Jaime Girones - Ancestral Offer

 We honour our ancestors and dead loved ones, and their lives at this time of year, and we thank them for their blessing, as without it, our harvest would not have been possible. 

     We gather with our family and friends and talk about our ancestors. We visit their graveyards. We set up offerings for them. We cook special meals and share our food with them by setting plates for them. During this time we can take the opportunity to think, symbolically of our own harvests, of all that we have accomplished in the past year, and our successful projects, and all the things in our lives that have prospered. And at the same time, we think of those who came before us, and how their lives contributed to what we have today - and to our rich harvests. We have a great variety of ancestors. We have ancestors of blood and chosen family, and those who appear in our family tree. We also have ancestors of space, those who have lived where we live and their stories that shaped our history. And we have ancestors of spirit, and those lives that inspired or shaped our thoughts.

First think of your recent harvest, of what you are proud of, of your recent accomplishments. Select one accomplishment that you would like to focus on, one that had an impact on you. For example, you got married or you earned a promotion, you moved to a new home, or you helped a friend. Then think of your ancestors (either of blood and chosen family, space or spirit) and identify one to whom you feel more connected to, someone whom you feel identified with, or someone whose actions and their life story, or their legacy has inspired you. For example, it may be that you recently were able to accomplish a career goal that required you to be brave and you feel identified with your grandmother who was described as a women of courage. Or, as another example, you were able to accomplish a spiritual goal, and your feeling inspired. Next select a place or location that has meaning or that is connected with your ancestor, such as their grave, where they used to live, or a place where you remember them. If this is not possible, select a special location at your home. Finally place an offering to them there. It does not have to be big but something that you find beautiful. It can be flowers, a stone or special meal. Present the offering by saying something like this “I use your name in perfect love and trust, And in your honour, thank you for whatever you inspired, as it has contributing to making my accomplishment possible. blessed be.”