BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM

Subject: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From:
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 11:19 PM

I would like to invite people around the world to join many others on November 1, 9 p.m. your time, in Watchfires. It is to guide wandering souls home, warriors, refugees, the lost. Just light a fire, from a candle to a bonfire, outside, preferably by water. Add whatever other ceremonies you wish. There are all sorts of traditions in many cultures of doing this, and the date of November 1, or thereabouts, has great signficiance in various religions and ancient cultures. (I would appreciate it if any folklorists or historians could elaborate on them...) here are some URLs.

Why November 1 http://www.angelfire.com/wv/watchfires99/wnynovemb er1.html

http://grunt.space.swri.edu/wachfire.htm http://www.magicinterludes.net/snowyowlet/thewatchfi res.html

This has been adopted by the community of veterans and others involved in the Vietnam war, although it did not originate with us. If you do decide to do it, I would appreciate hearing from you, as to where you are located and what kind of a fire....I keep wanting to make a fancy website showing all this...and it is truly worldwide now...but I don't have time yet. My email is [e-mail]. I will have whatever will burn this time of year at Long Beach, Washington. mg

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From:
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 11:24 PM

I forgot to say it has its own song now...I edited "Watchman what of the night" and put a tune to it...Other songs that come to mind are "Keep the home fires burning," "Battle Hymn of the Republic.." etc.

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: Chip2447
Date: 27 Oct 01 - 01:14 AM

what about CCR's "Put a candle in the window"

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: Mr Red
Date: 27 Oct 01 - 09:26 AM

is this connected to Halloween?

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: Big Mick
Date: 27 Oct 01 - 09:40 AM

Mary, I shall do this. On the shores of Gun Lake on November 1. I don't know if others will be there, but meself and the old low D will.

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From:
Date: 27 Oct 01 - 12:47 PM

Is this connected to Halloween? I would say yes and no....I picked the day when we lost track of the original Watchfires group...and it is a very signfiicant day for Catholics as it is All Saints Day, followed by All Souls Day. It is also Samhain, which preceeds these Catholic holidays. In Mexican cultures Nov. 2nd I believe is the Day of the Dead..which I think has older roots in Aztec culture. I think many cultures and religions recognize this as the darkest time of the year..darker than winter...I picked November 1st for these reasons and also because it was the birthday of a childhood friend and neighbor, equivalent to a brother, who died in Vietnam. mg

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Oct 01 - 09:13 PM

Anglicans and Episcopalians have the All Saints/Souls days too. I'll ask Hardiman to add this to the prayers for the All Souls evening serivce, tho the day will be off your plan.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 08:41 PM

I will light a fire hopefully at the oceanside and hope even a single soul finds his way home.

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: Troll
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 09:58 PM

I'll be on the road but I'll speak to Skeptic about it and also to my son.

troll

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: Ferrara
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 12:07 PM

BTW in Italy at least, Nov. 1, All Souls Day, is a time to pray for the souls of the dead. I suspect this is a standard Catholic meaning of the day. So this is a fine day for this ritual.

We (or at least I, but I think my son will join me) will light candles outside, with a bowl of scented water next. Simple but the thought is there.

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: Ferrara
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 12:22 PM

Another BTW: When we were kids, opinions differed as to the correct night to go trick-or-treating. We called Oct 31 Halloween, but we called Oct 30 "Beggars' Night." I think most of us went trick-or-treating on Beggars' Night.

If Oct 31 is All Saints Day, which is also called "All Hallows," then Oct 30 is actually "All Hallows Eve," or "Hallowe'en." I've seen it with the apostrophe, in years gone by....

Thread creep, sorry.

Anyhoo -- I intend to light a watchfire at 9pm Nov 1, as I said above.

Rita

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: IvanB
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 01:21 PM

Rita, November 1 is All Saints Day, November 2, All Souls, and Oct. 31 is All Hallows Eve/hallow'd eve/Halloween. When I was a child, we, like you, celebrated October 30 as "Beggars' Night," which was the night for us to go trick-or-treating.

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: open mike
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 01:59 PM

El Dia de Los Muertes-the day of the dead is around this time too. I am fascinated with the tradition of lighting huge bonfires on the levees near New Orleans and Baton Rouge--this is in December. families spend weeks construdting huge towers.. the fore-runner of Burning Man?

Subject: RE: BS: WATCHFIRES NOVEMBER 1 9 PM
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 03:08 PM

It is too close to 5th Nov for the UK. That is our Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes night.
Keith.