GARDEN ALTARS: WE COME FROM SOMEWHERE TOOLKIT
Many cultural and spiritual traditions across the world mark the season between Fall and Winter with festivals, celebrations and rituals of remembrance -- such as All Hallows Eve (Halloween), Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), All Souls and All Saints Day, and Samhain. Many traditions recognize this as in-between time and space, or ‘thin space,’ when it’s imagined that not much movement is needed to go between worlds and those we love in spirit might be closest. The Chicago Torture Justice Center (CTJC) works through a Politicized Healing model. We recognize that remembering ancestors puts us in touch with the trauma and loss held in our bodies, spirits, and communities -- particularly for Black, Brown and Indigenous people. As we remember and grieve, we seek to heal not only from trauma due covid-19 and police violence, but also from incredible harm and loss in courts, jails and carceral facilities and from centuries of dispossession in our communities. We name the loss, the pain, the rage -- as well as our defiance, resilience, radical care, and unapologetic joy -- ALL as part of what it means to grieve and honor ancestors. We claim all of this as part of what it means to be in relationship with grief and with healing. As part of what it means to find our own place within these legacies. We invite you into this season of remembering our ancestors and those we love who have gone before. We can acknowledge that none of our ancestors were perfect -- they were real people, too -- and still draw needed inspiration for today. Remembering a loved one who has passed may also bring up feelings of anger, sadness, longing, hurt, despair, dissociation, joy, hope, connection, peace, frustration. Whatever you are feeling right now is okay. We hope these practices and resources can support deeper reflection and healing practice, and help you nurture your own resilience.
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