All About Working w/ Your Ancestors

Source: The Traveling Witch

Who are they? They are your living legacy and want what’s best for you. If you don’t know much about your family history, that’s okay! I’ll touch on that later.

Ancestor work is great for beginners entering their spirit work journey. You can draw on your ancestors’ past experiences to help you and they are there to protect you from harmful entities. Working with your ancestors can also help you improve your spirit work.

How can they help you?

• Strongly communicates through divination
• Their advice is drawn from thousands of years of experience
• Acts a bridge to deliver messages from other spirits
• Adds power to rituals
• Helps with personal growth
• And many more!

For those who are distant from family:

You by no means have to work with ancestors you are uncomfortable with. Whoever you work with is up to you! You will eventually discover a spirit family that loves and supports you as you are.

For those who are adopted:

You can work with ancestry from your adopted family or find more about your blood lineage. DNA kits are available and sites like Ancestry.com are great to track your heritage! If finding information is hard, consider people who aren’t blood-related (adopted family, godparents, spouse’s family, etc).

[NOTE: If you’re worried about offending your ancestors because of your religious beliefs, sexual orientation, etc. it’s OKAY! You absolutely have ancestors who will accept and agree with who you are, so don’t worry. Your ancestors are diverse and will sometimes be just like you!]

Altar Set-Up:

Set up an altar dedicated to only your ancestors. Some spirits may want to share a space with your ancestors, some may not. You can put anything you’d like that would please them or symbolizes your culture. My altar has objects of loved ones who’ve passed, things that represent my ethnic background, etc. Common items include candles, water, photos, heirlooms, altar cloths, etc. Put what feels right to you!

Now it’s time to use it! Make offerings often (regularly, once a week) replacing water, lighting a candle or incense, thanking them for guidance, etc. You can offer food or handmade items as well!

Communication:

You will sometimes hear your ancestors’ messages or see them in dreams. Keep an open mind and be on the lookout. Remember to treat your ancestors with respect and consistency. They are real relationships and keep in mind how you act with other people in your daily lives. Be respectful, and don’t keep asking them for help without returning the kindness.