This year due to Pandemic and Physical Distancing, all social gathering in public places are suspended. So the Filipino Tradition of celebrating Undas in commemorating the souls of our departed love one’s will not happen in the cemetery for this year. Our City Mayor already has made an ordinance that from October 28 to November 4, they will tighten up the security to prevent people going to the cemetery on those days. This is in response to the prevention of the spread of corona virus.
But this law does not mean that we will stop giving our love to our departed love ones. And it does not mean that our relationship to our relatives will stop because of this ordinance.
Every year aside from Christmas and New Year, All Saints Day and All Souls Day which we collectively call as Undas Season is a special holiday which moves all Families to gather in the Cemetery to join in the Feast of the Dead. During those times we see our cousins, uncle and aunties. At those times we are able to meet new family members if our cousins get married or if they introduce their partners to the clan. Yes I use the word clan because it is not only your immediate family members you are going to meet but also you are going to meet all other families that are rooted from the memories of your departed love ones.
And for me this gathering is not just a mundane celebration, but it is spiritual practices of venerating our ancestor as group of families gather around the grave of the departed, retelling the stories of the life of their beloved departed. This year, we may not be able to do that but do not worry because there are other ways how we can celebrate the memories of our beloved departed ones using modern technology.
We who are still living have our physical bodies to use in creating and recreating our world where we live. And our departed love one has their Spirit that exists in the celestial realms that could guide us in our daily life.
So this new moon in preparation for the Undas which also is a Blue Moon, we can offer our plans to the Ancestral Spirits that they could guide us for the next month or even for the whole year. In some cultural tradition, The Day of The Dead or Undas is the real New Year. As death give us opportunity to start a new life. Either for the Spirit of our Beloved Departed to be free from physical suffering, and for us who are still living to continue our life a new until the day we come to reunite again with our ancestors.
As we come to make our new declaration. Think of the past works that you are doing in life. Ask yourself if you already have attained your goal in life. If not what are the things that you need in order to attain it? If you have not made anything yet for your life, ask yourself what are the things you want to have in your life? Check yourself of what you have right now. Thank the Spirits for giving that in your life. And from that Use it as a tool so that you may accomplish your soul.
Look inside yourself as well, at this time, check for any unwanted energies that is enveloping you right now. Any hurt feelings, negative thought forms that stuck in your system, all those things that slow you down to move forward in achieving the better life that you should have.
Today, declare to yourself that you are Free. All of the Things of the Past are already in the Past. You are now given this opportunity to become New Today. It is now and not later nor tomorrow nor on the other day nor on the days to come, but Now! Grab this opportunity to live in the present moment, in the here and now attitude. It is not Later but it is now.
It is nice to have this opportunity to start new again. Without all the burden of worry, fear, doubt, sorrow and so on and so forth. The Magick here is the word Now and the things you can do Now. Probably at this moment, you are listening to this podcast. Acknowledge this moment as part of your own personal accomplishment in life. Every action, every movement that you do are accomplishment that you do in Here and Now. But in your movement and actions, be always mindful of the reactions that you will have in your actions. Will what you do help you to become a better person? Always think of that as well as think if your actions will not only benefit you but also other people which we call as Kapwa.
This is what I believe that our Ancestors want us to be which is Now. They already are gone in this world. But you as part of your ancestors are in Here and Now. Through your existence they will continue to live their life through you. And through You, their works and blessings will go long way towards the future. Our existence in here and now is a proof that our ancestors are guiding us. They allow us to continue to live our life in this world. And through our Life in Here and Now, may we continue to make this world to be a better place to live in.
Dambana ng Luntiang Aghama 