Ancestor veneration is core to any African spiritual practice. As more and more people embrace African Traditional Religions (ATR), they begin to explore this vital concept. Though some of them may feel uneasy about connecting with their ancestors at first. This is primarily because it is common for newcomers to only focus on their most recent ancestors who may have not been the best role models. Instead, they shun their lineage and heritage in favor of connecting with universal energies such as Orishas, Lwas, etc.
Doing so can be a critical mistake. Ignoring, neglecting, or disowning your ancestors can lead you down the wrong path in your spiritual journey. Instead of ignoring this critical component of yourself, you need to embrace your ancestors. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to invite energies into your life that aren’t meant to serve your highest and greatest good. Instead, you can and should elevate your ancestors before beginning an ancestral veneration practice. This episode guides you through the layers of ancestor elevation to help you understand this crucial concept. So join me as I share some tips about ancestor elevation.