Conscious Remembrance – The Spiritual Lessons of Ancestor Veneration

Conscious Remembrance – The Spiritual Lessons of Ancestor Veneration

By Lorri Amsden

Many in our society have become disconnected from their ancestors as our culture offers an appalling lack of framework for relating with our dead. Take yourself for example. When was the last time you visited the grave of a family member? Sure, you went to the funeral, but afterward, did you ever return?

In the past, ancestor veneration was an important part of life as it was believed by ancient cultures all over the world that the dead lived on and were able to influence the lives of the living. Ancestor spirits were sought for wisdom and guidance and remembered through offerings and sacrifice. Burial mounds, tombs and gravesites were more than just a repository of bones as it was believed that the bones themselves held an energetic link with the soul of the deceased. Burial sites were cared for and honored as they provided an important link with the unseen realms.

Unlike today where death is more of an inconvenience, the ancients recognized death as a part of life. When the year cooled, wills were drawn up and debts were settled as one never knew whose help they might need to make it through the winter or if they would even live to see another spring. As the nights lengthened and the earth shifted from fertile to dormant, ancient societies around the world turned their thoughts to those who had died and festivals were held commemorating the death of the year.