Many years ago I began a personal tradition of seasonal rituals, offerings and acknowledgment of my ancestors and loved ones who had passed beyond the veil. I had small mementos, cremains and ethnic items representing my somewhat mixed heritage all arranged on my main home altar, where I performed and displayed most of my spells and home rituals.
Having the mementos, photos and offerings there gave me a connection to my dead, and I always felt a bit sad when I packed some of the items away after each Holiday or Sabbat, so about 10 years ago I decided to create a year round Ancestor Altar. You will hear me refer to it interchangeably as my Dead Altar, my Altar of the Dead and my Dia De Los Muertos Altar. (I never can seem to make up my mind!)
My Dead Altar began with a simple but elegant African ancestor ritual that I found in a book on the Orishas . I’m sorry I can’t remember the title or author; it’s been long and long ago, now.
The ritual ingredients were simple:
- 13 white tapers (to light their way and provide warmth)
- clear water (that they mightn’t thirst)
- salt (that they mightn’t hunger)
- incense (to please them)
- A photo, personal memento or representative item
You may choose to cast a circle or create a sacred space in which to work, or you may allow your creation of the altar to be ritual and sacred in and of itself, which I believe it is.
To begin a new altar I always cleanse and bless the area first.
For me that means a nice polishing of wood furniture with lemon or orange oil followed by a sprinkling of holy water of one type or another. Sea water, water energized by sun and moon, or until it’s gone I’ll continue to sparingly use my stash of water from the Well at Glastonbury. I also sometimes anoint the corners with a blessing oil of some type.
I generally arrange the altar to be pleasing to the eye; beauty is a form of adoration, I feel. If you choose to use the 13 tapers be careful of your placement of personal items. You don’t want them covered in drippings. (I switched some years ago to glass candles like the ones pictured above. Too many altar cloths ruined by wax! I still use 13 for formal occasions and holidays, (as was the day this photo was taken) but keep one burning 24/7 year round)
Of course, your opening ritual can be as simple or as complex as you like. Write a poem or prose or a simple letter, or just talk to your ancestors and loved ones as you would were they alive.
As you light the candles and incense tell them they will always have a place in your heart and your home; that you welcome their presence; their wisdom and love.
As you lay the salt and pour the water tell them that you offer it they will never hunger or thirst.
Spend a few moments in silent contemplation of the gifts your loved ones and ancestors have given you.
That’s pretty much it as far as the ritual part goes. As I said, I keep a class candle burning 24/7, each one lighted from the one before.
Sadly this has been a couple years of great loss for your Thornie, and my dead have outgrown their altar. Please excuse (as I ask them to do) the layer of dust on the old altar pictured here.
You may remember my new Dead Altar (above) from my Grieving and Grandsons and Good post on my Lil Pharaoh’s birthday. It has given me plenty of room to spread them out that they might all be well seen. I’m working on some small shrines in the colorful and happy style of Dia De Los Muertos which I will be covering in another post. My Dead Altar is also home to many of the animals and familiars that have shared their lives and spirits with me. I’m afraid I haven’t yet finished the bottom shelf for my furry and feathered loved ones, and I still have some painting to do on the front trim of the shelf. I’m thinking roses.
The candle that burns on my Dead Altar today is especially meaningful to me. When my precious Lil Pharaoh, my grandson, passed away (SIDS) in October of 2007, my daughter and her husband created a perpetual candle altar to him, much like I’ve described here; each candle lighted from the one before. This last October they moved and I was asked to tend to Lil Pharaoh’s candle there at their home while they were on the road until they arrived at their new home and then to be present on the phone and astrally as we lighted my Grandson’s candle there. I then brought his candle, which had been burning constantly for over a year, home with me to merge with my own. The candle that burns on my Dead Altar now contains the continuous energies of both my Lil Pharaoh’s light and my own ritual which has been burning steadily for over 11 years.
Having the Altar of my Dead in my living room- making daily offerings of incense, lighting their candle and making sure they always have food (salt) and water, keeps them close to me in a way that’s difficult to explain. Although I know they are alive in my memory and heart no matter what, I find these physical mementos and rituals comforting and it gives me a happy sense of their presence in my life. I find myself more often joyful than sad when I think of them, and am forever it seems, finding small items that I want to add to the Altar.
I hope you will take a moment to share your own experiences and remembrances of your loved ones who have passed with me, and if you have or make your own Dead Altar, please email me a picture and I’ll post it here at Thornesworld.
Peace, out!
*this article was originally posted at my eclectic witch blog.
