The Witching...Months?

This is a great backdrop for a novel, or a seance. There seems to be a pervasive idea across various cultures about the months between September to November to be a time when the veil between the living world and the spiritual world is at its thinnest. I feel there must be something to this because of the various cultures that did believe this without having a connection to one another. Any thoughts?

Samhain - November 1^st but celebrations start at sunset on October 31st, on Samhain Eve. Dates back to the ancient Celts who lived 2,000 years ago. On October 31st, the fires within the home are extinguished, families do a good "fall" cleaning to clear out the old and make way for the new.

Villages would begin the formal ceremonies of Samhain by lighting a giant bonfire. The people would gather around the fire to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.

During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, and danced around the bonfire. These costumes were adorned for three primary reasons.

1.    Honor the dead who were allowed to rise from the Otherworld. The Celts believed that souls were set free from the land of the dead during the eve of Samhain.

2.    Some souls were feared as they would return to the physical world and destroy crops, hide livestock or 'haunt' the living who may have done them wrong. The second reason for these traditional costumes was to hide from these malevolent spirits to escape their trickery.

3.    Honor the Celtic Gods and Goddesses of the harvest, fields and flocks.

Day of the dead - November 1st. Aztec tradition from 3,000 years ago. During the days of the Dead (October 31^st to November 1^st/2^nd), some believe that the souls of the departed return to earth to visit with and to provide council or give advice to family and loved ones.  There is a belief that this is true every day, but that November 2nd is the day set aside to remember and honor those who have past.

Chuseok - late September or early October. celebrated to give thanks to dead ancestors for an abundant harvest.

Pitru Paksha (Fortnight of the Ancestors) - Usually between September and October. This Hindu tradition is a fifteen-day period during the Hindu month of Ashwin where a person remembers their ancestors, particularly through offerings of food. The Hindu month of Ashwin is the seventh month of the lunisolar Hindu calendar. 

Life Analogies

Life can be simple to explain despite its complexities in actually experiencing it. 

There are many analogies to life. Life is like a wheel – there are ups and downs. Life is like the ocean – calms and storms. Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get. Analogies that make sense and make you exclaim “Yes! This is how I FEEL.” 

Describing life then is more about finding a way to convey perfectly all of the EMOTIONS life brings, rather than a scientific description. 

The other day I saw a photograph that maybe suited my feelings about life. I was sitting in a lazy boy chair at a community acupuncture center and on the wall was a large photograph of a rickety bridge made of rope and wooden steps from a first person point of view. The bridge seemed suspended in fog, and in the distance the viewer could make out further steps and the faint outline of a beautiful, peaceful, leafy tree – one you might imagine Buddha to have sat under to meditate. 

So life is like an old, rope bridge – some steps are sure and some are broken or missing. The bridge leads to nirvana, and people may walk alongside you or behind or in front of you, but in the end the journey is your own. You might make it to the end, and other times the step cracks and you go hurtling through the fog. This can tie into sayings like “she was holding onto life by a thin thread.” 
Taking this one step further maybe you take the analogy to envision that if you are an evil person you fall short and get snapped up by hungry crocodiles. If you are a good person you can continue floating downwards until you end up at the peaceful tree - magically.

"Magic isn't an exact science. If it were...it'd be science." -Jenkins (The Librarians, TV Show) 

Urban Ubtan (For the Face)

An inexpensive, all natural face mask that leaves my skin soft and glowing...I’m obsessed with this ancient, but new-to-me facial mask that I happened upon during a short trip to Dallas. 

On our last day we had some time to kill before our flight and stopped in at a South Asian supermarket before returning our rental. I love any mask with turmeric (why? see below!) so decided to give this a try and now it’s my favorite go-to mask.

Ubtan is a face pack made of natural powdered ingredients and was traditionally used for South Asian brides before their wedding day. There are many variations of Ubtan, but this seems to be the most popular combo.

It’s a bit messy in that you need to mix the powder with a liquid to make a paste, so if you’re not careful it can get everywhere and turmeric can be staining. BUT it’s totally worth it for the results!

You can go ahead and purchase this brand online, I've seen it on Amazon.com or if you see it by chance in a South Asian store - grab it! You can also easily and cheaply buy all of the ingredients above and make the mask on your own. 

I’m lazy and right handed so I just pour out some powder into my left palm, and using my right hand I gently pour my liquid of choice into the powder, mix the two gently so the powder doesn’t go flying, and then start applying to my face.  

But you can also use a glass or steel bowl (don’t use plastic it will stain your plastic), and then apply using a spare makeup brush for even application. Let it dry completely and then pat to moisten and then wash off. It will be pretty stiff so you should moisten a bit before washing so that it comes off more easily. When moist you can even rub it in a few times to exfoliate.

The box suggests using plain ol’ water, but I use buttermilk to make mine into a paste. You can also use regular milk or rose water. Why milk you ask? See below for all the benefits of this mask:

Gram Flour (Besan):  This is ground up chickpeas. There are some 15 benefits to this gluten-free flour, but bottom line it helps to balance and brighten skin.

Turmeric: In its powdered form, it is a grounded up version of the roots of the curcuma longa plant. It has numerous benefits as well, but overall is anti-bacterial, brightening, and stimulates cell growth to improve skin elasticity making it anti-aging.

Barley Flour: Another ingredient with tons of benefits, barley is rich in selenium which helps in improving the elasticity of the skin, keeping it toned and bouncy. Barley is also anti-inflammatory which will reduce the occurrence of acne.

Sandalwood Powder (Chandan): Love the scent of sandalwood! This also helps with softening, brightening, and is also anti-inflammatory.

Optional:

Milk/Buttermilk: Due to the lactic acid in milk, applying it on your face and body can shrink pores, brighten, and moisturize. Buttermilk is fermented milk and therefore has more lactic acid than regular and will be more beneficial.

Rosewater: If you’re not onboard the rosewater train yet, this is distilled water infused with rose petals. Like the ingredients above, it helps with toning, softening, and restoring skin pH balance.