept looking for an answer. I found it in food allergies; tree nuts, shellfish and chicken (of all things!) topped the list. I’m also allergic to nickel which makes jewelry problematic.
I mention this because food allergies are becoming more and more common and I can say from personal experience, they make fun occasions scary, and put a damper on a person’s social life. Even school Halloween parties can be at the very least disappointing in terms of treats, let alone life-threatening. Several years ago in what I call my “allergy awareness period”, I came across The Teal Pumpkin Project. The Teal Pumpkin Project is sponsored by FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) a not for profit organization that promotes allergy safe living. The Teal Pumpkin Project supplies posters, in both English and Spanish, stickers and other educational materials to help make Halloween safe and fun for everyone. This week as you are making your Halloween goodie bags, please include some non-food items.
Click on the picture to get your Free signs and posters!
This time of year is especially sacred to me as October 27th marks the day I stayed on this side. I give thanks for my parents whose quick thinking got me to the hospital in time for my life to be saved by a very kind and skilled surgeon. You see, I had Crohn’s Disease, or so the pathology report, said. I say “had” because this October also marks as many years disease free; another blessing.
Why all this nostalgia? It’s Samhain. What? Sow-win. Samhain is a Gaelic word that means Summer’s End. This was a time when my ancestors in that part of the world would honor the passing of time, the ending of the harvest and begin what in their world was considered a new year. It is a time of recognizing what has bloomed and letting the withered or neglected, possibly less loved parts of us, fall away.
The best analogy is to think of yourself as a tree. You’re a strong tree with many branches and in the spring the leaves bloom and new life arrives. New goals, plans, accomplishments. What have you accomplished this year? Life isn’t about staying safe, unless you have allergies! Life is about growth! However, we are people and not trees and we must choose which projects, goals, relationships, fun times and educational opportunities are most important. This means some things fall by the wayside. That’s ok. If it’s meant to be created, you’ll do it next year.
This is not a sad time. It’s actually quite a joyful time as well as a time of final evaluation. Have you ever noticed that many faith traditions have looking back, atonement or ancestor honoring festivals this time of year? My village had a masquerade ball last Saturday night, Dia de los Muertos, was the theme. That means Day of the Dead, a time to visit with and remember our ancestors, much like my story of Grandma and her Halloween games.
All Souls Day, All Saints Day, All Hallows Eve.The list goes on thought out other traditional as well. It’s not a coincidence. Samhain is just one that my ancestors would have celebrated. Look around, pay attention, we aren’t as different as we appear. That’s the magic. Learning about others and building relationships. The realization that time does not stand still and to bless days and nights we have spent with loved ones is precious.
They say that as long as one’s name is spoken; that person is not dead. This Halloween take some time to think about to those who have made a difference in your life. Was it a teacher? A friend? A parent? A child? A love?
They are never very far away. Their voices speak in the sound of the wind and the water.
Stephen Schwartz’ has the witches in WICKED: The Musical sing, “Because I knew you, I have been changed… For Good.” I have been change for the better for knowing you, my reader, my friend.
Many Blessings to you!
P.S. Thank you to everyone who purchased a copy of SHINE! It has reached the top of the Amazon Best Seller List in three countries. I am blessed that this is part of my harvest this year
I stay pretty booked year round for private mentoring and online consulting. I’m currently booking Professional or Personal Path Platinum Mentoring for January 2019.
Click here to set up a time to chat about YOUR most precious communication gift, YOUR VOICE, and learn to use it to your advantage in life and business! Let’s make 2019 your best year!
