Within Buddhism we put ancestors within categories since we do not know the names of many of those who has come before us. This is especially true for many of the female ancestors. I personally dedicate Kudoku (spiritual merits) to the following categories, perhaps this method can inspire some of you who do not know the names of your ancestors; - Ancestors of the Blood Biological ancestors as well as those who through marriage, adoption and such practices has become part of the family. - Ancestors of the Land Those who have lived and cultivated the land, society and local culture from once it was first established upon till this very day, but are not biologically connected. - Ancestors of the Path All those who have practiced and refined the arcane and spiritual path before us. In my particular case, the lineage of students and teachers who have practiced the Buddha Dharma for 2500 years now. As a Zen Priest I even have a lineage chart showing every teacher, from my own all the was back to the historical Buddha, which of course makes it easier to engage with them as ancestors. But again, we must not forget all those whose names are now forgotten.

I never knew any of my ancestors would want to talk to me at all when i started ancestor work. What i discovered was my great grandma on my moms was always trying to find ways to get my familys attention. Only then did i hear her call i learned the entire time she had been protecting me and my family. My great grandma is part of my wards and protections. Im not sure if she was a spiritualist but she was very in tune with the land. With talks of mushrooms growing upon thunder, cockroaches flying before a typhoon, the act of burning herbs and paper while it rains to protect the safety of the house (she DID live in the philipines after all) I love her more than anything 💛

@TheNorseWitch

9 ай бұрын

Oh that’s beautiful 🥹❤️

I’m so glad I happened upon this video! My Oma passed away last year and every windowsill in her house was covered in orchids! I recently found one that called to me and now I’m going to incorporate it onto my alter when I get it set up! Thank you for this. It was very helpful

This is such a great topic, thank you so much for the video. In druidry we often think of "three realms of ancestry", blood, place and spirit. Ancestors of spirit can connect you to anyone who inspires you or you are connected to through profession or feeling a personal connection: for example, being interested in herbalism I might make an altar including Culpeper, Maria Treben or Hildegarde von Bingen. It is definitely important not to get hung up on folkism or "bloodlines" too much in ancestry - that easily falls into some very nasty territory - as there are other ancestors to explore and connect with. You might not live in the country you were born in and want to relate to the ancestors of your place of birth as well as the place you have made your home. Just like with the living, your relationships are something you need to work on. An extension of your chosen family. Thanks again, really looking forward to what you bring us next.

@TheNorseWitch

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for sharing that! 😘

@kirstencorby8465

2 жыл бұрын

This is how we see it in America. Blood, land, and spirit. Because, you know, we live on stolen land, not the land of our true ancestors, and we move around a lot. (Those of us not native.). You often feel a closer spirit connection to someone who is not your blood and not from where you are, but who did your work or shared your ideals.

I got a lot of ancestors to the 9th great-great grandparents. More are being found.

I did ancestrydna awhile back and for my b-day for this year I got 23andme to cross reference my heritage and it was so helpful. Thats where I learned how nordic and celtic I am! def reccomend!

I’m very privileged to be able to trace my ancestry on my father’s side to Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and the Ukraine on my father’s side to the Viking age We also have saxony Germany on his side and Scotland and England on his side. We have less on my mother’s side but have German, Irish, Swiss/French there. The 18th Century is as far as we can go on my mother’s side and the mid 700s on my father’s side. I bought the ancestral grimoire ( I forget the author) and do exercises from there as I build my ancestral practice up. Great video with lots of great ideas ❤. Thank you for sharing your ideas with us. I also agree that family doesn’t end in blood, and that ancestry, in a spiritual sense at least, is a much broader consideration.

This meant a lot. Thanks.

Love this Bente! 💜 I have Welsh, Irish, Cornish/English, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian ancestry. Its so fascinating and I love all of these suggestions and will be incorporating them into my daily life, along with Samhain. I live in Wales if you ever need suggestions for visits 💜

In my Family, we're all history and genealogy nerds, with Family Books filled with photos and articles of our ancestors. We've lived in the Appalachians, before there were even official settlements here. :) We also know what parts of Scotland, Wales, France, and Wallachia we come from. 😁 But, we primarily focus on two brothers: Robert and William, who were the first direct ancestors to come to the Appalachians. Also, every generation in our family has one William and one Robert, named in honor of the two brothers.

Random… but the music choice for this video was so, so relaxing and kept my neurodivergent brain busy enough to take in all of the information. Thank you for a great video! :)

This comes at such a fitting time for me. ❤️ One thing I struggle with is knowing who I'm trying to work with since I don't know much about my ancestors in any sense (blood, married, genetics etc.) I was so excited with the invention of dna tests to find some answers, I'm Irish & British, but that feels so distant to me since I grew up in a hispanic community in southern California in the United States. I feel most comfortable and connected to the Mexican American culture I grew up in, but obviously don't want to appropriate so I feel like I'm learning from scratch. So, just diving into this topic for first time and appreciating all info/perspectives!

@TheNorseWitch

9 ай бұрын

I feel like if you grew up within Mexican American culture…. You’re not appropriating. We usually have more connection to the culture we grow up in than to any other culture. And in that situation it is very possible that some people from that culture even became your ancestors. There aren’t only blood related or familial ancestors. If you grew up in a specific culture and have very close ties to it it’s very possible that some people of that culture become your ancestors, that they kind of adopt you ☺️

I love this video, and want to share what I like to do, what I do, when I wake in the am I say good morning sometimes I lite a candle, and tell them about my day, I drink coffee with them, on Sunday I may go above and beyond, mine are southern NC Mt, most of my ancestors are from Scotland they are the Duncan, also Germany Britain, I speak with them throughout the day as well my ancestor altar is in my bedroom and so is my working altar I talked to my ancestors throughout the day I have a normal conversation with them as if they're are here, I made some cornbread last Sunday and a cake called the great depression, this coming Sunday I will make a spice cake. My grandma used to make all the time

My family on my mothers side is from the Netherlands and my oma (great grandmother) said that my opa (great grandfather) found a grave with the family surname on it and that grave was dated back to the 1400s!

I also connect with them via meditation. I haven't had the opportunity to try your meditation to connect with ancestors yet, but I hope to do that in the next couple weeks when I have some time to myself! Being a working mom and wife, it's difficult to find that quiet alone time lol. But not impossible! I also keep a bit of a shrine, with photos of my grandparents, and a photo of one of my great-great grandmothers, because she reached out to me during a meditation and I felt compelled to represent her too! I burn purple candles for them and leave offerings of whisky and tea. I am majority Scottish, so whisky is essential lol

@TheNorseWitch

2 жыл бұрын

One of my Scottish ancestors demanded more Scottish stuff on the altar (apparently I have Scottish ancestry? At least I only met a Scottish ancestor during my journey to the lower word). Maybe I should also give whiskey as an offering xD

@sunnyshowers7007

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheNorseWitch ya cannae go wrong w'whisky! ;)

When you said you were mostly Danish, I was like "huh, I could have sworn your accent was German". Made more sense when you said you were from northern Germany ahahah. Amazing video, love from Copenhagen!

@TheNorseWitch

2 жыл бұрын

Haha yeah I was born in northern Germany so I sadly speak German 😅

maybe go to one of there favorite places like a contry they were born in or a forest they liked to walk in some times

I did a DNA test also and have been thinking about getting a second one as well because some of it seemed a little off and I wanted another one to compare to it

I use the Viking Oracle Deck and other tarot decks as I feel are required at the time to do an ancestor reading. I do two different ones depending. 1st is Basically to find out who is the ancestor that is present, what is their relationship with me, what generational gifts did I inherit from them, How can I honor my heritage, Healing message from my ancestors (This is a 6 card spread for each question above). The 2nd reading I do for messages the ancestors have for me. It is a 3 card spread. First card - Ancestor Guidance. Second card - Cautions from the ancestors. Third card - How to honor these messages. You can combine them if you choose and make a 9 card spread but also ask for clarification if you are confused about any of the readings you do with an ancestor. Their way of communication may be the pictures on the cards not the meaning. For example, my grandmother always choses a specific deck to speak to me because she loved Cardinals and nature. A specific card always comes up when it is her. So it is nice to talk with a lot.

I love this. I do know that I have German ancestry and possibly native American but I am not sure.

I have found the part of worship interesting because growup I wounder of my family and know so little of the history or back ground I have done anstor meditation a lot one where I was before a mirror when from Bodie to soul then started to see spirit of old I used a red candle it was penczak book but yes I have alters and I hade a DNA test done to be at test as well I have my dad's spirit that I see most the time I have done tarot to talk with them

Thank you so much for this!!!

@TheNorseWitch

2 жыл бұрын

Youre so welcome ☺️

I really liked this topic. I took care of my mom. She passed last year. My dad and brother are also passed. It’s just me now. I live in my childhood home and am going through several generations of items. It’s a daunting task and very emotional. I feel very connected to my parents and brother in the house. It has a warm feeling like a hug. Sounds weird I guess. I’ve never seen them but I know they are around. I’ve always been into genealogy and have researched my family history a lot. Also did a dna test. I’ve never done anything witchy really as I’m Catholic. But I think I might do something. I like the idea of incense and lighting candles for them. I do talk to my mom especially all the time. I was with her when she passed and she told me she loved me before she died. I’ve had dreams of them and I know they are talking to me in my dreams although it doesn’t happen that often. I don’t know how you directly communicate with them but that sounds amazing. Anyway I enjoy writing and I paint so I might write about my mom’s life. I always found it interesting. I also sometimes listen to music from their generation and I set a plate for them on holidays such as Christmas. One thing I’m doing is taking some of my mom’s clothes and having a memory quilt made from them. Then you can wrap yourself up in their memory. I still keep a few of my dad’s sweaters and some of my brother’s clothes too. With my brother we were always close and I like to visit his grave a lot. I also visit my parents grave and bring flowers. Sometimes I sit there for a while and chat with them. By now you probably think I sound like a nut but this helps me out. I’m still grieving especially my mom’s passing as it was just last year.

@kirstencorby8465

2 жыл бұрын

All this sounds perfectly fine. I think Catholicism might have a kind of tradition of ancestor worship -- you pray and say Rosaries for your dead in purgatory or whatever. It's not too different from the communion of the saints. (I was raised Catholic.)

@lexwaldorf5202

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, it sounds like you've had a tough go for a while then. I hope you are doing better and I'm glad you still have a connection with them in so many ways. Maybe talking to a grief councilor would also help? Just a suggestion

@123canadagirl

2 жыл бұрын

@@lexwaldorf5202 I’ve been doing that and it does really help a lot. Right now I do group grief counseling. I did individual for awhile

@lexwaldorf5202

2 жыл бұрын

@@123canadagirl I'm genuinely glad to hear you're taking care of your mental health

I really want to know where part of the world are my ancestors . What I only know is that the mother of my grandmother is a pure Spanish . She was in the Philippines before the WW2 and my granny married a pure Filipino which my grandpa. I want to know more about more than that .

I literally hear my grandfather's voice singing a particular song when I do wood carving - which he was very good at.

bookmark: 8:00

I sleep with a picture of my ancestors under my pillow. 😴❤️

I also want to do ancestor work more regularly, good time for this video, thanks! So far I light a candle on birth & death anniversaries of all ancestors from whom I have the data and give offerings such as water, liquor or whiskey. Also on the birth & death anniversaries of ancestors I have not met myself. I now have all the family & genealogy books of my family, which were with my grandparents and aunt until they died. The last came in March after the death of my aunt on my ancestral altar. And on family events that one of my grandmas would have attended, I often wear her favorite perfume that I still have from her apartment, so she's kind of still there, even 6 years after her death. I also did a dna test & was very surprised. I am German & knew that part of my grandparents is from Eastern Europe, Balkans is not far there either, so that was not so surprising, but I did not expect England, Scotland, Wales & Ireland. However, because of the family books, I at least have an idea when that might have come about. Funnily enough, not a bit of German in my dna 🤣 although, like you, I'm also considering doing a 2nd with another company to match it.

Following my family tree and seeing the DNA is different. I took 4 tests and all results are different. My tree is making things more clear because I can’t control what dna was inherited.

Connecting to ancestors sounds good. But also I think people should go connect more to the family before they become ancestors. I don't mean over the internet or phone.... I figured a great way to send a message to ancestors..... You light a candle & get a photograph of the ancestors if you have a photograph. Then you take your phone. Write out all you want to say to that person in a text. Then send the text back to your own number. Wait a few moments. When you get the text back , if you are connected to them, they should receive the same message at the same time you did. You should try it. Because you are connected to them.

Very excellent video...Skål💀🍻

i think about doing ancestor work but i just dont know much about my family's past and a dna test isnt possible for me at this time. also though, the history i do know about has an odd relationship with witchcraft. some folk magic was done around the home but it was done with mostly an intention to ward off witches and ill intent. so i'm confused on whether they'd appreciate my type of practice or not, cuz i do incorporate some folk magic into it but also a lot of like you know like physical spells with jars and candles and i do tarot and they werent really a fan of the more showy stuff. so idk

@TheNorseWitch

2 жыл бұрын

You could also start working with your broader ancestry like the ancestors of the part of the world you currently live in or anyone who practices the same things you do. If you’re a musician for example you could start worshipping any famous musicians you like ☺️

@andromeda1515

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheNorseWitch i never thought of that! Im somewhat of an activist and artist so with that in mind i could totally reach out to artists and activists i look up to and relate to in my own way. Thats a great idea, i appreciate it ✨

@kirstencorby8465

2 жыл бұрын

@@andromeda1515 May I recommend Frieda Kahlo and Diego Garcia, her husband. Also artists and activists.

@andromeda1515

2 жыл бұрын

@@kirstencorby8465 i was thinking the same! I figured they would be a good place to start since theyre so well known. Thank you!

@kirstencorby8465

2 жыл бұрын

@@andromeda1515 It's meant to be. They're calling you. This is how it works.

Wow thats nice.. We have a similar thing, a fixed day. We celebrate it on the day before dipabali. We call it "choddo prodip" or 14 diwas/light. I don't know if other Hindus do it. I'm Bengali and some Bengali follow this day. We light up 14 candles on a small portable table or wood or something like that. Then we go outside and place it on our head and just spin for 7 rounds (on my axis just like earth rotates a day lol) under full moon along with saying "14 purusher mukh ujjal hok" means I will do something good for this world so that my 14 generation of ancestors feel proud. Then we decorate/place those candles in a way that no darkness comes to our house. Oh yes we do something more, we eat 14 kinds of shaak (edible vegetable leaves)

@TheNorseWitch

2 жыл бұрын

That sounds incredibly beautiful 🥰

@iassubhajitroy

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheNorseWitch thank you.. I don't do very much socialising and have no social account but I like your whole youtube channel very much, not just for the good beautiful vdos but also for the ppl sharing their ideas and those things. Im getting positive vibes from all those ppl and ofc from you too... I'm grateful to have such community. Thanks again. Keep smiling you look beautiful in it.. :)) hugggg

@TheNorseWitch

2 жыл бұрын

That’s my goal - creating a community of like minded wonderful people sharing their experiences and knowledge 🥰

@iassubhajitroy

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheNorseWitch :)) I really love movies. COCO ancestors related Animated movie. It's a lovely. I cried.. Lol

@kirstencorby8465

2 жыл бұрын

Fascinating to hear of a still-living indigenous ancestor ceremony, thank you. I'm fascinated by Hinduism, so colorful and lush. The oldest religion in the world.

I live in Texas and did a DNA test. My ancestry is British, Scottish, Ireland , Wales, Swedish, and Denmark. Sounds like we have a lot of the same ancestry. What’s weird is my great grandparents were both born and raised in Germany, but my DNA didn’t show any German ancestry.

@TheNorseWitch

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah I apparently don’t have any German ancestry xD maybe your great grandparents were from northern Germany which was formerly danish? That’s the case for me. Although my nationality is German since this part was danish for the longest time my ancestry is danish

I use to be on kidney dialysis caused by high blood pressure. After almost a decade past I got really into my true European spirituality. I talked to Thor Donnar and Freya Odin Wotan Wodin. For strength shorty after I found a match and extreme power and energy. I asked my ancestors to help me. They did it felt like my blood was fire and ice. I'm still alive. I'm thankful tussen takk Dia. Still to this day there with me. I worship my ancestors before I honored my true Gods not a Roman God. Clan Gunn Saint Magnus is my ancestors Aut Pax Aut Ballium rather peace or war. The last Viking clan Orkney descendent and, Shetland islands. My grandfather knew the information but when he passed away the knowledge was not passed on. During my time on life support I studied my ancestry. Everything I've learned it's true especially after I did my DNA I'm northern European German Scottish all the countries of Scandinavia.

I did the ancestry DNA test and you’re correct it’s not totally accurate. My test came back predominantly Scottish which I wasn’t surprised at coz my fathers side is Scottish but my grandfather (mothers father) was a black man who’s parents were from Barbados. There was ‘NO’ West Indies in my DNA results at all WTF? I mean not even 1% 🤦🏻‍♀️ I emailed ancestry and they gave me a number to ring, wow what a joke, the person I spoke to was just reading off a script. Basically after being on the phone to this person for a good 20 mins I found out they only pull the results from their own database. So that means if people from Barbados haven’t taken ‘their’ DNA test then they don’t have any records of that bloodline on their database. Ancestry DNA do not source out info from other databases only their own. You can imagine how disappointing that is and I felt like I’d wasted my $’s and I feel the whole thing is a bit of a scam. I did write a review letting people know but I doubt if my review was published on their site. Thanks for the tips on connecting with my ancestors spiritually 🙏🏻

@rokelle_2012

2 жыл бұрын

I wouldn't necessarily say that the DNA tests are a "scam" because they're very upfront with the fact they only pull from the data that they have, so it would make sense if a group of people from a particular part of the world, in your case Barbados, haven't taken the test, they wouldn't have that data. For people like me, who have little to no idea about where their family comes from, these tests can be inciteful and give us a starting place if we wish to connect with our ancestors and de-colonize.

Get too point stop beating around bush

@TheNorseWitch

7 ай бұрын

Oh what a wonderful feature it is to be able to skip ahead in videos. Maybe make use of that feature if you’re annoyed instead of posting a rude comment 😉

My family on my mothers side is from the Netherlands and my oma (great grandmother) said that my opa (great grandfather) found a grave with the family surname on it and that grave was dated back to the 1400s!