Why Create an Ancestor Altar?
We are not alone.
We are part of a greater whole, in a journey through time long before and long after us.
What is an altar? Fundamentally, it’s a sacred place. A little patch of ground, or a raised surface like a table or rock, that we designate as a special space for ritual and reverence. It is an invitation for a spirit entity outside of ourselves to be present with us. That being could be something general like God, Source, the Divine, or it might be a specific angel, spirit animal, guide, deity or whatever you want to consciously call into relationship with you. An altar provides a meeting place for you and the one you desire to know, a place to invite them in for a chat with the depths of your own energetic being.
For many of us the word altar has a religious connotation, and for good reason, since many religious structures contain an altar space. Is it sacrilege then to create an altar to invite something other than God to talk with you? God’s house is no different from your house, if you want the sacred to dwell with you, invite it in and provide a place to sit. If you believe the Divine inhabits all things, then any being in the spirit world is an aspect of the divine. Ancestors are like your own personal angel team. An ancestor altar provides a container for your heart and mind to open to their influence and listen for wisdom and guidance from your people.
Ancestors are people in spirit form, they are not the same as you, but they have a very strong connection to you through your DNA. Therefore, they are fundamentally attracted to you on an energetic level whether you are conscious of it or not. Great when we are trying to receive their blessings and guidance, not so great when they are needy, overwhelming us with their burdens.
When people die they do not automatically become well, the burdens they carry from life can keep them weak and in a state of energetic hunger on their journey home. An altar is a tool for the process of building a relationship with ancestors where we can serve them through offerings and prayers to relieve and resolve the burdens of their time on earth. In this way, we create a safe space for intergenerational traumas to be repaired.
An altar is an invitation for our well and wise ancestors to enter our home and feel welcome. Not only is this polite, but it also serves the practical purpose of giving them someplace other than our body to occupy. Ancestral energy can be quite intense, especially from those recent ones who may not yet be well and wise. Just like living relationships, it’s helpful for everyone to have their own space. I like to say that when you create a place in your home for your ancestors, you create a place in your heart. And they don’t have to sit on your lap!
Creating an ancestor altar in your home can be quite simple. Just find a spot that is clear of clutter and quiet, not near the kitchen or TV, and not in the place where you sleep. If that is not possible, then put it in a place that is out of the way and easy to cover when the space is being used for other daily activities. A table, a bookshelf, a windowsill, or even a chair will do, depending on how many ancestral relics you gather. Find a cloth with colors or designs that feel decorative and inviting to your “guests” to cover the surface of your altar. Then place upon it items that evoke a sacred environment for you, such as a candle, special stones or plants, and pictures of any deceased members of your family that you have. If you don’t have photos, you can write name cards with symbols that are meaningful to that person if you knew them.
It is not necessary to have pictures or to know their names to honor the ancestors, general titles like mother, father, grandmother, great grandmother will work just as well. You may find that the intentions infused in these more general objects serve as an attractant for more information to flow toward you. Even just a bit of stone from the place where your ancestors lived will honor them. Don’t underestimate the energetic effects of physical offerings, no matter how simple or abstract, honor and reverence have a strong effect on subtle energies that ripple out like a call to all those among the dead who are connected to you. The altar is a communication center and a repository for an exchange of gifts.
It is a nice daily practice to sit in front of your altar and greet the ancestors for just a few minutes or offer them food, a beverage, or flowers, like you would any honored guest. In this way we can slowly build a rapport with people who lived in different times, in different places, spoke different languages, and held different beliefs and customs that are all encoded in our DNA. We can begin to become aware that we are not alone, we are part of a greater whole, in a journey through time long before and long after us.
An altar reminds us that we are not really individuals; we are merely the current face of our people. When we feel stranded on an island of isolation, our altar can help us connect with our ancestral team and guide us into a deep sense of belonging and purpose, remembering our responsibility to bring the gifts of our people forward into a world that needs them.
Whether you're curious about setting up your altar, connecting with your ancestors, or understanding the benefits of this sacred practice, we invite you to share your questions with us.