Halloween, Day of the Dead are approaching!

Amber Larson, Crystal Quintero, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Kayte Deioma (about.com)

A pair of twin brothers are on track to set a new UK record with their monster pumpkin, which weighs in at around 1,600 lbs. Ian and Stuart Paton, 53, were previous record holders until beaten last year by a 1,520 pounder (Solent News/Splash News/KFI).

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Be creative, pumpkin carvers (WQ)

Permaculture allows one to grow massive vegetables, fruits, and flowers naturally, ecologically, and brimming with health. They can be the wonders of Mother Earth, Gaia/Bhumi, like a titan pumpkin in a gourd patch. Imagine how many vegan pumpkin pies -- stiffened with agar agar, any gluten-free flour starch, or chia seed gel -- sweetened with maple syrup or raw agave -- one can make with a 1,600 pound jack-o-lantern-to-be, chilled with a crushed-nut-and-date paste bottom or a fine, flaky crust!

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The Day of the Dead 
Kayte Deioma, L.A. Travel Expert (golosangeles.about.com)

An altar of decorated skull, usually made of candy sugar, Dia de Los Muertos

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Ozomatli sings about the day

Dia de los Muertos or "Day of the Dead" is the Mexican [and now Mexican-American] celebration of All Souls Day [a corresponding Catholic feast day].
 

Traditions include [Asian-style filial piety like] caring for the graves of family members, building elaborate altars to loved ones who have passed on, and celebrating the dead with processions, dances, and music.

Calaveras, or "skulls," show up in masks, costumes, paper maché puppets, and candy -- including sugar skulls [like the one shwon above] that children decorate for the day.

Every Mexican community in Los Angeles has its own festivities, from family events at local cemeteries to neighborhood block parties. Here are a few of the biggest:

HOLLYWOOD FOREVER Cemetery at El Dia de los Muertos
Sacred ceremonial tributes, altar creations and performances among some of Hollywood's most famous celebrity graves. Food will be available for purchase.Families are encouraged to come by Friday evening and Saturday morning to watch the altars being created. Arrive early to find the best parking.

• When: Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014, 12:00 pm-12:00 am
• Where: 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., LA, CA 90038
• Cost: $20 (cash only, correct change appreciated), children 8 and under and seniors 65+ FREE until 4:00 pm)
• Parking: Check Web site for nearby parking.
• Info: (323) 447-0999, ladayofthedead.com
• Photos: Hollywood Forever Day of the Dead Pictures

OLVERA STREET Merchants' Dia de los Muertos
Nine nights of Novenario processions through the Olvera St. Mexican market at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Site followed by FREE pan de muerto (sweet bread for the dead) and champurrado, a sweet Mexican hot beverage). There is also a Day of the Dead art exhibit inside the Pico House from Oct. 30 to Nov. 24, 2014.

• When: Processions Oct. 25-Nov. 2, 2014, 7:00-9:00 pm; Fiesta Muertos Oct. 25-26 & Nov. 1-2, 10:00 am-6:00 pm
• Where: The Gazebo Plaza on Olvera Street, El Pueblo Historical Monument, 125 Paseo de la Plaza, LA, CA
• Info: (213) 625-7074, elpueblo.lacity.org
• Metro: Union Station
• Photos: View Day of the Dead Novenario
• Olvera Street Photo Tour
• See MORE events

SUTRA: Mindfulness of Death

Amber Larson, Crystal Quintero, CC Liu, Maranassati Sutra, "Mindfulness of Death" (AN 6.19)

X-ray of you, your skull, as Mara sees it, so be mindful.

Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was staying at Nadika, in the Brick Hall, where he addressed the monastics, "Ascetics!"
 
"Yes, venerable sir," they replied.
 
The Blessed One then taught them: "Mindfulness of death, when pursued and developed, is of great fruit and great benefit. It leads to gaining a foothold on the deathless [nirvana, a synonym of which is amata, "deathlessness"], has the deathless as its final aim. Therefore, develop mindfulness of death."
 
When this was said, a certain monastic addressed the Blessed One: "I already do."
 
"And how do you do it?"
 
"I think, 'O, that I might live for a day and a night, that I might attend to the Blessed One's instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal!' This is how I develop mindfulness of death."
 
Then another monastic addressed the Blessed One: "I, too, already develop mindfulness of death."
 
"And how do you do it?"
 
"I think, 'O, that I might live for a day, that I might attend to the Blessed One's instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal!' This is how."
 

Then another: "I, too, already do it!" ... "I think, 'O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to eat a meal, that I might attend to the Blessed One's instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal!'..."
 
Then another: "I, too... I think, 'O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to swallow having chewed up four morsels of food, that I might attend to the Blessed One's instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal!'..."
 
Then another: "I, too...I think, 'O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to swallow having chewed up one morsel of food, that I might attend to the Blessed One's instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal!' ..."
 
Then another: "I, too, develop mindfulness of death." ... "I think, 'O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, that I might attend to the Blessed One's instructions. I would have accomplished a great deal!' This is how I develop mindfulness of death."
 

"I've been radicalized by UKIP"

 

When this was said, the Blessed One addressed them all: "Whoever develops mindfulness of death, thinking [in this way just explained] they are said to dwell heedlessly. They develop mindfulness of death slowly for the sake of ending the defilements.

 

"But whoever develops mindfulness of death, thinking, 'O, that I might live for the interval that it takes to swallow having chewed up one morsel of food... for the interval that it takes to breathe out after breathing in, or to breathe in after breathing out, that I might attend to the Blessed One's instructions, I would have accomplished a great deal!' -- that person is said to dwell heedfully.

That person develops mindfulness of death astutely for the sake of [quickly] ending the defilements.

 

"Therefore, train yourselves: 'We will dwell heedfully. We will develop mindfulness of death astutely for the sake of [quickly] ending the defilements.' This is the way to train."

 

That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, they delighted in the Blessed One's words.

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