Día de Muertos - Laura González

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What if death isn’t an ending, but a return to rest—and a reason to feed ancestors with flowers, fruit, and favorite foods? We invite Reverend Laura González to guide us through the deeper roots of Día de Muertos, far beyond costumes and candy. Laura opens the door to a pre‑colonial worldview where time moves in cycles, not lines: the blooming of flowers, the falling of fruit, and the seeds we leave for those who come after us. We unpack Mictlan as a place of dreaming rather than dread, and why skulls symbolize transformation, not horror.

Together we trace how colonization compressed forty days of indigenous honoring into two Catholic feast days, and what survived that shift: offerings, story, and communal care. Laura walks us through building a meaningful ofrenda—marigolds, fruit, coffee, chips, toys, and the exact foods your people loved—explaining why taste is memory’s shortcut. We talk about what to leave off the altar, how to avoid appropriation, and where to buy papel picado, sugar skulls, and clay figures directly from artisans who keep the craft alive. If your grief feels unfinished, this practice can become a yearly way to tell the stories, say the names, and let love do its work.

We also share Laura’s ongoing work: decolonizing goddess teachings, on‑demand classes, and a forthcoming series on the Tonalpohualli day signs. Come for the history, stay for the healing, and leave with a clear, respectful way to honor your dead and nourish the living. If this conversation moved you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so others can find the show.

Bio: Rev. Laura González is an Ixtlamatketl, Pagan Priestess, Spiritual and Community Healer, writer, podcaster, social justice and religious freedom activist, Priestess of the Goddess, and Minister of Circle Sanctuary. Learn more at bluewitch.org.

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