Many Root-Workers start out working with spirits of the dead in the form of the Ancestors, the spirits of the dead connected to them by blood. Honestly, your ancestors will truly appreciate that there is a space for them in your home. Have no truck with hoodoo. It is a very comprehensive book and treats the subject of necromancy (working with the dead) very seriously. (Read more about working with Blackhawkat the Independent Association of Readers and Rootworkers.). This may be a crazy question. One of the things I love most about offerings flowers is that they grew in my garden. At the center of the altar, place a chalice filled with water in which you will sprinkle a little perfume. If they would have guilt-tripped you and caused drama in life maybe they dont deserve a place on your altar. I smudge them before and after. Required fields are marked *. I am only seeking help.END!! If you want them elevated, but you don't have room/funds for a table, use another elevated surface for a makeshift table. This was so insightful. Creating an ancestor altar that you regularly work with is a powerful ritual that NourishingBurdock & Potato Hash Browns These Hash Browns are so delicious, and easy to Green juice is one health food trend where people swear they are being healthy, As a black American, I find myself spending a lot of time working on What does it mean to be a wild woman? A map of their homeland, photos of historical markers, etc. I want to be remembered. But my grandma did more than that, she outlined a huge part of our family tree on Ancestry. Any advice will help me. Every psychic/medium ive seen over the years tells me that i have the gift, but i need to channel my strength. Some elements that are generally a good idea to have on this altar are: The next day, dismantle the altar and place one of the books on the clean surface, draping the white cloth over it. Dont forget invite your ancestors to this space! An ancestral altar can be simple or elaborate, but above all, it should be sacred. If you want to honor ancestors whom you dont have photographs of, you can have a list of their names. Fresh flowers are nice, as are frankincense incense & a fresh cup of coffee - or perhaps a shot of rum (or whatever drinks they liked in life.) The more you learn about ancient times, the . Strengthening that bond with your ancestral army will help you stay not only grounded, but properly guided. Ancestor work is a way of working with those who came before you. Once their debts have been paid your ancestors will start to help you more with the things you need in the form of sending you blessings. If it is a fruit with a peel, you also need to slice it. My example altar is just the things I want to include in mine. Blessings. Before you can make offerings to your ancestor, you must first have an Ancestor Altar. This is great information by the way, so first and foremost thank you!! where you will set up the altar. Knock three times and call out their names (if you know the names). Alternatively, you may choose to create a permanent ancestor altar if you plan to work with your ancestors more frequently. If so, this video will. Do not hesitate. Then place the items afterward on the altar cloth. Some things cannot be explained too much to the uninitiated. No matter what your ancestor altar looks like, its a good practice to keep it clean and fresh. The underlying principle is that of letting go of an unconscious identification with the ancestors and assuming instead a stance of relationship. Especially steps to take to remove offerings of food and drink when its needed to be done. If your ancestral line is active at night, they might keep you up. To be Heathen is to be an animist, meaning that in addition to worshipping the Gods and Goddesses, we also honor our deceased ancestors as well as the land wights. After all, you dont want your ancestors to gather around a dirty table. Different spiritual traditions have different rules about relationships with the dead but I would say that any of the dead who loved you when they were alive and have been friendly in your dreams deserve a place on your ancestor altar. 1. Likewise, the relics of your ancestors life will help you build your altar. If you have a spare room, you can use the whole room to set up an ancestor altar. This can be done with incense, full moon water, or any method you desire. The SatinSays Ancestral Spirit . The respect and belief in an afterlife as well as honoring ancestors can be traced back to paleolithic mankind. Explain what you want to do bring home a little dirt from the grave so that you can build a connection with him or her. Listen with full attention in your heart, mind, and body for any messages. There are literally thousands of active threads on every conceivable kind of hoodoo rootwork, including working with ancestors. Today, substantial ancestral halls may be rare, but ancestral worship is still an activity that human beings should value. Here, you can meditate and do spirit work, you can leave offerings, or simply venerate your ancestors here. If you accidentally do something wrong, ask for forgiveness. Ask about Bible verses, too. By setting up an ancestor shrine or altar, you can honor the people of your bloodline-your kinfolk and . If so, may I place my ancestor photos on the altar with Oshun? The knowledge given to me is that I am of Colombian decent. In a year or so, your ancestors, known and unknown, will have found you and your altar and will be ready to stand by you. To begin calling in your ancestors you'll want to consider doing so in the efforts of building an altar, prayer or ritual work. The basic premise of ancestor veneration among all cultures is the belief that those who have come before us have impacted our lives and that we must continue to honor them for helping to make us who we are. Congratulations! Just throw it away, either before you go to bed orthe next morning. Although we have deities, angels, nature spirits, and others we can commune with our ancestors are the most like us. How to Begin Working with the Ancestors. They already know you and want to work with you, something you should never take for granted with Deities. Ancestor altars may vary from place to place, but look closely, and you will see that they are all made up of the same elements. Your email address will not be published. There are many ways to do this, Susan Starr covers a brief practice in creating a small and personal ancestor altar.3. Because your cloth is the base ground of the altar, you want to ensure that all your soul exchanges are around this base ground. An important step in your ancestral work journey is dedicating a small space to your ancestors. The bit about not keeping altars in rooms was especially helpful, eye-opening, and affirming lol! MAKING AN ALTAR:Your altar should be on a table, ideally, but you can put it on the floor as well. Use your knowledge, your experiences, and your guides. If you arent familiar with ancestor veneration or the practice of honoring ancestors, you can read a great introductory article here. This helps make the most of the food to make your rituals go more smoothly.Last but not least, all the food must also be placed in a container. Petrified Wood is the remains of ancient trees which have been fossilised and mineralised over time turning them into crystal. After you have your dirt, and attractive container, and your statue, leave offerings just as you would for an ancestor known to you, as described above. If you use it for meditation then you will spend time at your altar meditating. Dont worry about what altars look like online. Go over the lyrics of the song and see if they are a message from her either a request for the design of your altar, or a recommendation for your life. The presence of both water and fire in an ancestral altar provides a perfect balance. For a more structured education, you might want to apply for miss cat yronwodes Hoodoo Rootwork Correspondence course, based on her own experience and learning from hoodoo practitioners over a period of fifty years (she started very young at fourteen!). Since their But we also recognize our immortality, through them, we come to learn and accept that there is life after death. Finding my craft has felt so much like coming home, to a home I didnt know I had! Now, in the real world, you can research your ancestors just talk to your parents about straight-up genealogy. What makes the most sense to you? Can I put it into my office? Find an area in your home besides your bedroom (unless you have no other place available,) and cleanse that area with Florida Water or Holy Water. But also speak with them just to honor them, to get to know them, and to be inspired by them. Another option is to get cemetery water. Lay the altar cloth you prepared in advance on the place where you want to build the altar. Its been a while since I used ancestry to expand on my family tree and learn about parts my grandma didnt cover, but I do remember that there were tons of interesting things to find from it. Offerings can range from their favorite food to a promise you will uphold in their honor. The entire world opens up as a living and active participant in your life and the way that you can develop an understanding of the land, the mountains, the oceans, the rivers as well as all things wed usually have known as alive being active and part of a reality that is incarnate and can engage with you and guide you with greater certainty to your destiny is hugely empowering and tremendously good for the whole world, all its inhabitants seen and unseen and even the wider universe that we may otherwise not have considered important to our spiritual lives and practise. You can substitute a bowl of the wine your ancestors enjoyed during their lifetime. I don't know about you, but the very thought . The obvious point is that they gave us blood and life. Unlike a shrine where many people can gather, an altar is placed in the home. Great overall article as well. Talk about folk medicine. You can provide stability to the ancestral altars by adding stones. The ancestor altar can become an all-purpose altar and be used for meditations, ceremonies, etc. what if there arent any? Before picking any side, you need to investigate and find the true identity of the creature. A plant that represents your family tree/the world tree. It can be done to honor or worship your ancestors (both physically/biologically and spiritually) or to help them pass from this world into the next. Without their exploration of this planet in the early days, we would not be here and living a convenient life. Personally, I feel a deep connection to my grandmother who passed away years ago. I have a much better idea of how to set up my ancestor altar. Just the simple act of setting up your altar with the intention of Ancestor Reverence is itself a really powerful act and will undoubtedly open a connection that once youre aware of how it operates in your life and how important your life is to your ancestors will bring about changes to the way you perceive the relationship between the living and the dead and also the principles of animism in a larger sense I have seen spontaneously become apparent to the person engaging in ritual. Perhaps you use it to give offerings to your deities, ancestors, or loved ones. This post is designed to be a quick, multi-tiered guide on the offerings you can provide on an ancestor shrine or altar. When you approach your altar, show respect, ask forgiveness if you have done wrong but also tell them your troubles and dont hesitate to express yourself. The bowls and plates at my ancestor altar are all from my grandma actually! Ancestors dont want to see what you do in your private time. Even if you don't know your ancestors, due to things like adoption or estrangement from family, don't be discouraged! By PNS Buthelezi. Thank you! Is my Granny reaching out to me? graves are far awaywould anyone have Decide on a time to do this work. Ancestral Veneration is one of the most ancient religious and spiritual practices. Our ancestors arent just our blood line. Please note, comments must be approved before they are published. Every day like a ritual, you can light your candle or incense, say a prayer and speak to your ancestors. Ask your grandparents to exclude any nasty ancestors from your circle. My grandma actually made separate scrapbooks details the lives of her parents, grandparents, and other old relatives from before my time. Optionally, cast a circle, invoke the elements or call the quarters. In this video I share 5 signs t. Make sure these words are heartfelt. Same with food. Next, its time to set your ancestor altar up. Fang Adornments. Do what feels right to you. Set Up an Ancestor Shrine - Ancestor Altar. Find brands that you know passed family members used if you know them. After I set everything back on, I invite my ancestors presence back to the space. a few people works very well. Thank-you so much. It is an essential item in the ancestral altar because it provides the element of fire. If you have no photographs of your ancestors, and cannot get to their graves, you can use a personal possession of theirs instead: a piece of jewelry, a tobacco pipe, a favorite book, etc. An ancestor altar is where we can remember where we came from and connect with the generations to come. A tip is that you can serve seasonal fruits to your ancestors, making the atmosphere more pleasant. Get names and pictures. Dear Miss Michaele, I have not yet built my altar, but for the past couple of days my Grannys favorite song keeps coming to me. If that's you, go ahead and skip this section knowing you still have so many ways to connect to your ancestral lines. If that was ever answered could I get a link for where to find that info? Last, the most important thing is a devotional heart, and even the most elaborate rituals are in vain without a devout soul! I smell it at home, in the car, even now that ive moved to another city and for some unexplained reason, no one else smells it, except me. Choose the color of the candle according to your needs. Instead of flowers I would like to put plants on my altar. An item they enjoyed using during their lifetime, or an heirloom and a family book, are good choices. What if you dont have any heirlooms either? For example, the Three Sutras of Science and Chemistry says that if incense is sprinkled on an open fire and the smoke drifts to the right, the enemy will be defeated. Place the offerings on the table, also running the plates and glasses through the incense smoke. Ancestor Altars. How do you know if your ancestor altar work is working? 8 01 2016. landofkam (01:46:16) : Hetep Martha. Create an ancestor altar, and really work with your ancestors, or focus on a relative. [] Ancestor Altar: How to Create Sacred Space for Your Ancestors []. Choose the table, mantle, dresser, etc. If you have it, spray the Dead-Drawing elixir around the altar. As you develop a consistent practice with your ancestors, allow them to speak to you. Many cultures practice a form of ancestor veneration. Once it's washed, let it dry in the sun. Keep in mind that what you place is something that can be associated with the ancestor. Honestly, it doesnt matter what you put on your ancestor altar. You can offer food, fruit, and flowers to your ancestors. The point of this, just like in spirit work, is to make your ancestor feel welcome in your home and in your heart. You may not have know the older generations, but your grandparents did - and so on. One of them may be well versed and experienced in whatever it is that you need guidance with. Ancestor altars are an important part of honoring your ancestors. Some offering ideas include flowers, fresh water, a candle, wine, coffee, food, etc. Oct 31, 2020 | Spirit Work, Witchcraft 101 | 0 comments. Get a white tablecloth. Ancestral customs abound in the Northern Tradition (those cultures that had a common worship to Odin/Woden from Ancient Germania, to Scandinavia and Anglo . If you have questions about a specific aspect of your life, from love to starting a project, ask your ancestors. What do you feel? Some ideas include a bonsai tree, a rubber tree, or a jade plant (crassula Ovata). Have been fossilised and mineralised over time turning them into crystal for them in heart... Active at night, they might keep you up or an heirloom and a family book, are choices! Inspired by them thank you! properly guided a map of their homeland, photos historical... 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