How Coco Movie Maps The Spirit Castle Across Generations
When Miguel picks up the old white guitar in Coco and strums that first forbidden chord, he isn’t just breaking a family rule. He awakens a deep longing, stirring a quiet yearning inside him. This act of courage and curiosity opens the gates of the Castle of Spirit.
When crossing the veil, we will meet ancestors and heal family lines through music and remembrance.This is perfect territory for the Spirit Suit and the Spiritrix.
In the Tarot of the Hidden Arcana, the Suit of Spirit is the realm of soul, ancestors, vows, past lives, and their invisible threads. It’s the castle that sits above all the other castles. Wands, Cups, Swords, and Diamonds show daily life. The Spirit Suit shows what lives beyond that life: the stories, blessings, and wounds we inherit from our people.
The Movie Coco is almost a full-length Spirit Suit reading. Set against the rich backdrop of Día de Muertos, the film resonates deeply with Mexican storytelling traditions, where the bonds between the living and their ancestors are celebrated and revered.
This cultural tapestry enriches the narrative, highlighting what happens when a family story gets twisted, when an ancestor is forgotten, and when one child becomes the ‘dharma holder’ (the Black sheep) who has to fix it.
Let’s walk through this ethereal castle together.
The Castle of Spirit: Where Memory Is the Door
In your Hidden Arcana, the Castle of Spirit is the place where the
Ancestors gather.
*Old vows and oaths live.
*Life stories and the soul’s purpose are stored.
*Songs, prayers, and dreams act as keys.
*The Spiritrix stands at the threshold beyond and among all the worlds.
The Pixar studio gives us a bright, colorful version of this inner temple: the Land of the Dead.
But this realm has its own rules:
You can only cross if you’re remembered on an ofrenda.
You fade if no one living remembers your name.
In this realm, music and memory can change everything, even the fate of souls.
That is pure Spirit Suit material. It’s not about money or romance. It’s about the connection between worlds, among generations, between the living heart and the dead.
The Marigold Bridge: Where Ancestors Meet Your Calling
The marigold bridge is like the golden path in a Spiritrix spread: a glowing road between the human realm and the Castle of Spirit. Every time Miguel crosses it, he steps deeper into his soul’s work.
Miguel as Fool, Page of Spirit, and Dharma Holder
At the start, Miguel is like The Fool of the Major Arcana and the Page of Spirit at the same time.
He loves music with his whole being. But his family has banned it for generations. They tell a story:
“Your great-great-grandfather was a musician who walked out and never came back.”
From that wound, they built a rule: No music, ever.
Miguel’s soul doesn’t agree. His calling is music. This clash between his heart and his family’s fear is classic Spirit Suit energy: the deep tension between personal dharma and ancestral pattern.
“Dharma” here can be put in simple terms:
Your right path, your soul’s job in this life.
A dharma holder is the one in the family who says:
“This pattern stops with me. I will carry the heavy work. I will heal what others could not.”
That’s Miguel.
When he steals the guitar from the shrine and strums it, he breaks one contract and activates another. He becomes visible to the dead. He crosses over. The Castle of Spirit pulls him in.
He starts like a Fool on another hero’s Journey: young, bold, and not fully aware of the danger, but his heart is in the right place. His journey turns him into something more: a Knight or even King of Spirit, someone who can hold the weight of his lineage and still play his song.
Major Arcana Archetypes in Coco
Many characters in Coco match Major Arcana archetypes walking through the Castle of Spirit.
Mama Imelda — The Empress + Justice + Queen of Spirit
Mama Imelda, the fierce matriarch, is like:
The Empress — mother of the family line, creator of the shoemaking tradition.
Justice — keeper of the law: No music, ever.
Queen of Spirit — she protects her people, even from beyond the veil.
She is loving but rigid. Her pain over being abandoned turns into a rule that shapes everyone’s life.
In Spirit Suit language, she is the ancestor whose wound becomes a family contract.
Mama Coco — The High Priestess of Memory
Mama Coco seems fragile and quiet, but spiritually, she’s huge.
She is like:
The High Priestess — the Silent keeper of hidden truth.
A gentle ancestor — passing on sacred memory through stories.
Inside her sits the real story of Héctor, her father:
That he loved his family.
That he wrote “Remember Me” for her, not for fame.
That he never meant to leave them forever.
Her mind is like a flickering altar: if she forgets, Héctor disappears. If she remembers, he lives. She is a living gate between worlds.
Héctor — The Hanged Man and the Wounded Spirit
Héctor is the ancestor in limbo, the one who was wounded and who still has unfinished business.
He shows traits of:
The Hanged Man — stuck in-between, unable to cross fully.
The Hermit — wandering alone, unseen by most.
A late-stage Five of Spirit — the forgotten one, carrying shame that isn’t entirely his.
He didn’t abandon his family; he was murdered.
But the story told about him paints him as the villain. He has to wait for a later generation with little Miguel to rescue his name and truth.
Héctor is also deeply loving, funny, and kind. He’s like the good ancestor who has been locked out of the family shrine. When Miguel finally honors him, Héctor’s real Spirit returns to its rightful place.
Ernesto de la Cruz — The Devil and The Tower
Ernesto is the false sun, the bright star who is secretly rotten.
He’s a mix of: The Devil — fame, greed, lies, binding others for his own gain.
The Tower — when his truth comes out, his whole world crashes down.
He used Héctor’s songs and story, then killed him for them. He is what happens when someone chooses ego over dharma. He shows the shadow of the Spirit Suit: using spiritual gifts (music)with self-serving intentions: to feed only yourself, with no respect for others.
When his crimes are revealed, his image on the screen shatters. That’s a Tower moment: the collapse of a false god.
The Spirit Suit Number Cards: Miguel’s Journey
Now let’s look at Miguel’s path as if it were the numbered cards of the Spirit Suit, from Ace to Ten. This is not a rigid system, more like a map of echoes.
Ace of Spirit — The First Calling.
Miguel’s secret love for music, playing in the attic, and watching old videos of Ernesto.
A flame inside him that won’t go out.
Two of Spirit — Split Loyalties
Torn between his family’s rule and his soul’s desire. He tries to obey and still practice music in secret — an honest soul attempts to conciliate two different realities and timelines.
Three of Spirit — The First Allies
Dante the dog, his hidden altar, the old records. Spirit guides and tools begin to show up.
Four of Spirit — The Closed Circle
The family’s tight rule: no music, ever. The shoemaking tradition is a wall, not a blessing.
Five of Spirit — Exile and Break.
His family smashes his guitar. He runs away — the pain of being cut off from both his people and his calling.
Six of Spirit — Crossing to the Ancestors
He strums the ofrenda guitar and crosses the veil. He meets his dead family for the first time as spirits.
Seven of Spirit — Tests of Trust
He must decide who to believe: Ernesto or Héctor. His faith and intuition are tested again and again.
Eight of Spirit — Work of Truth
He and Héctor fight to reach Mama Coco. This is the spiritual “work” phase: chasing the true story and refusing to give up.
Nine of Spirit — Long Night of the Soul
The moment it seems he will fail. Mama Coco is fading, time is running out, Héctor is disappearing.
Ten of Spirit — Blessing of the Lineage.
He sings “Remember Me” to Mama Coco — her memory returns. The family wounds start to heal — the ofrenda changes to include Héctor. Music returns as a sacred gift, not a curse.https://medium.com/media/9e240d4f6652f650597495234c811d4f/href
Through these steps, Miguel becomes the dharma holder for his lineage. He takes on the heavy task of changing a pattern passed down for generations: fear of music, mistrust of artists, and the silence around pain (a vow of silence).
He doesn’t do it by fighting everyone. He does it by bringing the truth into the light and staying loyal to his heart.
The Spiritrix: Bridge Between Worlds
In the Hidden Arcana, the Spiritrix is the 23rd arcana, a card of the bridge:
It connects human life and otherworlds. It speaks the language of symbols, songs, dreams, and signs.
It guides the seeker through thresholds: birth, death, initiation, and deep remembering.
In Coco, the Spiritrix energy appears in several ways.
The Marigold Bridge is an emblem of the Spiritrix Path.
The marigold petals form a glowing road between worlds, just like the legendary Rainbow Bridge. Only those with a spiritual link can cross. This is very close to what the Spiritrix does in a reading:
It lays down a path for safe crossing. It shows the seeker how to move between realms without getting stuck.
It reminds us: this crossing is sacred; walk with respect.
When Miguel walks that bridge, he is literally following Spiritrix energy: guided by love and remembrance, not by greed.
The Ofrenda as Spiritrix Altar
The family altar, with its photos and offerings, is also Spiritrix territory.
In a Spirit Suit reading about ancestors, the Spiritrix might say:
“Where are your altars?”
“Who is on them and who is missing?”
“What stories are you telling, and which ones are buried?”
In Coco’s reality:
If you have a photo on the ofrenda, you can cross.
If your picture is removed or lost, you’re stuck and may fade.
That’s exactly how spiritual memory works:
When we honor our dead, they can support us. When we erase them, their gifts and wounds go underground and show up as patterns instead.
The ofrenda is a living Spiritrix tool, an “interface” between worlds.
Miguel as the Almuten Fulguris.
At the heart of the story, the true Almuten Fulguris, the Fiat Lux moment is Miguel singing “Remember Me” to Mama Coco.
Think about what happens in that scene:
He is in the land of the living.
Héctor is in the land of the dead, fading.
Mama Coco sits between remembering and forgetting.
Miguel’s song reaches across three layers of reality at once.
His voice summons Héctor’s presence into the room.
Wakes up Mama Coco’s memories.
Rewrites the emotional truth of the entire family.
At that moment, Miguel is acting simultaneously as an Almuten Fulguris in human form and as the bridge. The song is the frequency current.
The memories are the gates that swing open.
If this were a reading, you could see the cards:
Spiritrix & Almuten Fulguris
Six of Spirit (crossing between worlds)
Ten of Spirit (lineage healed)
All lighting up together.
Ancestral Reading Through the Lens of Coco
The Marigold Bridge: Where Ancestors Meet Your Calling
In an ancestral reading inspired by Coco, the Spiritrix invites you to:
Build or refresh your own “ofrenda” (altar) in a way that fits your tradition.
Say the names of your beloved dead out loud.
Ask which stories in your family are half-true or twisted.
Use your gift of music, art, writing, or healing as a bridge, not a wall.
Becoming the Ancestor Dharma Holder in Your Own Story
Miguel heals his family not by choosing them over music, nor by choosing music over them. He heals them by holding both. In some healing spiritual traditions, Coco uses a sort of Ho’oponopono.
“I love you.”
“I love music.”
“We will find a way where both can live.”
“Thank You.”
That is dharma work. It’s not always dramatic like crossing into the Land of the Dead. But most times it’s quiet; it’s a gentle way to move the mountains of energy that have stagnated in the inner planes.
Sometimes, our transformational Inner work looks like:
Refusing to repeat a cruel joke that has always been told.
Choosing therapy, ritual, or prayer to face an old wound.
Bringing back a language, a song, or a tradition that was shamed or erased.
Telling the younger ones in the family a fuller story than the one you were given.
The Castle of Spirit in Coco says:
“Your ancestors walk with you. Some need your help as much as you need theirs. The Spiritrix lives in your voice, your song, your courage to remember.”
When you watch Coco with the Hidden Arcana in mind, you’re not just enjoying a beautiful movie. You’re receiving a quiet invitation:
To cross your own marigold bridge.
To meet your people, living and dead.
To become the dharma holder who gently, bravely, changes the story.
And maybe, like Miguel, you’ll find that the key to the other world was in your hands all along, in your art, your heart, and the way you choose to remember.
Alebrijes in Coco are way more than just pretty spirit animals with cool colors.
They are guides, guardians, and living bridges between worlds.
Let’s unpack their role gently and clearly.
What Are Alebrijes, Really?
In real-life Mexican folk art, alebrijes are brightly painted, hybrid creatures. Butterfly wings, cat eyes, dragon tail…
They look like a dream or a vision. They were first imagined in the 20th century by an artist named Pedro Linares, who saw strange creatures in a fever dream and brought them into the world as sculptures.
So from the beginning, alebrijes are dream-beings: part animal, part imagination, part spirit.
Pixar takes this idea and gives it a spiritual job: in Coco, alebrijes become spirit guides in the afterlife.
Spirit Animals in the Land of the Dead( The role of totem animals and “familiars.”
In Coco, when Miguel crosses the Marigold Bridge into the Land of the Dead, he discovers that many ancestors have powerful creatures by their sides. These are not just pets. They are: Protectors, Messengers, and Guides between realms.
They glow with neon colors and patterns, almost like living stained glass. They can fly, run, jump across huge distances, and sense trouble before it comes.
In the true fashion of Fool’s Journey, Miguel also brought his own “familiar” spirit, Dante.
In the world of the Spirit Suit (Castle of Spirit), alebrijes are like Spirit Court Cards: they serve as active, moving parts of the soul’s support system.
Where the ancestors hold memory and story,
The alebrijes hold movement and direction.
Pepita: The Great Guardian
The most famous alebrije in Coco is Pepita, Mama Imelda’s Toten animal guide.
Pepita is a mix of: Big cat (like a jaguar or puma), Bird (huge wings), Reptile (dragon-like tail and claws).
Her energy is fierce, Empress + Strength card in animal form: She roars and flies. She hunts down Miguel when Imelda is upset. She can track people across distances. She protects the family fiercely.
Pepita acts like a protective ancestor turned into a creature. Mama Imelda is strong already, but Pepita is her spiritual muscle.
Imelda is the Family’s Queen of Spirit.
Pepita is her spiritual warrior, her Knight of Spirit, acting, leaping, and defending.
Pepita shows that in the Castle of Spirit, love is not just a feeling. It’s a force that can fly, roar, and carry you when you fall.
Dante: From Foolish Dog to True Alebrije
On the living side, we have Dante, Miguel’s silly, hairless dog (a Xoloitzcuintli, a real Mexican breed associated with guiding souls).
At first, Dante looks like pure comic relief:
He trips over himself. He drools. He gets distracted easily.
He’s like the Fool of the animal world: innocent, clumsy, but somehow always in the right place.
But once Miguel crosses into the Land of the Dead, Dante starts acting differently:
He “accidentally” leads Miguel to important people.
He senses danger before Miguel does.
He stubbornly follows Miguel, no matter what.
Later, we see his true nature revealed: Dante transforms into a full, glowing alebrije with wings and neon colors, just like Pepita.
That moment is powerful, spiritually. It says:
“The guide has been with you all along. Even when you thought he was just a silly dog.”
Alebrijes as Psychopomps: Guides of the Soul
Dante is a Spiritrix-style guide in disguise:
A bridge between worlds walking on four legs.
In many cultures, there are beings called psychopomps (weird word, simple idea): spirits that guide souls between life and death. Examples include:
Anubis in Egyptian myth, Hermes in Greek myth, Owls, wolves, or certain birds in other traditions.
In Coco, alebrijes play this role in a very cheerful, colorful way.
Helping the dead travel around the Land of the Dead.
Or helping the living (like Miguel) not get lost.
A continuous support for the ancestors when they visit the living world.
If you look at this through the Hidden Arcana, alebrijes are like: Spirit Suit Guides.
Animals of the Spiritrix Temple
Moving, breathing signs that say: “You are not alone on this path.”
They embody a key message of the Castle of Spirit:
“Yes, crossing the veil is scary — but you are guided.”
Alebrijes are not the main heroes of Coco, but they are absolutely part of how Miguel heals his family and becomes a dharma holder.
Here’s how:
1. They Keep the Path Open
Dante leads Miguel into the right places, often by “random” behavior.
Pepita carries people across distances and shows where to go.
In ancestral healing, we often feel confused or lost. Alebrije energy says:
“Trust the small signs. Trust the weird coincidences.
Spirit is moving your feet, even when your mind doesn’t know the way.”
2. They Protect in Times of Danger
When things get dangerous, Pepita doesn’t just stand by. She rescues Miguel from falling. Fights at key moments.
Intimidates those who want to harm him.
On a symbolic level, this shows that when you step into ancestral work and Spiritrix space, you are not defenseless. There are forces that guard you, especially when your heart is aligned with truth and healing.
3. They Mirror Your Inner Power
Dante’s transformation into an alebrije mirrors Miguel’s own transformation:
Miguel goes from “just a boy who likes music.”
To a soul who heals his entire lineage.
Dante goes from “just a dumb dog” to a full spirit guide.
This parallel says:
“As you awaken your dharma, your helpers reveal their true strength too.”
In Spirit Suit language:
When you step up as an ancestral dharma holder, your guides level up with you. You discover who has been helping you all along.
Alebrijes and the Spiritrix: Teamwork Between Realms
If we bring the Spiritrix card into this, the picture becomes even clearer.
The Spiritrix is the bridge between worlds: The translator of symbols and signs, the guide of the living seeker through dreams, rituals, and thresholds.
Miguel acts as a Spiritrix when he sings “Remember Me,” reconnecting the realms through love and sound.
The alebrijes act as Spiritrix helpers, carrying bodies and soul-energy along the paths that Miguel’s heart opens. This is an important element. Just like human souls, animal souls also inhabit the castle of the Spirit through the Rainbow complex of bridges.
You could imagine a Spiritrix spread like this:
Card 1 — Spiritrix: How do I cross between worlds with love?
Card 2 — Alebrije: What form does my guide take? Dog, bird, dream, song, ancestor, synchronicity?
Card 3 — Path of Dharma: What family pattern am I here to heal?
In Coco, the answers might be:
Spiritrix: Miguel’s song and courage.
Alebrije: Dante and Pepita.
Dharma Path: Healing the “no music” curse and bringing the truth about Héctor back into the family.
Alebrijes as Symbols in Your Own Practice
Even if you’re not Mexican and you don’t want to borrow traditions in a shallow way, you can still learn from the symbolic role of alebrijes.
In the Castle of Spirit, they remind you:
Your guides may look silly or ordinary at first.
A friend
A stray animal
A recurring dream symbol
A song that keeps finding you
Your guides are often hybrid.
Part memory, part imagination
Part culture, part personal path,
Part “real,” part inner vision.
Your guides move with you between states.
Waking and dreaming, Grief and healing, Past, present, and the subtle feeling of “beyond.”
You could work with this archetype by asking in meditation or in a reading:
“If my Spirit Guide showed up as an alebrije today, what would it look like?
What colors? What animals? What does that say about how Spirit is guiding me right now?”
This is pure Spiritrix work: letting the invisible speak through images, color, and symbol.
Alebrijes are spirit guides in bright, mythical animal form.
They help souls travel, protect the family, and support Miguel’s ancestral mission.
Pepita shows fierce, protective, matriarchal power.
Dante shows humble, silly love that turns out to be divine guidance in disguise.
Through the eyes of the Hidden Arcana and the Spirit Suit, they are:
Guardians in the Castle of Spirit
Allies of the Spiritrix
Living proof that when you step onto your soul path, especially one that heals your family, you are never walking alone. Alebrijes symbolize spirit guides and support in ancestral work.
Coco’s story mirrors the Spirit Suit’s themes of ancestry, healing, and dharma.
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How Coco Movie Maps The Spirit Castle Across Generations was originally published in HiddenArcanaTarot on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.