Page 38 - September 2022 Magazine - Bumper Edition

We all need a space that is ours and ours alone to practice, gain inspiration, and hopefully insight.
Creating an ancestral altar may not suit the aims of your practice. The gift is yours. The choice is yours.
However, do ponder on the point that you didn’t choose your gift; you were born with it.
The purpose of an ancestral altar is to call on the power and knowledge of your forebears. So before you start, you need to work out what items you have that may have a connection to them.
I set up my altar in our summer house as it’s in a distant corner well away from the house. I go there if I need to meditate or simply need a quiet hour to myself.
The tranquillity helps me to connect to my inner self. The simple sensation of silence heightens my focus on my own spiritual worth.
My altar means a lot to me. Whilst it’s a connection to the divine, I find the whole experience rather inspirational.
For obvious reasons alters are very personal. There is no fixed format for what you should or should not feature, so do a little research and try what you think will suit you.
There are a few basics which you can start with, and as we are talking about an ancestral altar, we’ll include relevant bits.
Please excuse the obvious, but irrespective of whether you have bought an altar or are just creating an altar space, the first thing you need to do is cleanse all of the items you intend to use.
An altar cloth is a good place to start. You need to be able to place all your tools on it.
Whilst it can be plain white, the more personal to you the better - it may be a tea towel that was owned by your grandmother or a scarf given to you by a great aunt (you’ve got the picture).
Candles are, of course, essential. Even simple tea lights will light the way to guide the energies of your ancestors back to you. If you know for sure that your grandmother's favourite colour was green, then you know what colour candle to use.
Burning incense or pure essential oils will most definitely heighten your senses, but If you know that an ancestor was very fond of lavender then incorporate it.
If you know that your great, great grandmother was a flower seller, then maybe a carnation or a rose would be an ideal addition, or her favourite flower.
You need to ask yourself if you are calling on a relative that you knew that has passed, or seeking strength and inspiration from more ancient ancestors.
Photos are powerful on an altar, but a small cauldron for me is a must on any kind of altar. Write down your needs or intentions on a slip of paper, light it with the candles and let it burn out in the cauldron.
Totally focus on those intentions and continue to repeat any incantations as it burns.
If you choose to create an ancestral altar, then please ignore the ‘must have’ or ‘must do’ advice that is out there.
An ancestral altar is all about YOU.
38 | The Flickering Cauldron® Magazine - Ancestral Altar
Ancestral Altar