Benefits of Ancestor Veneration: What Is It and How to Do It

Ancestor veneration is an ancient spiritual practice with many benefits. Numerous cultures practiced it, and it is still present in many modern spiritual traditions. This article will explore the benefits of ancestor veneration and communication, and how to do it.

What is Ancestor Veneration?

Ancestor veneration is a spiritual practice in which the dead are highly regarded. It is rooted in the belief in the afterlife and that the dead influence what happens to the living. Communicating with them and asking them for favors can bring good luck and guidance.

Ancestor veneration, ancestor worship, or communication with the ancestors can look very different depending on the tradition, and each ritual has different goals and benefits. Often, the goal of this practice is to ensure the ancestors’ positive disposition towards the living or their well-being in the afterlife.

Shamans and spiritual guides from different tribes communicate with ancestors to receive guidance and ensure the best decisions are made to benefit the tribe, and often to prophesy the outcomes of certain choices.

Ancestor Veneration in Different Cultures

Numerous cultures revered the departed in different ways, to receive guidance, foresight, good luck, or ensure their well-being in the afterlife.

Celtic Religion

The Celts believed in the afterlife and maintained several rituals to honor their dead and ancestors. They used to bury objects that belonged to the deceased, believing they would need these items in the afterlife. They also left offerings at tombs, participated in communal bonfires that symbolized the connection between the dead and the living, and left a space at the table and a full plate for their ancestors during meals.

Ancient Egypt

Although not as important as the worship of gods, ancestor worship played a major part in the daily life of Egyptians. They are known for their majestic tombs, securing an afterlife for their departed. They also had domestic shrines—places to honor their dead in each house. The deceased were seen as part of the family, continuing their interactions with the living, and were highly regarded by their family members.

Native Americans
Ancestor worship was a major aspect of the spiritual traditions of Native American tribes. Although the ceremonies and specific rituals and practices may vary significantly from tribe to tribe, most of them coincide in having their ancestors in high regard.

Many Native Americans venerated not only their immediate ancestors but also the ancestors of the whole tribe. They were considered guides, protectors, and sources of spiritual wisdom. 

Norse and Viking Cultures
Ancestor veneration was significant in the Norse religion, where several rituals connected the living with the ancestors and honored them. They still considered their ancestors part of their families, influencing the lives of their descendants.

They honored their ancestors with feasts (called Blót Feasts) and memorial toasts to the deceased, burial mounds where they made offerings and sought guidance, and other practices. Additionally, ancestors were believed to have a strong influence on their descendants, granting blessings to the land and the people who lived in it. They were responsible for the inheritance of Hamingja, a part of the self that influences good luck.

Mexico
Ancestor worship is a prominent tradition in Mexican culture, especially during the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), where families gather and visit graveyards, create shrines dedicated to their departed, and believe that their dead will return during those days to connect with their families.

Benefits of Remembering Ancestors | Ancestor Meditation

In modern times, many of these traditions continue, but some of them have been simplified or adapted to New Age practices. Remembering ancestors can be as simple as focusing on them during meditation sessions. Here are some benefits of remembering ancestors or talking to them while you meditate.

Receiving Guidance 
Ancestors are highly regarded for their guidance and spiritual wisdom, from this world and the afterlife. A common practice is to ask them for guidance, often about specific circumstances or challenges.

Foresight
Often, ancestors communicate with their descendants (in dreams, for instance) to warn them of specific events. They notify the living about things that will happen in the future, whether these events are good or bad. Connecting with them is a way to receive insight on what the future holds.

Protection
Ancestors are traditionally seen as protectors, shielding their descendants against negativity and blessing them with good luck. Connecting with them is a way to amplify this protection.

Self-reflection
Family members often share life patterns, spiritual lessons, and challenges. Reflecting on your ancestors and their lives is a way to reflect on those patterns and release what no longer serves you. This way, you help them and help yourself in your spiritual journey of ascension and awakening. 

Connection with your Roots
Remembering your ancestors helps you remember who you are and where you come from. It fosters a sense of community and connection with your family tree.

Increased Psychic Abilities
Being able to perceive and talk to your ancestors increases your psychic abilities and connection with the spiritual world.
How to Connect with Ancestors

Here is an extract from the book The Mysteries of Life and Death by the esoteric author Samael Aun Wero:

There are different secrets in order to converse with the souls of the dead, i.e. place in a room the picture of your deceased beloved, and every night, at midnight, enter the room. Put next to the picture the favorite food that your deceased beloved liked the most. Serve the food on the same plates that the deceased used. Light a candle and call him/her three times by name. Then, sit next to the picture and start to meditate personally on the life of the defunct one, their history, imagining what they were when they were alive, until you fall asleep. Every night you can perform the experiment at the same hour, in the same room, and seated on the same chair and in the same place, until you can see, hear, and converse personally with the deceased. What is important is that you are able to fall asleep in the moments in which you are meditating on the life of the defunct. So, in the moment of slumber, the deceased will appear, and you can converse with them personally.

This practice shows us that it is possible to connect with our ancestors and talk to them personally as if they were alive.

Here are some additional tips.

Set the Atmosphere
Create a peaceful atmosphere by lighting a candle, burning incense, applying essential oils, and playing relaxing music (frequency sounds, classical music, Tibetan bowls, etc.). This creates the perfect environment for any spiritual practice.

Meditate
Practice meditation to enter higher states of consciousness and calm your mind.

Focus on Your Ancestors
Close your eyes, say their name out loud, and focus on them. 

Create a Special Shrine
Gather things that belonged to your ancestors or that remind you of them.

Practice Gratitude.

When you finish, show your gratitude to your ancestors. Thank them for their guidance and protection.

Final Thoughts
Remembering your ancestors during meditation is a way to connect with them and receive their guidance. It is also a way to show them your appreciation and gratitude for all of their protection.

This ancient practice, present in several spiritual traditions and religions worldwide, can be greatly beneficial. There are numerous advantages, including foresight, guidance, and protection.

The practice of ancestor veneration, like many other spiritual practices, shows us that the dead are still present and influencing our lives from the spiritual world. By showing them our appreciation, we maintain the sacred connection between the dead and the living.