by L.A. Maciel
‘Tis the season to talk about death! Leaves are dying, the weather is getting colder, and if you believe in an afterlife, the veil is thinning. All the ghosties and ghoulies come out to play on Samhain day! Well, around this time in the Northern Hemisphere, that is.
It’s a day to remember our dead loved ones, celebrate life and the witch’s new year, yet with every Samhain there is mentioning of “the Veil”. The Veil between the living and the dead.
But, what if you don’t believe in an afterlife?
As pantheists, it’s hard to accept the idea of an afterlife, especially since there isn’t any scientific proof.
Until I heard Aaron Freeman’s beautiful idea on why you should have a physicist give your eulogy, I had a hard time understanding how I could truly celebrate Samhain. I’d set up altars with pictures of deceased family and friends, even pets! But, I never truly thought that they’d visit. The whole event made me sad that I couldn’t see them anymore, that I only had their memories.
Then I read Freeman’s eulogy idea and it all made sense.
Whenever I read this piece, I realize that this is why we should celebrate Samhain. Why it’s important to understand how energy works. Because we all die, but the energy that makes up our physical bodies doesn’t.
In a small minuscule way, our loved ones are with us all the time, and we shouldn’t be sad when we celebrate. So, I wish you all a happy Samhain!
Remember that energy is always moving and never dies.
We just stop being orderly.
About the Author:
L. A. Maciel grew up the youngest of four to Portuguese immigrants, in a small town in Northern California, surrounded by redwoods. The love of writing has been with her since she could remember. Scribbling lines in journals and trying to form sentences from the little words that she knew how to spell. Constantly being told that she should, “get a real job,” she gave up on her dreams of becoming a writer.
Now, facing her fears, she is pushing herself out of her comfort zone, moved to a big city (she is a small town girl), and living the life she wants. When she isn’t daydreaming about her fictional worlds and characters, you can find her reading, writing, playing and listening to music, baking, and studying weird things (preferably, the occult).
She loves to meet new people, though she is a bit (big understatement) of an introvert. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to contact her!
The Pantheist Pagan 
well written and beautiful