I agree. I am often hesitant to speak about calling out ancestors or getting peppery with Them—because that is a right one earns after years of service. With any relationship, over time and with familiarity a certain informality may develop. That doesn't mean we don't respect and love Them, but after knowing Them so intimately and serving so long the relationship can withstand some challenging.
If an ancestor has let down the line or is ignoring a real threat to survival, I would *go there* and call Them on it. But this is work for experienced ancestor workers and not the territory of those new to the intricacies of these relationships. You have certainly earned the right to go there, and since you are the one cleaning up the messes that the sundering of our ancestral traditions has made, it is right in my view that you call on Those responsible to help right the wrong. Actually, it is a kindness to do so: you are giving Them a chance to redeem Themselves and fix the tangled Wyrd They have left as a legacy for Their children.
What do you think is the biggest challenge that someone wanting to begin working with their ancestors may have to face?
It takes a lot of commitment and trust to really do it right. Sometimes the Ancestors will ask for favors without giving any sort of explanation as to why. I sometimes equate it to being in the CIA with your primary ancestor as your handler: you get information on a need-to-know basis! They may ask you to do something really time-consuming and difficult without any explanation. Usually if you go along with it, eventually it becomes really clear why you had to do what you did, but sometimes the answers only come years later.
The other challenge is that the mainstream culture really doesn't tend to inculcate the values associated with this Work: humility, service, devotion, responsibility, loyalty, patience and sacrifice. We live in a very me-centered, instant-gratification society that values independence to the point of fetishizing it. Not that individuality and independence are bad, but true happiness comes from how well we can connect with others and how honorable our actions are. Many of us are not used to viewing ourselves as part of a larger context, as one link in a long chain of people to whom we have to answer.
So tell us a little bit about your book.
Basically it is a guide for anyone interested in Ancestor Work and building a foundational practice honoring the Dead. Because everyone has ancestors and anyone really can do this, to one degree or another. A lot of people think you have to be a medium or a priest or talented in the esoteric arts . . . not so. Anyone, no matter their culture or their religion can find a way to honor their ancestors and gain the benefits that flow from having a strong ancestral house.
I teach classes on introductory and advanced Ancestor Work, and this is all the information you would get from coming to my classes or the rituals I do, plus more. My inspiration was all the questions I have had from all the students who have sought me out over the years, plus a lot of information that my ancestors wanted me to convey. So whether you're just curious about doing a little bit to connect with your Dead or whether you are a full-on ancestor worker, all the information is there. It is the culmination of the last thirty years of my life's work in book form.
Do you have any other projects in the works?
Not yet, but I'm sure my ancestors and Loki will come up with something!
And finally, is there else you'd like to mention?
Just that there is a peace and strength that flows from knowing who you are and knowing where you stand in the interconnected web of your ancestral lines. It is the birthright of every human being to know on a visceral level that they are the sum total of all the generations who came before, all the dreams, hopes, fears, prayers, joys, and tragedies back to the first mammal who struggled out of the sea. Every person on the planet is here because there were generations who survived every trial known to man and managed to raise their children. There is a lot of intensity and power to unlock there and it can seriously blow your mind and change your world.
Laura, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to be interviewed. I'm looking forward to the forthcoming release of your book.
Laura's book, Weaving Memory: A Guide to Honoring the Ancestors, was just released on March 10; you can find it on Asphodel Press or Lulu.
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