Ritual to Welcome and Honor Ancestors Using an Oil Lamp and How to Get Started

Oil lamp magic can be used for many different purposes in witchcraft. The flickering flame itself produces a steady stream of constant flowing energy backed and directed by your intent and purpose. I have made many different kinds of oil lamps over the years for love altars, luck and money spells, protection for myself and others and even one to induce communication with deceased loved ones in the dreamstate. My favorite and most used oil lamp is the one that I keep for my beloved ancestors. If you have been considering doing this now is the best time. It is getting closer and closer to Samhain (the Witches' New Year) . This is the time when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is the thinnest. Starting now, as the nights grow long and cold, as life gives way to death, once more revealing to us the perpetual cycle of all things, is the greatest opportunity for you to be able to remember and honor and or to communicate with those that have gone before you.

Why would one want to communicate with the deceased? Every situation is different. Some are seeking answers to questions they have been pondering for years. Some are trying to heal from long suffered emotional wounds. Some are driven by grief and loss and some by an innate desire to try and satify their curiosities. For me, it was not I that initialized communication, but rather I was approached by my father in dreams. It took a rather intense dream followed by a series of unfortunate events in my life before I realized that my father had been warning me of what was to come. Only in the aftermath, did it become painfully obvious what had occurred. Since then, I have learned to communicate quite effectively outside of the dreamstate and not only with my father. I use divination tools to aid me in my journy, mostly in the form of scrying in which I reach an almost translike state and then see images in my mirror or ball depending on that which I am using. Another way I communicate is through tarot cards. I shuffle the deck very well, state my question out loud and then turn over between one and three cards depending on the complexity of the question. If I need clarity, I will ask for it before turning over another card. I do not put the cards back in or reshuffle the deck in a single session. There are those that are quite skilled at spirit communication and need no tools at all only their very calm, focused minds. I admire these individuals and applaud them for their ability.

First things first, and this is of the utmost importance, in order to communicate effectively you must learn to clear your mind and be able to focus solely on communicating. This takes practice. I suggest starting with a guided meditation app which you can easily find on your phone. Many of these apps are very inexpensive and sometimes free. I cannot tell you how long it will take before you are able to achieve this goal of complete mental clarity and focus as it differs for everyone. Don't rush the process. You will know when you are ready. That being said, you can and should still make your ancestor altar even if you are not ready for the actual communication aspect. You can still honor and remember them. This act in and of itself is root that will one day flourish creating for you a most profound and epic journy. Keep in mind, after you make your altar, you will most likely begin to be aware of signs from your ancestors letting you know that they are present and willing to communicate when you are are ready. The following are some, but not all, of the signs you may receive:

*dreams: keep paper and pen beside where you sleep and write down your dream the moment you wake up or it will simply escape you as dreams do

*nature: such as bird, butterfly or significant flower

*unusual occurrance: for example an object falling off the shelf for no apparant reason and without logical explanation, a fairly new lightbulb flickering, objects slightly out of place, shadows or movements in your peripherial vision

Just a couple of days ago, I had been using my phone to record a video. When I was finished I sat my phone down on my desk and went on about my business. As I was walking by, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that my phone was flickering wildly. I walked over to see what was happening. It was recording and stopping over and over. I must have had twenty 3 second recordings of nothing but the blank ceiling. I checked the screen and lenses and there was nothing on either so I just laughed made my acknowledgement out loud and went on about my day. If and when these events happen please do not dismiss them as chance or coincidence. It takes an enormous amount of energy for a spirit to reveal him or herself to you and to dismiss that which they have done as mere happenstance is incredibly frustrating and even disrespectful to that spirit. When I receive a sign, I always acknowledge the occurance by saying something like "I know you are here. I feel your presence." A good place for you to start is with a simple "Hello" or even "I miss you". This world we live in is truly a miraculous and magickal place. You know this in your heart and soul and don't let anyone convince you otherwise.

To begin making your altar, you should first spiritually cleanse yourself in whatever way you normally do this. I like to take a cleansing bath with rose petals, lavender, chamomile and or calendula. I place yellow citrine to clear and open my mind, amethyst to reach the intuitive psychic plane I wish to be on, black tourmeline or black obsidian to absorb any negativity and clear quartz to restore peace and positivity that is often lost in just living day to day life. I also burn a white and a black candle together to get rid of negative energies and to restore tranquility. I burn a cleansing incense such as lavender or jasmine. It is very common for people to use a white sage smudge stick for cleansing but I do not prefer the scent. If you choose to take a cleansing bath, your bathroom should be physically clean first. Negativity clings to dirt and clutter. If you tend not to believe this stop for a moment and consider the way you feel walking into a clean and tidy house after a long day of work versus how you feel when you walk in and see a messy, dirty house. Enough said.

Next, gather together everything you will be needing to complete your altar from start to finish including but not limited to the following:

*your empty lamp with the wick, burner and chimney parts set aside

*lamp oil

*an extra vessel capable of holding a small amount of oil (I will explain a later)

*any all herbs and flowers

*crystals

*incence and burner

*cauldron

*bay leaves or parchment paper

*black, purple, or blue marker

*pentacle which represents power and protection from earth, fire, water, air and spirit

*altar cloth (I leave these off my altar because I tend to burn holes in them)

*all your offerings and offering recepticles (One item that I keep on my ancestor altar and replenish daily is water. The water from the previous day is given back to nature so as not to waste it) *candles

*some sort of towel to wipe up any spilled oil or herbs

*funnel (this makes it less likely to spill the oil)

*a small, clean receptacle to hold any debris or used towels

*Florida Water (for cleansing your altar and tools prior to ritual) use what you prefer and have available

*altar bell

*matches and lighters (have more than one in case the first fails to produce flame)

*photos of your ancestors or their names and DOB/DOD written out on individually

*family trees

*photos of places, homes, land, cemetaries or even the stars that are significant to you or your ancestors because in reality the land is your ancenstor as those that lived and breathed became part of it as so shall you and I. And aren't you made of the stars?

*photos of pets that have died and or items that were theirs such as a toy or collar

*any statues or representation of deity or spirit guide if you wish

*items of significance that once belonged to your ancestors and was handed down to you *items that your ancestors preferred such as their favorite coffee or candy

*favorite alcoholic beverages may certainly be added but only if it was not a detriment or source of contention as they lived

*small pair of scissors (I don't keep my athame on my ancestor altar. It doesn't feel right to me*Several coins that represent traveling money or passage betwine the worlds

*the list of ancestors that you wish to honor specifically (this is so you do not leave anyone out inadvertantly)

*charms to represent each individual ancestor you wish to honor plus a few more that you feel drawn to (these will be the ancestors you will meet on your journy)

The charms are an idea I came up with years ago and continue to do today. The reason I add extra is because it so happened that I felt very drawn to a particular charm but had no reason to place it in the lamp as I had exhausted my list of people to honor. I put it in anyway and only later did I realize that the charm did in fact represent someone. This person presented himself to me later on in a dream and continues to this day to be a very protective and consistant ally. I have placed many charms that remain unnamed but I know that they are there.

It is really up to you how you want your altar to look and feel. There are no rules as to what you can or cannot place on the altar but it should be things you feel passionately about. If I have, in your opinion, left something off the list please add it anyway and make it your own. There is power in this very act alone. Likewise, leave items off that do not appeal or mean something to you. I present to you mere suggestions and my reasons and that is all. Think of it as a templete that you can customize. Take what you like and leave the rest. I take no offense and, in fact, encourage you to do so. In the following paragraphs I will touch on just a few of the things I mentioned in the list above more indepthly.

As for the crystals, I always use amethyst, citrine, black tourmeline or obsidian and clear quartz or selenite for the exact reasons I used them in the spiritually cleansing bath that I mentioned above. In addition, I add crystals in the shade of blue for these are they that rule the throat chakra and therefore communication. Some blue crystals you could use are lapis luzli, aquamarine, apatite, amazonite, sodalite, sapphire, celestine, azurite, kynite or turquoise just to name a few.

Use herbs that aid in developing intuition and help establish clear open comuunication. You can use one or all of the following to acheive this: Mugwort, Star Anise, Angelica Root, Jasmine, Wormwood, Rosemary and or Blue Lotus. I also use some herbs that grow where I live and have proven themselves to he most effective. I use Morning Glory Vine as it helps to bridge the gap between the worlds of the living and of the dead. I could write a whole blog post on this herb alone. Forget-me-nots are a very personal favorite of mine and they represent love and loyalty even in death. Black Eyed Susans are very effective in making a connection in the dreamstate and Evening Primrose is perfect if your goal is to heal emotional wounds.

I always keep a bell on all of my altars but, to me, it is especially necessary to have a bell on your ancestor altar. Bells, in general, put you on alert by making you aware that a change just took place. That change could mean something as simple as the wind picking up or your cat jingling merrily by. Sometimes, a bell can signify something more ominous such as your door being opened or of a fire nearby. The sound of a bell also keeps you aware of a change in time. We use bells in witchcraft to clear the air of negative energy. They can be used to call a spirit to you and at the same time to keep evil spirits at bay.

Photos of places? Initially you would not think of a place as being your ancestor, but if you consider this very deeply you can understand how it is true. I give you the following example. My mother lives very near where I grew up. I lived in the same place from the time I was just a baby until I moved away sometime early in my twenties and even after that it was always the place I came home to. Sometimes when I visit my mom I feel a pull by some unseen force to drive by my old home. And as I do, the now massive oaks that I used to climb call out to me. They miss me for they are much too tall for anyone to climb now. And they long for the time when the laughter and innocense of youth rang in the air like a symphony of bells. The earth there yearns for that curious energy that only a child can provide and I can feel it on the wind and down deep in my soul. The spirit of this place is so strong and true. The smell and familiarity of the land sends a rush of memories almost too overwhelming to bare. And I remember. I remember the time I challenged my dad to a foot race (he won). I remeber my mama painting, at her eisel, a picture of an old barn. A stronger, more talented woman I have never known. I remember my sweet little brother and how he made me laugh. Everyone loved him. I remember my baby sister. My very first memory is of her and the day she was born with flaming locks of red hair and eyes beautiful blue. I was only 3 years old. How I miss them and long for that time on that little square of earth and all the happiness and sadness, life and death, good times and bad, fear, strength, growth and always always there was love. My father died early in 2001 and this land, it is him.

I see and relate to animals differently then most people. They become my children. They become my friends. My daughter, not too long ago, mentioned to me the notion that I prefer the company of animals to people. This is actually not completely accurate although I admire her observasions. I do prefer people most of the time, but as an introvert, I often need down time. People, unlike animals sometimes deplete me of my energy and I must recharge. When I take time to myself this does not include being away from my cats or especially my dog who has been faithfully by my side for 9 years and who is truly more intuitive and empathic than most people. People do not realize that animals have true feelings and emotions. They experience happiness and even sadness just as we do. Very recently one of my cats had kittens. She took to one that looked just like her and they were basically inseparable even after she had weaned them. she still loved this kitten and they were always together. Sadly and tragically her favorite kitten died. She had had another litter of kittens at that time and the older kitten that she adored was the only one she would allow near her and her new litter. I watched the momma for hours as she stared at the little shop where I worked and would often bring her favorite with me for she was my favorite too. She was waiting for baby to come out. She missed her. I could not tear her away from the site and from that moment she stopped taking care of her new litter all she did was stare and wait and mourn. Just a few days ago, as I was giving each of my cats a treat, I watchd as the one I fed first used his little nose to push a treat I had given him to his brother. I was flabbergasted. He was sharing his treat with his brother. Now that is true humanity. And that is why I regard them as my ancestors.

While making the oil lamp you may want to have a couple of candles (black and white for the above stated reasons) and your choice of incense burning. This is to stimulate and begin the flow of energy you are directing with your mind, words and actions. You will not need the candles on your altar once your oil lamp is made because you will have the oil lamp which, in my opinion, is a far greater, more powerful tool and source of energy especially for this type of work because of the fact that they burn longer and hotter providing a continuous steady flow of potent energy. This energy is focused and directed by your intent and purpose which is to connect to your ancestors, to let them know that they are far from forgotten, that you love, honor and respect them and in time to form a bond and open lines of communication. This energy is intense, often full of emotion and memories, heavy and alive and therefore powerful and that is why it is so often some of the most successful, satisfying magick one is able to acheive. Be aware that this type of work is not a one time deal done. It takes time and cultivating, nuturing and focus and, most of all, it takes a patient, clear, open mind free of expectations. What and who you will actually receive will often surprise you. In the past when I would dream of those who had passed on, I would wake with such sorrow and emptiness that they were gone. Now I understand that they are not truly gone. When I receive a hug from my dad or a kiss from my husband in my dreams, I wake in delight knowing that this really happened. Their energies are still very much present and it grows stronger with acknowledgment and tending as does most things. Your dreams will come more often. You will be more in tune and aware of all the subtle but undeniable messages sent outside of the dreamstate as well. All of this and more can happen but only if you give it time, patience and your full focused attention and awareness. And it is easier said than done when taken into account the busy lives we all tend to lead but in the end, it is true, that we always make time for what matters to us the most.

At this point, with all of your tools gathered and cleaned and spiritually cleansed, including your altar, your are to start the process of creating the oil lamp but not before you cast your circle of protection as true to your own tradition. Even though your lamp is not yet made and you have not given verbal or written direction, your intent and purpose is still present and very much alive and often this is all it takes to open the door especially if your will is very strong. It doesn't matter if you have only been practicing your craft for a short time. If your mind is focused and clear and your belief in yourself and your ability to succeed strong as well, well then you are a force to be reckoned with and you should do and say (write if you unable to be verbal) everything the right way or you may regret it later. I speak from experience.

That out of the way, after casting your circle, get your wick soaking in the lamp oil so that it will be ready to light upon completion of your lamp. You don't want to try and light a dry wick. Pour some oil in the receptacle you chose and then place the wick in so that it can soak up the oil and so you won't have to wait to light your lamp. You will be able to start your ritual immediately upon completion of your lamp. You should use good quality clean burning fuel. The cheap stuff just produces a lot of black air pollution and it smells bad. You can put most anything in your oil lamp. Be safe and don't put anything that may explode. If you are not sure just leave it on the altar beside your lamp. Place the crystals, herbs and everything else you chose into the lamp. Do this with deliberate concentration. Focus on your purpose. You can even state what each item is and why you are putting it in the lamp. This will keep you focused on the task at hand and further strengthens your work. When you are finished with your lamp, clean up(but do not leave your circle because this will break it) and put the finishing touches on your altar. Now you are ready to begin your ritual.

Oil Lamp Ritual to Welcome & Honor Your Ancestors

The following is a simple ritual to welcome your ancestors and marks the beginning of your journey in forming bonds of connections with your ancestors. This is a ritual you can do each time you come to the altar or you can use it once as the grand opening ceremony or you can use your very own ceremony written by you. There really is no right or wrong way to do this. The most important part lies in the desire to connect and putting forth effort to make that happen. So please feel free to change it in anyway you like in order to suit your own wants, needs and desires. Write your intention on a piece of parchment. Say it out loud. burn the parchment in the cauldron. Everyone's intention is going to be different. This is what I would write/say:

It is my intention that this oil lamp that I have prepared be the beacon of light that leads my ancestors to me. I wish to connect with them and to glean the insight and wisdom that they possess. It is my desire that they protect me from harm and guide me in life's good direction.

As you light your lamp say:

This lamp I light is a guide to you

I welcome my ancestors old and new

This lamp I light will guide your path

I invite you with love and never wrath

The Incantation

Flesh spirit blood and bone

I reap the harvest you have sewn

Be it good or be it bad

never angry, never sad

Le'ts sit together here on nigh

Lets sit together you and I

Give me the wisdom of a thousand years

If you should weep I shall wipe your tears

I have prepared a place of honor for you

A place of rememberance, it is true

Let the flickering flame of my lamp lead the way

For the veil is getting thinner day by day

Flesh spirit blood and bone

Harvest complete, reaped and sown

Now it is important to call each individual ancestor that you know of especially the ones you personally knew. It is good to have a list so that you do not accidently forget anyone. It may still come to pass that ancestors show up that you did not call. After you call the ancestor individually, you will then ring the bell, write the ancestor's name, and DOB/DOD if it will fit and then burn the bayleaf accomponied by a short welcome phrase. An example is as follows:

State out loud:

John J. Doe. Born January 1, 1901 to Jane and John Doe Sr.

Laid to rest on December 1, 1999

*Ring the altar bell

*Write the Ancestors name on the Bay Leaf preferrably in black

*As you burn the bay leaf in the cauldron say:

John Doe:

The burning scent of this bay

Guides your path and leads the way

Repeat these steps for each ancestor.

When you have completed your list of ancestors, It is good to take a few moments to meditate and get your mind grounded and in the proper zone which is to be free and clear of any thought. Once in this zone you can then start a divination method such as scrying with a black mirror (which are easy to make) or a crystal ball if you have one. If you are seeking answers to a specific question, you can ask it aloud prior to starting the divination aspect. Tarot or oracle cards work well, in my opinion, for specific questions. You could try a pedulum for yes or no questions or you can simply continue to meditate focusing on your question or in general about making a connection with your ancestral spirits. Be sure and keep a journal of everything that happens even if it is nothing that happen, seems insignificant or is somehow confusing. In time, everything will come together to make sense.

This is simply an outline to get you started on your quest. Ultimately, you will find your own groove and that which works well for you. I urge you to not give up and to stay steady and true to your work. Sometimes, you will not pick up on anything right away but with persistant dilligence you will make the connection and gain the answers that you seek. Always remember that within you resides the strength of will to make all your desires come to fruition but first you must believe.