How to Work with Ancestors to Enhance Your Craft
“Suddenly all of my ancestors are behind me. ‘Be still,’ they say. Watch and listen. You are the result of the love of thousands.” – Author Unknown
As I write this it is the eve of Halloween, or Samhain, and the veil is thin. My black cat, Jix, sits happily on my lap and he is watching the words appear on the screen. It’s the season of spookiness and darkness, and truly, it is my favorite time of the year.
Folklore says that now through most of November, we can feel or hear the deceased and gain the most clarity from their messages. In many different cultures, ancestors and loved ones lost are celebrated during this time. In Mexico there is a week long celebration where it is believed that the dead come back to visit and it is a sacred time to welcome them and hold vigil for their remembrance.
For those of us who like to connect the spiritual world with our creative works, now is a great time to use the energies of the season, or even do a little genealogy digging– you never know what stories from ancestors’ past that might inspire you.
Pro Tip: Creative Ancestors can be dead or living. A few of my living Creative Ancestors include: Ani DiFranco, Pam Grossman, and Elizabeth Gilbert. These are creative women who do their work well, in my opinion, and inspire others.
Today I am going to share with you a few very simple ways you can invite in those Creative Ancestors and ask them for their inspiration, guidance, and help as you draft the pages of your first novel or are pitching to publishers.
Create an Inspirational Sacred Space
First things first, choose the ancestors (living or deceased) whom you would like to connect with. I like to work with Creative Ancestors who took a leap of faith, such as my great grandparents who moved from Italy to America and my grandparents who opened up their own successful businesses. I love to bring in that energy because creativity in any form, feels like a leap of faith and it’s good to have people behind you who know how to flow through the fear and believe in themselves.
As writers, the first thing we’re taught is to create a space where we love to write. When working with our Creative Ancestors, you’ll want to create a space for them that makes you feel inspired. This can be as simple as printing out photos and lighting a candle, or you could put out things they loved or put out their creative works that inspire you.
For example, my writing space is my altar space. I have my laptop on my desk and then around it I have a candle I light for creative inspiration, photos of my grandparents, I drink tea that my nana loved, and I have books by my favorite authors. My desk space also has a mirror behind it so sometimes I’ll even handwrite and tape up inspirational quotes on the mirror. Make your inspirational sacred space feel like it is alive with creativity in whatever way speaks to you.
Ask Your Ancestors Ritual
Another simple tool I love is to be able to communicate with my ancestors daily. For the living Creative Ancestors, I might go to their social media page and see what kind of inspiring things they are sharing to boost my own creativity.
However, for the deceased, I may simply speak into the void to them or will go the extra mile with this short ritual. I don’t normally do this every day but when I feel called and especially around Halloween.
Items needed:
– 1 Candle
– 1 Glass of Water or Wine
– Piece of bread or cracker or chocolate
Instructions:
Take a few moments to breathe and feel peaceful. Acknowledge or make a short list of the ancestors you will be speaking to.
Light the candle and say:
“Through the love of the first Mother and the first Father, I remember my ancestors. I remember them in joy and sorrow. I remember that this air is the air they breathed, that this bread is the bread they ate, that this wine/water is the wine/water they drank.”
Take the bread and hold it in your hands. Pray for nourishment:
“We pray that we will always have the resources we need so that our body can handle the work we are called to do.”
Now, rip off a small piece and put it on a plate before the candle. Rip off pieces for anyone who is joining you and one for yourself.
Now, take the water or the wine. Pray for inspiration:
“We pray for clear words, clear vision, and clear purpose.”
Pour in a glass and leave it before the candle along with the piece of bread. Take a sip and have a bite of bread yourself and take a few moments to watch the glow of the candle, breathe, and feel the love of thousands surrounding you.
Be Still & Listen
So, you’ve felt you’ve done all you can to connect with your Creative Ancestors. Now, what?
The best thing you can do is to take time to receive their messages. You could ask for messages in dreams, take time to meditate, or journal anything that comes into your mind. You could also simply trust the process. Know that they are guiding you and help you on your journey, so whatever words spring onto the page, no matter how many edits you have to do, no matter how many submissions or how many creative draughts, trust you are being cared for and looked after. Everything is happening at the perfect time.
Remember, our dreams are the voices of our ancestors.
Happy writing!
