We are coming upon an amazingly powerful weekend, and in 2020 I am not surprised! This weekend we will be experiencing a full (blue) moon on Halloween, and the Day of the Dead immediately after that! What a potent time to make the connection to our ancestors at this time while the veil is so thin!

Many of our modern day holidays have roots in earth-based, Pagan traditions. Halloween is no different! What we know of as Halloween began as a Celtic tradition (called Samhain) at the end of the fall harvest where they would build big bonfires and wear masks to scare away the evil spirits they believed came out during the dark, winter months. We can see these practices alive and well in our modern day Halloween celebrations. Now, adding to that the religious systems came in and added two holidays at that time…All Saint’s Day (Nov 1), and All Souls Day (Nov 2). In Mexico, Dia de los Muertos (or the Day of the Dead) is celebrated on Nov 1st & 2nd. There, people celebrate their loved ones who have passed on and build elaborate altars to honor and remember their loved ones. This is a time of celebration, not mourning.

Here are a few things you might consider doing to remember your ancestors as we move through this powerful weekend!

  1. Build an Altar : This is a wonderful thing to create where you can gather special pieces that remind you of your loved one, or were at one time things your loved one owned, touched, and used. When I make an altar for my parents, I typically include a photograph, a candle to light or incense to burn as an offering, and some things that remind me of them. I have the Kings & Queens from my dad’s chess set, and for my mom I have a petrified sand dollar I bought on one of my adventures. We grew up in Rhode Island and I have a memory of finding a black sand dollar with my mom while walking on the beach. This altar is a great visual reminder of them, and when I sit in front of it and light the candle, I feel a little closer to them. Plus, it makes me feel good to see their photos as I go about my day!
  2. Remembering Your Ancestors : Ask family members to tell stories about your loved ones who have passed on. It is a beautiful thing when people tell stories about our ancestors, it lights up the room with their energy and it brings about laughter and good memories while teaching the younger generations about the lineage they come from!
  3. Call on Them for Support : Literally call out to our ancestors! They are there listening and will do what they can to help us move through challenges and guide us as we navigate the challenges and opportunities in this life. You will be blown away when you realize many of the things our ancestors dealt with in their life…we are dealing with it as well!
  4. Dedicate a Special Tool to Work with Them : I have many different sacred tools that I use in my spiritual practice, and I have a couple that I only use when making the connection to my ancestors. You may have a special fan, drum, rattle, candle, bowl, whatever it is…It helps to use that same tool when connecting with our ancestors!

I wish you well on your connection with your ancestors. Remember whatever you do to make it authentic to YOU! Whatever you feel is the correct way to honor your loved ones is absolutely perfect! If you are wanting to learn more about this topic, you can watch the free 30 minute talk I did about this below, and you can take my Free 14 minute Guided Meditation on Connecting with Your Ancestral Family Tree by clicking this link!

Watch my 30 Minute Talk on Our Ancestors Below!