5d • Ancestor Veneration
Working With Your Ancestors
Working with Your Ancestor Altar Once you have your altar set up, you can and should begin working with it. As I mentioned before, an ancestral altar is supposed to serve as a focal point for communication with your ancestors. It is not meant to be just another piece of decor in your home. It is also good to cleanse it with Florida water or another spiritual cologne on a regular basis. With these concoctions, you can effectively clear a space of negative energy, purify an environment, and relieve anxiety and stress. Your altar should be cleaned frequently to prevent the build-up of foul or stagnant energy. A weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleansing schedule is generally sufficient to maintain clean energy in your altar space.
If you keep water on your altar, you should also change it regularly. Water acts as a portal through which spirits travel. Water also represents the fluidity of the relationship between you and your ancestors. It is a basic essential for an ancestor altar, as previously menmentioned. But, if it is dirty or cloudy, it has the opposite effect – it attracts unclean energies and causes blockages. At a bare minimum, it is best to change the water weekly. When you add new water to the altar, you should use a clean vessel to store it in. If you plan to use the same glass, simply wash it before refilling it with water. Ideally, an ancestor altar should be blessed with an intention prayer before you begin working with it.
An intention prayer sets the tone for how you plan to use the altar space. This prayer serves to invite your ancestors into the altar space and tells them why you set it up. I encourage you to speak from your heart when you pray or talk to your ancestors. However, you can use this simple prayer below or consult a prayer book to help you find the right words: Ancestors, known and unknown, I invite you into this space to connect with me. I have set up this altar for us to develop and grow a loving, long-lasting relationship. This altar serves as a memorial space and place of honor for you. As we walk this journey together, let me know how I can best honor you in this space as I want it to be inviting and pleasing to you As mentioned, the prayer above is very basic and straightforward. Use it as a template to fill in your own words from your heart. When I set up my altar, my prayers were more elaborate and personal than those in the template above. I talked to my ancestors about every object that I put on the altar as I explained the significance and meaning of each item. I did this when I initially set up my altar, and I likewise do it each time I add something to my altar. For instance, some of the last objects added to my altar were a couple of Dan masks from West Africa. The masks are sacred artifacts used in traditional religious practices to communicate with the spirit world.
So, I informed my ancestors that I added the masks to their altar to memorialize my West African heritage. I let them know that the masks were placed on the altar to honor our lineage and symbolize my commitment to renew our cultural heritage. This is just one example of how I introduce new items to my altar. If you choose this method, keep in mind that it can be time-consuming if you have several objects to place at one time. ThereTherefore, allot enough time for this activity so that you don’t rush through the process. If you bring that type of energy to your altar, you will create the same type of energic pattern between you and your ancestors. If you want them to be patient and gentle when they assist you, you should interact with them in a like manner. They don’t want to feel like an afterthought or burden to you, just as you don’t want to feel like you are one to them. Remember, you will attract the same type of energy that you bring to your altar. After you cleanse and pray over your altar, you can begin doing many activities there. It is a great place to talk to the ancestors, sing, listen to high vibrational music, meditate, visualize, offer prayers of gratitude, speak affirmations, laugh, cry, reminisce, read, study, etc. Any form of positive introspective activity is generally acceptable to the ancestors. They simply want to spend quality, meaningful time with you, and they want to be remembered. There are no set parameters of when or how long you should interact with your ancestors at the altar.
Spending time at my ancestor altar is a daily practice for me. However, such a schedule doesn’t work for everyone. You may only have time for weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc., sessions at your ancestor altar. However, I discourage you from setting up an ancestor altar if you don’t plan to interact with it regularly. Otherwise, what is the point? An abandoned or neglected altar only serves to attract negative energy. So, if you are not interested in inviting such energy into your space, it is best not to set up an ancestor altar if you don’t plan to attend to and clean it regularly. The more time you spend at your altar, the stronger your connection will get. However, do keep in mind that you need to spend enough quality time with the living as well. Try not to overdo it to the point where you spend more time with your ancestors than with your living family members and friends. Your ancestors appreciate your dedication and devotion to them, but they want you to have a blessed and fruitful life as well. They know that you need a proper and balanced relationship with them and other living beings in your environment for this to happen.
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Working With Your Ancestors
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