Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is a perfect example of how cultures change, yet survive.  Beliefs of the Mexican people go back to early Aztec and Mayan roots, with a blend of Spanish conquerors and Catholicism.

Back in the 8th century, the church decreed that November 1st would be celebrated as All Saints Day ~ a day set aside to honor martyrs and saints.  This, of course, was an attempt to gloss over another culture, since, for 2000 years, Celts and Druid priests combined harvest festivals and celebrated the new year on November 1st.

The Celtic dead, you see, were believed to have access to earth on Samhain, which fell on October 31st.  At that time, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead was lessened. To celebrate, Celts danced around huge bonfires while wearing heads and hides.

This was done to confuse the spirits.  Offerings of burned crops and animals were given to the dead who returned at that time.

Clearly this is something the church wanted to cover up.  So at the end of the first millennium, they designated November 2nd as All Souls' Day as a time to honor the dead.  To keep up with the Druid and Celtic pagenatry, All Souls' Day was celebrated with... (ready??)  huge bonfires...

...and people dressed up, though not in animal heads and hides.  Rather, they dressed as saints, angels, and devils.

Back then, All Saints Day and All Souls' Day were known as All-hallowsmas, which made October 31st "All Hallowed's Eve" or Hallow'e'en.

Getting back to Mexico... when the Spaniards arrived they met up with two-month celebrations honoring the harvest, the dead, and the new year.  This was a long-standing tradition.  For more than 500 years, the goddess Mictecacihuatl, who is the Lady of the Dead, presided over Aztec harvest rituals.  Guess what they used?  Yep.  Fire (and incense)...

...and costumes of animal skins.  To this was added images of their dead and offerings of ceramics, personal goods, flowers and foods, drink and flowers.

So the church stepped in and attempted to transform this joyous (and long) celebration into a serious (and short) day of prayer focusing on tragic images of death and reflection on saints and martyrs.  This did not meet with universal acceptance.

Instead, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day evolved into Dia de los Muertos ~ a celebration to honor the dead with color, flowers, candles, and joy.

The flowers are, as you see, marigolds.

Marigolds are traditionally used to decorate altars for Dia de los Muertos.

Called Cempazuchil, or Flower of the Dead, Marigolds go back to the Aztecs.  In the Aztec language, marigold is Xempa (which means dead) + Xochitl, meaning flower.   This was changed for easier pronunciation in the Castillian Spanish, becoming Cempazuchil. Marigolds represent the sun's rays.  Since the sun is the origin of all living things, marigolds are the symbol that the deceased have not lost their place in the universe.

And that is why this bracelet is in bright floral colors.

And that is why Day of the Dead is still celebrated.




Some day all these might be superseded by a different holiday, but I'm betting it will involve bonfires and dressing up, and a lot of good food.

And you could still wear the bracelet.

Day of the Dead BrightandShinyThings on etsy.

Return of the Three Vegetarian Witches

Once upon a time, there were three witches: Ursula, Glenda, and Medea.  

They lived together in a cottage in the woods where they mixed their potions by day and flew reconnaissance missions at night.  Their familiars ~ an owl, some black cats, spiders, a few bats ~ kept them company.  It was a good life.

But there were problems, as there always are.  The local markets carried limp produce, brown at the edges, unappealing and bland.  There were no local farmer's markets and the ones that could be reached by broomstick had some anti-broomstick ordinances in place.

So Glenda, Medea, and Ursula started to grow their own produce.

They grew herbs for their potions and vegetables for their table.  They grew greens and tomatoes and eggplants and pumpkins and giant zucchini.  Ursula even rigged a particularly large zucchini to fly like her broom.

A local skeleton helped them with the gardening.

Frank nurtured the compost bin.

And life was good.

But there were problems, as there always are.    Ursula became uncomfortable with the notion of using animal parts in their brews.  Not only was it disgusting.  Have you ever tried to remove the eye from a newt?  But it was cruel, and Ursula sat down by the cauldron with Medea and Glenda and told them her thoughts.

It turned out that Medea and Glenda has similar reservations.  They no sooner wanted to dice the tongue of a frog than sit through a Justin Bieber concert.


But witches throughout history had used these ingredients.  They were in all the spell books.  There was no Nouvelle Spell Cuisine from which to draw.

How could they make powerful potions without animal parts?

Still, the witches resolved that they would harm no more animals making their brews.  They used their organic herbs and vegetables, and the potions were  cruelty-free.  Unfortunately, they weren't especially potent.

So again they sat down to think while the cauldron simmered and bubbled.

Medea started to pace.  She walked the paths around the cottage, and as she paced, she noticed the various stones around her.  They were ordinary stones.  Some were volcanic, some sedimentary, some metamorphic.  But each was different and unique.  This gave Medea and idea.

She hurried back to the cauldron, rocks in both hands, passing some toads who fled at her approach.

"My dears," she exclaimed.  "Look at these rocks!"

Glenda and Ursula stared, not sure what Medea's point could be.

"Think about it," she said.  "Each rock is different and unique.  Each, it might be said, has a unique power."

Glenda and Ursula had to agree.  They had several volumes about rocks in their library.  "Suppose," Medea continued, "we could obtain the same powers from rocks that we obtain from caterpillar knees.  Suppose certain rocks could grant the same serenity we create with terrapin tonsils.  Would that not be a wonderful advance?"

And so Medea and Ursula and Glenda went to their books.  They read and researched and studied by night.  By day they collected stones and rocks and amulets.  They traded pattypan squash for quartz and rutabagas for aventurine and radishes for jasper.

Finally they were ready to begin their experiments.  They mixed herbs and vegetables and served them in goblets carved of gemstones.  Little by little, day by day, their potions became more powerful, more specific.

Each day was filled with new discoveries.  Each night was filled with new recipes.  Soon other witches flocked to the cottage to learn the mysteries Glenda, Medea, and Ursula had unveiled.  They started to blog about their recipes, and even began writing a cookbook.

Their goal: vegetarian witches with potent organic brews.  They would appreciate it if you would become a follower of their blog.  And maybe put in an advance order on  Amazon for the cookbook.  They'd also appreciate it if you took the pledge: I will not make potions with toad tongue.

Glenda, Ursula, and Medea thank you for your support.


Ursula, btw, is pursuing her own interests, making better flying zero-emissions zucchini to replace brooms.  She tried working with pattypan squash for a while, but found the aerodynamics challenging.

A bracelet to tell their story can be found on eBay.

A New Way to Bell the Cat

Belling the Cat

Long ago, the mice had a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the Cat. 

Some said this, and some said that; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make, which he thought would meet the case. 

"You will all agree," said he, "that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy approaches us. 

Now, if we could receive some signal of her approach, we could easily escape from her. I venture, therefore, to propose that a small bell be procured, and attached by a ribbon round the neck of the Cat. 

By this means we should always know when she was about...

...and could easily retire while she was in the neighbourhood."

This proposal met with general applause and great rejoicing.  The mice danced and laughed and high-fived each other.

...until an old mouse got up...

...and said: "That is all very well, but who is to bell the Cat?" 

The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke. The old mouse nodded his head sagely:

"It is always easy to propose impossible remedies."

Moral: It is one thing to say that something should be done, 

but quite a different matter to do it.

Kitty collars for belling the cat on etsy

Kitty and mousie charms on etsy and eBay

A Hootiful Giveaway!

A HOORAY HOORAY GIVEAWAY!

Want to win this owl pendant?  The owl is carved of alabaster, with amazing details, and wire wrapped with sterling silver.  A perfect fall piece.

Here's how you can win.  Go to the CORNERSTOREGODDESS Facebook page and hit "Like." 

Then find this post on the page and SHARE it, thus sharing the contest on your own wall.

On the Cornerstoregoddess page, leave one comment on the post you shared.  

You'll be entered to win.

When my LIKE number hits 700, I'll pull a winner using the Random Number Generator.

I'll announce the winner, contact you via FB and ship you your pendant.  No purchase is necessary to win. 

Thanks for your help and support!
http://www.facebook.com/Cornerstoregoddess  

The Creature from the Mossy Lagoon

Remember the Creature from the Black Lagoon? 

A strange prehistoric beast lurked in the depths of the Amazonian jungle. A group of scientists tried to capture the animal and bring it back to civilization for study. 

Well, this is the Creature's sweet-natured cousin. 

She lived in a mossy lagoon where she studied botany
 and all manners of flora and fauna. 

She didn't just embrace the green lifestyle. She WAS the green lifestyle.

And though that life is over, she remains a beacon of green. 

She's very popular at the skeleton's ball, not only because she dances a mean tango, but because she does the floral arrangements and heads up the recycling committee.

Mossra is available on etsy.