End of an era

Sometimes life takes the most unexpected twists & turns and you can do nothing else but to hold on to the helm of the ship. It was such a time for me personally the entirety of June. Not all of it was bad. Certainly not! However, it wouldn't be an understatement if I said I had to say goodbye to a large portion of my old life. The biggest part being having to say goodbye to my old lady cat Naruko.

Naruko joined the family back in 2013 when she was only two years old. I found her on a website of an organization that worked together with animal shelters in Spain. She was the cutest & fluffiest cat I had ever seen! Most of my friends at the time told me it was a bad idea. Naruko had a mild form of cat leukemia that wouldn't go away and didn't allow her to be with other cats. But that didn't deter me! I made a power point to convince my mom to move her in with all expenses paid by myself. And in less than a week, she arrived here in The Netherlands. Surprisingly, the leukemia wasn't a big thing in her life until near the end. In the 9 years I've known her she only had to go to the vet once to get her (already) blind eye removed.

Sadly, as life always ends in death, Naruko's leukemia caught up with her and we had to put her to sleep in the end. She was 11 years old and left us on the last day of June. A macabre ending to an eventful month.

In this post I'd like to share the ritual we did for her to help her along her new journey. It is to give her courage to move on and soothe those who are grieving.

To Say Goodbye

The ritual should be done on a Tuesday during sunset.
 
You'll need:
  • Frankincense resin (base, used in roman funerary practices)
  • Lavender (help with grief)
  • Thyme (courage)
  • Chervil (to contact a deceased loved one)
  • Mint (prosperity & healing)
  • Star Anise (connection to the universe/divine)
  • Bay leaf (to write your wish upon)
  • Afternoon sun water from Tuesday *optional
  • Personal effects
Start by making your incense blend. If you use the water option I suggest blending it a day beforehand to make sure it is dry. If you do, simply pop it in the oven at 40°C ~ 60°C with the lid open until burnable. Put down personal items that remind you of the deceased close to the place you are going to hold your ritual. My altar for Naruko includes her basket, a photo, her favorite toys, her brush, a candle and proof of cremation. It also includes some of her nails, whiskers & fur I had found around the house.

Put on the incense and make known in one way or another the ritual has begun. I personally did this by ringing a bell. Address either the deceased loved one or the room what the intention of you gathering is. Grab a bay leaf and write what you wish for the person who passed (f.e I put down peaceful journey) and burn it in the candle flame. Afterwards talk, pray and take as long as you need before ending the ritual. I had fifteen minutes left before golden hour was over, but when it's time, it's time.

I closed the door to her altar to signify the ending of her life here. It won't be closed forever. She does have a home to come back to when she needs to and I do hope she may return one day. But for now it's time for both of us to process the end and begin anew.

This post was originally posted on July 6th, 2022



Some other interesting links regarding the subject:

What to Do (Magic-Wise) When a Loved One Dies by Deathwitchenvy
Three Death Witchcraft Spells To Heal The Deceased by Deathwitchenvy
Herbs for the Dead by Deathwitchenvy