Posted on Nov 2, 2023
Make your own ancestral altar at home: A cross-cultural guide : Life Kit
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https://www.npr.org/2022/11/11/ [login to see] /connect-with-your-ancestors
"Every morning, I greet my ancestors. On my bedside table, I have a little display of their mementos: the address book that belonged to my abuela, or my grandmother in Spanish; the lenses from my grandfather's eyeglasses; and a cassette tape of children's songs in Polish (a gift from my great uncle), among other things.
These items are a reminder of the love I have for my family — and of the wisdom they've passed down to me.
Ancestral altars, as they're called, are common around the world. In Mexico, people create an ofrenda, or altar, to remember loved ones on Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. And in many Buddhist traditions and African religions, altars have a permanent space in the household so people can honor the dead not just once a year but every day".
"Every morning, I greet my ancestors. On my bedside table, I have a little display of their mementos: the address book that belonged to my abuela, or my grandmother in Spanish; the lenses from my grandfather's eyeglasses; and a cassette tape of children's songs in Polish (a gift from my great uncle), among other things.
These items are a reminder of the love I have for my family — and of the wisdom they've passed down to me.
Ancestral altars, as they're called, are common around the world. In Mexico, people create an ofrenda, or altar, to remember loved ones on Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. And in many Buddhist traditions and African religions, altars have a permanent space in the household so people can honor the dead not just once a year but every day".
Make your own ancestral altar at home: A cross-cultural guide : Life Kit
Posted from npr.org
Culture
Tradition
Heritage
Family
Religion
Posted 7 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Ancestral altars, as they're called, are common around the world. In Mexico, people create an ofrenda, or altar, to remember loved ones on Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. And in many Buddhist traditions and African religions, altars have a permanent space in the household so people can honor the dead not just once a year but every day.
Altars are for everybody, says Ehime Ora, who teaches people about African spirituality and how to pay homage to their family lineage. "You don't have to be religious or part of the Indigenous spirituality of any culture. Absolutely anyone can create [an altar] and an ancestor veneration practice."
While there are many ways to connect with your ancestors, altars offer a "sacred place" that can help remind you "that you're not alone in the world, you're not alone with your problems," says Camara Meri Rajabari, a psychotherapist who helps Black, Indigenous and people of color explore their ancestral roots.
Interested in setting up an altar at home and starting a ritual to honor your ancestors? Spiritual practitioners and Indigenous educators share a cross-cultural guide."...
..."Ancestral altars, as they're called, are common around the world. In Mexico, people create an ofrenda, or altar, to remember loved ones on Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. And in many Buddhist traditions and African religions, altars have a permanent space in the household so people can honor the dead not just once a year but every day.
Altars are for everybody, says Ehime Ora, who teaches people about African spirituality and how to pay homage to their family lineage. "You don't have to be religious or part of the Indigenous spirituality of any culture. Absolutely anyone can create [an altar] and an ancestor veneration practice."
While there are many ways to connect with your ancestors, altars offer a "sacred place" that can help remind you "that you're not alone in the world, you're not alone with your problems," says Camara Meri Rajabari, a psychotherapist who helps Black, Indigenous and people of color explore their ancestral roots.
Interested in setting up an altar at home and starting a ritual to honor your ancestors? Spiritual practitioners and Indigenous educators share a cross-cultural guide."...
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