Ancestral Veneration

 

Ancestral Veneration

Venerating ancestors to those who are on the other side of understanding, may come off as worship. But it is not so.  Ancestral Veneration is the practice of remembering, building a relationship and paying homage to those who came before us—mainly our ancestors. At the core culture of many spiritual systems within America as “rutworkin” or what is known as Hoodoo--and Afro-Caribbean practices you will see ritual ancestral veneration. You could even find this in church settings as well.

 

Building a relationship With You Ancestors

This is a process that needs to be very intentional and patience is a virtue that you will have to cultivate. You can trace your family line back through local and internet sources or if you’re lucky get the family history from someone trusted in the family. Some people do their own research.

If you don’t have an altar setup for them, that is perfectly okay! YOU are the altar and their blood and genes run through your veins. You don’t have to be scared to connect to your ancestors. You can use a simple candle and cup of water to address then and venerate.

Talk to them as you would your friends or family.  Tell them about your day, plans etc. When starting out focus on the connect and how it feels.

Though they are in spirit or eneji form, try to see them as humans. Acknowledge that they were not perfect and no need to put them on a pedestal. You help elevate and serve them and you receive support and blessings in return.

Ways To Connect

You can connect in many ways:

-         Share stories about your relatives to keep the memory alive

-         We often reflect on common traits such as skills, looks, sayings, strengths, etc.  

-         Doing their favorite activity in their honor like running a 4K race, giving back etc.

How you connect is pretty much open to you if you’re not apart of any systems that have regeleman.