I finally created my ancestor altar. I was stalling for a little while, not sure why, but one day the spirit just moved me to go in the backyard and find stuff to put it together. Using two cement blocks and a white cloth, I created a little tabletop for a candle, calabash with water, old man’s beard, sand, shells, flower petals, a candle, incense holder, pictures of Steele and my grand parents.
I went to take Steele’s picture off my wall and hesitated. It was hanging right over the light switch next to the bedroom door, which was a perfect location, because I could look at him on eye level and talk to him and give him kisses throughout the day.
By moving him off my wall and on to my ancestor altar I am furthering his transition in my consciousness. Now I have a symbol to represent his transition, to differentiate his earthly form and his spirit form. I suppose symbolically it is all coming together. As an ancestor, it feels more appropriate to give him is space, instead of kissing him up when I please. Plus, I shouldn’t discriminate against my other family, so now I try to treat him equal.
In the mornings I meditate at the altar and fill my spirit with love, gratitude and all the collective wisdom of my ancestors. I align my energy at the start and end of the day and commit myself to being an open vessel for the will of the mother/father of creation. My two daily readers are “365 Tao” and “Acts of Faith.” They are like spiritual candy.
Ancestor altars are used by different people for different reasons. My altar is a sacred space dedicated to recognizing and honouring my collective heritage. I am because of everyone who was before me. I am all that I am because my ancestors dreamed, created, suffered, persevered, endured, thrived, reproduced and lived. Their collective consciousness is programmed into my DNA. I know they are still alive in spirit, and as such willing and able to be a part of my life. I will never bring my great, great, great, great, great grand daughter into the world if I do not continue the tradition of each generation that preceded me.
My altar is a sacred space where I can go for a tune-up by tuning into my God-self, where I can be reminded that all is well. I lay down my burdens at my altar and release them to the universe.