1st-2nd: Día de los Muertos
9th: New Moon in Scorpio
16th: Night of Hecate
22nd: Night of Shiva
24th: Super Full Beaver Moon in Taurus
26th: Thanksgiving
29th: Feast of Hathor
November brings with it the last month of harvest. The Wheel of Fortune–our card of the year–tilts us towards the energy of embodiment. Embodiment is a state where we can sustain our pleasure, our desire, that which brings us life. We can happily exist in our full, messy and imperfect expression as we come into alignment with supportive communities we can thrive in. Our gifts are truly recognized, our heart’s desire embraced, and we feel encouraged to express them in the world at large. Old patterns and ways of life die, ancestors lend us their strength, and gratitude takes root in our hearts.
The month begins with the energy of el Día de los Muertos, in which we can commune with our ancestors and celebrate their lives. They often have messages for us, a few of which are channeled in the reading below. The 9th brings with it the New Moon in Scorpio. The Dark Feminine stirs. We let the old die, which serves as fuel to the fire of our eros. We traverse the liminal on the 16th with crossroads goddess Hecate as our guide on the Night of Hecate. The Night of Shiva on the 22nd mirrors themes of destruction and renewal, a new reality created in every moment. Two days later, the Super Full Beaver Moon in Taurus helps us to prepare and persist in building healthy foundations and a safe environment for ourselves where we can endure the coming season. Thanksgiving reminds us to practice gratitude. Finally, on the 29th, the Feast of Hathor pulls us back into a celebratory mood in which we can experience music, joy, and dancing.
This month, we use the Altar Spread from the Ofrenda Oracle, which takes inspiration from the Day of the Dead. The accompanying booklet explains that: “just as an altar is built in three tiers, so is the spread.”
What will help me purify my ancestral relationship? The Clouds ~We Don’t Talk About Bruno from Encanto~
Like Pepa in the film Encanto, storm clouds form above our heads when we undergo negative emotions. To purify our relationship with the ancestors, we need to allow the clouds to clear. We do this by bringing ourselves into a calm, parasympathetic state. In the long-term, this translates to embodiment, in which we can sustainably hold ourselves in our eros. This can be achieved through various tools–meditation, mindfulness, somatics, tantra, working with the vagus nerve, entering a creative flow state, etc. The key is relaxation and pleasure. We are asked to be patient with ourselves as we develop this practice, and rebuild our foundations from the ground up.
How can I best create a bridge of communication? The Tower ~All Of You from Encanto~
In the film Encanto, in the pursuit of our heart’s desire, cracks have formed in our foundations and brought the old house (tower) tumbling down. We may feel bereft, stripped of our powers and uncertain of our actions leading up to this. But it’s at this point of no return that we can let slip our falsehoods and make a real assessment, coming together as a community and reaching out for the support we need. The key to building a bridge of communication is to let go of the old narratives and identity stories formed around trauma, and recognize the beauty of our embodied soul. We are the real gift, the real blessing. Just like the song, the ancestors see “how bright [we] burn. . . how brave [we’ve] been,” and now it’s our turn to recognize ourselves in the same light. When we see ourselves as the gift, we can let the ancestors in. They too are transformed into their magical, embodied selves, who can offer us love and support from a place wise and well.
This is what my ancestors ask of me at this time: The Skeletons ~Un Poco Loco from Coco~
The ancestors ask us this month to celebrate and be joyful, to not take ourselves so seriously. We can be silly, or “a little crazy” and put shoes on our head–per the lyrics in “Un Poco Loco.” Though we may have obligations, to-do lists, and harbor a million other emotions, we’re reminded to have fun and enjoy the present. Life isn’t always about processing trauma from the past or future-planning and manifesting the life of our dreams. We will never reach the perpetual carrot on the stick we’ve held in front of us, so why not stop to grab the carrot and eat it where we are now? In the end, that’s all it really takes to step into embodiment and live our heart’s desire. Gratitude can be a helpful practice to get us there–for the roof over our heads, the food in our bellies, a loving family, friend group, or community–whatever it is that we feel lucky to have in our lives and would love to experience more of.
Message being understood from me to the ancestors: The Guitar ~Remember Me (Reunion) from Coco~
Our ancestors want us to know that they can hear us when we sing to them, when we connect to them through music, or remember them through storytelling. As in the lyrics of “Remember Me,” they know that we hold them in our hearts every night, in the only way we can from afar. They understand when we set their pictures on the altar, and when we set out their favorite foods for them or play music that they liked when they were alive. All these things reach them, not just on the Day of the Dead but throughout the year. They can feel when we are thinking of them, and in that way they live on in the afterworld.
Message I’m ready to receive from my ancestors: The Butterfly ~Dos Oruguitas from Encanto~
It may be that we–us and the person we’re closest to–began this life as caterpillars learning to navigate an ever-changing world, as in the song “Dos Oruguitas.” We’ve learned to hold each other, and ourselves, as we’ve kept growing at a pace too slow for us to see. But we’re encouraged to be patient, because miracles are coming, our chrysalises are coming. It may be that we go down separate paths for a time to focus on our own futures. We may feel disoriented with new dreams in our hearts and unsure of how they go together. But rather than question the how, we are asked to bring our walls down so that the miracle can come forth. We no longer have to endure the way we have; we can fly into the future that awaits us. We don’t have to worry about losing our beloved when we step forward into embodiment and our heart’s desire. Our partner (spouse, best friend, companion, whoever it is) has their own pace and their own path, but they will join us there and enjoy the miracle of shared embodiment together.
What act of devotion can I offer the Beloved Dead from this experience? The Book ~Proud Corazón from Coco~
The Beloved Dead would like us to devote a book to them–whether that looks like writing a book, or a song–something that celebrates our love for family that they can all join in on. They want to gather around our stories, sing along to our songs, dance to our choreographies, partake in our recipes. To love and live on together as a happy family that gathers in pride around all we have become. They want to celebrate us this month, to get a little crazy together. To “convivir”ーto live with–us in our homes. To offer us their gifts–resilience, the power of joy, story, creation–whenever we need them to lean on. We are never alone, but in a magical house that’s always bursting with life and activity. The devotion of a book–even a notebook dedicated to dreams or memories of family–heightens everyone’s sense of joy and togetherhood–ours and theirs.
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Zoe