Crossing the Veil

Crossing the Veil

Death ~ Emily Dickinson, 1830 - 1886

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

We slowly drove, he knew no haste, 

And I had put away

My labor, and my leisure too,

For his civility.

We passed the school, where children strove

At recess, in the ring;

We passed the fields of gazing grain,

We passed the setting sun.

Or rather, he passed us;

The dews grew quivering and chill,

For only gossamer my gown,

My tippet only tulle.

We paused before a house that seemed

A swelling of the ground;

The roof was scarcely visible,

The cornice but a mound.

Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each

Feels shorter than the day

I first surmised the horses' heads

Were toward eternity.

Rewilding Witchcraft

Peter Grey, author of Apocalyptic Witchcraft, has written an article for Scarlet Imprint that impacted me, changed my breathing while reading it, and made me understand even more deeply what I knew to be true about the environment and my practice of witchcraft.  Understand that the picture that he paints so vividly and the words that he creatively scatters across the page go well beyond thought provoking.  There is nowhere to hide; no poetic covers, we, as human beings, and witches and pagans in particular, can pull over our bowed heads. 

What Peter presents is not a mere bad dream to wake ourselves from in a cold sweat washing it off with a shower and 'get on with your day' attitude; no amount of caffeine, alcohol or denial will clear the residue from our collective soul.  Once his article is read and even re-read, once the flickering light from the computer or iPhone has penetrated our corneas blinking the image away will not change our reality.  These are not mere words or thoughts of a possible event somewhere in a very distant future, it is already here and struggling outside the closed doors of our very homes. 

My suggestion? do what Peter suggests, 'live your life beautifully', embrace the wildwood, and witness to your core what wonders remain.  Be moved, live with a new clarity of awareness, see the road in front of you and walk it mindfully, purposely, eyes wide open with personal and collective action but without paranoia.  There is no other way forward than this.

Click to Read Article:  Rewilding Witchcraft

Sin Eater

To Heaven

Open thy gates

To him who weeping waits,

And might come in,

But that held back by sin.

Let mercy be

So kind, to set me free,

And I will straight

Come in, or force the gate.

Robert Herrick A 17th century English poet

 Sin Eating refers to 'a person who, through ritual means, takes on, by means of food and drink, the sins of a household, often because of a recent death, thus absolving the soul and allowing that person and their relatives to rest in peace'.

According to folklore, the term 'Sin Eater or Sin Eating' is classified as being the performance of an apotropaic, which comes from the Greek (apotrepein "to ward off" from apo- "away" and trepein "to turn") ritual which falls under the category of religious magic, an important practice in many cultures around the world.

A Little History

Dating back to the Meso-American culture we find the Aztec Goddess, Tlazolteotl, a mother goddess and bestower of gifts on her followers; The Redeemer of her people. One of her greatest attributes could be bestowed when a devotee was dying.  Pleading to her directly, the dying person or family member named their transgressions and begged that they be removed in order to have a good death, removing their sins from themselves and family members.  Hearing the cries Tlazolteotl descended, entering the home in spirit form, to 'eat the filth' of past deeds, cleansing the passage for the dying.

We also see the practice elsewhere in a different form throughout parts of Europe and the British Isles.  John Bagford, (ca.1650–1716) a British antiquarian, writer, bibliographer, ballad-collector and bookseller accounts a sin-eating ritual in his letter on Leland’s Collectanea, (Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1898)

“Notice was given to an old sire before the door of the house, when some of the family came out and furnished him with a cricket [low stool], on which he sat down facing the door; then they gave him a groat which he put in his pocket, a crust of bread which he ate, and a bowl of ale which he drank off at a draught. After this he got up from the cricket and pronounced the case and rest of the soul departed, for which he would pawn his own soul.”

Folklore states that sin eaters lived on the fringe of society.  Avoided and cut off from conversation, hospitality or a simple gaze.  Yet when the death of a loved one occurred the sin eater was sought out to perform the abominable rite so desperately needed in order to 'makes things right with God'. 

By the simple yet courageous act of eating part of the feast laid out at the wake or funeral, a piece of bread, bowl of ale or wine was left on the body either directly or on a wooded plate to absorb their sins.  Entering the home, the sin eater avoided eye contact, approached the dead, and consumed that which was purposely set aside.  The corpse's misdeeds, were swallowed, leaving the person absolved.  A coin might also be left on the body, gratuity for the act performed; peace descended and the burial could now take place. There would be no wandering ghost or ghastly visage to haunt the living.

Sin-eating survived into the 19th century and was witnessed at Market Drayton, Shropshire.  As the story goes, following the funeral service, the lady of the house poured a glass of ale wine for each pallbearer, purposely handing it to them along with the 'funeral biscuit' over the body of the deceased.  Those individuals partook in the eating of the food, garnished with sin, and completed the rite.  The custom of burial bread or cakes are still made and used in the same way as part of English custom in rural areas today.

In Upper Bavaria 'the corpse cake' has been the usual practice at funerals and lovingly placed on the breast of the dearly departed; eaten in silence by the nearest relative giving all who attend reassurance.

In Demark, 'doed-koecks', translated as 'dead-cakes' were made with the initials of the deceased cut with a knife on the surface; this custom survived with the immigrants settling in America as early as the 17th century in Old New York.  The custom also evolved into initialed cakes being given to attendants at the funeral today.

The Balkan Peninsula customs describes the making of a small bread image of the deceased, baked and eaten by the departed's relatives in honor of a life-lived and through this act, relieved of 'all the burden'.

A sin eater's reputation precedes them; thought to be destined for hell due to their chosen occupation or calling, they were themselves 'lost souls'.  Not sanctioned by the Catholic Church, sin eaters were most often excommunicated; not due to weight of the sins they carried, but for the act of crossing into unsanctioned territory of the parish priest, ignoring Church Doctrine concerning Last Rites.

Are there still sin eaters in modern culture?  Perhaps, in remote areas few of us venture into; and is it a custom that might find its way into mainstream society once again?  Perhaps...

.

Walford Davies, Richard Marggraf Turley, Damian (2006). The Monstrous Debt: Modalities of Romantic Influence in Twentieth-century Literature.

The Sin Eaters' Grave at Ratlinghope

Ferguson, Linda J. (2011). Staying Grounded in Shifting Sand: Awakening Soul Consciousness for the New Millennium. Balboa Press. p. 52. ISBN 1452541221

SacredTexts.com: Food

Encyclopaedia Britannica

Hilda Ellis Davidson (1993) Boundaries & Thresholds p.85 quotation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/

Funeral Customs by Bertram S. Puckle

Amanita bisporigera

 Synonyms: Destroying Angel; Angel of Death: Death Angel

Family: Amanitaceae

Parts: First the volva, a cuplike structure at the base of the stalk; it is the bottom part of the universal veil, an ovate membrane that envelops the lower part of the mushroom during growth phase and remains attached.  The second important feature is the gills that are deep allowing spore dispersal, with a veil tears around its circumference. The absolute whiteness and smoothness of the cap, stem and gills are striking.

Planet: Culpepper places mushrooms under Mercury in Aries. 

Element: Air

Gender: Masculine

Deity: Dionysus or Hekate

Description: Described by Bill Russell in his 'Field Guide to Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic' as having a "strange luminous aura that draws the eye" that is "easily visible from one hundred feet away with its serene, sinister, angelic radiance."

The cap described as 'glabrous' and 'viscid when wet' distinguishes it from most Amanita genus that have warty patches on their universal veils.

Size: Cap width: 2–5 inches; stalk length: 3–8 inches; stalk width: ¼–¾ inch.

Habitat: Common. Grows alone on the ground opposed to on wood, in the grass and under trees June–November.

Note: An important fungus species; symbiotic connection with tree roots; fibers of the fungus multiply tree roots' ability to absorb nutrients and water. Tree shares nutrients with the fungus.

 Lookalikes: Meadow mushroom has pink gills that turn brown.  Spores are brown, lacks saclike cup at base of stem.

Caution:  Young destroying angels that are still enclosed in their universal veil can masquerade as puffballs,.  Know your death caps and destroying angels in all stages of growth prior to harvesting any white gilled mushroom for consumption.

Toxicity: The destroying angel (Amanita bisporigera) and the death cap (Amanita phalloides) are responsible for the majority of deaths due to consumption poisoning. The toxin is 'amatoxin'. Symptoms appear within 5 to 24 hours.  Destruction of the liver and kidneys is irreversible and has already begun prior to symptoms.

Toxic Consumption Quantity: As little as half a mushroom can be fatal.  Animals, including pets and livestock, are not immune to the toxin.

Symptoms include: vomiting, cramps, delirium, convulsions, and diarrhea.

References:

A Modern Herbal (two volumes) by Mrs. Grieve

Herbal Medicine Maker's Handbook by James Green

Culpepper's Complete Herbal - Nicholas Culpeper

Death Cafe

 Wednesday was the first Death Cafe held in my area.  A simple gathering over light fare to discuss death; not a support or grief group, just people who came together to share feelings, insights and issues about the inevitable with no agenda, sales pitch, or anything to buy, just a conversation about a subject society tries to avoid.

Where did this idea come from?

The Death Cafe was developed in 2010 by Jon Underwood, a web programmer in England, who was inspired by similar concepts in Switzerland and France.

Nonprofit and nondenominational, they came to the United States in 2012. There have been 750 Death Cafes held in 17 countries, including more than 500 in the United States.

"Death has a lot of real estate in terms of cemeteries, hospitals, funerals, and hospices, but there's really nowhere for people who are alive to get together to talk about what unites us all.... so it's become the province of professionals rather than something that's held in a community," said Underwood.

NPR recently broadcast a segment about La Crosse, Wisconsin, "the town where everyone talks about death."

Nearly 96 percent of people who have died there had advance directives; nationally, only 30 percent of people who die have advance directives.

"Our hope is that people will become more comfortable discussing death with neighbors and family members, and make appropriate plans, including wills, estate planning, and advance directives to guide loved ones in the coming days," said Lindquist.

Lindquist said a Death Cafe is neither bereavement nor a grief support resource.

"We look forward to meeting people in the community who would like to discuss the needs and desires of all of us who will reach this point sooner or later," said Lindquist.

Lindquist is a Camden resident and artist, active in the community and interested in supporting aging issues and open discussions in a "nonexpert” and open setting.

To learn more: http://deathcafe.com/

The Art of Death Midwifery

An Introduction and Beginner's Guide Paperback

by Joellyn St. Pierre DDiv.

Winner of the 2009 USA Best Books Award and the 2010 International Book Award, The Art of Death Midwifery: An Introduction and Beginner's Guide, by ordained interfaith minister Joellyn St. Pierre, is a compelling and comprehensive manual for family, clergy, hospice volunteers, or medical staff engaged in the field of death and dying. In this poetic and powerful book, the author reminds us that society has thrown a veil of mystery over the process of death, thereby depriving the dying from the dignified and fearless departure they so deserve. Based on the tenet that death is neither the enemy nor a finite state, St. Pierre gives all helpmates the necessary tools to become a death midwife. That is, someone capable of acting as a spiritual guide as the dying transition from this life into what awaits them after death. Unlike many books on death and dying, this guide is leading-edge, based on the author's long experience both in lay and clergy. It is a sensitive and lyrical reminder that the dying deserve to feel empowered as they leave this life.

*                  Paperback: 272 pages

*                  Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (April 27, 2009)

*                  Language: English

*                  ISBN-10: 1439229066

*                  ISBN-13: 978-1439229064

*                  Product Dimensions: 0.6 x 8.9 x 5.9 inches

Strophalos of Hekate

Also known as Hekate's Wheel, this symbol of mystery might be seen as a connection to arcane knowledge or the soul's journey through life represented by a serpentine maze; with three main flanges whose fiery center appears to be rotating drawing the psyche forward, it is hard to ignore.

The three main arms of the wheel correspond to Hekate's triple form which resides at the axis of the three ways.  Here she holds dominion over earth, sea, and sky while waiting patiently in her guise as the Light Bearer known as Hekate Phosphoros.

The Strophalos is considered by many as the center of manifestation and according to Isaac Preston Cory's 1836 translation of the Chaldean Oracles;  "The life-producing bosom of Hekate, that Living Flame which clothes itself in Matter to manifest Existence." The disc, when rotated and concentrated upon, can alter one's consciousness allowing visual entry into the liminal state where Hekate dwells.

Used as a focal point in trance-work or ritual and illuminated by the flicker of candlelight I have, over time, found myself drawn deeper into a connection with the powerful 'Keeper of the Keys'.

"I invoke you, beloved Hekate of the Crossroads and the Three Ways

Saffron-cloaked Goddess of the Heavens, the Underworld and the Sea

Tomb-frequenter, mystery-raving with the souls of the dead

Daughter of Perses, Lover of the Wilderness who exults among the deer

Nightgoing One, Protectress of dogs, Unconquerable Queen

Beast-roarer, Dishevelled One of compelling countenance

Tauropolos, Keyholding Mistress of the whole world

Ruler, Nymph, Mountain-wandering Nurturer of youth.

Maiden, I beg you to be present at these sacred rites

Ever with a gladsome heart and ever gracious to the Oxherd."

The Orphic Hymns (1st-3rd c. AD?)

Hymn I: To Hekate

(text: w. Quant Orphei hymni Berlin 1962)

Interment

  

As a death midwife, death does not frighten me.  As to what happens after death?  this  remains a secret, one that each of us will unlock when our time comes.  Due to my work with the dying I'm interested in what different cultures adhere to surrounding death celebrations, and also what they choose as their final resting place.  

Interment is the most commonly carried out practice world-wide with the disposal of human remains consigned to earth.  But there are other choices available through the other three elements; that of water, fire or air. 

Earth Burial

The most common practice known to Westerners is inhumation, where the body is in direct contact with the earth itself or covered with a shroud. 

With the birth of the funeral industry around the time of the American Civil War, graves were lined with bricks which created a container for the casket.  The late 19th century saw the introduction of concrete burial vaults designed to protect the coffin from the weight of the earth and help maintain the burial property.  Today the average cemetery will not accept a casket or coffin unless it is contained in a burial vault or liner.

With growing popularity of 'Green Burials', most bodies can once again be buried in direct contact with the earth itself, simple and natural.  Green burial, or natural burial, ensure the burial site remains as natural as possible in all respects.  Interment of the bodies can be done in shroud, bio-degradable casket, or a favorite quilt.  No embalming fluid, no concrete vaults are necessary or even allowed.  The funeral industry argues this practice actually being 'green' due, they say, to the pollution of ground water as the body decays; why?  because of the average person's exposure to pharmaceutical drugs throughout their lifetime.  It has even come to the media's attention that prescription drugs that are disposed of via the commode, drain or landfill are also polluting our ground water.  Here's a question...have we become hazardous waste ourselves and what impact does 'pharmaceutical runoff' actually expose us to?

That being said...

Religion, geography, and the social norm influence most burial practices.  Climate and topography can also influence whether the body is buried, exposed to the air, cremated or placed in water.  Social standing can dictate how elaborate the ceremony should be based on a person's caste system or rank.

The Proto-Celts originally developed a culture of cremation and placement in urns.  Called the 'Urnfield culture' it lasted until the start of the Halstaat period; it was after this period  that the Celts slowly began the practice of inhumation also known as full body burial.

Sky Burial

Most common in Tibet where the ground is too rocky for earth interment and wood has always been scarce; the body is many times laid out or dismembered for vultures to consume.  Dissection occurs according to instructions given by a lama or tantric adept which comes from the 12th century treatise commonly known as 'The Tibetan Book of the Dead.'  Considered a gift, relatives of the deceased view this procedure as a 'giving back' to the cycle of all life.

Today with the low cost of fuel, cremation is growing in popularity dictated largely by the  growing  hospitalization of many people in Tibet due to different factors but one being that carrion birds find the smell of bodies exposed to hospital care and procedure distasteful.  As a direct result many vultures are currently driven away or poisoned in order to control their numbers.  Doesn't it seem that the more modern we become the more harm we inflict?

Cremation 
The word funeral comes from the Latin 'funus', a ceremony or ceremonies held in connection with the cremation of a dead person.

Cremation is the use of high-temperature burning, roughly 1800 - 2200 degrees, causing  vaporization and oxidation that reduce animal or human bodies to bones.  Actually, depending on the container in which the body is placed, all that remains are broken skeletal parts which are basic chemical compounds retaining the appearance of dry bone.  Pacemakers are removed prior to cremation as they are apt to explode under extreme heat resulting in damage to the chamber itself.  Cremation is an alternative to interment in a casket holding an intact dead body. Some religions today still prohibit cremation.  

The cremation procedure, for those interested, works this way.  The container holding the body may be made of wood or cardboard, it is placed in the cremation chamber or 'the retort', which is lined with fire brick. The floor of the retort is made from a special compound, resembling stone, that can withstand extreme temperatures. The chamber is closed by hand and switched on, it warms up for a few moments, and when ready, the flame is released and cremation begins.  This stage of the process takes a couple of hours.

Following the incineration process the interior goes through a cool-down of approx. 30 minutes.  The remains are raked out of the chamber and placed in a separate room on a work table.  All metal debris, screws, rods, and even staples from a cardboard container, are removed by the use of a large magnet.  The remains are then placed in a processor with metal blades and the bones are reduced to a coarse sand consistency called 'cremains'.  Some very fine bone dust is also present resembling ash. The final product is placed within a temporary container, box or urn and returned to the family.  Commonly remains are kept, buried in a vault in a cemetery or scattered.

Other cultures around the world, India along Mother Ganges for example, burn bodies along the shore, and dispose of them in the river.

Water Burial

We are all familiar with the term 'Burial at Sea', most times carried out by the crew of a ship.  This form of burial was necessary as the dead could not be preserved long enough to reach their homeland.  However there is a more religious, mystical reason for this form of interment observed by the ancients.  It was their belief that water links the dead to the Immortal Realm.  The deceased were sent off in ships, leaving those behind who prayed to the gods that their loved one or chieftain would safely return to them in another form.  

Some cultures still wrap the body, weigh it down with stones and let it sink to the bottom of the sea or lake.  Others leave their dead on the shore for the tide to claim them.  Many people spread the cremated remains of a family member or friend into the arms of the ocean, life's place of origin.

Whatever we decide to do with our remains when we shuffle off this mortal coil, the idea of returning by way of the elements gives me, at least, a sense of returning home.

(Painting: Death Crowning Innocence by George Frederic Watts).

Beneath the Shroud

copyright 2013

I am a practicing death midwife.  Recently, while exploring myths and legends surrounding death, I came across this poem. I wanted to share it with you.

The reference to witchcraft creates a palpable atmosphere when times were dangerous and filled with mystery. Although the finality of death awaits us all, this particular poem's evocative imagery of release and liberation describes how nothing will matter once the last breath is expelled.

Straightforward, Shakespeare's pen to paper reveals his 'fear not' final salute to all who draw breath.

 We are all the same in the final hour.  All equal beneath the shroud.

Yet I believe in the spirit eternal.  For no matter what is done with our remains, be assured dear friend, our spirit endures.

It soars untethered to our fleeting grandeur, past  social standing or enduring strife.

Fear no more the heat o' the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages;
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o' the great;
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke:
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning-flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan;
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.

No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have;
And renowned be thy grave!

Cymbeline Act 1V, Scene 2
William Shakespeare