Connecting with my ancestors is an integral part of my practice and has been for years…

The strong women who came before me were healers and witches – often using the land they lived on to make a variety of remedies for locals.

In a time when there was no doctor on the tiny isles of Scotland, they were essential to other locals and their wellbeing.

Their knowledge lives within me, and truthfully, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t feel their presence around me.

BUT… to anyone who hasn’t explored the powers of ancestral magic, the idea of connecting with your ancestors might feel daunting or confusing. (It doesn’t have to be!)

Truthfully, ancestral magic is one of the most straightforward aspects of Paganism or spirituality – because everything you need already lies within you and your DNA.

This handy lil’ post will teach your various ways on how to access that information – and connect with your ancestors.

My favourite method to connect with my ancestors is by using runes or bindrunes (shock! we all know how much I love runes and bindrunes 😜) but you can use absolutely ANY method that calls to you or ‘feels’ right.

In this post I’ve given you the instruction for using this bindrune – but at the end of this post there is a bunch of other ways you can try and reach out or connect with your ancestors.

INSTRUCTIONS TO USE THIS BINDRUNE

What you’ll need:

• Bowl
• Water
• Your hair
• Blackthorn (or bark from a tree that you resonate with)
• Calming environment
• Incense (I recommend some mug wort if it grows around where you live – if there is none locally then choose a plant / herb of your preference. I also like to use heather as it grows all over Scotland)

The process:

1. Carve this bindrune onto a piece of blackthorn (or another piece of wood of your choosing)

2. Set up our calming environment, light your incense and fill your bowl with water

3. Take the piece of your hair (as it contains your DNA) and place it inside the bowl (that should be filled with water).

4. Add to the bowl your carved bindrune.

5. Dip the tips of your fingers in the bowl and meditate. If you’d like, you can chant or say a personal phrase of galdr / incantation. Something along the lines of: “I call upon my ancestors – those that come before me, those that live within me and those that watch over me… come forth and make yourself known…” would work well, but you can create your own!

6. See what comes forth!

When I first started consciously working with my ancestors, it was similar to speaking with a beloved family member. I quickly realised that they had always been there, watching over me and looking out for me. Like any relationship, I believe you have to work at it to make it successful. This is (in my experience) key to growing a strong bond. with your ancestors

OTHER IDEAS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR ANCESTORS

• Visit places and land that your ancestors were laid to rest
• Perform an evening ritual before you go to bed to open your dreams to your ancestors’ messages
• Explore the history – look into ancestral records. If possible, visit places where your ancestors lived or worked.
• If you have heirlooms, there are a BUNCH of rituals you can do with these items to connect to your ancestors.
• Create an altar dedicated to your ancestors. You can also create a personally carved or crafted item for your ancestors (you can also place it on your ancestral altar)

Most importantly… remember that there is no WRONG WAY to connect with your ancestors. Do what feels right to you and follow your intuition 🥰

Artwork featured in this post : Playing the long game. by LawrenceCornellPhoto on DeviantArt and Rannoch Moor by newcastlemale on DeviantArt