How to deepen your connection with your ancestors
Enlarge this image toggle caption Malaka Gharib/ NPR Malaka Gharib/ NPR
Every morning, I greet my ancestors. On my bedside table, I have a little display of their mementos: the address book that belonged to my abuela, or my grandmother in Spanish; the lenses from my grandfather's eyeglasses; and a cassette tape of children's songs in Polish (a gift from my great uncle), among other things.
These items are a reminder of the love I have for my family — and of the wisdom they've passed down to me.
Ancestral altars, as they're called, are common around the world. In Mexico, people create an ofrenda, or altar, to remember loved ones on Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. And in many Buddhist traditions and African religions, altars have a permanent space in the household so people can honor the dead not just once a year but every day.
Sponsor Message
Altars are for everybody, says Ehime Ora, who teaches people about African spirituality and how to
Continue Reading on NPR
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.