Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within - Juliet Diaz 2019

Harnessing Ancestral Wisdom
Practical Magick

Ancestors provide great guidance, wisdom, and lessons, as well as great protection, healing, and growth. Connecting with your ancestors brings a deeper understanding of self and greater spirituality. It’s important to connect to your ancestors for these reasons alone.

The type of ancestor you may be most familiar with is one who once had a physical form and a human experience. However, there are also Land Ancestors, who watch over a land to which they’re connected. These are particularly important to those who still live on ancestral lands. There are also Spiritual Ancestors — ancestors who your soul has worked with for many lifetimes or who are connected to your lineage. These ancestors can be angels, gods, goddesses, guides, guardians from other planets, and so on. My favorite ancestors are our mountains, trees, plants, animals, rivers, and oceans, and our Mother Earth herself. I work with her every single day.

We all descend from Healers, wisewomen and wise men, medicine people (known today as herbalists), visionaries, activists, and warriors — we come from a mix of all our ancestors’ prehistory lived as one with the Earth. They survived by being in tune with the natural environment, animals, the stars, the Moon, the land, and the spirits. Ancient knowing dwells within your being. It is and always will be a part of you, a spiritual enchantment walking alongside you.

The best way to harness ancestral wisdom is to commune directly with your ancestors. It’s okay to feel nervous when beginning this journey. Remember that it takes practice, just like everything else, so don’t give up; however, you may find that your ancestors are so eager to communicate with you that they start to connect right away. You may feel silly and have doubts, but if you reject those feelings and keep an open mind, invite calm energy, and allow yourself to feel without judgment, you’ll notice the messages coming through. Give it a try: practice daily or as often as you can. If you’re not comfortable doing this on your own, seek guidance from someone who has experience in this area.

A shrine to your ancestors

Having an altar, or shrine, dedicated to your ancestors is a great way to honor and work with them, and to remember your connections with them. The ancestor altar operates between worlds and will house a lot of energy, so set it up where it won’t disturb anyone — not in the bedroom, for example — and won’t get disturbed by anyone else, particularly children or pets.

Your ancestor altar can look however you want it to. Follow your intuition and add things that have meaning. Here are a few ideas:

Pictures of your ancestors.

Inherited objects or other items that give you a connection to your ancestors.

Sacred items your ancestors would recognize. Some of my ancestors were Catholic Witches, so on my altar I have an antique Bible, a rosary, and images of saints they believed in. Other Witches in my family practiced Santeria, Hoodoo, and Shamanism. Meanwhile, I’m Cuban with African, Iberian, and Native American roots so my ancestor altar is spiritually very colorful and honors my forebears in many different ways.

Light from candles, lanterns, or sunshine. These make a great way to illuminate your altar, and though you can use them there every day if you wish, they make a particularly special way to celebrate the birthdays of your human ancestors, as well as seasonal festivals.

Items connected to you, either because they run through your roots or because your ancestors are pulling those items in. These might include crystals or gems, certain herbs, incense, plants, Elements, or art.

If you don’t know who your ancestors are, just go with what feels right to you. The altar will be no less sacred. Trust me: your ancestors will let you know what they want.

Protecting yourself

Before you practice any Magickal workings or even prepare to do so, you must protect yourself against any spirits who may not have your highest good in mind. It’s unfortunate, but not all spirits are ’good’ and you should not leave yourself open to them. You need to ensure that the connections you make are with those who have your back and have your best interest in mind.

Here are the simplest ways to keep yourself safe:

✵ Cleanse the space with the smoke of herbs or incense before and after your Magickal work to clear away any negative energy, or the energy of friends and family who have been in the vicinity (see also Cleansing and Protecting).

✵ Use crystals or charms that have protective properties, such as obsidian, amethyst, or smoky quartz.

✵ Light protective candles — black or white ones give protection. Make sure you spiritually cleanse the candle before use (or buy candles that have been prepared for you), then hold the candle and recite a prayer or spell asking the candle protect you.

✵ Be clear about who is allowed in. Make it known that you only want to connect and communicate with spirits who are there to help and support you.

✵ Set energy boundaries by visualizing a sphere of light around you. Then announce, either out loud or in your head, what you’ll allow into your sacred sphere. For instance, ’Only good shall enter this sphere. I do not allow negativity or anything that doesn’t have my best interest in mind. I do not allow in any ill spirits, or anything or anyone with bad intentions.’

Communicating with your ancestors

Communicating with your ancestors can be done in many ways, and as you explore this process you’ll find out what works best for you.

The simplest way is to just ask: talk to your ancestors, and remember that they’re always there and want to connect with you; they want to have a relationship with you, so just talking to them can be extremely effective. If you know the names of your ancestors, simply call on whoever it is you want to communicate with.

Some of us have more heightened senses and can quickly feel, hear, or even see our ancestors, but most of us need to refine these senses. The best way to do that is by paying attention to all the signs and not dismissing them. Listen to your intuition and stay aware.

This can take years of practice, so keep it basic at first and work your way up to more intense ritual practices. Do your research: consult with someone who has extensive experience of communicating with ancestors, and read some of the many books and articles available on this topic. The most important thing to remember is that this is a journey. Be patient, stay open-minded, take your time, and do as much or as little as you like. Remember also to practice protection, and don’t mess with spirits you have no business in communicating with.

Making the first connection

Making that first contact with your ancestors takes practice but it can be done using even the simple methods that follow, as long as you focus on both what’s within you and outside you. It will eventually become clear where and how your ancestors are trying to communicate with you.

Tune in: To communicate with your ancestors, you need to learn how to tune in to them. This can come through sound, sight, feelings, or signs. Stay aware and record everything, especially dreams, visions, and any peculiar things that happen during your day.

Meditate: We discussed some techniques for meditation earlier in the book, so start meditating, Witches! The only difference here is that when you meditate for communicating, you need to make this clear to your ancestors before you start. You may want to repeat a phrase or a spell that enables this, or you might hold or surround yourself with crystals, incense, or candles that help you to tune in.

Listen: Ancestors and guides always show up; it’s up to you to pay attention to the way they do it. Not all spirits are alike and not all of them communicate in the same way. Some are direct and some are like poets, so you need to read between the lines and feel their message rather than hear or see it. Your ancestors may come to you at times of great need or they may come in everyday moments. Pay attention to how you feel: sometimes you can sense that someone is there with you, a presence that isn’t yours. Be alert to things that grab your attention, such as animals, numerical synchronicity, a sudden shift in the wind, or a rush of Magickal energy within you. The more you pay attention to these things, the stronger your senses will become and so, too, your communication with your ancestors and guides.

I’ve experienced my ancestors’ wisdom in many forms and in all sorts of places. For instance, one night I stayed up late to write this book as it was the only time I could find. I was also in the process of opening my own shop, I had interviews and events to attend, my online school was booming — and did I mention I’m a mother of two boys (and two cats)? By midnight, my eyes were exhausted, my brain wanted to shut down, and my body was screaming for my bed. I wanted to keep writing, but physically and mentally I was spent. Suddenly, I felt this pull within my core. I leaned back in my chair and looked out of the window right next to me. To my surprise, I saw twinkling lights just on the other side of the glass. I instantly knew what they were: fireflies. There is very little green where I live, and after five years I have never seen fireflies dancing outside this window, which I’ve sat next to many, many times.

The pull in my core became a feeling of love running through me like a gentle hug. I remembered that, as a little girl, I had spent a lot of time enjoying nature, and that fireflies had been gems to my soul, treasures of the Earth. I knew this new appearance of them was a message, an attempt to share wisdom at a time when I needed it.

I later did some research and looked up the meaning of my message:

’This spiritual totem’s message dictates that we must be conscious, pay attention to intricacies, and exercise persistence if we wish to achieve success in our own lives. However […] fireflies do not use heat to ignite their lights, symbolizing that we need not burn ourselves out in the pursuit ofour goals.’¹

I read these words of wisdom, shut off my computer, and went to bed while thanking our Mother, Earth, for being there for me — I know that Mother Earth, who I chose to devote my life to, is the one who sent me the message. She does it all the time for me, through the mountains, trees, plants, animals, and sky. Don’t dismiss her as your ancestor or guide, because she is probably one of the strongest spirits to yearn for your connection. In my opinion, all Witches should be connected to our Mother as much as they are to self. Our Mother, Earth, is the house you live in, the womb in which you’re growing.

So practice being alert to messages, and notice not only the wisdom that comes to you directly, but the subtle signs as well. With time and patience, you’ll build a strong, beautiful relationship with your ancestors, guides, and self.