ideas for an alter for ancestors

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Permalink Reply by Rosemary on August 26, 2010 at 6:07pm

Hi Awen ***

This is a Alter which was done for a Samhain Sabot as a group but it might give you a bit of a Idea of what you can do .. I've heard of other people putting pictures of there family who have passed as well as Items that they owned .. even a cup of tea for one dearly departed family member who enjoyed tea once a day .. but the tea didn't have to be redone every day mind you ... I put up a Alter on Samhain .. most of the time I feel and sense them talking to me at times .. I'm Sensitive that way ... the other times I just hear the buzzing in my ears which tells me they want me to do something and most of the time it for my benefit, other times I know they just wish they could talk to me normally ... if you ever hear or feel something that is not for your good ... there not family members ...

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Permalink Reply by Megan L Herrod on August 26, 2010 at 6:57pm

Consider who you are honoring first...

Family, freinds, or all who have passed.

I would get an array of small picture frames and several nice photos of your influences. Or you could get one large frame and make a photo collage. Add to it pictures, symbols that remind you of your influences, and in the case of loved ones, personal touches like a pressed favorite flower, locks of hair (if you have them) small pieces of jewelry, a journal page or recipe... whatever. Taker your time and create a beautiful work of art, imbued with spirit.

Other ideas;
1. Get several votive candles and use a nail to etch the names of loved ones or influences in each one... during a ritual to honor your ancestors, like Samhain, light each one at a time speaking each individual's name and a personalized "thanks" to them.
2. Create a beautiful family tree, with drawings or photos of all of your family members in memory. Make it "poster sized" and frame it, leaving plenty of space left at the bottom- to be added to by your progeny.
3. Rather than a photo collage... you could make a book of memories... essentially a scrapbook of your ancestors and influences, Fill it with things of value and place it on your altar, with a family crest, or other symbol that you feel represents you on the cover as the "focus point" of your altar.
4. For an ancestor ritual, make a feast of foods made by your ancestors. Use family recipes, and IF possible, serve the meal on china that is passed down as an heirloom item. Make sure to set an extra place at the table for your ancestors, and when you are finished, leave the food from that plate outdoors as an offering.

I hope ideas get your creative juices flowing! When you create your altar, we would love to see a picture posted! (You can blur out the photos if you dont want the faces shown)

Blessed Be Awen!
-Megan

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Permalink Reply by mara rising-phoenix on August 26, 2010 at 7:46pm

I love this idea. I don't do this because I live so close to my Grandparent's graves that I didn't find it necessary. I find the art of this idea to be worth it. I would like to make an altar to my family gone before me. I would go over the top though...I do that sometimes. :) Halloween sounds great! Time for planning. I love to celebrate their lives and their impact on mine. Sometimes we cry, but sometimes we should dance because we had the pleasure to know them well. Lucky us! Blessed Be! *Mara

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Permalink Reply by awen on August 27, 2010 at 8:02am

my mother's grave is in alabama as well as other family members graves...and i live in montucky lol i feel my mother's prescence often and it is very comforting to know she is there but i still want to do something for her

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Permalink Reply by Traci Wood on August 31, 2010 at 1:02pm

This is a picture of my shrine at home. I was creative in my process of making it. So, my "taste" may not be for everyone. I have many pictures and needed a good way to incorporate as many as I could. I have some items that belonged to people on the shrine there as well-e.g. my mother's house keys...etc. Hope that was helpful.

Blessings and Ashe,
Traci Wood

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Permalink Reply by Chrissylynn~Starlight Butterfly on August 31, 2010 at 9:12pm

I really like this idea- it got me thinking,

thank you
bb

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Permalink Reply by Benjamin on September 1, 2010 at 7:15am

I really like this idea, may I borrow it...

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Permalink Reply by Traci Wood on September 1, 2010 at 7:12pm

No problem to "borrow". There are some tips on shrines and ideas on proper care of ancestors (egun) on this page if anyone is interested..(http://www.ileosikan.freeservers.com/custom.html)

Traci

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Permalink Reply by Fantumofthewinds on September 1, 2010 at 6:47am

are you planning on leaving this up year round? I only do this at All Hollows , the Day of the Dead or [ ancestors ] . So I dont know what your wanting here. But when I do, I have obits , and I dig these out [ family , friends ] and place these on the alter , I also use pictures, candles, and of course we are in the fall season so colors of deep browns, oranges, purples
and of course if divination ? yellow . alos I might incorporate something that I remember they liked in this life, my mother loved coors , so I might place a can upon her picture or obit, my brother loved racing so a hot wheels race car might be placed their , or a flowers or many other things. I only leave this up from the beginning of OCT. - Nov. 2 then I dismantle it . hope this gives you some ideals BB

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Permalink Reply by awen on September 9, 2010 at 12:48pm

yes i plan on leaving it up year round...personal reasons but thank-you for the ideas

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Permalink Reply by Happyeyes41 on September 5, 2010 at 12:12pm

No offence to others this is just personal preference...Sculls give me the creeps is there something else I could use in it's place? To Honor the ancestors?

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Permalink Reply by Megan L Herrod on September 5, 2010 at 12:29pm

OF COURSE!

You could use all sorts of things besides "creepy things"

You could use trees or "tree decor" (think family tree) or heirlooms, or photos... You could also make cultural items from the places your ancestors came from. Another idea is to have the focus point be something like a printed photo of cave paintings to remind you of the long journey we (people) have taken...

A lot of people celebrate the ancestors on samhain, as is traditional, and so they tend to make thier altars "Halloweeny" which is one reason why you see so much "creepy" decor...

Do whatever speaks to you or reminds you of your ancestors an helps you to honor them...

Blessed Be!
-Megan

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