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Episode 133: Samhain Traditions
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Welcome back, Witches! In this episode, we dive into the Samhain traditions of The Dumb Supper and Ancestral Veneration, exploring how these ancient practices connect us with our ancestors and honor the thinning veil between worlds. So get in, loser, we're summoning spirits and setting the table for the other side!
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Music by Darren Curtis- My Dark Passenger
References:
- A Simple Altar (2023). Ancestor Veneration for Beginners: How to Honour Your Ancestors. https://www.asimplealtarblog.com/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-ancestor-veneration
- Madra Banrion (2018). What is Ancestor Veneration? Plentiful Earth. https://plentifulearth.com/what-is-ancestor-veneration/
- Sarah Kessler (2022). 12 TYpes of Ancestor Worship From Around the World. Join Cake.https://www.joincake.com/blog/ancestor-worship/
- Jenna Wilson (2021). Okinawa’s Day of the Dead- Celebrating Life and Death through Food. Sakuraco. https://sakura.co/blog/okinawa-obon-celebration
- Kimberly- Genealogy Pals (2023). How Do You Honor Ancestors? 12 Family History Celebrations. Genealogy Pals. https://genealogypals.com/how-do-you-honor-ancestors-12-family-history-celebrations/#:~:text=We%20can%20honor%20our%20ancestors%20by%3A%20remembering%20them%3B,in%20relevant%20and%20appropriate%20cultural%20and%20religious%20events.
- Kitty Fields (2020). Ancestor Altar: How to Create a Sacred Space for your Ancestors. Otherworldly Oracle. https://otherworldlyoracle.com/ancestor-altar/
- Wigington, Patti. A Feast with the Dead: How to Hold a Pagan Dumb Supper for Samhain. (2018) https://www.learnreligions.com/feast-with-the-dead-2562707
- Keziah. The Silent Supper: A Rite to Honor the Spirits of the Dead. (2022). https://www.crowsbone.com/blogarchive/the-silent-supper
- Wright, Jennifer. Samhain Correspondences (2008) https://paganpages.org/emagazine/2008/10/01/samhain-correspondences/
- Rainbolt, Dawn. Folklore of Ireland: The Puka. (2022) https://www.wildernessireland.com/blog/irish-folklore-puca/#:~:text=P%C3%BAca%20are%20shape%2Dshifting%20troublemakers,shape%20of%20these%20mischievous%20fairies.
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Transcript
Introduction to Witchcraft Journey
00:00:00
Speaker
Do you feel drawn to learn more about witchcraft and the occult, but feel lost on where to start? Then welcome to Get In, Loser. We're doing witchcraft, a podcast all about what it means to be a witch and where to get started on your journey. Join us as we navigate through various witchy topics and share what we've learned about the craft. So get in witches as we deep dive some of our favorite Samhain rituals.
Samhain and Spooky Music
00:00:43
Speaker
This is our last episode before Samhain. Aww. I know this one comes out just a few days before, it right? Mm-hmm. It does. And this is this will be the last episode with our yearly spooky intro outro music that all I forgot how spooky it was. I hate that there's only like four manays in this season. I know. I know. That makes me sad.
00:01:11
Speaker
I know. I think last year, it was either last year or the first year. We were doing spooky episodes where it was five, I think. Yeah, we got to do all the spooky stuff. We were like, yeah yes. And now it's like, womp, womp. This is our last one for the season. But if there are spooky episodes that you guys would like to see covered,
00:01:35
Speaker
for next year, um let us know because yeah we're always open to suggestions. We would love to, so I know we've gotten, well,
Call for Spooky Stories
00:01:44
Speaker
we've gotten like one um ah spooky occurrence.
00:01:49
Speaker
um sent in that we could share on the show. But the problem is like, and we love it, we haven't forgotten it, we are going to share it at some point, but we need more. It's still on our list. Yeah, it's still on our list because we would love to do like a listeners episode where we cover different or we talk about different spooky things that have happened. But we've only gotten one so far. We can't make an episode off of one. And we're tired of talking about ourselves.
00:02:19
Speaker
Exactly. Like, we are awesome. We know but also like we would like to talk about you guys too. So
Welcome New Subscriber
00:02:26
Speaker
yeah um If you would like to send us your spooky ghosty tales, we'd love them. Send it to us. Let us know that they're spooky. And it doesn't even have to be, this doesn't even have to be like a sound specific episode. Like if we get email sent in with spooky happenings, we could do that, like add it to our list any time. Yeah.
00:02:50
Speaker
Also send us your hot takes. Yeah. Wiggy hot takes. We'd love to do listener Wiggy hot takes. Yes. That would be just anything, like anything you want us to cover, anything, any hot takes you have, any spooky stories, send it to us all. We want them. Topic request. Topic examples. If there's something that you hate, tell us. I mean, I don't know.
00:03:15
Speaker
But if you tell us that you hate us, we'll probably cry. So yeah just don't don't say that. but Sam will definitely cry. I will probably just be like, okay, look, I know I'm not everyone's cup of tea. That's fine. You're my cup of tea and that's okay.
00:03:31
Speaker
its it's especially ah But we also, we have a little shout out to do. We sure do. We have a new subscriber. Melissa. Welcome to the club.
00:03:47
Speaker
ah welcome to the core kids club but yeah We are so happy to have you. And this is like the best episode that you could be shot out on because it's the last episode before Samhain. So look at you, Melissa. You're so fucking cool.
Excitement for Samhain
00:04:02
Speaker
And we love you. yeah What's funny though is like we record these in September.
00:04:08
Speaker
right but She's probably like, these bitches forgot about me. No, we didn't. We didn't. We did. It's coming. The week that you subscribed, guess what? We were recorded, so hey. We're in the past, Melissa. Yeah, we're in the past. We're we're calling to you from the past.
00:04:31
Speaker
and and Yeah. So, Samhain is just a couple of days away. So, happy Samhain everyone. So excited. This is my favorite time of year. This isn't Christmas, Yule Christmas. That time. Yeah. I love that time too. Me too.
00:04:50
Speaker
If today's episode leaves you wanting more talks surrounding Samhain, make sure to go back and listen to episode 9 and episode 33 for more information pertaining to Samhain in general and Halloween superstitions, because we do it every year. This episode is on Samhain traditions, and there's like a cajillion of those, so we're only covering two, okay? That's what you get today, two.
00:05:13
Speaker
you And you better not complain about it either. And if you do, we'll be like, cool. Or we'll cry. Or we'll cry.
Understanding Dumb Suppers
00:05:23
Speaker
Sam will cry. who So I'm going to be talking about dumb suppers. And I've briefly covered them in the past. So like,
00:05:32
Speaker
if you've listened to us for any amount of time, chances are you've at least like an idea of what a dumb supper is. But today I'm going to take a deep dive into the history, the traditions, and how to host your own should you want to. And these are also known as the silent supper.
00:05:48
Speaker
So just a little background, a dumb supper is basically an old Celtic tradition that involves setting a place at the dinner table for the spirits of the deceased and observing a silent, which is where the the dumb portion comes into, and I'll talk about that in a minute, meal in their honor.
00:06:05
Speaker
They are rituals of remembrance and a method of communicating with the spirits of those no longer with us. Dumsuppers can be done alone or as a group and really that's just a conversation that needs to be had with others should you choose to include them. The word dumb refers to being silent and it comes from an earlier time in history where it was used in a more derogatory fashion, which rude, but like it it has its roots in this tradition. It is what it's called.
00:06:34
Speaker
So and that's why a lot of times now you'll see more traditionally their call or more. recently, not traditionally. They're called silent suppers. The reason these dinners are held in silence is because this is a way for us to be present in the moment with the spirits of those no longer with us, while also paying respect to the dead. The reason that these are held on Samhain is because this is the night when the veil between our own world and the spirit world is at its thinnest, which most of you know, we've talked about this multiple times too, and and it's also considered at its most fragile.
00:07:06
Speaker
meaning that interacting with the dead is much easier and there's a higher chance that the dead will also be able to interact with you as well. In Irish and Scottish Celtic traditions, the head of the table was used as a place setting for the ancestors being honored and the food and drink for this space was served without looking directly at the seat because they believed that it to see the dead would bring misfortune, which I thought was really interesting because like this whole like This whole tradition is built around like honoring the dead, honoring your past loved ones, but it's like, don't look at them. right You want them there, but don't look at them. Don't you dare look at them. yeah Yeah, so I thought that was kind of funny. Once a dumb supper is completed, the untouched plate and cup were traditionally taken outside for the pukas.
00:07:53
Speaker
and left in the woods. And if you're like, what the hell is a puka? Pukas are a type of fairy that is known as a shape-shifting troublemaker that can change into, this list is long, a horse, a goat, a cat, a donkey, a bull, a dog, fox, wolf, and a hare. But they're noted to always have jet black fur.
00:08:12
Speaker
They are often said to most commonly appear as horses bearing sleek coats, wild manes, and flaming eyes, and they're sometimes also considered just goblin shapeshifters in general.
00:08:25
Speaker
I had to look that up
Hosting a Dumb Supper
00:08:26
Speaker
because there is a horror movie that I think it was like during hulueen Hulu wean Hulu did one year called Puka and it wasn't this it was like this giant toy like teddy bear Furby type thing that came to life so I was like yeah yeah really that's not what a Puka is so I had to go right I'm i'm glad it's not I'm glad but yeah you got in a giant like like law i'm gonna eat
00:08:56
Speaker
yeah That would just take away all the magic for me, honestly. Yeah, same, honestly. I'd be terrified, but in a different way. And then when it comes to the American ties, Dumsuppers have roots in the southern Appalachian region of the United States.
00:09:12
Speaker
This practice is used both as a ritual for remembrance as well as a method of communicating with spirit folk. Many of the practices in Appalachia are similar to the practices in Celtic tradition. So how do you host a dumb supper? I will say And I didn't use this one as a reference because I used it in the previous episode that I talked about this, but Wild Witchcraft by Rebecca Byer actually has a step by step guide if you want to hold a dumb supper in a traditional way like she's got
00:09:45
Speaker
literally like step one do this step two do this here's some options kind of thing and it's great but as we say with everything there's no like real right or wrong way that you can hold a dumb supper there are definite guidelines that you can follow but as with everything within witchcraft these practices are very personal and really you should just go with your gut on how to do this But in general, some of the guidelines include the following. Make your dinner space a sacred area in whatever form that would be for you. Some examples would be to cast a circle around the dining table, to smoke cleanse the area, adding correspondences to your space like Samhain correspondences or like building a Samhain altar in this space, having images of the dead that you're honoring. like This list could go on, but whatever like would make that a sacred space to you, you could do that. You should turn off phones and other electronics to eliminate outside distractions. Keep in mind that this is like a solemn and silent occasion. It should be a time of silence. If you have young children, you may not want to include them as in this practice.
00:10:54
Speaker
And each adult should understand the boundaries of this particular practice. And when I say solemn, I don't mean sad. It's like solemn in a reverent way. And then you something that like needs to be done is that you need to set a place at the table for each guest, but you reserve the head of the table for the place of the spirits. This practice should include a candle as well.
00:11:16
Speaker
So if you're honoring more than one loved one, you can add a tea light candle for each person that you're honoring at the head of the table. If you're using your dumb suffering remembrance of, or to contact someone in particular versus just an open invitation for spirits, you should have something at the table that represents that person. If you're honoring more than one loved one, you can also include an item that represents each of them at the table.
00:11:41
Speaker
The entire meal should be consumed in silence. Once everyone has finished eating, you should all exit the dining room in silence, but each person should stop at the head of the table to say goodbye to the spirits that joined you.
00:11:55
Speaker
Other variations of closing the dinner would be to have everyone walk out of the room backwards, having each of the participants extinguish a candle that was lit or just having everyone leave the room in silence. I was also reading that some people do the entire dumb supper backwards. So like to serve, they walk in backwards. They plate the the first um head of the table for the spirits, like always first. They should always be like plated and given drinks first.
00:12:25
Speaker
And then they like go around the room um counterclockwise instead of clockwise, like but always walking backwards serving each plate and each drink, which I thought was kind of interesting. That is interesting, but I'm not coordinated enough for that. Same. My ass would fall immediately. i'd try Dinner would be everywhere. No one would get to eat. but So yeah, no, that would not work for me.
00:12:51
Speaker
It's also suggested to not use lights during a dumb supper, but rather to light your dining space by candlelight only. And once the dumb supper is complete, it's not uncommon to host an after dinner gathering to allow participants to talk about their experiences at the event and to even just reminisce and speak about who they were honoring. The only real like quote unquote rules would be that the spirit should always be served first. And it's also common practice that libations are generally offered to the spirits.
Personal Experiences with Dumb Suppers
00:13:23
Speaker
And typically this would include some sort of alcohol, but other options would be um like a seasonal juice or like a juice from like a corresponding fruit for sowing, like pumpkin and apple is like a ah major one. So apple cider or really just anything that you feel represents that person too. So if they had a favorite drink, like a hot tea or something like that, you could, you could put that at the table. One tradition that's commonly practiced during a dumb supper
00:13:51
Speaker
is that everyone attending brings a note that they have written to their loved one or loved ones that they're honoring. The note is kept private but after you finish your meal you would then like take your note to the head of the table and using the candle that's set for that loved one you would burn the note in the candle's flame. So obviously you should have like a cauldron or some other like fire safe container in that space as well to put the paper in while it burns so that you can like contain the the flames safely. Don't burn the dining room down.
00:14:23
Speaker
Right. That would not be a good look. Yeah. No, no, no. And once it's burned, you would just return back to your seat until everyone else has completed their eating and burning of their note. Keep in mind that this can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be. Again, there's like no right or wrong way to do this. And it's going to be a very personal ordeal. As far as the menu goes, you can make literally anything that you want to. But if you want to include something traditional,
00:14:52
Speaker
um Something that like in Celtic tradition that was always included were soul cakes. Correspondences would also be a fantastic place to start if you want to make foods that are connected to Samhain.
00:15:04
Speaker
If you're honoring a specific person, you could also build the dinner menu around their favorite foods or their favorite meal. And just some examples of salmon correspondences for foods, anything apple, so apple, just apples in general or apple dishes, pumpkins or pumpkin dishes, roasted pumpkin seeds, meat, but especially pork, nuts, pomegranates, potatoes, and squash.
00:15:31
Speaker
For drinks, you could do cider, mold cider with spices. And then obviously something that I feel like is always included in almost every correspondence pertaining to like the Wheel of the Year is like wine and beer.
00:15:45
Speaker
Herbs and spices would be bay, calendula, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, mugwort, mullein, nettle, pine, rosemary, sage. Sunflowers are like used as like, some of it was like making them decor and some of them was using like the whole sunflower in the dish.
00:16:08
Speaker
but they weren't counting them as food, so I don't really know. So I put them in herbs and spices because i was like that seemed more appropriate. And then at tarragon, wild genseng, and wormwood. For colors, black should be the predominant color for a dumb supper due to its ties to death. But you can also include like white, orange, and red. For crystals, black obsidian, jasper, carnelian, onyx, smoky quartz, jet, and bloodstone.
00:16:35
Speaker
And we know that something like this, this type of practice isn't for everyone. Like while it's a great traditional way to honor your ancestors and your loved ones on a day when the veil is the thinnest, it's like it's understandably it's not a practice that everyone is going to want to do. So Patti Wigington, because you guys know we love her. We love a Patti article.
00:16:57
Speaker
we should do Yeah, she suggests these activities in place of hosting a dumb supper if you're looking for an activity that's a little less silent. So you could celebrate the end of the harvest with a feast, simply spend some time honoring your ancestors in whatever way calls to you, or you could even hold a seance.
00:17:16
Speaker
not ah I love that. But that's a little more of a deep dive on the dumb supper. Yeah, I love it. And I love it. So I know that you've done it before. And yeah, that's something that I would love to do. And now with the girls a little bit older, like maybe even incorporating them into that. Yeah, I think kind of cool. I would just locking gizmo away because we did not lock k Nix away. And she came in
Introduction to Ancestral Veneration
00:17:40
Speaker
and was like,
00:17:41
Speaker
doing dog things like farting out loud and we're trying to like be like solemn and quiet and here comes Nix and she's just like ripping farts walking through the room and we were like trying so hard not to laugh.
00:17:55
Speaker
Oh my god, oh hilarious. Yeah, yeah, we dealt with that. And I also used um Wild Witchcraft, like Rebecca Byers guide. um So we did her version and we lit the dining room with like candle tapers and you're supposed to like, watch how the flames react at certain times and like, what kind of shadows or movement you're seeing on the walls and stuff. It was a really like, it was very interesting to do.
00:18:25
Speaker
Yeah, I am. Yeah, I'm really intrigued. I would love to do that. Yeah. But also love my own like, it like dining room that's like only a dining room. Yeah. Base housing. What are you gonna do?
00:18:39
Speaker
ah Yeah. Anyway, well, moving on. So to a topic that is also tied with ancestors and deceased loved ones, um and I love when this happens whenever we're um we do separate topics that kind of intertwine together. oh Yeah. I mean, this is the perfect time of year for anything with ancestors considering like where the veil's at, you know? Exactly. Yeah. It's literally like inviting you to do that. so Absolutely. So I'm going to be covering more of a deep dive on ancestral veneration.
00:19:14
Speaker
And so, I mean, obviously this is something that we've talked about on the podcast a few times, but not really as like a deep dive. So ancestral veneration, for those of you who don't know or not super familiar with it, that this is a practice of honoring one's deceased relatives. This can be both biological and non-biological relatives and can include the more broad cultural ancestors as a whole.
00:19:39
Speaker
So ancestral veneration has historically been practiced in many indigenous cultures and has been seen practiced in more mainstream religions as well to include Christianity and Buddhism and in more modern observances of Memorial Day, which at its heart is a form of ancestor worship.
00:19:59
Speaker
Throughout human history, ancestral communication has been a big part in how we process death. And so it's not surprising that ancestral veneration has been something that we have done throughout every culture, throughout time. With ancestral veneration, this focuses on the idea that our deceased family members and ancestors live on or exist in some capacity to be able to impact the lives of the living. So before I go further, I'm going to talk just a little bit about cultural appropriation versus appreciation. so And I say this because I'm going to cover like how certain cultures practice ancestral veneration. um So as far as appreciation, and we have in episode or season one, we have an episode where we cover
00:20:48
Speaker
um cultural appropriation versus appreciation. And we talk about it. It might even be in like one of the first like three episodes that we've cut that we did. But for just a little reminder, appreciation, cultural appreciation, it's where you honestly and diligently want to learn and appreciate and celebrate another culture, tradition, or religion. This involves respect, understanding, empathy, and includes an open dialogue with those from the culture you're wanting to honor.
00:21:18
Speaker
On the flip side, cultural appropriation is when you take aspects from another practice without the appropriate research, reverence, and respect, and doing so in a way that doesn't involve actively learning about the culture. And this can include using other cultures' traditions in a way that is mocking, disrespectful, or in in a way that disparages them. So it's important to distinguish between the two because there are cultures who have ancestral veneration practices that are closed to those of us who are not from that culture.
00:21:48
Speaker
And
Cultural Practices in Ancestral Veneration
00:21:49
Speaker
because of that, if you are interested in incorporating ancestral veneration practices from another culture into your own practice, just make sure that you do your research. We say that all the time on the podcast. And yes, and um do so respectfully. So this means to learn as much as you can about the traditions you want to take inspiration from.
00:22:11
Speaker
Talk to people from that culture who practice those traditions and understand not only the reasons behind it, but ask them if what they practice is close practice to them. Because if you may be entering into this thinking, oh, this isn't a close practice, but if somebody from that culture says it's a close practice, it is a close fucking practice, okay?
00:22:32
Speaker
And if you take inspiration from another culture in your ancestral veneration practices, do so in a way that feels authentic and appropriate to your beliefs. Don't just do it because you think it sounds cool. And the bottom line here is to be respectful.
00:22:48
Speaker
Absolutely. Yes. Yeah. like I can't tell you the amount of times, like if you've listened to us for any amount of time, you know, even when we cover topics that are more like closed or questionable, we tell you all the time, do your own research. If it says it's closed and you are not part of that culture, it is not for you. Like be respectful at the very bottom line. Absolutely. Yes. 100%. Yeah.
00:23:17
Speaker
So with that in mind, I'm going to talk a little bit about ancestral veneration from around the world and how it is practiced. So ancestral veneration, as I said, it has been practiced since the dawn of time from all over the world, from India, Ghana, Europe, the Americas, everywhere. So an example, in China,
00:23:41
Speaker
In some Chinese religious beliefs, a shi is a ceremonial stand-in for a deceased ancestor. Shi translates to corpse, and at funerals or ancestral worship events, they may even have someone dress up as the ancestor in a symbolic way, and they act as an ancestor on the ancestor's behalf. So they will take ritual offerings, delivering that the living relatives want to give to their deceased ancestor or family member. And she gatherings can look a little bit like a large family reunion where many personators dress up as the ancestors so that their ancestors can gather together with the living and eat and drink and be with their family. And I thought this was kind of cool. Like, could you imagine going to a family reunion and like, oh, there's my dead dad. Like, there's my grandma. Like, there's, you know what I mean? Like, I thought that was interesting.
00:24:35
Speaker
Yeah. And so traveling to Scotland, if you've listened to this podcast before, you should know a bit about Samhain. But if not, check
Exploration of Global Ancestral Traditions
00:24:43
Speaker
out episodes nine and 33, like we mentioned earlier, where we do a deep dive on Samhain. And I believe that was specifically episode nine. Samhain is often referred to as the pagan version of Halloween. And while that is true, the Celtic holiday of Samhain was a festival that marked the end of fall and the beginning of winter.
00:25:02
Speaker
and was seen as a time of the year where the spirits of ancestors could walk among the living. During this time, offerings of food and drink were left to deceased loved ones and ancestors as a way to not only honor them, but to also protect against Fei.
00:25:17
Speaker
Briefly, I'm going to talk about Mexico. Dia de los Muertos, aka the Day of the Dead, is one of the most famous and widely known forms of ancestral veneration. and This is a festival and celebration where altars, or offrendas, if you've seen the movie Coco,
00:25:35
Speaker
and unique symbology like the Calaveras de Azucar. And I'm sorry, I did not take Spanish in school. I took French. So um these are sugar skulls. Also literary Calaveras, which were poems and funny stories about how ancestors and loved ones died.
00:25:55
Speaker
but they didn't like do it in a mocking way. It was like yeah as a way to like kind of make them laugh, make light of it, but also be respectful. um and They use these things as a way to connect with deceased loved ones and ancestors, and offerings were given as a way to help ancestors in their afterlife.
00:26:15
Speaker
And then of course I'm living in Japan, so of course I've got to cover Japan. um Oban is the three-day long Japanese Buddhist festival to honor ancestors and deceased loved ones. And this usually happens ah towards the beginning of September. Sometimes it can happen like in July, but for the most part it happens like in September.
00:26:36
Speaker
um So we just recently experienced this holiday here in Japan, where I live. So during this time, spirits of ancestors are said to come to visit household altars, and this is the time to clean gravesides. Oban looks differently depending on what region you are in within Japan. So for instance, in Okinawa, Oban is celebrated a little bit differently from mainland Japan.
00:27:02
Speaker
So um it is as it's like a festival in I believe everywhere in Japan it's a three-day festival but here in Okinawa it definitely is a three-day festival. The first day is called Unkei and it's the day where people greet their ancestors visiting from the spirit world and they will hang lanterns outside of their doors and windows and they will set up an altar inside their house with offerings for their deceased loved ones.
00:27:31
Speaker
The second day is called Nakanui and during this time Okinawans will prepare food for the third day of Oban and they will gather gifts to exchange with their family members and even sometimes friends and coworkers.
00:27:47
Speaker
And then the third final day is called the Yukui, and everyone gathers around the Oban altar to eat and celebrate. This is the day that the Okinawan people send their ancestors back to the spiritual realm. And so during Oban and Okinawa, Asa festival dancing is performed to honor deceased loved ones and ancestors.
00:28:08
Speaker
An asa consists of dancing, singing, enchanting, and drums. So like whenever you if you have any images of, like especially Okinawa, because they don't really do this on mainland Japan, but people dressed up in um ceremonial garb with the drums and their beating, um which is something my daughter does, um but that is where this tradition kind of comes from. And I thought that was really cool.
00:28:35
Speaker
Very cutely too. like She really does. I love watching all your little videos you posted her. Yes, it is so cool. And just like the the ties back to Oban, I thought are really cool. And I was reading another article, I didn't list it here. But I've heard that also families will put in a request for Asa drummers to come by their house.
00:29:01
Speaker
to like drum at their house specifically for their ancestors. And I thought that was really cool. And it like was a drive away like negative energy and stuff too. So
Veneration for Those with Traumatic Histories
00:29:11
Speaker
we're here for that. So, you know, when we talk about ancestor veneration, it can be really kind of a tricky topic for some of us. So especially if you've had a complicated past. So if you come from, you know, a a past or a family that had a lot of trauma and abuse, engaging in ancestral veneration can seem uncomfortable, and I completely understand that. But there is a way around having a traumatic past and wanting to engage with your ancestors and honor them in a way that is meaningful.
00:29:45
Speaker
You don't have to honor all of your ancestors. And a website I came across and I couldn't find the name of the author, but the blog itself is called a simple altar blog. Their solution is to only call upon the elevated dead. So what does this mean? This means to call upon ancestors who lived well and died well. And so focusing on this will exclude ancestors who don't deserve veneration.
00:30:13
Speaker
And a simple alter blog talks about how in many ancient cultures, being left out of ancestral rights and venerations was a big fear. So this reminded me 100% of Coco again, but for any ancestors who engaged in trauma and abuse and passed on generational trauma, you don't have to venerate or honor them. So just keep in mind that whole, you know, only calling upon the elevated dead and you will get the ancestors that you're looking for to venerate. I feel like that's really good that you included that in here because I feel like most people. Well, I feel like I know a lot of people that pass like family situations were very traumatic. I know we both kind of have some of that in our past as well. So like including that for people so that they understand like
00:31:08
Speaker
You don't have to like honor those people if you don't want to. And you can still practice ancestral veneration without including those in your practice. So that chef's kiss on that one, Sam.
00:31:19
Speaker
Oh, why thank you. I am a genius. And then also, if you were adopted, you can use that same mentality of only calling upon the elevated dead. This works, even if you don't know your past because of adoption. And knowing the names of your ancestors is not required to take part in ancestral veneration. And you can even use it as a way to call upon like your spirit guides or just like your ancestors in general,
00:31:46
Speaker
that you don't know the names of like i mean i can't stress out enough you don't have to know your family lineage to call upon your ancestors by connecting with your ancestors who lived and died well you are more so connecting with their energies and using your own intuition to fill in the gaps. And I thought that
Maintaining an Ancestral Altar
00:32:06
Speaker
was such a great ah way to explain it. And so if you're wanting more information about this specifically, check out in our show notes, The Plentiful Earth
00:32:17
Speaker
website. The author's name is Madra Van Ryan and she talks about this more in depth and I just I love the way she explained it because it really does make a lot of sense. You're connecting with the energies, you're not specifically connecting, I mean you might want to connect with a specific person, but if you don't have a specific person you want to connect to and you're wanting to just connect with your ancestors, this is a way to go about it.
00:32:40
Speaker
So how can we honor our ancestors? This is going to look different for everyone, obviously, but the basic belief behind ancestral veneration is to be grateful for those who came before us. So we can do things like taking the time to remember them,
00:32:57
Speaker
learning about your ancestors through research, aka like ancestry dot.com, or even just as simple as learning about the culture you were part of or the history of the land you're currently inhabiting. So if you don't know exactly where you came from, you do have, unless you're like a first generation citizen of wherever you're living, you do have ancestors that came to the specific space that you are inhabiting.
00:33:25
Speaker
So even researching the culture of the land you inhabit also works as well. um And also looking at popular holidays surrounding ancestral veneration and remembrance within your culture or within the place you inhabit and looking into different traditions that your ancestors may have celebrated. And a big thing here is to create an ancestral altar.
00:33:48
Speaker
So in order to do this, you're going to want to focus on the energy you want to put into this altar. So this is going to take some preparation time. You can't just like go into this saying, I'm going to create an ancestral altar and then just throw some shit together. like It's not going to be as effective, right? What do you mean? What do you mean? I can't rush this. Yeah.
00:34:08
Speaker
So the first thing is to decide on where you want this altar. This could be anywhere, but it is highly recommended to use a space that is not your bedroom. The spirits don't really want you to have an ancestral altar to them in a space where that's your private time and where you're resting. Like do it in a space
Ancestral Veneration Beyond Samhain
00:34:29
Speaker
that's like in other parts of your house. So this could be like the living room, dining room, kitchen, whatever space you choose, whether it be like in any part of your house that's not your bedroom, make sure that the altar is the only thing that that space is used for. So if you're using a table or a shelf, etc.,
00:34:51
Speaker
Like, don't put your mail, your catch-alls, your drinks, TV remote, or phone there in that space. Have that dedicated little space be specifically for that ancestral altar. Could you imagine, like, let me build this ancestral altar. And it's like, here's a picture of dad in your bedroom. And then you're trying to get it on with, like, your spouse. Oh, my god. Absolutely not. I never would have, like, even without you saying that, I would have been, like, not the bedroom.
00:35:20
Speaker
No, thank you. No, grandpa, I need you to go away. I mean, could you imagine being like on all fours and then you look up and you see your dad? and No. No, thank you. Dad has his own little ledge in the library. Not in the bedroom. Thank you. oh
00:35:43
Speaker
And then you're going to want to brainstorm what you want to use on your altar. This is going to be very personal to you and your culture. So take the time to really think about this and make it meaningful. Some examples can be pictures, heirlooms, things that remind you of your ancestors, drawings, flowers, incense, candles, historical mus markers. like it The list is endless, like honestly.
00:36:10
Speaker
And once you've gathered what you want placed on your ancestral altar, then cleanse a space both physically to remove all dust, etc., and then energetically cleanse the space with either smoke, clapping, bells, however you want to cleanse energetically.
00:36:26
Speaker
then set up your altar depending on your beliefs and your culture or religion. This might include setting up your altar in a very specific way, or it couldn't tell you doing what just feels best. So again, do your research and do what works best for you.
00:36:42
Speaker
and then provide offerings. So when you first build your ancestral altar, provide offerings that you think would be best received, whether that be water, flowers, wine, coffee. Over time and with enough practice connecting with your ancestors, they will impart to you what offerings they want. So Just the first time you do it, just set out some offerings that you think they might like, right? And then like if you keep building this relationship and maintaining your ancestral altar and offering you know different things, you will have this feeling of, you know what? Actually, I'm not going to put this cookie out. I'm going to make
00:37:23
Speaker
some homemade bread and put a slice of bread out there. You know what I mean? Like something, it will just kind of come to you and you will just have this knowing that this is coming from your ancestors. They want this. So how are you going to maintain your ancestral altar? Through ancestral veneration This is a place that provides you with a physical and tangible place to connect with your ancestors. So you're going to want to spend time at your altar and maintain that altar and that space to maintain that tie with your ancestors. Speak to them, write them notes, provide regular offerings, meditate in that space and go to that space when you're feeling big feelings. So whether this be happiness, sadness, et cetera,
00:38:09
Speaker
Call to your ancestors when you are ill or in a time of need and don't forget to cleanse your altar physically and energetically and this can be done weekly monthly along the lunar cycle. I was reading online that the new moon is a great time to do a physical and energetic cleansing because I mean it comes from Once a month, you can just set it on your calendar and just do it and it and it become like second nature. So really just taking the time to actually doing the work and continuing that practice will put you one step forward with maintaining that connection with your ancestors.
00:38:46
Speaker
And you don't just have to honor them during Samhain. Like I know we're talking about this during Samhain, but you don't have to just do this during Samhain. Ancestors can be honored at any time. And some of the most popular times in which you can honor your ancestors are say like the birth of a new baby, especially if the baby is named after an ancestor. During personal rituals, so um This could be prayers, manifestations, meditations, remembrance days like Veterans Day, Memorial Day, um or Remembrance Day slash Armed Forces Day, depending on where in the world you're living, at marriages, and even at funerals. so Really, the whole purpose of ancestral veneration is not to just do it once a year, but to do it all the time. Ongoing. Ongoing.
00:39:37
Speaker
just like they're there with you all the time. but Absolutely. Yeah. Just hanging around. Such a perfect pairing for this episode. I know we kind of mentioned that at the beginning, but I feel like this was such a good way to say like, here's something you can do. Here's an old traditional practice and here's what it's great for. Like great pairing. Love it. here Yeah.
00:40:02
Speaker
and again we say this all the time but if you practice any of these and you have experience with it and you want to talk to us about it or you want to talk about you know what you do if it's a if it's different let us know we would love to know we always love hearing your stories your practices anything honestly if you just want to be like hey today i did this thing we'd be like cool yeah we love hearing anything from you guys