At the Altar: Daily Ancestor Work

In this video I share a portion of my practice dedicated to the ancestors. If you enjoy this type of content, you can find much more on my Patreon. I also share well-sourced written pieces about Slavic folk practices, rituals and pagan traditions related to ancestry veneration on Patreon, starting at as little as $1 (link below).
Books mentioned:
Six Ways by Aidan Wachter
Besom, Stang & Sword by Chris Orapello and Tara-Love Maguire
Deck mentioned:
Memento Mori Oracle
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Support me on Patreon: / polishfolkwitch •
Background Music: Walking with Ghosts by Scott Buckley (royalty free)

[@BroniaK]

Thank you for sharing this part of your practice. It was lovely to hear the prayer in Polish as I don't hear the language anymore since my Dziadzia (we called him Jaj) passed many years ago 🧡

[@polishfolkwitch]

Aww 🥹🥰 Thanks for watching! ❤️

[@tarotreadingsfromabitch]

That spirit box is a game changer for me lol. While I don't communicate much with my ancestors, I wonder if this idea would be adaptable to, say, other spirits that I work with. My kids are always like 🫥 when I'm out there talking to myself at my altar.

[@polishfolkwitch]

Hahahaha! That's a great idea, I'm sure it can easily be adapted for general spirit communication 👏

[@ravenrain6120]

Thank you for the reminder that we are not alone, and that our practice SHOULD evolve over time and through the seasons 🥰 you are awesome 😎👍

[@polishfolkwitch]

Thank you for watching 🥰❤️‍🔥

[@ejacomet]

Would you (or anyone, really) be willing to type out the Polish translation of the prayer from Six Ways? I'm not learned enough in the language, and I'd love to speak to the ancestors of my Motherline in their tongue. Thank you *SO MUCH* for sharing, either way.

[@Iwan_Cigfran]

Thank you for sharing this very personal aspect of Witchcraft. I am very glad to see this video as I am just starting an ancestor altar and practice. In a bit of synchronicity, the book Besom, Stang, and Sword is being delivered to me today from Amazon. I will certainly watch more of your videos, and I wish you well!

[@naturalwitchery]

I've been reflecting on how my practice at my ancestral altar continues to evolve. Like any good relationship, growth is positive.

[@polishfolkwitch]

Well said & love that for you 💞

[@AntlerMoth00]

Love the idea of spirit box ❤

[@polishfolkwitch]

Glad you like it! It's so handy ❤️‍🔥

[@Calluna.V]

Thank you so much for this beautiful video! I love the spirit box idea. I have buried messages in the ground within an earth shrine under a specific tree, but having a box indoors is much simpler 😅and makes things very accessible! 🔥 ❤ 🔥

[@polishfolkwitch]

Thank you for sharing that! The practice of burying messages under trees and rocks is very old and very beautiful 💞 But as you says, sometimes we need something more accessible 🥰

[@jessreadscards]

This was amazing, thank you! I just started a daily ancestor practice about a month ago. My practice is really similar to yours and I also use the Memento Mori as a way to communicate with spirits. I loved the prayer you told and I’m inspired to create one for myself! Thank you 🖤

[@polishfolkwitch]

Ooo, awesome! 😍🙌❤️‍🔥

[@patsystarotmusings]

Thank you for this , the spirit box is such a wonderful idea and a game changer for me. I recently discovered I am half balkan and I am trying to connect to these ancestors. I am trying to learn the language and being able to write messages down in the language with the help of translation will help me feel a connection ♥️

[@polishfolkwitch]

Glad you enjoyed this! 💞 Aw, sounds like you're putting a lot of work into reconnecting with your ancestry, how beautiful 😍❤️

[@candysbroomcloset]

Thank you!..love the message box idea. I have the perfect one to use💓

[@polishfolkwitch]

Oh sweet! Hope it serves you well 💞

[@suzannetol]

You have a wonderful way of ancestor worship. I know I've heard of the spirit box at some point but I totally forgot about the whole thing. Also I love your rosery. ❤️

[@polishfolkwitch]

Thank you so much 🥰❤️

[@suzannetol]

@@polishfolkwitch your welcome. 😊

[@wolfofcoins]

This was SO AWESOME! So interesting, informative, practical

[@polishfolkwitch]

Glad you enjoyed it 🥰❤️‍🔥

[@rhawk1262]

This video is lovely and made me feel how much do you care for this practice, maybe it's sometihng in your calm voice. Did you came to this simple form from the very first time or at the start i was more complex? I had an ancestor altar, i only offered them few things once in a while but i really didn't know how to communicate with them, except through tarot readings...but tarot are quite complicated and i am not that good with them. The spirit's box it's really helpful and reminds me of the petitions burned by asian taoist magicians! The communication factor is really important but i guess i feel really strange in creating a spiritual realationship... do you have any tips to where to put the dead altar? The room were to set it is also another riddle in my mind. Living room for protection and let them have an "eye" on all the guest coming in? Or bedroom because there is more privacy there?

[@rhawk1262]

OH! Also, What is the name of the song under your video?

[@polishfolkwitch]

My ancestor practice these days is even simpler than the one shown in this video. These practices constantly change and fluctuate together with us, and with the relationships that we're building with the spirits. I always try to be in tune with my and the spirits' current needs and adjust the practices to fit with that. If it feels like a chore or like it's silly, perhaps an adjustment is needed. When it comes to spirit communication in particular, I have several videos and lectures about that on my Patreon, at the Thaumaturge tier -- we often work with this topic in my Toad Pond group. As for where to place the altar, we currently have our main shrine for the ancestors in the living room, sitting on top of my piano. That is where I give them daily offerings in the morning (these days it's coffee and water, interchangeably) and where I speak with them whenever I want to communicate. For more extensive workings, divination or rituals, I also have a section of my main altar dedicated to the dead so I can conduct those more complex workings there, with more privacy. The song in this video is Walking with Ghosts by Scott Buckley (royalty free)

[@LavenderHazelwood]

This was beautiful. Thank you for sharing. I also love the song you used. What is the song called?

[@polishfolkwitch]

Thank you, the song is Walking with Ghosts by Scott Buckley (royalty free)

[@kukumuniu5658]

Hi :) I have a problem, or maybe more of a situation solution of which is problematic for me. I live in a house with many more inhabitants than people and cat. The problem is that I cannot communicate with these beings I don't know what they want and what their role is, two of these beings are my ancestors driving away the ancestors by exorcism etc is probably the stupidest solution but there are other beings,(3 or 5) neither ex-humans nor ancestors. Do you know how to check it ? Confirm that someone is actually here and then determine what their role is and what they want :(

[@polishfolkwitch]

Hi! The most straightforward way to communicate with them is through divination. So you'd either have to pick up and learn one of the methods (like tarot etc) or pay a good reader to check it for you. Good luck!

[@Iza.9]

Szkoda,że mój angielski taki kiepski,bo jestem pewna,że na tym kanale jest dużo cennych informacji,to co lubię,co mnie interesuje. Serdecznie pozdrawiam.🌼🍀🌼

[@polishfolkwitch]

Zawsze to pretekst do liźnięcia trochę obcego języka 😉 Rozważam w przyszłości nagranie parę filmików po polsku, szczególnie w kontekście polecajek książkowych, bo mamy mnóstwo wspaniałych polskich książek o magii ludowej i rodzimych tradycjach. Zobaczymy, czy się uda 😊

[@Iza.9]

@@polishfolkwitch .. właśnie próbuję z tym ang.😉 Tak, byłoby super i będę trzymać kciuki.👍 trafiłam tu przypadkiem (nie ma przypadków 😉) szukając jednej z talii Tarota i poogladałam parę Twoich filmików, nawet nie rozumiejąc zbyt dużo, czuć w nich fajny klimat i jest napewno dużo wiedzy.Super,że mamy taką rodaczkę,życzę Ci wszystkiego,co najpiękniejsze,niech się dzieje.🪄🍀❣️

[@polishfolkwitch]

@@Iza.9 Dziękuję, bardzo mi miło 🥰❤️‍🔥