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Blog: Dining with the Dead Honors the Dearly Departed

For those who are interested in Magick. This article discusses the meal ritual performed on Samhain, called The Dumb Supper, that honors ancestors. Enjoy!

Peace & Love - 

Tater the wise Spud

Dining with the Dead Honors the Dearly Departed

Oct 18, 2010 Joy Richardson

Dining with the Dead is an Ancient Tradition - Photo by H.Shapiro/ Flickr

The Dumb Supper is an ancient tradition where it's believed the dead gather with the living for a night of communion. Salem, Ma., will hold one of its own.

Dining with the dead is an ancient Witchcraft tradition that honors ancestors.

Samhain, on October 31, not only marks a new year, it is a time when the dead are honored. Samhain is the traditional Celtic New Year, and Feast of the Dead. Of all the Holy Days of the Celtic calendar, Samhain has been the only one that has survived fairly intact through the ages.

One of the more intriguing rituals conducted on Samhain is the Dumb Supper, the usage of the word "dumb" means "silent" or "without speaking." The entire dinner party is conducted without any talking. Doors or windows to the house may be left slightly open to allow spirits to enter.

Communicating with the Dead

Historically, the purpose of the Dumb Supper was to communicate with a deceased person and receive messages from them. Even today, many people maintain they still obtain messages and send reassurances during this ritual.

It’s believed that providing reassurance to the dead returns their power back to them and helps them assume their lives on the other side. The Silent Supper is a fitting memorial to the lives of the departed and the loss experienced by the living.

Dine with the Dead in Salem

This 2010 Dumb Supper Dining with the Dead in Salem, Massachusetts, will be held in on Thursday, October 28, 2010, 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Hawthorne Hotel.

Attendees are urged to bring photos and other keepsakes to summon the souls of loved ones on the other side. The Dumb Supper is one of the most solemn of all ceremonies of Witchcraft. At the event, respect for the spirits is paramount. Following tradition, the Dumb Supper must be served backwards. Therefore, dessert will be served before dinner.

The event is hosted by Salem Witch Christian Day. According to the Festival of the Dead website, the evening will open with a ceremony leading attendees to the realms of the dead, after which guests are seated and the meal begins.

From this point on, no one may speak. It’s believed that by remaining quiet, guests will open their hearts and minds to those who have crossed over. In years past, guests of the Dumb Supper have claimed to have heard messages, felt ghostly touches, and even witnessed physical manifestations of spirit energy, according to the event website.

Reasons for Ritual Food

Ritual offerings of food for the dead have been made throughout history. Paleolithic humans have often been found buried with food. Both the ancient Egyptians and Celtic people offered food for the dead in order to honor deities. Even today, Buddhists present offerings of food to the “Pretas,” thought to be goblin-like souls, for the purpose of relieving their ghostly pains.

During the Dumb Supper, it’s not believed that the spirits actually consume the food, but rather absorb its spiritual essence. The rite of the Silent Supper can be a profound and healing occasion. In a time of loss, it provides a way to rebalance, communicate, and continue.

References:

FestivalOfTheDead.com, “Dumb Supper”, accessed October 18, 2010.

SunFell.com, “The Silent Supper”, accessed October 18, 2010.

Read more at Suite101: Dining with the Dead Honors the Dearly Departed http://www.suite101.com/content/dining-with-the-dead-honors-the-dearly-departed-a298270#ixzz12reZFJYS