Ancestral Veneration And Why Its Important

Ancestral Veneration and Why it’s Important

This is going to be a post about a topic that people seem to forget or deem unimportant even fearful about with either good reasons or just never thought about it. I just wanted to mention YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WORK WITH ANCESTORS IN YOUR PRACTICE this blog is mostly for those who are interested in it and not sure what ancestral veneration is.

I’m a pagan and a witch that practices Ancestral veneration in my practice, not around it but it’s definitely a big part of why I practice certain paths. I’ll go in beginner tips, what to expect and the myths, the offerings and the recommendations. But let me go a bit into the importance of Ancestral Veneration and worship in human history since it’s still prevalent today.

Historical importance of Ancestral Worship

Ancestral worship and veneration has been at least one of the oldest religions that humans have ever believed in. Archaeological evidence shows the early humans taking care of their dead and burying them for respect and dignity maybe even courtesy to the deceased. It became sacred to them, imagine back then without fully understanding about the world someone that you spoke and saw now gone, it’s a profound moment one’s life that they must believe that their spirit lives on and they themselves wanted a peaceful resting place. It’s a cycle, many cultures and religions believe that life is a cycle, death is never the “end” rather an end of a journey to a new part of one’s life.

To this day people honor their deceased loved ones, visiting their graves, offering them gifts at their resting places, speaking to them, having their picture on a table surrounded by their favorite flowers, etc. Honoring the dead and respecting the dead is a very revered part of human life and something that we all would like to expect when we’re gone from our living family. Spirits also related or not, the dead as well should be treated with outmost respect and dignity like our ancestors did.

Some cultures like the Romans believed that if the spirits especially ancestral spirits (Lares) weren’t appeased they become angry if worshipped improperly or their will have not be been fulfilled. In Ancient Greek tradition they would place a coin in the mouth for the deceased to make sure their spirits would go into the afterlife safely and less traumatic. Each culture and society had a different way of how the ancestors would live in the afterlife.

Even in the Christian Bible shows the significance of ancestors, there is a reason why genealogies are included in the Bible. How Jewish people revere Abraham as their founding father since he is the first Hebrew patriarch which is very important to them and their religion. How even Jesus is related to David on both sides. Even immediate family is important like Jesus’s mother Holy Mary. In Norse Paganism it’s said that the kings were descend from gods like the Swedish Royal family related to Freyr. In Shintoism it is said that the First Emperor of Japan is related to the Sun Goddess Amaterasu. Japan and other many East Asian countries have a strong relationship and traditions regrading Ancestors.

Why Ancestral Veneration?

Ancestral Veneration is generally taken outside of paganism and witchcraft a very sacred thing for families, they can heal, they can come together, grieve together, reminisce together especially if they knew that person in life. But also asking the deceased loved ones for guidance and protection, to help their family in life whom they love the most. Plus this can help especially if you are into past life regression, we reincarnated with our ancestors many times and they have been able to see us in their time and now. It can be really insightful to understand of who we were in those lives.

Whatever legacy they left behind that you admired from them is continued for generations to come as well as heirlooms, a mother passing down her sentimental items to daughters or their children alike it’s a remembrance of what they were known by as well.

“Cows die, family die, you will die the same way . I know only one thing that never dies: the reputation of the one who’s died.” Havamal, Stanza 77.

If you’re going into paganism or witchcraft or both that are related to your ancestry. Your ancestors are the best teachers and mentors especially if they also have been in these specific practices and traditions. If you want to learn Seidr for instance a magical practice rooted within Scandinavian traditions and you have said Scandinavian roots you can contact a ancestor that practiced it in life and willing to help and teach you. What’s unfortunate about ancestral veneration looking down upon for many centuries making people turn away and against the practice is that it’s said that spirits can become lost if they aren’t being honored or remembered that makes them fade and lost.

Five Myths about Ancestral Veneration and what to expect. This is not going to be sugarcoated, I’m being honest and this what I’ve experienced in my own practice and how many others have experienced as well. I would add on if I forgot anything but these are most common misconceptions I have heard. The red are the myths if you are wondering.

Myth #1: All ancestors on the other side have my best interest and support all what I’m doing This is a common misbelief, now there is ancestors that will support you no matter what and your actions. But if you’re a pagan and a witch there is going to be Christian ancestors who won’t support you at all. Their human spirits with still human functions and beliefs. Not to say you can’t communicate but set your intentions and boundaries before meeting them, some will tolerate and some will make their opinions and beliefs known possibly even try to convince you. I know it sounds like fear mongering but it’s to what you would expect. This doesn’t mean you cannot make contact or venerate them because of it. It’s a choice that is a two way street, even spirits in the other side have freewill just like we do.

Myth #2: All Ancestors are well in spirit No, not exactly, when humans on earth do horrible things or experience horrible things it will take affect in the spirit world no matter what. Keep in mind time works very differently in the other world that it will take centuries for those who are healing to fully recover and those to actually realize their problems, messed up life on earth if they choose to recognize it. Again as I said just humans in the physical world human spirits also have free will and choices.

Myth #3: Only Human spirits are ancestors Nope commonly yes when we think of Ancestors we think of human beings that lived either with us or before us. But this isn’t the case, pets for instance that became our beloved family members and part of our inner circle are our ancestors. My cat that recently passed I had him since I was nine years old, I always thought and treated him like family because of that he merged into my family circle. Also animals can symbols of family, like a bear, an owl, an elephant, etc. that they can be represented as your ancestors as a whole.

Myth #4 : Ancestors are limited to just blood family Also a misconception, close friends and even adopted family members are considered to be close family. Some people won’t have blood relatives in life and find their found family which is just as valid and meaningful like a blood family is. This also goes to if you’re a person that likes to write you might venerate your favorite author, if you like to draw or paint you can venerate an artist that you admired a lot. Your family might have patron saints, deities, or local heroes and spirits that have been part of your family for generations. That’s why it’s nice to know where your family originated from what country, village, city, etc.

Myth #5: No Ancestors of mine did anything wrong Everyone’s ancestors did something horribly wrong in their lifetime, some were messed up people. But there are good ones that aren’t like that anymore, if you want to venerate them that’s up to you and your practice. I personally don’t do it because especially if they did something wrong and have no remorse for it I ain’t venerating none of them.

There is no reason to be afraid.

I know I seemed to be fear mongering in the previous part that’s because I don’t want to sugarcoated of which is most likely to be expected.

The Bottom line when contacting (if you want to have contact with them) and venerating your ancestors is that their no different from a human person in this physical realm. They will have personalities, likes, dislikes, opinions, beliefs like any other human being BUT from my experience a lot of my ancestors are very wise, humorous, kind, and non-judgmental. My advice if you really want to contact someone who is going to be supportive and helpful in your paganism and witchcraft, ask specifically for that person I usually ask for ancient ancestors pre Christian wise but there many folk witches and pagan ancestors that are more modern and recent that can most definitely help you! Speak to them like any other human interaction would be as if you’re talking to a living friend, family member or complete stranger you’re meeting for the first time.

How to Communicate with your ancestors

I have mention “contacting” your ancestors you can speak with them it’s not impossible.

1. Meditation and dream work: Most common and effective way to really get them to communicate you and send signs is through dreams. Meditation for a clear and close connection with them.

2. Tarot: Very common and just as effective, my most recommended first step when communicating with your ancestors. Using a tarot deck can help with putting your foot through the door. There is a great book which will recommend at the of the blog that does ancestral and tarot together.

3. Pendulum and a spirit board: This is more in depth but it has been very effective for me and many others to really connect and communicate with my ancestors. It’s good to state your intentions and boundaries before doing any of said above, but this is where you really need to set it. Before starting grab the pendulum over the board don’t let it swing and say, “I ask of the good and supporting ancestors that have me in good intent and support of my path and practice, I would like to meet you”. Of course you get specific like “I would like to meet an ancient Roman ancestor” that’s just an example of how it would go safely and respectfully.

4. Just talking to them. Yep sounds easy enough, you would just get something that represents ancestors or even a specific ancestor. For instance your grandmother’s rosary and just talk to them or pray to them. It’s a very simple and comforting way to bond with your family.

Offerings

This is going to be a “it depends on the ancestors” but there has been a universal notion of what ancestors do really like. From items, food, drink, etc.

Rosaries for catholic ancestors or the cross for Christian ancestors generally speaking

Pagan symbols for your pagan ancestors

Statues of ancestral gods or saints or other important entities

Sweets: Cookies and cakes are very popular

Alcohol: my Germanic ancestors love it when I offer beer, mead, ale. But also wine and other alcoholic beverages for others.

Regular libations like water, coffee, tea. juice, etc. good substitute if you cannot use alcohol.

Their meals from their home country, my Italian ancestors, recent and ancient love it when I make them pasta.

Incense some cultures call it the food for spirits

Heirlooms

Family photographs

Candles

Coins

Book of the dead, if you meet an ancestor you can record them down into a book that is solely for your family and to be passed down on and on. It’s a memorial service to them that someone knows their name and who they were.

Specific traditions that your ancestors came from for instance libations of wine for your Greek ancestors.

Good ancestral veneration books that personally helped me a lot and I know a lot of others to get started.

Ancestral Tarot by Nancy Hendrickson she helps how to contact and connect with your ancestors and ancestry using tarot

Ancestral Grimoire by Nancy Hendrickson like Ancestral Tarot she goes how to connect with your ancestors but this time how to really work with them. One of the exercises is to work with an ancestor for a month and a different for the next one.

Honoring your Ancestors by Mallorie Vaudoise she gives good information on different ways to connect with your ancestors, the different types of ancestors, she does have a Southern European and Catholic folk magic take to it which is fine but it’s not the sole focus of it but she does put good information in the book to help someone get started. 

Badass Ancestors by Patti Wigington also good beginners guide to ancestral veneration and how to connect through meditations and develop relationships with them even how to deal with problematic ancestors. She goes into how to research your genealogy and useful tips!

UPDATE: It has been 7 days (my last post was queued haha)

This spell definitely felt more "alive" in a way. I had an image in my mind of an energy wriggling and squirming against it's shell. The "birthing" process was simple - I slowly cracked open the shell in small increments, as a baby bird might, and let the ingredients fall together into a small bowl below. I crushed the eggshell and "fed" it to my spell ingredients - it's final meal before I released it. With some kind words, instructions and the melody of a bell, I set the spell loose, guided by Mother Nature's powerful wind so that it may fulfill it's purpose.

I was inspired by this post by @windvexer about gestational spells and decided to give it a go as usually I release my spells almost immediately after they've been crafted.

I had some spare (dried) eggshells from a previous working and thought that they'd work well as a container for the spell, especially since they are literally gestational containers that help create and protect life.

I gathered my ingredients and began the small ritual, finishing with sealing them in the eggshells. I poured a lot of my energy into it, cradled it gently and asked Mother Nature to share her nurturing energy too.

I will continue to pour more energy in and let the spell grow and evolve inside the shell for 7 days, when I will help release and birth the spell.

Will update as the process continues!!!

I've studied basic witchcraft, Hoodoo, and Heka as well as the general anthropology behind magic development in Western nations. One of the biggest reassurances that magic is real has been the fact that, regardless of where it originates, it requires:

Intention (what do you want to have happen?)

Direction (where do you want the energy to go?)

Materials (what do you want to use raise energy?)

European nations arrived to this conclusion. The Egyptians arrived to this conclusion. Enslaved Africans arrived to this conclusion.

And, sure, forces are more intertwined than we think. Chances are they were all inspired by one another somehow. But they all reached similar conclusions that we can manipulate the fates of the world through a few common steps.

Isn't that cool?

                  𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺, 𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺. 𝘍𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 any 𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯/𝘷𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯.

𝟷 (½) 𝚌𝚞𝚙𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝟷 (½) 𝚌𝚞𝚙𝚜 𝙿𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝟷 (½) 𝚝𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝙲𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚗 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝟻 𝚙𝚒𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚜 𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚂𝚊𝚕𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙿𝚎𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎 (½) 𝚊 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚌 (½) 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝙾𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝟷 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚁𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟷 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚢𝚖𝚎 𝟷 𝚌𝚞𝚙 𝚘𝚏 𝙼𝚒𝚕𝚔 𝟸 𝚌𝚞𝚙𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚆𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙾𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚒𝚕

𝟷. 𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚊 𝚙𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚟𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚖𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚙 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎. 𝙼𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚞𝚝é 𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚌.

𝟸. 𝙾𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑, 𝚍𝚛𝚒𝚣𝚣𝚕𝚎 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚒𝚕. 𝙼𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊 𝚙𝚞𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚒𝚕. 𝙲𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚑 𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚏 𝚊 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚕𝚖 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚝. 𝚂𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚏 𝚊 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕. 𝚂𝚝𝚒𝚛 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚖.

𝟹. 𝙾𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚜𝚊𝚞𝚝é 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚜/𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚌 (𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚟𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚗/𝚟𝚎𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚋𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚝𝚎). 𝙼𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗, 𝚊𝚍𝚍 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛 𝚒𝚏 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚍(𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚗)--𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚊𝚕𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚎𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚛.

𝟹.𝟻) 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚌, 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚙 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚎𝚜. (𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚞𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚙 𝚖𝚢 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚒𝚛𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚎𝚜).

𝟺. 𝚂𝚊𝚞𝚝é 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚑.

𝟻. 𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚍𝚍 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚋𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜. 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚋𝚒𝚝, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚋𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝟾𝟶% 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜, 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚠-𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚊 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚙.

𝟼. 𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚍𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚗 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚍𝚎𝚛, 𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚢𝚖𝚎. 𝙻𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚞𝚖 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚝, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚒𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚌𝚞𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚙. 𝚂𝚝𝚒𝚛 𝚘𝚌𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚕 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚠. 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 "𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚙 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚜."

𝟽. 𝚁𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚙 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝. 𝙿𝚞𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚏𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚙 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕.

𝟾. 𝚀𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚌𝚔 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎. 𝙸𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚖𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚘𝚔𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚔, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚙 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑. 𝙸𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚑𝚢--𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐--𝚒𝚏 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍, 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚞𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐.

𝟿. 𝙶𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚙 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚍𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚗 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚊𝚕𝚝/𝚙𝚎𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎.

𝟷𝟶. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚙 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚍𝚍 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚔, 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚖 𝚢𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠.

Enjoy!

A Word on Plants

I wanted to make this post to talk a bit about associations and replacements in spellwork, particularly with regard to plants because they serve as an easy example. For instance, originally coming from the South, my first recommendation for keeping someone faithful would be Magnolia - it’s widely available where I’m from, easily accessible, local, and I’ve worked with it in the past so I understand its uses. However, a practitioner living in California would likely be better served replacing Magnolia with something like American Licorice, a fidelity plant which is local and available to them. 

Understanding your local area is important so that you can understand and use local ingredients. Why is an ingredient included in a spell? Can it be replaced or improved on? Why is this ingredient associated with X and does that hold up to your own experiences with that ingredient? If I suggest an ingredient (or if you see something listed on a massive correspondence/association list) it is always worth your while to think about what that ingredient’s job in the spell is to be, why it’s associated with something, and what might work better for you based on your own experiences (which might very well differ from what some list tells you) and what is local and available to you. 

This may not always be the case, of course, and you may well encounter spells that absolutely require a specific ingredient over another (particularly if you’re practicing in a specific tradition). However, for my own suggestions and for my belief that your practice should derive from your locality and your experiences, it is so necessary to think more actively about why you’re using one thing over another. Consult local guides. Consult other local practitioners. Ask the plants themselves! But if you’re putting together a spell for faithfulness and I suggest Magnolia, just know that that is always coming from my own practice and experience and that you are certainly allowed and always encouraged to rethink how such a suggestion might better be adapted for your own practice, which likely won’t look like my own. 

Working with EXTINCT ANIMALS

Extinct animals, like Dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals and creatures, are not the easiest of spirits to work with. Those who work with them say they are not pleasant to work with - they don't care about your feelings, nor do they wish to care. Their teachings and interaction with you is very harsh, not sugar coated. It's like nature: it is cruel and carnal, it does not favor one over the other, and only the strongest or most clever survive. Life isn't fair, you must adapt and overcome to your situations and circumstances or suffer. It's as simple as that, and these extinct creatures know it. That is how they lived. They lived in a world much different from that of their descendants that we live with today. Their "grandchildren" are able to be more carefree and play and live along with surviving. Prehistoric animals only had survival. It was kill or be killed, run, eat, drink water, rest, breed, shit, and flee/escape from the bigger them-eater on the carnivore food chain.

Their descendants have the same teachings but they are like the "grandparents" which lived in harsher conditions and will be more harsh with their teachings than their "grandchildren". Like an Iguana vs and Iguanadon. Different lessons/intensities for different generations.

Many of their lessons are that if you wait for the perfect opportunity, you will go hungry. You have to fight tooth and nail to survive. Work smart not hard, know when to fight and to flee and live another day. They teach the lessons that our homo-erectus and Neanderthal ancestors had to learn the hard way: how to survive in a world that just wants to kill you at every turn. Ancient animals expect you to do it because they know it's good for you but they are emotionally detached. They want results. they don't give a shit about your feelings, if you don't want to do something, or if you think you can put it off. They don't give a rat's ass. They teach you to survive like they did. Don't listen to them and you'll meet your demise or damn close to it. They won't actually kill you, they'll just say "don't come crying to me when you fail, i told you how to do it. Listen or don't, i don't give a care." (not a typo)

So you wanna work with Extinct Animals? Time for some Research!

Researching these animals and what they were, how they lived, where they lived, and more is a VITAL part to working with these EXTREMELY old creatures. They are old as dirt… literally. But they require the same amount of research as any other god or goddess or humanoid entity you would work with (demons, angels, saints, etc.).

1) Research the era in which they lived: Jurassic, Cretaceous, Triassic, Paleogene, etc., for the dinosaur to see how you can build familiarity with them. What plants were around in that era? Where did they live and make their habitat? What did they hunt/eat?

Once you figure this out, you then have to look at their family tree. This, admittedly, takes a bit more work. Which leads me to my next point…

2) What of their descendants are around today? Look at their Phylum, Clade, Family, Subfamily, and Genus to get a better idea of what their "grandchildren" are and how you can build familiarity with them (we will get around to WHY you have to build familiarity in a minute.

Wikipedia is a good place to start for this. Look at these pictures to get a better look. This is for the Tyrannosaurus. See how its Clade is Saurischia? Notice how the Emu is also part of that family, so that would mean BIRDS are part of the same Clade as the Tyrannosaurus. You can do this with any dinosaur, but you have to trace back their lineage to find animals alive today that are related to them.

Finding Familiarity

Alright, we just talked about tracing back their family line to find descendants we recognize, yeah? Well, here's why i tell you why it's important.

When you look at the genus, family, phylum, and clade, see what the dinosaur is related to, you can use this information to gather materials based on their descendants to make them comfortable in YOUR environment, They are long dead and gone. When you petition them and call on them, you are essentially pulling them into a time period that is entirely foreign to them. They have no experience with the world we live in and are strangers to it. We gather materials and learn about them, what they like, how they lived, plants they would have seen in order to bring them a sense of familiarity and grounding (in a way). Think of it like you are Captain America when he got pulled out of the ice. He woke up 50 years in the future and they gave him what was supposed to be familiar surroundings and music to his own time to make him comfortable. Of course it didn't end like that in the movie but that's not the point. The point is that they are a guest to this new, strange, largely-metal world and you have a duty to make them comfortable in it while they are visiting.

If they are an aquatic animal like a Mosasaur or a Plesiosaur, then turn your LED lights on to a nice deep blue, get a bowl of sea water (or just any water will do, especially if you have a fish tank, that will go a LONG way to help), get some of those seaweed snacks, sea shells, and then petition and call on them.

If you are calling on a Carnivore, leave out some raw chicken or beef as an offering (always leave an offering, no matter if they decide to help you or not, always be a good host and give them an offering). If you have some kind of Ferns around, put those in your space to bring in some familiar shrubbery to make them more at ease, if you have a tooth or bone fragment or even an old stone from an ancient riverbed that you think they may like or have been around, use that as well. Do what you can to bring in familiar objects to them. The more you do to make them feel comfortable, the more likely they will help you (but even that isn't a given).

In order to request an audience with that spirit, you need something familiar to them, like prehistoric plants or making them comfortable in a time they don't recognize. Pelts, claws, antlers, plants, etc. Anything helps, and anything is better than nothing. Prepare offerings based on what they would most like based on their lineage.

Communication and Working With Them

They may not want to work with you because they don't know what you are. The vast majority have never even seen a human before and you may be the first. Be a good host, and be respectful. They can say no, and if they do, you have to be okay with that. Like i said before, they are carnal creatures, they don't give a shit about your feelings. You are a stranger, be a nice one.

Another thing to consider is that they don't speak English or Swedish or Cantonese, or any language you use. They communicate through body language. They understand English (or spoken language in general) but they can't speak it. You can ask if they want to speak in your native tongue but the vast majority will say no. The "younger" spirits (grandchildren) may speak in a tongue you can understand but ancient spirits will absolutely not.

This is also why research is hugely important. Research the spirit to understand what their body language is so you can better communicate with them. Look at what KIND of animal they are and how they may communicate by observing the body language and communication styles of their descendants.

Find a communication method that works. You can use liminal spaces to "speak" to them. Shapeshift/energy shift yourself to be like them and look at how they communicate and copy it. It may seem like broken english but it will get the point across

Requesting an Audience

This can be a quick process or a slow one, it just depends on the spirit and if they even want to work with humans at all. Most don't and that's okay, but if it doesn't work, just try again with another animal.

Lay out your supplies and offerings that are familiar to them: LED color, animal pelts, raw chicken/beef, antlers, ocean water, plants, rocks, etc. and call upon them. There's no fancy incantation or summoning ritual, you simply call out to the spirit of X ancient animal and request an audience with them. You may feel a presence that you don't recognize or just sense that something new has entered your space. This is about when you should meet them in the liminal space and begin your communication with them. This is of course the LAST thing you do, after all your research and time spent studying them. Only reach out when you know what you are dealing with and are confident enough to bring them into your space to speak with them and ask them for your help.