The Day of the Dead with Grace Sesma
"Death can allow us to live
our lives more joyfully."
Grace Sesma
Connect with your ancestors through the rich traditions of the Mexican observance Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead). Release yourself from grief, anger, and painful interactions with relatives who have passed, to receive deeper heart-healing and peace - and a new way of celebrating and honoring life, death, and living.
On the Shift Network September 6 - October 18 2022
Module 1: Engage the Living Traditions of the Mexican Day of the Dead
Module 2: Honoring the Sacred — Vibrant Ancestral Remembrance Rituals
Module 3: La Catrina — Being Your Authentic Self
Module 4: Healing Our Ancestors & Ourselves
Module 5: Mending-Relationships Ceremony & the Meso-American View of the Human Body
Module 6: Welcoming the Dead With an Ofrenda
Module 7: Becoming a Good Ancestor — Linking Breath, Mind & Spirit With Prayer
Course Bonuses ~ Descriptions
Dia de Muertos in Art & Community
Video Dialogue With Grace Alvarez Sesma and Lilia Ramirez
In this plática (heart-to-heart talk), Grace and artist Lilia Ramirez of Liliflor Arte share how the celebration known as Día de Muertos was observed by Lilia’s family, and how that influences her paintings. Lilia also shares the ways she uses her art and understanding of Mexican (Aztec) cosmology to create public Día de Muertos altars, and the ways in which non-private altars and celebrations affect the non-Mexican community’s interactions.
Reclaiming Our Roots & Rituals
Video Dialogue With Grace Alvarez Sesma and Pegi Eyers
Join Grace and Pegi Eyers, author of the award-winning book Ancient Spirit Rising: Reclaiming Your Roots & Restoring Earth Community as they talk about the increasing number of people wishing to discover their authentic self-identity in the reclaiming and revival of cultural traditions. The profound wisdom of ancestral practices such as Día de Muertos has been set aside or forgotten through diaspora, but can be regained and celebrated in a respectful and joyful way that reflects healthy pride in our own heritage.
Dia de Muertos Journal
PDF Workbook From Grace Alvarez Sesma
You’ll receive a beautiful journal to use during your time in this course with Grace. Inside, you’ll find questions and quotes to help you reflect, ponder, and doodle as you move through the seven modules. Write as much or as little as you like — about your thoughts, feelings, and reactions to what’s shared during each class. If you like to write freehand, you can print your journal out and write on hard copy. If you prefer to write using your computer, you can type directly in the blank pages. This is a great place to jot down ideas for creating your unique Día de Muertos altar and celebration, and for reflecting on personal, familial, and social traditions.
Releasing Stagnant Energies With Stone Cleansing
Video Teaching From Grace Alvarez Sesma
Learn a unique ritual from the Mexican curanderismo tradition that uses a stone to cleanse and release stagnant emotional energy from your body, mind, and spirit. Grace explains step by step how to mindfully perform this easy-to-do healing practice to help you release worries and stress. It’s also a gentle and powerful practice that’s safe to use with children.
European Traditions of Remembering the Dead
Video Dialogue With Grace Alvarez Sesma and Andras Corban-Arthen
Immerse yourself in Grace’s conversation with Andras Corban-Arthen — president of the European Congress of Ethnic Religions and founder of the EarthSpirit Community — as they discuss ancestral traditions of the original peoples of Europe and Mexico. With mutual respect, we can learn from one another’s culture about death as transformation; the importance of cultivating community, ceremonies, and Mother Earth; and living with rooted awareness of those who came before us and those who come after us.
On the Shift Network September 6 - October 18 2022
Module 1: Engage the Living Traditions of the Mexican Day of the Dead
Module 2: Honoring the Sacred — Vibrant Ancestral Remembrance Rituals
Module 3: La Catrina — Being Your Authentic Self
Module 4: Healing Our Ancestors & Ourselves
Module 5: Mending-Relationships Ceremony & the Meso-American View of the Human Body
Module 6: Welcoming the Dead With an Ofrenda
Module 7: Becoming a Good Ancestor — Linking Breath, Mind & Spirit With Prayer
Course Bonuses ~ Descriptions
Dia de Muertos in Art & Community
Video Dialogue With Grace Alvarez Sesma and Lilia Ramirez
In this plática (heart-to-heart talk), Grace and artist Lilia Ramirez of Liliflor Arte share how the celebration known as Día de Muertos was observed by Lilia’s family, and how that influences her paintings. Lilia also shares the ways she uses her art and understanding of Mexican (Aztec) cosmology to create public Día de Muertos altars, and the ways in which non-private altars and celebrations affect the non-Mexican community’s interactions.
Reclaiming Our Roots & Rituals
Video Dialogue With Grace Alvarez Sesma and Pegi Eyers
Join Grace and Pegi Eyers, author of the award-winning book Ancient Spirit Rising: Reclaiming Your Roots & Restoring Earth Community as they talk about the increasing number of people wishing to discover their authentic self-identity in the reclaiming and revival of cultural traditions. The profound wisdom of ancestral practices such as Día de Muertos has been set aside or forgotten through diaspora, but can be regained and celebrated in a respectful and joyful way that reflects healthy pride in our own heritage.
Dia de Muertos Journal
PDF Workbook From Grace Alvarez Sesma
You’ll receive a beautiful journal to use during your time in this course with Grace. Inside, you’ll find questions and quotes to help you reflect, ponder, and doodle as you move through the seven modules. Write as much or as little as you like — about your thoughts, feelings, and reactions to what’s shared during each class. If you like to write freehand, you can print your journal out and write on hard copy. If you prefer to write using your computer, you can type directly in the blank pages. This is a great place to jot down ideas for creating your unique Día de Muertos altar and celebration, and for reflecting on personal, familial, and social traditions.
Releasing Stagnant Energies With Stone Cleansing
Video Teaching From Grace Alvarez Sesma
Learn a unique ritual from the Mexican curanderismo tradition that uses a stone to cleanse and release stagnant emotional energy from your body, mind, and spirit. Grace explains step by step how to mindfully perform this easy-to-do healing practice to help you release worries and stress. It’s also a gentle and powerful practice that’s safe to use with children.
European Traditions of Remembering the Dead
Video Dialogue With Grace Alvarez Sesma and Andras Corban-Arthen
Immerse yourself in Grace’s conversation with Andras Corban-Arthen — president of the European Congress of Ethnic Religions and founder of the EarthSpirit Community — as they discuss ancestral traditions of the original peoples of Europe and Mexico. With mutual respect, we can learn from one another’s culture about death as transformation; the importance of cultivating community, ceremonies, and Mother Earth; and living with rooted awareness of those who came before us and those who come after us.
The Elements of a Mexican Dia de Muertos Ofrenda (Altar) And their Meanings
BY MAESTRA GRACE SESMA
While this is a nice graphic, I circled in red the words, “Christian iconography reveals the holiday's European roots” because, in my opinion, the explanation given for the cross being on the altar is incorrect since Dia de Muertos is known to have its roots in the Indigenous Nations of what is now known as México. And in fact, the graphic asserts the Indigenous origins of Dia de Muertos at the very top of the graphic contradicting the later reference to its origins.
The Native four directions cross, which represents the four directions, and, for some, the tree of life, with its equidistant arms predates the arrival of the Christian crucifix/sword cross. In many instances, Indigenous peoples used the Christian cross to avoid persecution. Hiding the Native four directions cross and using the Christian cross allowed Indigenous peoples to safely practice Indigenous ceremonies and spirituality.
Today, there may be various reasons for Catholic/Christian iconography on an altar: it can be due to colonization, syncretism, or personal belief and preference. Many Indigenous peoples follow both Native and Christian traditions, and use representations from both cultures on their altars.
Protect Dia de Muertos. Respect the profound sacrifices our ancestors made to preserve our traditions.
Photo credit: Sandy Coronilla and Molly Zisk, The Register. Sourced online via the Smithsonian Latino Center, SDSU Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies.
The Native four directions cross, which represents the four directions, and, for some, the tree of life, with its equidistant arms predates the arrival of the Christian crucifix/sword cross. In many instances, Indigenous peoples used the Christian cross to avoid persecution. Hiding the Native four directions cross and using the Christian cross allowed Indigenous peoples to safely practice Indigenous ceremonies and spirituality.
Today, there may be various reasons for Catholic/Christian iconography on an altar: it can be due to colonization, syncretism, or personal belief and preference. Many Indigenous peoples follow both Native and Christian traditions, and use representations from both cultures on their altars.
Protect Dia de Muertos. Respect the profound sacrifices our ancestors made to preserve our traditions.
Photo credit: Sandy Coronilla and Molly Zisk, The Register. Sourced online via the Smithsonian Latino Center, SDSU Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies.
RECLAIMING THE HALLOWED
For Euro-Diasporians
We need to remember that “hallow” is another word for sacred! The popular celebration of Halloween today, is NOT a remembrance or an honoring of the Ancestors. It it a misappropriation of European Pagan traditions, and has become focused on blood and gore, spiderwebs, costumes and cartoon characters. We need to reject the commercial and secular aspects of [Halloween], reclaim our sacred Samhain traditions, and venerate the memory of our own ancestors.
text and image © Grace Sesma
text and image © Grace Sesma
Dia De Los Muertos
BY GRACE SESMA
Founder at Curanderismo, the Healing Art of Mexico
Today, on 1 Kame (Maya), which is a special day to honor our ancestors, it is fitting that my Dia de Muertos course through The Shift Network, begins. I want to especially thank Lilliflor of Liliflor Art, whose gorgeous cultural art often blesses my Curanderismo page, Pegi Eyers, author of Ancient Spirit Rising, Reclaiming Your Roots & Restoring Earth Community, and Rev. Andras Corban-Arthen, President of the European Congress of Ethnic Religions, for engaging in good conversations with me about respectfully reclaiming ancestral traditions, identity and heritage, and art for healing, social justice, and the preservation of traditional ways. And for their kindness in allowing me to offer recordings of our pláticas for my Dia de Muertos/Day of the Dead classes. I know that all who listen will enjoy and benefit from your knowledge and experience.
May the Ancestors enjoy the offerings of copal, sage, and tobacco lifted in their honor, and may they bless our work. For all our relations. Grace Sesma, 1 Kame / September 6, 2022
Art by Liliflor Art
Book cover, Ancient Spirit Rising:
Reclaiming Your Roots & Restoring Earth Community
Pegi Eyers is the author of Ancient Spirit Rising: Reclaiming Your Roots & Restoring Earth Community, an award-winning book that explores strategies for social justice, uncolonization, ethnocultural identity, building land-emergent community & resilience in times of massive change. Available from Stone Circle Press or Amazon |