Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? Dining with the Dead! (Part 1)

Have you ever attended a Dumb Supper on All Hallow’s Eve where you served the dead?

We understand the concept of death as spirit leaving the body. But, what about the idea of spirits returning for dinner?

 Our love for the deceased is shown by talking to them in their burial place, lighting candles for them in places of worship, and displaying their pictures. On the anniversary of their passing we have moments of silence, song, and food where we live, work, and pray. 

So, is setting a place for the dead at our dinner table going too far?

Those who practice the Dumb Supper on All Hallow’s Eve don’t think so. The Dumb Supper is a reverent event that discourages conversation of any kind. 

Dumb Supper literally means quiet meal—mum’s the word–Shhh! 

It takes place on Samhain, which is All Hallow’s Eve or Halloween.  This practice, celebrated worldwide, is one of the largest gatherings at the Festival of the Dead in Salem, MA. 

Why would the veil between the living and the dead be thinner on this particular day than any other? Because, intention is a powerful tool. And , perhaps Collective Intention empowered through prayer and meditation, can literally pull that curtain aside so the dead can once again share time and space in the land of the living in the form of a spiritual supper.

Here is how the Dumb Supper works. 

After the family meal is cooked, the table is set with an empty place setting filled with food.

 This extra setting is for all the family ancestors to come and enjoy a meal with the living family members. 

Photographs of the deceased are often placed on the table as an invitation--the the first step in manifesting a desired outcome.

Join me one week from now for part 2 of Dining with the Dead when we will explore The 5 important rules for breaking bread with the dead.

Bio:Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos, author, Intuitive Life Coach, survived three breast cancers found  by her dreams, wrote SURVIVING CANCERLAND: Intuitive Aspects of Healing (Cypress House, Jan 2014) http://tinyurl.com/p7cjfxa   websites: Surviving Cancerland http://www.survivingcancerland.com/   & AccessYourInnerGuide, Hosts Living Well Talk Radio, Om Times Magazine contributor, Cancer Q&A columnist CapeWomenOnlineMagazine, Dream Queen columnist- Wellness Woman 40 & Beyond, BreastCancerYoga, http://www.yourdreaminterpretation.com/about-us/,WakeUpWomen; R.A. BLOCH Cancer Foundation Hotline Counselor. Represented by Steve Allen Media