Guide To Ancestor Veneration

Guide to Ancestor Veneration

What is ancestor veneration?

Veneration simply means "to have great respect". I choose to use the term "ancestor veneration" over "ancestor work" because I believe that if you want to work with your ancestors, then you need to start by having a strong sense of respect for them. Your ancestors aren't attack dogs, nor are they slaves. They are not there for you to give orders to or treat with disrespect. Your ancestors are your family. Your ancestors are your guides and your protectors. They are the ones who came before you and are the very reason you were able to exist.

I say this because I often see people in the witchcraft and magic community try to treat spirits like attack dogs and slaves. Hell, I've seen people treat deities as such. It's pretty disturbing to me. Don't be one of those people.

Working with your ancestors is similar to all other forms of spirit work, though I wouldn't approach it the same. Your ancestors were once human. They had flaws in life and chances are some of them carried those flaws into death, too. They have their own morals and values. Not all of them deserve respect, and chances are there are some ancestors you don't want in your space. I'll address this later, though.

How do I determine who my ancestors are?

If you were raised by your blood relatives, this may be a little easier for you. The first thing you will want to do is ask your living family what they know. Parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents... Ask them what they know and remember about your past relatives. Try to write down names when you hear them. If you are lucky enough to have relatives who keep detailed documentation about your ancestry, that is even better.

Depending on where you live, public documentation can be of great help. Old newspaper articles, obituaries... Try to figure out how you can make connections this way. You'd be surprised by the information you can find.

If you really want to dive deep into your heritage, ancestry DNA kits can help you with that. It can be expensive, and the databases of these companies vary, but it can be helpful. Some can connect you to distant relatives that have used the same ancestry DNA company. They can also give you a very general idea about where your ancestors came from.

If you were adopted, or generally have zero information regarding your blood relatives, that is okay. Your adopted family is still your family, depending on how you view them. If you love your adopted family, and truly consider them family, then you can choose to work with them, too.

I personally don't believe in the whole "your blood determines who your family is" thing. Family is more complex than that to me. That being said, if your parents or other relatives have any close friends that you grew up with, they could be considered family, too. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have people come into our lives and treat us like family. If you grew up with anybody like this, and consider them to be family, they can count as an ancestor too.

What if my ancestors were bad people?

I most commonly see this question being asked by white people. They usually refer to their racist, white ancestors. I even see people go as far as to claim white people can't work with their ancestors because of this.

Here is the thing: everybody has at least a few shitty people for ancestors. Your race does not make your immune to having bad people in your ancestry.

It is up to you to look at the ancestors you know of and determine who you want in your space. You are not required to work with every single ancestor you have. You have the right to say no to an ancestor and tell them to stay away from you. You do not need to work with racist, homophobic, transphobic, or whatever else ancestors.

You can set boundaries with your ancestors.

How do I start ancestor veneration once I determine who my ancestors are and which ones I want to honor?

Start by considering an ancestor altar. This can be easy for those of you who are in the broom closet due to hateful family. You can always pass it off as a little memorial spot for your past loved ones (this isn't even a false claim- an ancestor altar is literally a place to pay your respects). If you are able to, start collecting things for an ancestor altar.

The first things I suggest looking for are photos of your ancestors and things that belonged to them, if possible. You can add jewelry, things they used for their favorite hobbies... If you can't find the exact things they used for their hobbies, you could consider buying something that they would have used.

Your ancestors will need offerings, too. I know people tend to get a little intimidated about giving spirits regular offerings, so I suggest starting small and try keeping up with a schedule. Dedicate a specific day of the week to start. Once you feel comfortable with that day, make it two days of the week. If you are comfortable giving them offerings every day, even better!

Some of the easiest offerings you can give your ancestors include coins, cash, flowers, incense, candles, tobacco products and the sacred text of their chosen religion (such as a Bible). You can also include more personal offerings, such as a handwritten letter from yourself or a piece of artwork you created for them.

Food and liquid offerings, in my opinion, are a necessity. Your ancestors deserve to be well fed, too! They may not be here in their physical form to enjoy it, but it is still appreciated regardless. Get some plates and cups specifically for the ancestors. Give them a small portion of food before you eat. Leave it on the ancestor altar until breakfast/lunch/dinner time is over. What you choose to do with the food after is up to you. Some people throw it away, others eat it themselves. Drinks are important, too. Water is the most basic liquid offering you can give. I suggest changing water offerings out daily, if you are comfortable with daily offerings. You can also offer coffee, teas, soda and alcohol.

How do I communicate with my ancestors?

For you, it is as simple as speaking. Just talk to them like you would with your living relatives. This should be an obvious thing, but I have met people who have never considered just... talking. You don't need to use divination every time you want to talk to your ancestors. Just talk out loud to them. Whenever you give them offerings at their altar, thank them for any help they give you and talk to them a bit. Let them know you are thinking of them.

In terms of figuring out messages your ancestors send you, there are a few ways to do this. Divination is one of the most common ways to get their messages to you. You could also ask them to send you signs. Personally, when I'm asking my ancestors for signs, I use divination to try and get some symbolism to look out for. If I can't get anything from divination then I ask for specific things, such as coins. If you're the type to do dream work, you can also ask your ancestors to present themselves to you in your dreams.

Communicating with the ancestors isn't limited to these things, though, so see what works best for you. Sometimes different ancestors have different preferences and communicate different than others.

What can my ancestors do for me?

As I've mentioned before, your ancestors can guide you and protect you. You may also have ancestors who wish to help you with your magic workings, too.

Don't forget that your ancestors were once living people, too. They had their own boundaries when they were alive, and chances are they've got boundaries still. Be sure to get to know them, whether it be through listening to stories about them from your living relatives or through your own means of communication. One ancestor may not offer the same guidance or assistance that another ancestor does.

Book Recommendations

➳ "Badass Ancestors: Finding Your Power with Ancestral Guides" by Patti Wigington

➳ "Honoring Your Ancestors: A Guide to Ancestral Veneration" by Mallorie Vaudoise (I haven't been able to read this one yet, but I see this book praised often.)

➳ "Ancestral Tarot: Uncover Your Past and Chart Your Future" by Nancy Hendrickson (I don't fully agree with all of this person's ideas, but I do find this book to be a good start for beginners who are familiar with tarot.)

2022 Witch's Calendar

For all my witches out there, here's a handy list of the 2022 dates for the major holidays, full and new moons, and special events. I've listed my sources at the bottom. Dates and times for all events are calculated for Eastern Standard Time, USA, Northern Hemisphere. Adjust for your location as needed. Enjoy!

WOTY Holidays and Solstices

February 1-2 - Imbolc

March 20 - Spring Equinox / Ostara

May 1 - Beltane

June 21 - Summer Solstice / Midsummer

August 1 - Lughnasadh

September 22 - Autumn Equinox / Mabon

October 31 - Samhain

December 21 - Winter Solstice / Yule

Full Moons

January 17 - Wolf Moon ♋️

February 16 - Snow Moon ♌️

March 18 - Worm Moon ♍️

April 16 - Pink Moon ♎️

May 16 - Flower Moon ♏️

June 14 - Strawberry Moon ♐️

July 13 - Thunder Moon (aka Buck Moon) ♑️

August 11 - Sturgeon Moon ♒️

September 10 - Harvest Moon ♓️

October 9 - Hunter's Moon (aka Blood Moon) ♈️

November 8 - Frost Moon ♉️

December 7 - Cold Moon ♊️

Fun Fact: The title of Harvest Moon is given to either the September or October full moon, whichever falls closest to the autumn equinox. In 2022, that month will be September.

New Moons

January 2 ♑️

February 1 ♒️

March 2 ♓️

April 1 ♈️

April 30 ♉️

May 30 ♊️

June 29 ♋️

July 28 ♌️

August 27 ♍️

September 25 ♎️

October 25 ♏️

November 23 ♐️

December 23 ♑️

Special Events

April 30 - Black Moon & Partial Solar Eclipse (10:42pm EST)

May 16 - Total Lunar Eclipe (12:11am EST, coinciding with zenith)

June 14 - Supermoon

July 13 - Supermoon

October 25 - Partial Solar Eclipe (11:01am EST)

November 8 - Total Lunar Eclipse (5:59am EST, coinciding with zenith)

SOURCES:

Inverse - Full Moon 2022 calendar: Dates, times, schedule, and names for the brightest nights all year

Astroseek - Full Moons 2022 & New Moons

The Pagan Grimoire - The Wheel of the Year: The 8 Festivals in the Wiccan Calendar

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ababywitches-enchantedendeavours

3 years ago

Types of Water Divination

Hydromancy: divination using water

The flow of water speaks to the intensity of current and/or upcoming events. To practice this method, dip a metal ring in water and gauge the movements like using a pendulum for "yes/no," or interpret the answer from the number of ripples that arise.

Acultomancy: divination with needles

Using needles in water or flour, the diviner would interpret shapes and patterns created by the needles in the substance. 21 or 7 needles would be used following the question being asked. The broken line may mean traveling or heading on a new journey. The parallel lines may mean money in the future, either given or taken away. The vertical lines are meant as guided roads to take. The horizontal lines may mean what the fate will be.

Ceroscopy: divination with molten wax in water

Light the candle with your question in mind and allow the wax to drop into the bowl of water. As the wax forms shapes and pattens, use these to interpret an answer to your question.

Quercusmancy: divination with acorns and oak trees

Lovers can drop acorns into the corner of a body of water. If the acorns touch, the lovers are meant to be. Acorns were also carried as lucky charms. If an oak tree shed its leaves, an oath was said to be broken.

Lecanomancy: divination with oil and water

Drop oil or rocks into a bowl of water and interpret the shapes and ripples in answer to your question.

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ababywitches-enchantedendeavours

4 years ago

Crystals

~ What are Crystals and what are they used for?

Most crystals ( in this case including gems, rocks, precious stones, semi-precious stones, and simple stones) are of mineral origin. Crystals, like amethyst, come out of the ground naturally faceted and don’t need to be changed in anyway. Diamonds, for example, come out of the ground equally as rough, but are usually polished and cut into intricate styles.

For many years, crystal have been used as a tool to aid spiritual healing, psychic development, and meditation.

~ How can I incorporate Crystals into my everyday life?

You can carry around your crystals. This way you can feel your crystals energy when needed. Place them in a little sachet or pouch and they are ready to go!

Infuse your water with your clean crystals. This is a fast way to feel your crystals energy.

Decorate your magickal space and/or surroundings with crystals.

Meditate with your crystals. Just spend a minimum of 30 seconds with each crystal. Hold it in your hands, close your eyes, and feel its energy soaking into your skin.

How Crystals Can Help You

Agate

~Banded: help you feel grounded, remain focused, and banishes fears.

~Blue Lace: helps you adjust and adapt.

~Moss: refreshes spirit, brings peace of mind, helps to develop intuition.

~Tree: aids meditation and clear thinking, reduces stress.

Amazonite ~ soothes the nervous system, increases self-esteem and confidence.

Amber ~ relieves depression and lifts your spirits.

Amethyst ~ the great healer of mind, body, and spirit. helps the development of psychic abilities and intuition.

Apache Tears ~ brings good fortune and positive energy.

Apatite ~ aids in motivation and communicative powers.

Aquamarine ~ helps you during hard decisions and times. promotes compassion and empathy.

Azurite ~ relinquishes harmful beliefs.

Bloodstone (aka Heliotrope) ~ calms fears, and dispels confusion and obsessive ideas.

Calcite ~ boosts energy and provides amazing psychic protection.

Carnelian (aka Sard) ~ banishes jealousy and inspires courage. aids perception.

Celestine ~ helps with communication and good thoughts.

Chalcedony ~ balances emotions and lifts your spirits.

Chrysocolla ~ eases stress and promotes self-confidence.

Citrine ~ helps steady emotions and give inspiration.

Coral ~ strengthens and protects emotions.

Desert Rose ~ promotes love and stability in relationships.

Diamond ~ assists in your connection with the universe.

Emerald ~ strong healer with both physical and mental problems.

Fluorite ~ helps with rationality and combats anxiety and worries.

Garnet ~ protects against melancholy and depression. encourages perseverance and patience.

Hematite ~ helps with psychic development and building self-esteem.

Jade ~ a very useful healing stone for both the body and spirit.

Jasper ~ aids with stress relief and grounding. promotes tranquility.

Jet ~ keeps evil spirits at bay and strengthens character.

Kunzite ~ helps align emotions. provides security.

Kyanite ~ helps to align and heal chakras.

Labradorite ~ aids with strong development of psychic powers.

Lapis Lazuli ~ helps develop your sixth sense. stimulates intuition. promotes creativity.

Lepidolite ~ great for relieving stress and dispelling negative emotions.

Malachite ~ used for healing when dealing with negative emotions.

Moonstone ~ restores harmony and emotion balance.

Obsidian ~ helps you to focus on the paranormal, used for protection and a scrying tool.

Onyx ~ instills a protective psychic shield.

Opal ~ helps with rationalizing emotional states.

Pearl ~ aids self-respect, stability, and self-esteem.

Pyrite ~ opens the mind to new ideas.

Quartz ~ channels and aids in meditation. a powerful healing stone.

Rose Quartz ~ aids in anything love-related. instills comfort, relieves grief, and promotes harmonious relationships.

Rutilated Quartz ~ releases energy blockers.

Rhodonite ~ helps with assurance and confidence.

Ruby ~ purifies love, promotes spiritual knowledge and to be realistic about situations.

Sapphire ~ aids in mental clarity, clearing your inner eye, and bringing good fortune.

Smoky Quartz ~ filters out negative thoughts and emotions. helps with telepathy.

Sodalite ~ heals damaged emotions, and aids in restful sleep.

Tanzanite ~ helps you to accept change.

TIger’s Eye ~ a powerful aid in those seeking knowledge about past or future lives. promotes persistence and protection.

Topaz ~ allows you to transmit your visualizations as universal messages. an aid in telepathy.

Tourmaline ~ repels all negative energy and is a powerful stone for protection.

Turquoise ~ an aid in luck, love, money, and protection.

Unakite ~ heals the psyche, helps you realize your higher self.

Crystal Care Tips

Some crystals shouldn’t be left in direct sunlight. These include: Amethyst, Ametrine, Aquamarine, Celestite, Citrine, Fluorite, Kunzite, Opal, Rose Quartz, Smoky Quartz, Topaz, and Turquoise.

Some crystals shouldn’t get wet. These include: Celestine, Desert Rose, Lapis Lazuli, Lepidolite, Malachite, Selenite, and Sodalite.

Click here to learn about Crystal Shapes.

source: Crystals by Cass & Janie Jackson

* If there is anything we missed or you’d like to add, just let us know! *

I hope this is useful! xx ~ @chlovoyant

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ababywitches-enchantedendeavours

4 years ago

TEA YOU SHOULD KEEP ON HAND

Here’s a small list of teas that are good to have on hand also! Especially if your sick!

Peppermint: Reduces fever, helps digestion, stops nausea/vomiting, treats respiratory disorders, weight loss, reduces stress, reduces bad breath.

Green Tea: Helps with your heart, helps to prevent cancer and alzheimer’s. Boosts immune system and helps with your muscles and bones.

Chamomile: Boosts immune system, helps with menstrual discomfort, relieves stress, helps with sleep.

Lemon: Helps with colds/flus, detox, stress, cardiovascular, digestive health, is a natural antiseptic, good for gingivitis and inflamed gums.

Echinacea: fights Colds/flus, UTI, Pain, migraine, boosts immune system, Cleans the liver and kidneys.

Licorice: Helps with soothing gastrointestinal problems and can also help with heartburn.

Ginger: Helps with colds, digestion, nausea, respiratory problems, menstrual discomfort, and improves blood circulation.

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ababywitches-enchantedendeavours

3 years ago

Book Review: The Crooked Path: An Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft by Kelden

I finally finished this 'ol book. Oh boy, I wish I had it about a decade ago. What I do now looks a great deal like Traditional Witchcraft. I found the book elucidating, interesting, and well-written.

I'd recommend it for anyone who wants to get into Traditional Witchcraft, or who is curious about it. It's a fantastic introduction.

Part I is an introduction to the historical basis of Traditional Witchcraft, and its similarities to (and differences from) Wicca. I think it takes huge steps towards clearing up misinformation and providing a foundation of historical understanding.

Beginning in Part I and continuing for the rest of the book, Kelden presents information and context, then ends the chapter with one or more exercises for you to perform at home.

These exercises range from "what is your personal definition of Traditional Witchcraft? Let's journal about it," [Exercise 1] all the way to "...now that you're ready to cross the hedge, go get a candle, a bowl of water, and..." [Exercise 32]

Along the way, we learn quite a lot about vital aspects of Traditional Witchcraft:

Common tools used (such as the stang, cauldron, and broom)

Foundational rituals (such as compass-laying and the housel)

A variety of common spells (including charm bags, poppets, and witch's ladders)

An introduction to the primary spirits of this path, including the Witch Father and Witch Mother, ancestors, familiars, and fetches

A lengthy discussion of the Three Worlds, how to travel to them and navigate them, and what you can do and accomplish while you're there

An introduction to bioregional (aka, local) witchcraft with a focus on the plants, animals, and seasons local to you

(I think the ancestral portion is especially helpful for people who want to get into ancestor work, but don't know or like their blood relations.)

Actual rituals, exercises, or steps are given for almost all of these things. There is a ritual to meet the Witch Mother, find a familiar, steps to work with your local land, and so on.

I especially like the effort Kelden has gone through to impress upon us that Traditional Witchcraft is unique to each practitioner; that our practices are not identical there is a lot of room for variation.

The only downside I've found in this book is that a lot of exercises provided, especially when we get to hedge-crossing, rely heavily on visualization. If you can't visualize, some of the exercises will likely end up being a disappointment for you.

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ababywitches-enchantedendeavours

4 years ago

Grimoire- Finally another zodiac page, there’s two more I can post, and then I’ll be showing colour correspondents :) if you want any of the resources I use in these pages feel free to ask🌊

Also feel free to give me your opinion on my work :)

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ababywitches-enchantedendeavours

4 years ago

Witchy Things I Do Subconsciously

I’ve been a practitioner for years now, having discovered the craft before high school and having begin studying since. Here are some things I do that people have pointed out are witch-like:

Natural remedies. My ADHD and following my dopamine has lead me to hyperfixate on learning on more natural ways to heal my body. I treat naturally first, then lean pharmaceutical. **Note: I do not think going 100% natural is the way to go, at least for myself.

Collections. Between jars and crystals and stones, I have quite the collection. It’s how I gained the nickname ‘Corvid’ amongst my close friends and my significant other. I also collect pretty sets of dice but that’s not for this blog. Usually the pretty things end up decorating my bedroom and expanding my altar.

Thanking things. I thank trees for shading me, I thank the beach and ocean for pretty shells and the water I collect, I thank my plants when I harvest from them, and so much more.

Appreciating the Weather. Taking moments to actually feel the breeze, enjoy the sun (when it’s not too hot), laugh in the rain, etc.

On hard days– I ring the bell on my dresser three times and take a few minutes to just breathe and relax. It’s another grounding method for me to remind me to focus on what’s in front of me.

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ababywitches-enchantedendeavours

3 years ago

Part 2 : Most Common Symbols/Sigils And Signs In Common!!! These Are Only A Few Of Them!!

Part 2 : Most Common Symbols/Sigils and Signs in Common!!! These are only a few of them!!

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ababywitches-enchantedendeavours

4 years ago

Wheel of the Year

General Information

For more go and check my Instagram.

The pagan year begins with Samhain on October 31 and ends with the sundown on October 30. Each holiday is also called sabbat. They are celebrated to honor a given time of the year.

Samhain

Also known as All Hallows’ Eve, Halloween.

Time: October 31 (start of the pagan new year).

Colors: orange, brown, black, gold, white, silver.

Yule

Time: Winter Solstice. December 21.

Colors: green, red, gold, silver, white.

Imbolc

Also known as Candlemas, Brighid’s Day/

Time: around February 2.

Colors: white, pink, yellow, red. PS. Sorry for bad typo in the photo :(

Ostara

Also known as Eostre (‘ehs-truh’) - Goddess of Spring.

Time: Spring Equinox. March 20 (or 21).

Colors: light greens and blues, yellow and pink.

Beltane

Also known as Roodmas, Walpurgisnacht, May Day.

Time: May 1.

Colors: green, blue, pink, white, yellow, purple.

Litha

Also known as Midsummer Night’s Eve.

Time: Summer Solstice. (Approx.) June 21.

Colors: Pale Yellow, Green, Gold, White

Lammas

Also known as Lughnasadh.

Time: August 1 through August 2 (first harvest of the year).

Colors: Yellow, Brown, Orange, Green, Gold.

Mabon

Also known as Alban Elfed, Mean Fomhair.

Time: Autumn Equinox, around September 21.

Colors: Red, brown, orange, gold.

*Edit: Removed pronunciation examples ad there were too many mistakes. Waiting for your examples in the comments!

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ababywitches-enchantedendeavours

3 years ago

Pages from My Spell Book: Banishing Magic

Be rid of that which does not serve you.

Colors: Black, silver, green, red

Herbs: Salt, bay, culinary sage, rosemary, pine, cedar, mugwort, horehound, pepper, juniper, myrrh, sandalwood, fennel, aconite, acorn, pokeweed, ivy, dandelion, earwax lettuce, betel, birch, thistle, brimstone, cayenne, yucca, wormwood, cactus, betony, willow bar, vinegar, turnip, unicorn root, toadflax, Spanish moss, saw palmetto.

Charms: Frayed ropes, uterus, fire, Gorgoneion, wind, broken compass, horned snake, dagger

Notes: Banishing magic depends on firmness. You cannot waver or doubt. Banishing is like taking a course of antibiotics; if you don’t finish it the first time, the problem tends to come back stronger. Always be the bigger bitch. Ambiguity is a weakness in banishing; be direct, specific, and blunt. Spare no feelings.

Mix salt and pepper to throw forcefully while you banish. For an enhanced version, write down what you want to banish, burn the paper, then mix the ashes with salt and pepper.

To get rid of a person, write your spell and burn it. Combine the ashes with salt, pepper, bay, rosemary, horehound, and mugwort. Empty into a body of running water.

To banish bad energy, smash an egg on a mirror and face it towards the main door of the dwelling. Rub lemons on the door and window frames. Loudly bang pots and pans together.

Infused vinegars are perfect for banishing.

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