TOOL BOX: 5 Ways to Honour your Ancestors

Build a Mesa, Alter or Shrine : If you can’t visit grave sights, create a place to honour, talk to and pray for your ancestors, not just the ones you know but also the ones you don’t. Dig through family history the best you can or get in touch with some of your older relatives, you will probably find pictures or even precious items owned or made by those who went before you. If you can’t find pictures or things owned by them, little things that remind you of them can also be created. Gather these things together in an area of your house or living space where you’re sure to notice them at least once a day.

Make offerings to your Ancestors : Present the offering along with your intention, let it be heart felt and authentic. Physical offerings may include food, drink, coins, cloth, tobacco, ash, tears, stones and other found objects, flowers, fire, and creations made with your hands. Offerings to the ancestors can also take less physical forms such as songs, dancing and prayer.

Dedicate Positive Actions to Ancestors : To make a intention to do good and to care for the energy that is being dispersed into your body, lineage and the world is a great way to create positive energy and honour your family lineage. Healing practices, forgiveness, releasing of unbeneficial patterns or relationships that no longer serve you or the greater good is a great way to raise vibration and have it ripple through generations.

Talk to them and let them talk to you : Share your thoughts, wishes, intentions and give them the opportunity to respond. Be open to receiving messages in many different ways, ask that they communicate with you in specific ways like finding dimes or feathers, what ever speaks to you. Stay open to guidance and communication such as intuitive knowings, messages in dreams, or other signs that speak to you.

Fulfill Your Soul’s Purpose in Love and Integrity : The most important and most challenging way to honour your ancestors is to fulfill your personal potential and life’s purpose while we are here on Earth. To walk our path in integrity and be courageous in pursuit of our Sacred Dreams, to celebrate our successes and accept our failures as lessons is also one of the best ways to honour the ones that came before us.

TREAT THEM AS YOU WOULD BE TREATED. REMEMBER THAT ONE DAY YOU ALSO WILL BE AN ANCESTOR