14/08/2022
Why Practice Ceremony to Communicate with your Ancestors?
There are many ways to communicate with your ancestors and eventually it may become a daily practice and dialog for you. Simply calling them into your heart and having a quiet moment can be perfect. However, ceremony can help to amplify the communication.
Spirit is energy and uses high vibration frequencies to access the earthly realm. Ceremony is high vibration. The difference between offering ceremony and personal prayer is like the difference between playing guitar amplified or playing guitar acoustically. They are both beautiful and appropriate for different needs, but one has a stronger resonance and reach. Just as it is easier for us to hear the amplified guitar, it is easier for the spirit to communicate with us using the higher vibration of ceremony.
We have held ceremony many times personally, in groups, at our yoga studio, on retreats, and with people of varied faiths and beliefs. We have found that most people have an innate remembrance and connection to ceremony even in their first experience.
What is Ceremony?
There are many ancient wisdom traditions on our planet that share the gift of ceremony and there are many ways to do ceremony- individually or in groups. While the specifics of the ceremony may vary, there are three essential pieces that apply anywhere, anytime:
Intention: In the yoga tradition this is called Sankalpa, which translates to “vow of the heart”. Declare your purpose. It can be a positive affirmation, asking for an answer to a question or healing.
Attention: Be Present. Or as Ram Dass says, “Be Here Now.” Get grounded in your heart and clear your mind. Energy flows where your attention goes.
Purposeful: Make sure what you doing is meaningful to you. When you are in a group ceremony there may be aspects that don’t connect to you in that moment. That’s okay. Keep your attention on your inner intention, on what you are offering up from your heart. When you are creating your own personal ceremony, create a ceremony that inspires you and has meaning for you.
[1:59 pm, 10/08/2022] Vodafn: Create Sacred Space
Find a place that is conducive for your ceremony: being outside in nature is highly recommended or a quiet place inside. Create an altar for your ancestors. This may include:
Lighting incense, copal, sage, or palo santo to clear the energy and open the portal
Elements of nature, such as fire (candle), flowers, a bowl of water, crystals, shells, feathers, to***co, corn or grains
Ancestral Memorabilia, such as photos, personal items like a ring, a pocket knife, a book or favorite foods of the ancestors
Spiritual relics like your favorite deity, prayer flags or anything that represents spirit to you
Rattles, drums, bells, gongs, or singing bowls to open up the portal through sound
Asking Permission and Giving Invitation
Ask for permission, guidance, and protection from Spirit to do your ceremony. Call in your Spirit Guides and Angels to assist you and invite in your ancestors that you would like to be present by name at the ceremony.
Call in the Directions
Ask the spirits of the Four Directions, Mother Earth, and Father Sky to be present at the ceremony.
Make Offerings
Offer a handwritten letter to the ancestor(s) that can be burned and carried to Spirit through smoke. Or make a statement to the deceased out loud. Follow your words with an offering of the items you chose for the altar.
Take a Moment
Sit quietly and be in the energy of Spirit and your ancestors. Focus in on your original intention. Listen with full attention in your heart, mind, and body for any messages. You may receive an instant knowing, an image, a feeling, inner light, love, or even words. Or, it may just be a peaceful repose. Spirit answers in divine time. More may be revealed in dreams, nature, and future interactions.
Mantra and Music
You can choose a song, a mantra, or chant that feels right to you. It can be accompanied by your voice or instruments of drums and rattles to bring the primordial heartbeat of Mother Earth.
Guided Journey (Optional)
Try a guided journey: this is often performed by a shaman or someone trained in guided meditations.
Close the Ceremony
Close the Four Directions, Mother Earth and Father Sky. Thank your Spirit Guides and Angels for their assistance and send out a final blessing to your ancestors.
Celebration and Reflection
Share some food, water, music, and/or discussion with loved ones and record your feelings and experiences in your journal.
Be open to whatever comes. Spirit can come as a whisper or as cosmic smack upside the head. And sometimes it comes immediately and sometimes it comes when you least expect it. What matters most is your intention, attention and purpose. The seeds you have planted will grow if tended with an earnest heart. Trust the process. May the ancestors be with you.
