Shapeshifters are those who shift their reality from one state of being to the next. I guess that makes us all shapeshifters, then. But what about intentional shapeshifting?
Most of us have a deadly fear of change & so resist it at great cost. The funny thing about it is that it’s going to happen anyway!
from LADayoftheDead.com
Dia De Los Muertos – Day of the Dead – is a celebration of the merging of Life & Death, & it holds some great lessons on transformation. Rituals celebrated by indigenous cultures in Mexico can be traced back 3,000 years. Death, is not seen as sorrowful, but as part of a natural cycle – a time to remember deceased ancestors & to commune with them as they happily pay us a visit on this day when the veil between worlds is lifted.
Shapeshifters often wear elaborate costumes, especially symbolizing animals & birds, & dance to the rhythm of drums to facilitate the feeling of change, thereby aiding in the actual change itself.
We can engage in this practice to help us through any kind of transition & ultimate transformation in our lives! You don’t have to put on an elaborate bird costume if you lose your job, send your kid off to college, move away from your best friend, or experience the physical death of a loved one, but you can engage in the same practice on a mini scale.
Dress up for Halloween, if only in a mask for the evening, wear an out-of-character outfit to feel your way into the transition, prepare a special meal that honors your transformation – anything that is intentional & creates a conscious shift for you. It says, “I can do this”, “I’m willing to walk, with faith, into the unknown”, “I accept life on life’s terms”. Offer up a prayer of thanks for your safe arrival on the other side of it – whatever “it” is.
Embrace the cycle of Life, Death, & Rebirth. As always, I appreciate your thoughtful comments. Happy Dia De Los Muertos!
