Dedicant Path Essay 9: Relationship with the Kindreds
Your Relationship with the Kindreds By Kristy "Foxlyn Wren" Tackett May 28, 2024
Ancestors
I'm not going to lie, this is the fifth time I've tried to write this part and got smacked with writer's block, suddenly unable to remember what heck an Ancestor even was, despite that Ancestral Veneration is a big part of my spiritual path. Perhaps I'll start with the ancestral shrine and see what flows?
September 9, 2023
Above is a picture of our family's ancestral shrine. It's a place for us to honor our ancestors of spirit, blood, inspiration, place; animals and humans; past lives and this one. There's also a couple of things for the Psychopomps and Death Gods. Unlike my other altars and shrines, this one doesn't change too much, unless new information is learned about someone, and they're removed (toxic ancestors aren't welcomed here) or someone dies.
Within the cabinet you'll find offering dishes and woven bowls made by the kids, various trinkets, gifts, inherited jewelry, real and replica fossils, pendulums, and fake flowers. Beneath the cabinet are family tree records.
We honor our ancestors throughout the year, from special days to dark moons to whole months! We give them various gifts, such as coins, handmade items, food, and drinks. I try to feed the ancestors anywhere from once a week to once a month. I don't have that great of a memory, but the Tomten and Nisse are pretty good at reminding me to at least give them oatmeal.
Being psychic, I hear and see our Ancestors a lot, too. Over the years I've learned that Ancestors tend to be closer to us than the Gods, so if I need to do some family magick or prayer work, I call on them first.
I do find our Ancestral Shrine to be a place of calm and inspiration. I'm glad that it helped to fight through that blockage.
Nature Spirits
For these Kindreds, there's no indoor altars for the inspiration that the Ancestors brought. Instead, I am sitting by a window with a tree outside. Just a few days ago, this tree had lovely pink petals, but those have been shed for red and green leaves. I enjoy this tree, as do the house sparrows and a bright red cardinal who hunt its branches. I used to feed the birds where we used to live, but this neighborhood has a lot of feral cats. I'm grateful for the pest control, but I can't bring myself to risk the birds with seed.
The Nature Spirits are more active here, regardless. We live in a liminal space, on the edge of the trailer park and the woods and at a crossroads. Our home is frequented by patrolling crows, foraging pheasant, and hunting cats.
When we moved here, it was days until Midfall on a full moon. I was immediately greeted by the Nature Spirits. Entities with as many diverse forms, names, and languages, as their corporeal residents. They knew who I was. They knew me from the apartment we used to live in and from the parks that I love. I was no stranger to them. They welcomed me to this new place, and for that I am very grateful for their permission to be here. I will continue to do my best to serve and heal this land. Even as I write this essay, I can feel their loving energy.
In return, I do my best to care for this place by teaching my children to care, too. How to give offerings, how to communicate, how to treat all creatures regardless of their appearance, how to pick up garbage, and how to recycle, reuse, reduce. We try to teach our children how to form these important relationships in hopes that they will pass on these learnings to others.
There are no inside altars for the Nature Spirits, because they're not needed. I'm thankful to be able to look outside my window and be greeted by the many animals and Nature Spirits that we share this land with.
Shining Ones
What's my basic understanding of these vast, mysterious, entities? Are they thoughtforms created by humans explaining nature and our own nature? Are they aliens communicating to us out of compassion, guilt, or perhaps experimentation? Are they just energies that we've given form, culture, and personalities to? Are there millions of deities, or perhaps just a handful that humans have given different names, genders, forms, and stories to throughout our existence? Often the line between god and spirit is blurred–so what is that difference–or is it just human opinion? Are they all just in our heads? Aspects of ourselves? Where do they come from? Here or another place, realm, dimension?
I don't think in these human forms we'll ever know the answer. Questions we could spend an eternity exploring and debating. I've certainly written many blogs wondering.
What is my understanding of the Shining Ones right now? Whatever they may be, I know they're real and they seem to care about me for whatever reason. They seem to have their own reasons and agendas. They're not always around, but may come if called, if they want. Some are more patient than others. Each has their own whims and needs–their own expectations from me, that often differs from other humans. They're individuals living now, not trapped in surviving art and literature from the past.
I have altars and shrines dedicated to those entities in my life. High Days and regular days that I honor and celebrate Them. Offerings given just because and in the spirit of reciprocity. I am eternally grateful to these powerful entities in my life, and I do my best as a conduit, a student, and a priestess–living their lessons and helping those they bring across my path in return.
So, what if they're all in my head? They've never led me astray, although there have certainly been times when it felt like I was on center stage in my underwear. Plus, anytime I think I have a definitive idea about the deities, they shatter it. As if it's not so much about who and what they care, but the importance of their messages and their lessons.
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- I would recommend asking yourself: what do these entities bring to me?
- The Ancestors give us guidance and wisdom.
- The Nature Spirits teach us about the cycles in this middle realm.
- The Shining Ones can work amazing magic and make things happen in our world.
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