Photo Credit: My picture of The Boriken Oracle – Joanna Robles
Do you happen to have a relationship with your ancestors? There isn’t one day that goes by that the topic of ancestor veneration doesn’t come up. You know what I’m talking about, IG and FB stay talking about our ancestors. And what is the first thing that pops into your head when you hear “ancestors”? Do you get images of your indigenous lineage? Do you hear songs and remember dances? Do you picture talks at your altar with candles and offerings? Do you imagine Dia De Los Muertos? Tell me! And I mean it, please share your responses in the comments!
For me personally, I imagine those moments at my altar, sharing openly, lighting candles, leaving offerings and hearing my ancestors respond, en voz alta. But, that’s not what is actually happening. I don’t hear anything. Nothing at all. Is something wrong with me? Am I broken? Am I doing it wrong? Do I not have any ancestors? Can they hear me? Oh no, do they hate me? Am I lighting their candle wrong? Did I give the wrong offerings? AAAHHH, WHY CAN’T I HEAR THEM! Well, turns out…I’m trippin. I have this expectation or how things should be, feel, sound, look like, right? And we all know that isn’t how spirituality works, better yet, that isn’t how Spirit (or our divine spiritual support team) works. And I know this! So why in thee world am I trippin?! Most likely for the same reason everyone else is trippin, lol.
I have an ancestor altar setup in the living room. Yes, it is personal and private, but I also want it there for my daughter and mother. I want to share everything I am learning, and they can learn it whenever they are ready, it’s there. I cleanse my altar, light the candle and check the water daily. I pray every morning and night and journal…I still don’t hear them like I want to or imagined I would. And there come the expectations again. Why do I do this to myself, ugh! But look, here we go…we ask our ancestors to come on out over here and talk with us. Guide us. Talk to us. And they do, but we just don’t see it! They are our family, our people, they are here for us no matter what, whenever and however we need them. Remember that.
So what do we do? How do we communicate with our ancestors? Well, since you asked…I have learned to just shut up. Well wait, of course there is more. First and foremost, I’d say do your research. Who is it that you are wanting to communicate with? Who is it that you are calling “ancestors”? Why do you want to communicate with them? Do tell! After that, we gotta start at the basics. A table top (whatever that may look like for you), white cloth, white candle and a glass of water in a glass made of glass (it sounds weird, but yeah no plastic or ceramic, etc., just good ol’ glass). Now, I know at this point you may have questions as to why this stuff, well, the best answer I can give you is they are neutral, strong and clear fuentes to the spirit world. But remember, do your research! Next, I would say pray. Yes, pray. Prayer can look however you want it to. The point of prayer is to talk with the divine. Talk with your divine spiritual support team, all of them. But since this is about ancestors, then talk with them! The only rules (if there were to be any, and these are more like common courtesies) are to be honest and respectful.
So let’s practice…look at the cards in the picture above. Look at them, read them, feel them and interpret them. What are they saying to you? How do they make you feel? What are you smelling? What are you tasting? What are you remembering?
Our ancestors are all around us and everywhere we go. Today I woke to cloudy water on their altar. Weird, yes? Cloudy water isn’t unheard of, but it is when I just replaced their water the other day and I’ve been keeping an eye on it to make sure my altar waters don’t get gross. It caught me off guard and I started to worry because I know they’re trying to tell me something, I just don’t know what it is. My first instinct was to look out the bay window my altar sits in front of and if you remember anything from developing your spiritual gifts it’s to always go with your first instinct. But I digress, I don’t know what the message is but I know that is the lesson in and of itself. I know it doesn’t make sense, but most times it isn’t supposed to. I’ll figure it out..I hope, lol.
Your ancestors are spittin…what are they saying?
To our ancestors, their love, wisdom, guidance, medicine and protection!!
With Love and Divine Feminine Strength. Yours Truly, Anna R.
