MICTECACIHUATL

If you find yourself in the deepest pit of the underworld, you may encounter this lady. 

But don't worry! Mictecacihuatl's whole deal is to watch over the bones of the dead and preside over ancient festivals of the dead. Kind of like the office party planner, the "Lady of the Dead" was the ruler of Mictlan, basically the Hades of the Aztecs. Most commonly associates with Día de los Muertos festivities, Mictecacihuatl knows a thing or two about being dead. The Beetlejuice of her time, she was sacrificed as an infant. She was often depicted as a flayed body with an open mouth so she could swallow the stars. Aw, isn't the sweet? Maybe? 

Today, she's also known as the Saint of Death, or Santa Muerte. Skeletal but benevolent, it's best practice to leave her offerings of marigolds, incense, and personal items meant for the departed. Nowadays, she's often depicted wearing a skirt of snakes and a bone-adorned headdress. See? You meet a woman wearing a skirt of snakes and tell me she isn't friendly. 

The marigold flower, according to legend, was created by the sun god Tonatiuh to honor his lost love. Since then, it has been customary to leave marigolds for the departed, to adorn ofrendas with them, and look to them as a symbol of celebration and spiritual guidance. Leave a marigold for Mictecacihuatl, and your loved one will be ushered into the underworld and be well taken care of. The flower's intense color and scent are believed to create a path that guides souls from Mictlan back to their earthly homes during Día de los Muertos. So, you could say that marigolds create a direct line from you to Mictecacihuatl and back.

See you out there.