Walk the Road to the Dead

We walk the Road to the Dead thousands of times, in life and in death. In each part of the road is a lesson and depth of mystery to discover. Stages of transformation, building blocks of foundations, digging to the authentic, laying bare to bone, and rising once again.

Let us walk the road and touch the mysteries within.

The Tree

Our journey starts with the Great Tree. The roots reach down, spreading through the memories held below, nourishing the tree with the wisdoms of what was. The canopy stretches to sky, expanding beyond the trunk, and reaching towards all the possibilities of what could be. The Trunk itself is what connects them all, holds them all, and the strength behind them. Along its bark symbols are revealed, each one telling the story of the life being lived, where it was and where it is.

The Tree is you. The Roots your foundations, your ancestors, and the Ancestral Soul. The canopy is what you are actively growing, reaching towards, creating. The trunk is the core, where you are right now and what has shaped you thus far.

The Cave Below

Crawl down the center root to the deepest well. Be brave, muster your courage, and dive into the darkness below. When you emerge you find yourself in a darkened cave and in the center is a pool of spiraling crystal water. Look into the waters and see the reflection of you that you have created – through actions, through words, and through choices. All the illusions are stripped away, and what you face is the truth of yourself.

The waters show us the truth of ourselves, not the illusions we or others create. It shows the good and the bad, the memories and the hopes, strengths and weaknesses. Here we face the authentic self and what we have created through our choices – both outwardly in the world and inwardly to ourselves.

The Field of Light

Walk the narrow passage to the light. As you emerge you find yourself in a seemingly unending field with nothing but grass and light. No shelter or places to hide. All your shadows are illuminated here. The only way forward is to see them for what they are, embrace them, accept them, with compassion and bring them into harmonious alignment together.

Our darkness serves a purpose just as much of our light. If we ignore it though, push it down, hide it, then we are not walking in wholeness.

The Dark Forest

As you bring yourself to wholeness a forest rises in the distance. As you approach you see there is no path ready for you take, you will need to forge your own. It is dark and some of the trees are twisted and gnarled. Strength of heart and trusting the process is all you carry. Take a breath, and walk into the unknown. The ground is rough and uneven, you have to go slow and conscious of where you put your feet as you walk. The deeper to you, fears will rise from the shadows to detour you. Do not run, face them and walk through them.

The forest is the unknown path. Not knowing what will come and no solid path to guide us forward. This is life. Everything ahead of us is unknown. We may have ideas or patterns to give us clues, but every step is a choice and the choice can alter the pattern in a new direction. Let go of the illusion of control, of safety, of knowing – for every step forward will not be known until it has been done.

The Bridge

At the edge of the forest is a raging river. As you follow along the bank you can see the strong waters swallowing anything in its path, dragging it down into the depths below. There is a bridge ahead that will allow you to cross to the other side to continue your journey.

On the Bridge is a giant woman dressed in beaten and bloody armor. She stands in the middle and there is no way past her, only through. You must look closer and not be deceived by the perception you first conceived. As your eyes meet hers something changes. They are filled with kindness and hints of tears. Her sword is drawn, but no movement of attack. She is not challenging you, she is defending something on the other side. Bow your head and extend your hand towards her. Bridge the gap between you. Embracing each other and she lets you pass.

Perception changes everything, creating a bridge or creating a war. We must be able to allow the perception to shift. We must rise above our own and try to see from theirs. Not all battles need to be fought – not all that appears to be a battle is. Bridge the gap between, approach with a mindset of compromise and finding a way towards peace.

The Gates

At this point you have passed through the lessons needed to enter the Sacred Well of the Dead. Through them you have gained the skills needed to positively navigate through the process of Death. There is one last test to see if you have completed the work needed and they are at the Gates themselves. I am not going to go into that part here. Some things you must take the journey to understand the ending.

This is the Road to the Dead, but it is also the Road through Life. The lessons and skills developed through it are ones we need to move successfully through our living life. The more we do this in our living, the easier our crossing will be, and the quicker our rebirth occurs. It is part of the work of a Death Emissary.

For those who would like a prayer set that connects you, and helps you to walk the Road to the Dead, you can find that here.  It is a great one to use during the Season of the Spirit to help center you and open the door to the realm of spirits.