Samhain is a typical time to honor ancestors. Look at some of the Halloween decorations such as ghosts, skeletons and jack-o-lanterns. This is a time of death and reflection, a time when people once wondered who would survive the coming winter, especially before electricity could warm homes and when food supplies were limited. This also a time of year when the veil between the worlds of the dead and the living grows thin. Death can happen any time, and this season invites reflection on your own final plans. Do you have a will and final arrangements for your body in place? This year on October 31 the moon will be a waxing gibbous, which will be a fine time to celebrate the gifts of the third or blood harvest. To learn more about honoring Samhain check out my posts by clicking HERE and HERE.
Who are our ancestors? The first kind of ancestors we most commonly think about are our bloodline ancestors. These include people like grandparents, great grandparents and so on. The further you back you go, the number of ancestors soon multiplies to many greats of grandparents. There are also ancestors by lineage, who are family members who are not directly in your bloodline. They can include ancestors of aunts, uncles and in-laws. If you are adopted and the records are sealed, you may consider ancestors by lineage of your adoptive family. Alternatively, you might consider genetic testing to learn more about your origins. Keep in mind, testing is not perfect. Due to migration and intermingling of populations these tests can sometimes fail to give you completely accurate results. Adopted or not, you may consider archetypal ancestors. These ancestors are from a specific region. Given the many greats of grandparents you have you will most likely have a mix of regional ancestries. For example you may have ancestry from Ireland, Scotland, England and Germany. Next are ancestors by land, who are people who used to live on the land on which you now reside, most likely indigenous. Use this map to check out what indigenous people lived on your land by clicking HERE. There are also those with whom you share a system of thought and belief known as affinity ancestors. For example, I have a passion for writing this blog about beliefs and practices in which Wiccans, Witches, Pagans and those who honor the Goddess and God engage. I look to Scott Cunningham whose passion was to write books about Wicca, as an affinity ancestor. Finally there are ancestors by Earth. We are all descended from ancient primates. We can even look to an ancient fish or primordial ooze as ancestors. Sorry folks! We are not descended by blood from dinosaurs. All mammals were descended from a mammal like reptiles. But if you are interested in honoring the dinosaur spirit you could view them as ancestors just not by blood.
Different cultures have celebrations for venerating the dead.
So, how do different cultures honor their ancestors? Practiced in some of Latin America on November 1 and 2 people honor Dia De Los Meurtos, Day of the Dead with extravagant arrangements of marigolds over the tombs, candles, as well as face painting to look like skulls and flowers in hair. They also leave favorite foods and drinks for their ancestors, as well as toys and pictures. Japan has the Obon festival in which they place lit lanterns on graves, and they perform a dance for the spirits. New Orleans has a jazz funeral in which somber music is played then the gets more upbeat and spirited. In the Qingming festival from China willow trees and branches are used to keep evil spirits away. Lanterns are hung from kites and flown illuminating the night sky. Roots of this festival date back over 2,500 years. This gives you a peek at how ancestors are venerated in various cultures. Ancestors are revered by Wiccans, some Witches, Pagans and those who honor the Goddess and God especially at this time of year. We can work with ancestors every day if we want to, but working with them around Samhain is traditional.
Why would you work with ancestors? They lived life and can answer questions and help you navigate difficulties of life. They may help you with divination or spells. It provides an opportunity for emotional healing especially in cases of generational trauma, which few of us escape. It strengthens your cultural heritage. Ancestors are more invested in you than the gods because you are their descendant. Unlike the gods, they have fewer people clamoring for their attention. You can learn a lot about life from your ancestor’s experiences. To learn about life from your ancestor choose one who lived life to the fullest.
Let us talk about ancestral trauma. There is some trauma in most if not all of our bloodlines. There are abuse, curses and misfortune. An abusive spouse, slavery and famine are just a few examples. Generational trauma involves energies or learned behaviors passed down to you, and the energies of generational trauma can imprint on you. While we honor our ancestors, those with a traumatic past may be restless and full of blame. The first step is to identify the wound through meditation, dreamwork or through divination tools like Tarot cards, oracle cards, runes or Ogham. You can help heal ancestral trauma, and here is how to heal it in your own life so it does not get passed down to future generations. Burn a white candle and meditate on your ancestor. Visualize the wound this ancestor carries as a heavy chain. Let the chain disappear in the candlelight. Then offer your ancestor forgiveness and peace. Feel the weight of the trauma slowly lighten.
What do you do if the ancestor you want to work with would not approve of your spirituality? You may be Wiccan, a Witch, Pagan or one who honors the Goddess and/or the God. If your ancestor would not approve of your spirituality or way of life, it is probably best to choose another ancestor with which to work. If it is Christians you are concerned about, you can also work with archetypal ancestors before Christian times. You can also work with affinity ancestors, ancestors by land or ancestors by Earth. You have choices!
What can you do to honor your ancestors? One meaningful way is to build an altar. It may be temporary or permanent. First cleanse and consecrate the altar which may be a table, mantelpiece or shelf. Begin with a physical cleaning followed by an energetic cleansing. You may use incense or smudge for this energetic cleansing being mindful of cultural appropriation. Next build the altar itself. An altar cloth could be black or white. Because black is for banishing, and I do not want to banish the spirits, I choose white. Or if the ancestor had a favorite color, I would use that color. The same goes for candles; I used a white taper candle as you can see in the photograph above. A picture or portrait of the one you are honoring is a great addition. Choose an image of your ancestor in their prime, one which they would be proud to see. If you have a memento from this person or token of something they valued, include it on the altar. Think about what they did in life. This is where research can help. What did this person like? What was valued and difficult to obtain in their time? As they were difficult to obtain like wine, whiskey and coffee are popularly are often used as offerings today. An offering might include food and drink. Keep the portion small and simple. Respectfully dispose of the food and drink before they spoil. For example you might bury it or leave it outside for the animals to eat. You might pour the drink onto Mother Earth. Respectfully pouring it down the drain or discarding it into the trash is an acceptable option. To learn more about disposal of offerings check out this blog by clicking HERE. Note that not all offerings require disposal. You might offer a dance, poem recitation, or a song. Acts of service such as roadside cleanup or volunteer work at a shelter can also serve as offerings that require no disposal. Flowers such as marigolds or chrysanthemums are traditional choices as offerings. Coins make grand offerings as well. You might include stones on the altar that are native to ancestral land you are honoring. If you can make them, gravestone rubbings are a wonderful addition. Herbs such as rosemary and mugwort are good for use on your ancestor altar. These are just a few ideas for what you can place on your ancestor altar. Choose the ones that resonate and speak to you.
Another thing you can do to honor your ancestors is by hosting a dumb supper. Dumb in this context dumb does not mean idiot, but it means silent. A dumb supper is a meal shared with your ancestor in silence. If you have recipes that your ancestor once used and enjoyed, by all means, prepare some of those dishes. A homemade meal carries more value than takeout as it involves your time and effort. As with offerings serve only small portions of food and drink for your ancestor, and before the food and drink spoil dispose of it respectfully. Be open to any feelings or insights that arise during the dumb supper, and take time to record them in your journal shortly afterward.
Try connecting with your ancestor through meditation. Before doing so, make sure you are skilled in grounding and centering. These practices will help you block unwanted entities from interfering with your work and causing you harm. Start by visualizing yourself in a place where you feel deeply grounded. It may be at the base of a tree or in a peaceful meadow. Ground and center in your usual manner. Take a spiral path or tunnel to an ethereal place where you will meet with your ancestor. Ask questions and engage in a meaningful exchange. The gift of wisdom you receive from your ancestor is a valuable gift. Give a gift to your ancestor in return. When you are finished, follow the path back. As soon as possible take notes about your experience. To learn more, check out the YouTube video by clicking HERE.
Try divination through your ancestors. Ask respectfully for their guidance. Your ancestor may help guide your hand for pulling the correct oracle or Tarot card for the question you are asking. The same goes for runes and Ogham staves. Your ancestor may help influence dreams or meditations. Or for yes and no answers to questions use a pendulum. Do not forget to thank your ancestor, and it might also be good time for an offering.
As you can see, there is a lot to consider when working with ancestors. The gift your ancestors can give you is knowledge and wisdom to which you otherwise would not have access. One of the biggest takeaways is to maintain respect and understanding toward them. There are many ways to connect with your ancestors which include meditation, dreams and use of divination tools. Researching your ancestors, making their favorite recipes and gathering things for an altar can yield both surprises and rewards. This may be a perfect time to celebrate your ancestors!
For my friends in the Northern Hemisphere have a meaningful Samhain as we go into the dark half of the year! For my friends in Southern Hemisphere have a grand Beltane full of hope and merriment!
Auburn Greene
Suggested Investigation:
Beattie, Rebecca. The Wheel of the Year: Your Rejuvenating Guide to Connecting with Nature’s Seasons and Cycles, Elliott & Thompson, 2023. To get this book on Amazon click https://a.co/d/ituZTrC. Also available on Kindle and Goodreads.
Composanto, Juaqueline. “How to Dispose of Offerings as an Urban Pagan.” World Tree Heritage, October 3, 2020, https://medium.com/world-tree-heritage/how-to-dispose-of-offerings-as-an-urban-pagan-aea3f28c4558.
Native Land Digital. Map of indigenous lands, https://native-land.ca.
Ravenswood, Scarlet. “Honoring and Working with Ancestors.” Pagan Happhy Hour, YouTube, 3 years ago, https://www.youtube.com/live/c9COMXprL7Q?si=MEKj7GGKxZWE_hIG.
Sage, Ayrmid. “Generational Trauma and Generational Curses: A Witchcraft Perspective on Healing Ancestral Wounds.” Amongst Sisters, July 8, 2025, https://amongstsistersau.com/blogs/sticks-stones-the-blog/generational-trauma-and-generational-curses-a-witchcraft-perspective-on-healing-ancestral-wounds.
Sin City Witches. “Honoring Your Ancestors: Ways to Connect Beyond the Veil.” October 31, 2024, https://sincitywitches.com/honoring-your-ancestors-ways-to-connect-beyond-the-veil.
Vaudoise, Mallorie. Honoring Your Ancestors: A Guide to Ancestral Veneration, Llewellyn Publications, 2019. To get it on Amazon click https://a.co/d/gjHPHC5. Also available on Audible, Kindle and Goodreads.
My Inner Wiccan 