Hello, my friends! I've been busy with my own inner work these past few days, so I've been focusing mostly on curations for @Naturalmedicine instead of posting from my own blog, but I have an interesting story to share which perhaps will even be of some use to others.
Last Monday, November 2nd, I culminated a sort of quest that I had acquired recently, and visited the Southern General Cemetery, the oldest functioning graveyard in my city, to leave offerings for the Ancestors and also to check out for myself how it was faring these days. This place is packed with Venezuelan history, many former presidents, fabled scientists, musicians, artists and military men are buried here. I should say "were", but I'll explain that later in the post.
The first time I entered this place was when my mom died in 1994. It fascinated me beyond words even through the grief and loss, and for years afterwards, I accompanied my family in trips to visit mom's tomb and took the opportunity to bask on the peaceful air of mysticism, the silent contemplation and the amazing sculptures. Later, other members of the family were interred there and our trips got longer for a while, so I had the chance to see more. I won't lie, the fascination didn't stop me from shivering sometimes with fear when I was a kid, because of the strange customs some people practiced around their dead kin. For instance, we frequently had to pass a grave for a kid which always had at least one toy on it, I found that extremely unnerving.
As I grew up, our visits dwindled to a stop. I went there a couple of times when I was in my twenties, in search for a particular grave that I never found, but the area was surrounded by slums and had become a dangerous hotspot for crime, so I quit my search and forgot about it until now.
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The Southern General Cemetery was opened in 1876, during the first term of then President Antonio GuzmΓ‘n Blanco, a general during the Venezuelan Civil War who later became diplomat and statesman and ruled Venezuela in three separate occasions, across a period spanning about 17 years. GuzmΓ‘n Blanco was in love with French architecture and remodeled Caracas, the country's capital, in the image of Paris. Back in those days, the city proper was rather small, and the surrounding land was privately held by landowners who could bury their dead in their estates and farms, while the populace depended on the land around churches for that, so each temple had a small graveyard. Concerned by the sanitary (and aesthetic) implications of these funerary pockets, GuzmΓ‘n Blanco banned them and ordered the remains transferred to the newly opened public graveyard that was set aside for that purpose south of the city.
Over the decades, the necropolis grew in parallel with the capital, harboring the mortal legacy of both Venezuelans and foreigners in tombs that spoke of the varied social standing of their permanent dwellers. Humble families marked the resting place of their loved ones with simple stones or crosses, while affluent citizens and institutions reserved large plots, built astonishing crypts and commissioned awe-inspiring monuments based on or even copied from pieces in the greatest European graveyards, sometimes bringing them straight from the workshops of famous Italian artists. By far the largest structure on site is the mausoleum for former president Joaquin Crespo and his wife Jacinta Crespo.
Sadly, most of these monuments have been either removed or destroyed, and an astounding amount of graves have been desecrated in search for valuable items or the very bones of the deceased for use in dark rituals, particularly involving the beliefs and practices of Palo Mayombe, a syncretized religion original of Congo which is quite common in Venezuela along with Santeria, Spiritism and many other movements and cults that boast a considerable following especially in poorer towns and neighborhoods, and have become almost indistinguishable from one another in general terms. Many members of the Venezuelan regime, including the late Hugo ChΓ‘vez, are either active practitioners of these traditions or have used them at some point or another, meaning that the practices are deeply involved in the country's sociopolitical situation.
A major exception of this situation is the Jewish part of the Cemetery, which remains mostly intact in spite of the lack of security. The vibration in that area is extremely high and there were protective wards and symbols all over the place, drawing from ancient and powerful knowledge, no doubt the main reason why the tombs there have suffered nothing but the most superficial vandalism.
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I've been profoundly engaged in spiritual work with my country for the past few years, using all of my tools and skill to secure the end of the Shadow that weighs on my homeland and to promote Light, Peace and Freedom for all of my compatriots. This work has required a lot of energy, but it's also brought me enormous joy and satisfaction. At first, I focused on understanding the country's process, the humanitarian emergency, the chaos and violence of security forces, the regime's corruption; I managed to forgive all of that and let it go, which allowed me to go even deeper into the vibrational roots of our catastrophe. My study slowly led me to darker places where I could find a kernel of Truth and thus call forth Healing for the entire nation and the world at large.
Through this work, I've realized that my land is already bursting out of the horror it's been through, which emboldened me to foster even bigger ambitions. I began receiving messages from everywhere, in dreams and visions, in meditation and waking life, telling me what I had to do, where I should place my offerings and how I should pray. During the confinement, while observing the fear coursing through the entire planet, I tapped into a greater source of understanding about Venezuela and, eventually, I found that the Southern General Cemetery was the deepest core of the Shadow in my city, due to the aforementioned ritual practices with the dead.
That's why I had to make this trip, to see the scars of disrespect and indignity for myself and, most importantly, to raise the vibration of the necropolis. I had to prepare for weeks, establishing defenses, meditating, facing my demons and my dread, but on Monday, I was ready. Although it was tough to see the terrible damage done there especially over the last seven years, I never felt in danger, nor did I have to reconsider my goals. I saw there was still beauty to be cherished and felt that the density wasn't as strong as I thought. I was able to effortlessly call upon my ancestry, my patron deities and my inner awareness to begin cleansing the place. By the end of it, I was at peace and extremely thankful for this opportunity.
With this task fulfilled, I shall continue my work for my nation and its children, in the name of my Ancestors, on behalf of my family and for the ultimate good of all humanity. It's a great responsibility, but it's also an indescribable pleasure! Thank you for reading me! Blessings to all!
