Detroit Hoodoo Month: Awakening the Blood: Contacting, Calling and Communication with our Ancestors.

Awakening the Blood: Calling, Contacting and Communicating with Our Ancestors

by Susan Diamond

Susan Diamond is the owner/ operator of Serpent’s Kiss Magic Shop and Crossroads Community Space in Santa Cruz, Ca. (serpents-kiss.com) She Creates many of the items found at her shop. She is a practicing Witch, Initiated Palera, Shamanic Practitioner, Astrologer, Spiritual Consultant/Coach, Reader & Rootworker. Susan teaches classes and is co-owner of Conjure Craft (conjurecraft.us) along with Orion Foxwood and a founding member  of Conjure Crossroads (folkmagicfestival.com) along with Starr Casas, Sindy Todo, Shimmering Wolf, & Orion Foxwood (conjurecon.com) You can connect with her on FB or listen to Conjure Crossroads on Blog Talk Radio (blogtalkradio.com/conjurecrossroads)

Ancestor work is the most important, potent, and immediately (as well as long term) gratifying work as anything you could ever do. Open that door and the future and its opportunities are limitless. Our Ancestors blood is within us. We are the living flesh that is proof of their existence and we hold their salvation, as well as our own, and that of our descendants in our hands. Contained in our very own DNA are their desires, their fears, their loves, their hates, their successes and their failures. They are a part of us and their memories, passed on to us through our blood, influence us for better and for worse.  They have a vested interest in our growth and well being and in helping us move forward, beyond the bonds of their/our fears, hurts, hates, and failures. We redeem them, and ourselves, through embracing love, desire, success, and happiness in our own lives. So how do we do this? How can they help us? Where do we find them? How do we get to know them in a culture that does not support remembering and engaging those whose shoulders we stand on? As is often the case, how do we get past generations of family shame that has obscured their lives and their cultures from our conscious awareness? How do we call them back and replace shame with reverence and honor?

It is simpler than you think. And living in our current age we have resources, both scientific as well as spiritual, to bridge the gaps forged by the past to enable a future of harmony, awareness, and engagement with those spirits who love us.

As a witchcraft/conjure shop owner of over 15 years, and a psychic/spiritual counselor for over 25 years, I am often challenged by clients/customers who say they cannot or will not work with their ancestors. Many of the "cannot's" say they are adopted or have no family history. Many of the "will nots" have suffered abuses by their most recent ancestors but know nothing of those beyond a generation or two.

Lets start with the will nots. You have many many many unknown ancestors. Reach beyond those who have wounded you. In fact, it is your very own ancestors that can help you heal the wounds inflicted by their descendants.

Now on to the cannots. Whether you have been adopted or not, many of us in our modern American culture have little knowledge of our ancestry beyond a generation or two. What a blessing to have the option of DNA testing at our disposal! Through DNA testing you can map the journey of your ancestors and start to piece together the story of that journey culminating in the creation of you! Knowing their names is not necessary in order to work with them. Yet, many of the reputable ancestry sites offer "sharing" options where you may connect with relatives who can actually connect you to names of those ancestors who were lost to you.

My personal journey with DNA testing has led me to an understanding of many of my chosen paths in life, that previously made little sense to myself or others. I was able to get quite a few names and stories through the process. I did not expect this to happen but am so grateful that I finally did the test.

Let me start by saying, I am physically externally quite white with reddish blonde hair. What I have been told of my ancestry from my family is that we are Irish, Scottish, English, German, Italian, Welsh, and Danish. Although this made some sense and I never questioned it, this is not the full picture of my heritage and not what my DNA test results said. In fact, my western European ancestry experience is in a lesser degree than some of the other ancestral journeys as expressed in my DNA. I have many stories of personal expression of previously unknown cultural tendencies. But, for now, I will share two.

About 15 years ago I took a belly dance class. My very first dance class ever. I was excited and looking forward to it as I have always loved to dance. My instructor, who was from Egypt got VERY frustrated at my inability to follow directions. To my extreme humiliation, she told the class to stop. She dimmed the lights, asked her husband to drum, and told me to just go ahead and dance free form to his drumming since I wasn't listening to her anyway. Although embarrassed, I did it. At one point she flicked on the lights and said "Ahhhhh!!! Now I get it!! Obviously you have been trained in the Turkish dance. Very different." I'd never been trained in any dance, and yet my recent DNA discoveries indicate a fair amount of Turkish blood that I'd never been aware of. You may not be aware of the history of your blood but that doesn't stop it from running through you and influencing your life.

I'd also like to address a subject that is sensitive to many folks. In the 15 years that I've had a shop, one of the most beautiful, in my opinion, experiences is the cross cultural call of the spirits. I have seen African women called by the Celtic Goddess Bridget, white women waking from dreams where a beautiful Goddess called Oshun wants them to walk with her. I have seen Asian men called by Pan and Christian men visited by Buddha. I believe there is more going on here than just DNA but in some cases, where appropriation is implied, it is simply our blood and not our skin that calls us home to our familiar spirits.

I have always been drawn to the African spirits. They have called to me from dreams and on at least 2 occasions saved my life. Conjure, known to some as "slave magic" is as natural to me as waking up and breathing air. It has confused me a bit for many years but I learned a very long time ago to trust my spirit over my rational mind and certainly over the minds of others. My DNA tests indicated African blood. Through family tree development and thorough research of documents, I discovered my 6th generation great grandfather was a slave owner in St. Croix (Dutch West Indies in the Caribbean) and my 6th great-grandmother was his house slave, who he freed and with whom he fathered 5 children. Upon his death, she went to court to petition for his property and won. There are court documents, house deeds, etc. All verifiable.

These stories and others help clarify my life's choices.

Now lets move on to the task of communicating with our ancestors both known and unknown.

The most important thing to note in any kind or human - spirit contact or communication is that the human body/intellect and the spirit realm communicate differently. The language of spirit is simultaneously more subtle and yet in some ways more direct. It speaks to our creative, unconscious nature engaging our senses but not necessarily our intellect. Communication therefore takes place through our senses and through our emotions rather than our minds. Our biggest challenge than is to learn to receive with out the filters created by our logical minds that enable us to exist harmoniously in a 3d reality.

So our first step in contacting and communicating with ancestors is to learn how to listen to the spirit world. We can accomplish this with the help of our non human allies by spending at least one whole day in nature and not once uttering a word. Our goal is to receive only. Do not speak, do not interpret. Listen. Listen to the breeze. Listen to the trees. Listen to the insects. Smell the air. Smell the dirt. Smell the dusty pollen on the wings of the bees. Take it all in. Pick up a stone. Hold it. Let yourself drift. Let yourself dream and ride the wave of your spirit as it merges with the stone. Later, much later, make a list of what you recall. List your thoughts, your feelings, your stirrings, your inspirations, emotions, etc. What messages did you receive from the nature spirits? Continue this exercise as needed.  Once you have learned to receive, you will want to find spirit allies that can facilitate communication with your ancestors.

In the plant kingdom, your greatest allies for this work lies with the trees. In many cultures, trees act as conduits between all realms, connecting upper, lower, and middle realms. Regardless of where your ancestors spirits currently reside, they can ride the spirit of the trees. If you use oils in your ancestor communications, be sure they include tree essences acquired with respect for the trees. I recommend Cypress and/or Cedarwood. Other plant allies that can facilitate the work are those that enhance memory, such as vanilla or rosemary. Flowers can also be used on altars prepared for your ancestors. My preference is white lilies (no pesticides!).

Stones, bones, and fossils may also be engaged as allies to facilitate your work, particularly those that come from the lands of your ancestors. Fossils and petrified wood, like the dead, have changed form and can facilitate the work. My preference is ammonites. Grounding stones, particularly those with iron (the blood contains iron) such as lodestone/iron ore/hematite or hematite in quartz (my favorite) make great facilitators. Actual ancestor remains (ashes) and/or graveyard dirt from particular ancestors plots can also contribute to your working.

Below you will find a simple ritual working that you can do for Ancestral Contact. Feel free to add your own personal touches when doing your own working.

Ritual:

Start with a meditation to get you into a place of receiving. One way I like to do this is by actually listening to the blood itself. You will need a stethoscope for this meditation. Another is to sit with the trees before beginning your work. But any method that helps you be still and listen will work.

What you will need:

• A black bowl or a bowl with a small obsidian scrying mirror at its center

• "Live" fresh water (spring or river is best, "live" water is flowing water)

• A White Candle or a prepared ancestor candle (One that is made by a reputable conjure worker)

• An ancestor oil (for anointing yourself prior to your working. To be used ONLY when calling kin)

• A cauldron for burning herbs or incense

• Herbs or Incense to be used as offerings

• A single hair from your head

• A lighter

Anoint yourself with Ancestor oil. A drop to your third eye, a drop to your heart, a drop to each hands palm, and a drop to each foot (between and just slightly below, the balls of your feet.)

Add a small amount of water to your bowl. Place your candle in the center.

Place your single piece of your hair in the bowl (some people may chose to use a single drop of their blood instead. It you choose this method, please be very careful and only use a sterile instrument specifically designed for this task, such as a lancet used to test blood sugars. Also note that you should never use your blood as an offering or engage any other spirits than your ancestors to commune with you in that way, lest you become food for the spirit world!).

Light your candle and call forth those from whom you received your blood, your ancestors, through the waters.

Make your offering of herbs and/or incense.

Introduce yourself and allow yourself to receive. Do not force it. Be still and wait. Ask a question. It can be anything. Who is here with me? Do you have advice for me?  Would you like additional offerings? How can I help you?, etc. If you are unable to be still or to receive, it doesn't mean that they are not there. Recognize that they are there, and ask them for help in making the connection. Perhaps your messages/questions will be answered in your dream time or will show up in some other way like a stranger's comment or a book you are drawn to or perhaps through a conjure worker you engage for a reading. Our ancestors work through whatever means are available to them, and once called, will try and solidify the connection. They won't give up on you, don't give up on them.

If need be, repeat the working until you feel you have made a connection with one or more of your ancestors. Once established, contact and communication are easy. They are with you and have never left you. You may call to them through a simple inner conversation. You can see them in your mirror's reflection. Once contact is made, you may chose to limit your ritual working to a simple candle lighting or special place or altar space. I like to prepare a space to share meals with my ancestors and talk around the dinner table as families do. I talk about my day and ask them, as elders, for their advice. If you feel uncomfortable in asking for their help remember this: How many parents would LOVE that their children ask for their advice? They are your elders. You are their child.   Whether you hear them or not, they will ALWAYS answer. They are ALWAYS there. They care. It is through their love, commitment, hardships & fortitude, that you were created. Honor them by remembering them, by engaging them, by healing them, and by being healed by them.