A Prayer and offering to Ancestors

I call on my ancestors I call on the land spirits I call on those who have gone before Guide me, lead me so that I may know the truth of my way. May I walk in accordance to your path May I walk in step with your stride May I heed your Guidance and hear your voice For I am that which is and That which continues The path which you have walked before.

This is an exercise which I have borrowed from the African traditions, and I am sorry to say that I have lost the reference which led me to its creation.  It is simple, and non-path specific.  For a more heathen approach to the prayer I originally created, the addition of a call to the Disir, Nornir, and Aesir would be most appropriate in the opening "call" section.  I have left it here in my original form because I came to the Northern Mysteries because of a plea to my ancestors, though others may come to the Northern Mysteries and heathenry for other reasons, and it is not my intention to deny anyones interest in the mysteries.

Begin by finding a place in your home to put a white candle and a glass of water.  Different traditions may specify what direction it must be placed in, but as you are asking your ancestors to aid you, and they are ever present in our lives, this does not seem as important to me.  Most western traditions would probably have you face the altar to the north, though in my home I have had to place this facing North East because of the design of my apartment.  Again, this is out of convenience and is not because of direction.  Make sure that this space is well cleaned.  It is best to keep your whole home clean, but as I know this is not always and option, keep this area clean for at least nine days and nights during the working.

What you  Need for the Altar/space: One White Candle One Clean Glass Water

Set up the corner or area you have chosen by cleaning it well.  It may help you to think of this space as a place where honored and invited guests will be staying for a minimum of nine nights and days.  For nine days you should light the white candle on the altar/in the space (please make sure that you are being smart about your fire- don't put it below anything that can catch on fire, or on a poorly chosen surface) and place a fresh glass of water beside the candle, saying the prayer I listed above or any other invitation you may choose to invite the ancestors into your life.  On the last night you do this, thank them for their efforts and their time, and welcome them into your life.  Like any working, the results may not be immediate , but they will come in some form.  Also, this does not have to be only for the nine evenings and days.  I have never taken down my altar to my ancestors, and it is a perminant fixture in my daily practice though my prayer has changed over time.

Learning the Runes

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