#ancestor work

[emeraldislewitch]

i cannot say it enough: RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP RESEARCH IS WORSHIP

research your ancestors, research your gods, research the land you come from, listen to the stories told by your family, your community, your elders and take notes. research research research.

[broomsick]

Short guide to varðlokkr

Briefly exploring ritual singing and spirit work in the nordic tradition, and their possible uses in neo-pagan practice.

Before performing divination, it's said that völur would sing, or more often than not, have someone sing a ritual song in order to "rouse the spirits". This ritual was a way to call upon nearby spirits—generally guardian spirits, to come and answer their questions. The practice of varðlokkur, or "ward songs/protection songs", is tightly interwoven with the art of seiðr. According to the few sources that mention the topic, it was performed by seeresses seeking to prophecize, or by women willing to sing it in their stead.

Before diving deeper into this topic however, it's important to note that the interpretation of the term varðlokkr, and in a sense, the very basis of its current scholarly understanding, depends on its possible etymology. Two hypotheses stand out in this regard: varðlokkr is either spelled with one or two k's, either varðlok or varðlokk. The former would refer to "locking", or "fastening", and is often associated with a passage in the Grógaldr (The Spell of Gróa) where the shamaness refers to Urðar lokur, or Urð's locks/bolts. In this case, the song is a matter of "locking" the spirits in. Whereas varðlokkr would stem from the same root (vǫrðr, meaning to guard or ward), but in this case, lokkr would come from lokka, meaning to lure, or entice. It's generally agreed upon that both these instances showcase how the idea of protection was a key element in the perception of this practice.

These so-called "Weird-songs" sometimes required the use of a rhythmical sound created using drum beating, rattles, or by hitting the ground with a staff. They served as an invocation to higher powers or local spirits, who would be keen to protect ("ward") the seeress as she glimpsed into the future. According to pre-Christian belief, the sound of these songs had the power to appease surrounding spirits, but also to entice and lock them into the space for the duration of the divination. Letting her spirit wander out of her body in order to scry, the völva/seiðrkona became vulnerable, hence the need for higher protection. Now "bound" to her until the completion of the ritual, the guardian spirits would be inclined to lend their help. Depending on the intepretations, this type of ritual singing could also have been a means to reach a trancelike state before fortune telling.

'Many spirits,' said she, 'have been present under its charm, and were pleased to listen to the song, who before would turn away from us, and grant us no such homage. And now are many things clear to me which before were hidden both from me and others.' Eiríks saga rauða, chapter 3

The trance aspect of this practice is often debated, however. Granted, it's possible to point out similarities between seiðr and the "out of body" travel of Sámi and Siberian shamans. After all, a few sources tell us that varðlokkr would also serve to bring the völva back into her own body once she'd prophecized. Still, scholars more often than not consider varðlokkr and other seiðr practices as putting oneself in a "receptive state" in order to comprehend messages sent from the spirit world.

At the beginning of the séance all those present seem to have taken part in the singing, but a special choir was appointed for continuing operations:  this is in several accounts said to consist of women or one woman. Singing continues throughout the séance, the purpose being to remind the shaman of his mission.  Some sources indicate that the singing was concentrated or confined to the final stages of the trance, and the aim here was to wake the shaman. Louise Bäckman & Åke Hultkrantz

Think of varðlokkr as a way to blend music, divination and spirit work. A modern practitioner who already works with Dísir, vættir, ancestors, and the like can involve these familiar spirits in the ritual, for example, by calling upon a passed loved one to protect them during divination, or even to aid in finding answers. It's generally agreed upon that during the Scandinavian pre-Christian times, the wisdom of the dead occupied a vital place in many such shamanic practices. One could seek advice from passed mentors or loved ones in this manner. Even disregarding the idea of "rousing" spirits and "locking" them, I believe that one could still use to music as ritualized invocation—especially when it comes to ancestor work, in order to ask for advice or insight.

Next to nothing is known about what varðlokkr actually sounded like. However, I think it's still interesting to explore the idea of ritual singing as a shamanic practice. For someone interested in experimenting with galdr, seiðr, or any such shamanic practices in the Nordic tradition, varðlokkr seems like a great place to start.

So how does one incorporate ritual singing into neo-pagan practice? I'm sorry to say that it's exceedingly difficult to somehow reconstruct varðlokkr, as history has left us with nothing but bits and pieces to work with. However, three main particularities stand out and aid us in tracing a general outline: 1. the Weird-song is sung before divination as an opening practice; 2. its purpose is to call upon spirits; and 3. it most likely served as a sort of short-term ward for the person performing the ritual. These three concepts may be preserved, and the freedom to build around them is yours.

For this reason, we even have the option to simply pick a song which feels sacred and play it before rune casting, or tarot reading for example (needless to say such a practice also applies to any and all methods of divination, including scrying). After all, there's really no indication that the practitionner must sing the song themselves. Even in the few accounts mentioning varðlokkr, the seeress isn't always the one singing.

But if you decide to sing the varðlokkr yourself, it's also possible to learn the lyrics to a song that's already part of your practice. If working with the spirits of the dead, and especially with passed loved ones, why not play a song that a given ancestor loved in life? Artist Einar Selvik has composed a short skaldic-type song called Vardlokk, which has understandably become my own ritual song. I play it to get into a spiritual state of mind, helping me tremendously before spirit work—which coincides in many ways with the original purpose of varðlokkr. But it's safe to say any type of music may be used. And if you're interested in trance or trance adjacent practices, chanting may be used in such a manner as well.

There are many ways for us neo-pagans to adopt the practice of varðlokkr, since in one way or another, music is always tightly intertwined with religious practice. One can choose to wholly disregard the spirit work aspect and simply explore the idea of ritual song and its ties to divination. No matter the case, shamanic practices were an inherent part of Nordic religious tradition, and I think it can be useful for modern practitioners to learn about them and explore the possibilities that they offer.

If you're interested in further reading, I've linked at the beginning of this post an ask I answered a while back pertaining to seiðr, galdr, and other shamanic practices of the Norse. Within the post are also a few suggested pieces of reading that have helped my personal understanding and research.

[witchofthenorthernshores]

Some of the most useful advice I’ve heard when it comes to spirit discernment and imposter syndrome came from Jason Miller’s Consorting With Spirits. It goes like this:

Engage in an experience without doubt while it is happening. Analyze it critically after it is over.

This method has allowed me to have much deeper and more vivid spirit communications, because I’m not second-guessing everything while it’s happening. Then, thinking critically once the cards are back in the box allows me to really unpack the experience.

[cruxscara]

Holy ancestors 🤍

[buriedpentacles]

Why I Don't Have An Altar

One definition of an altar is:" in religion, a raised structure or place that is used for sacrifice, worship, or prayer" from Britannica and they have a number of different forms but typically in Pagan or Witchcraft communities they're a surface dedicated to a deity, spirit, ancestors or just their general craft. They're super common and a lot of people take real pride in them, as they should.

But I don't have one.

I used to have one just a year or two ago. So why did I get rid of it?

In a way, I didn't. Not entirely. I no longer have a set place to worship Mother Nature or Commune with my Ancestors but my altar is now scattered across my living space - my plants sit on my windowsill, my tarot cards are wherever I choose to keep them that day, I have crystals all over my room and pieces of nature on my bedside table and desk. I don't have a dish for offerings, or a place to perform spells.

The reason is because I realised that my altar would never give me the feeling of closeness and connection as the world outside gives me. When I prayed before my candles and crystals I felt connected to my Goddess of course, but praying to the wethered old oak in the woods, or to the waves that crash onto cliffs, or to the mother fox that watched me from across the stream is when I *knew* that she was there, that was when I felt her so intensely and deeply.

My altar was performative, it was an act I put on because I felt like I had to. Now, I don't feel that pressure. Now, I feel my ancestors more deeply because *I* am the altar - I am their blood and soul, so I worship them through myself. Now, I feel Mother deeper than before because I am actually experiencing her - not the faux version I had built inside a box.

It is, of course, all personal preference. In the future when I hae a more permennat home I may built an outdoor altar or have a small one for my ancestors, I might not. But, you don't NEED one, and you definitely don't need to spend a lot of money building the biggest and "prettiest" altar. If you want one, build an altar that suits you and whatever purpose it will serve, not one built for a performance.

[samwisethewitch]

Friendly reminder to witches and pagans who want to incorporate ancestral beliefs into their practice: be mindful that a lot of modern nations and their current dominant culture are relatively new, and even the concept of a national identity is very, very modern. Modern borders may not necessarily reflect the world your ancestors lived in.

For example: immigration documents record my great-great-great grandparents immigrating from Germany in the 1870s. But my ancestors weren't German -- they were Bavarian. They were both born in the country of Bavaria and fled to the USA after the unification of the German Reich (no, not that one). They wouldn't have spoken German as a first language -- they would have spoken Bavarian. And if I wanted to incorporate their culture into my practice, I would need to narrow my search to Bavarian folk practices. Other regional practices from other parts of modern Germany wouldn't have been relevant to my ancestors.

There's a similar situation with another great-great-great grandfather, who immigrated in the 1850s iirc. He was from Lombardy, near Milan, and was fleeing the unification of the Kingdom of Italy. He probably very much did not identify as Italian.

And on the other side of my family we have a Northern English line we've been able to trace back to the 1100s, and those ancestors from the Middle Ages probably identified as Northumbrian rather than as English. My "Scottish" ancestry probably actually comes from that same line, because Northumbria was a border state between England and Scotland.

Modern resources like Ancestry.com and other genealogy sites will use modern country names and borders, which can sometimes give us false understandings of where our ancestors actually came from. This is why it's important to do your own research and fact-check outside the ancestry documents.

[thesixspokewheel]

Ancestors beyond blood are important to my craft. What I mean by ancestors “beyond blood” are my ancestors that are not a part of my biological lineage. For me these include one of my grandmas’ lineage (she’s my mom’s stepmom) as well as community ancestors—usually mighty dead or forgotten dead. These ancestors are very important to me because they have had a great impact on both my craft and my social life. I know and do things because my grandma taught me, who was taught by her mother and her by her mother, etc. My community ancestors are the reason I love my life in the environment I do today. I think often people overlook lots of their ancestors in favor of blood, which can be the path for some but a lot of people are unsatisfied with ancestor work and don’t know why when that’s usually the reason. Contact an ancestor beyond blood, most likely you will be pleasantly surprised.

Note of caution: ancestors beyond blood can still have “deal-breakers”. It’s important to do research when calling on these ancestors with a specific person in mind, and be specific about who you want present when calling upon a general population of ancestors.

[lailoken]

An act of simple but loving veneration, given to the spirit of my grandmother on the anniversary of her birth. ♡

[theantarwitch]

Non human Ancestors

I was just thinking... often I see a lot about ancestor work (something that I don’t actually do for reasons lol) which is mostly aimed to human ancestors, our beloved past generations that we never were able to know; but I was taking a shower and it occurred to me: What about our ancestors that are so back in time that are not even human? They existed, right?

Specially having in mind that humans (“modern” humans) are actually so new in the big scheme of the evolution line. As someone said, from Jesus (Year 0) to now, to around 30 years between generations, there are around 56 mothers long (some put up to 80 or 100 mothers). Which is an actually ridiculously small fragment of time. Don’t get me wrong, is a lot of time to us, but the earth is quite oldy. Also, interesting fact: 1 generation ago you have 2 parents, 2 generations ago you have 4 grandparents… 56 generations ago you have 16,000,000,000,000,000 ancestors! So each time you do ancestor work, you have a little army up there lol.

Back to what matters. There were humans before the year 0. There was a moment when they were not even humans, but their evolved blood still flows on out veins, their evolutionary bias still affects us. We find calmness on the shower because we once were living on the water. Our strong emotional based reactions come from the times where our rational thinking wasn’t a thing. The appendix is considered a small leftover from one of our plant-eating ancestors. The coccyx is all that remains of our ancestral tails. Humans pay extra attention to the red color because was a sign of a ripe fruit (and blood). Hiccups might be attributed to an ancient amphibian ancestor. That we and other mammals have 5 fingers is rooted to a dang fish! Our fear of dark, the way we unconsciously analyze others, how we manage to unconsciously pick the “best partner”, the virus and bacteria that live in our bodies in a symbiotic way, and so on. Almost all what we are now, mentally, emotionally and physically, is a result of millions of years of evolution, of species that don’t look like us. An almost endless line of lucky and well adapted creatures, in a web of evolution, trial and error, until now. So why only focus on our modern human ancestors? One of you ancient grandmothers was a “fish”, she did her part and she know things that we have no idea, so why don’t ask them for aid?  

From the Homo Sapiens (Us, in the last 500.000 years) with their extreme mental developed brains, their, inventive, problem solving, creativity, to the Homo Erectus being the first to cook food (controlled fire), to make handaxes, to hunt and gather in coordinated groups, in caring for injured or sick group members, to walk fully straight as us; to the Australopithecus, and back to our unknown Hominini “Missing Link”.

From the Purgatorius, the progenitor of primates, to the Pelycosaur, the one from which Sauropsids (the ancestors of reptiles of all sorts) and of Synapsids (that's mammals AND their ancestors) split off from.

From the Hylonomus, the first reptile, to the Tiktaalik, the first fish in venture to leave the ocean and walk in the earth, to the Agnatha, the first fish.

To the Urmetazoan, the hypothetical last common ancestor of all animals.

3.7 billion years old of ancestors. I think is poetic to think about it. The spirit of some Homo Erectus getting happy when you lit a candle, the Tiktaalik’s spirit noticing how you are in ease when you take a long shower, a fluffy Synapsids’s energy remembering their old times when you sleep comfy on your bed, an anxious Purgatorius’s spirit who see you eat your veggies just like they did… So many unknown ancestors, from the most primitive form of life, seeing their evolutionary mark on you.  

I don’t know, maybe is time to drop a snack in their name, who knows which knowledge they can bring us back, from their experiences in a time where life wasn’t easy, from a time where the earth wasn’t even remotely similar to our earth now. We are almost aliens to them, but we carry them, deep inside our DNA. Who knows in which funky animalistic way they can aid us? Is worthy to think about it, at least for a while. They deserve the recognition too…

[hagoftheholler]

You have every right to ignore or ban the ancestors you don't like when doing ancestor work. Your ancestors can also reject you for any reason they want. Sometimes it's for the best.

[lokavisi]

The blood, sweat, tears, and, most importantly, love of thousands and thousands of people are the reason you exist here today. All of the ancestors that came before who fought the good fight are here with you now. Whether they are ancestors of blood, order, community, or even the ancestors that are yet to be. Those who are aligned with you and your values are here to support you during this challenging time. When you feel like you can't go any further, lean on them. Remember their strength and how it brought you here. Remember that your strength and perseverance will offer the same support to future generations. Tap into the energies, skills, and strengths of your ancestors. Their strength is your strength. It is already inside of you. You just have to claim it.

[nile-the-empathy-cleric]

Back with some more Italian folk magic thoughts and recommendations

I believe the spirit of my Nonna was reaching out to me recently as I was decluttering in my efforts to spark change in the new year. I went through some boxes in my basement and came across her old chaplet rosary and several holy medals she kept and immediately felt a sense of immense comfort after a stressful week. Her rosary, though beautiful, is a precious and fragile heirloom and while I would love to use it in my day to day practice, I fear it’s too delicate to carry around. So for now, I will put her rosary on my altar and give it a special place.

The chaplet rosary did give me inspiration though. I’ve found in moments of intense anxiety and dysregulation I need an external means of grounding. In college I used to carry around prayer beads and say meditative chants when I was overwhelmed to keep me in the present. I’ve since lost those beads and have reconnected to my folk practice, finding that praying the rosary has a similar effect for me. After rediscovering my Nonna’s chaplet I decided to craft my own 2 decade rosary I could cary with me. Granted, I’m not really Catholic anymore and consider myself mostly secular (though I heavily resonate with animism and ancestor veneration), the rosary feels like more of an emotionally and culturally significant tool for me as opposed to a religious one.

I used sodalite beads for my rosary to help promote emotional balance. As I crafted my rosary I thought about my Nonna and my memories of her, as well as my intention of inner peace, protection, and blessing. As I worked I burned loose rose and mugwort incense to invite out the divine energy of the Madonna as well as increase the power of my intention. It was a very meaningful and personal process, but one I would recommend if you’re so inclined. Since creating this chaplet rosary I’ve carried it with me to work in case I need that external grounding. It’s given me a sense of ease and a deeper connection to my Nonna ( who I miss very much).

I try to remember to post about my reconnecting journey and folk practice every once in a while— though my last post on the topic was 6 months ago. I’ve come across more resources recently that I would highly recommend for others interested in learning about Italian folk magic that were not included in an older post I made. These are more recent publications and are more accessible than some of the academic sources I shared. These first is an academic text but it’s one I thoroughly enjoyed. Italian Witchcraft and Shamanism: The Tradition of Segnature, Indigenous and Trans-Cultural Shamanic Traditions in Italy by Dr. Angela Puca. It’s an enlightening and incredibly well researched read. She also has a YouTube channel where she discusses her work. I highly recommend checking it out.

I’d also like to recommend Della Medicina: The Tradition of Italian-American Folk Healing by Lisa Fazio for my more herbalism and green witchcraft inclined practitioners— though there’s plenty of in depth info beyond herbal remedies. I’d rate this one a 10/10– it’s super thorough and incredibly interesting. It feels like the perfect blend of academic and layman information. I really appreciated this book and it deserves some more love!

[thevirginwitch]

[flidaishermit]

dance with your ancestors as the veil thins, because they see you, they are closer than ever and they are proud of how far you have come

share meals with them, tell them how you were able to accomplish what they couldn't in their lives and tell them how you are breaking the cycles

complete what they couldn't, finish their work and be true to yourself for them, as you are deserving of grace and love

[tears-of-amber]

I’ve heard some people saying you can’t or shouldn’t work with your ancestors if you’re white. I think this is an exaggeration of what is actually reasonable. Use discernment! Not all your ancestors were bad people. Perhaps most are. But you DONT have to work with those rotten ones (Nazis, sexists, homophobes, abusive assholes, slave owners). The truth is, not everyone in history was evil like that. Did your white ancestors benefit from white privilege? ABSOLUTELY. So do ALL white people, even the ones who don’t like or subscribe to racism. Even current living ones. The misconception with ancestor work is that you have to apparently “like everything about them and treat them like a flawless deity”. Which is so SO wrong. You should treat your ancestors like you’d treat your living family and friends! If your friend started calling someone homophobic or racist slurs would you continue to take their advice and hang out with them? NO. So, ultimately what I’m saying is that discernment is key. My white great grandmother was an amazing woman. She wasn’t perfect, but she was beautiful and strong of heart. She was a bold and flamboyant woman, and was an advocate for women expressing their sexuality and pursuing their dreams at a time when that was absolutely frowned upon. She made mistakes, but she grew from them. I had the honor of having her in my earlier years of life. And she didn’t discriminate against the lgbtq community, in fact was friends with a lot of gays because they were working in the same industry as her (dancing, modeling, art, etc). I love her and I love working with her. I honor the right things she did, and I learn from the problematic decisions she made and regrets. So yeah, don’t discount your ancestors just cause they’re white. There’s a good chance they‘lol be racist. But there’s an off chance that instead they’d actually genuinely ok people who you can learn from their experiences. I hope this post doesn’t come off wrong. I’m not saying honor racists and homophobes. I’m saying don’t throw out the nice babies with the yucky bath water.

Reblog with polite corrections or perspectives if you find this wrong or dumb in anyway! I’d love feedback and am willing to hear others perspectives!

[mystic-moon-maiden]

Samhain Ancestor Prayer

Beloved Ancestors, on this night,

Hear my plea to take flight.

On this eve when the veil is thin,

All well wishers are welcomed in.

Protect me from beings that wish me ill,

I honor you tonight, with ritual and frill.

As you join me tonight, gratitude fills me.

Welcome ancestors, and blessed be.