Guest blogger:Â Hjortronsylt
Websites: Hjortronsylt, Red Oak Heathens
Royal reader since:Â 2011
I am a princess because I play one on the internet. Also, I rock an apron and bake treats from scratch.
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“Is this thing on? Is anybody listening?” These are questions I often ask my ancestors when sitting with a cup of tea, coffee or mead. Usually, I leave some for them, and some bread. Sometimes, this makes me feel a little strange: after all, shouldn’t they be too busy doing their own things? Shouldn’t I be solving my own problems? If they want to check in on us and see how we’re doing, can’t they do that any time they like? Even so, as a Heathen, that connection is important to me. On our feast days, we prepare the first plate for the ancestors. I have a small shrine dedicated to the ancestors which sits in a corner of the living room on my grandmother’s table. It enjoys a natural place in our daily life and during most gatherings. When we hold Sumbel (a Heathen cup-sharing, story-telling, merrymaking tradition), this shrine becomes the centerpiece of the room.
An occasional chat with my deceased people is calming. Frequently, though, I enjoy connecting with my ancestors a little more actively. I mean that literally – I like to make or do things that I know they used to enjoy themselves. Every Thanksgiving and Yuletide, I try to make my grandmother’s cranberry relish. It’s a simple enough recipe, but there’s something soothing about working with the fruits and waiting for the Jello to set. My grandmothers also liked to bake. I haven’t tried to replicate the famous zucchini bread yet, but I have made my own banana bread and pumpkin bread from scratch. My grandfathers had their own pastimes. Whenever I build something, I think of my dad (still with us, thankfully!) and his father, and their well-stocked workshops. I have fond memories of running Grandpa’s riding lawnmower around his massive backyard whenever I smell freshly cut grass. My mom’s father collected stamps and coins. It’s not my passion, but sometimes I leaf through the half-finished albums he helped me start, remembering him.
Mom was fond of tea, a taste I’ve recently re-acquired. She also enjoyed cross-stitch, a hobby we shared for a time. I should pick it up again, but I haven’t yet. She encouraged me to write poetry and such. I still do this, and I often think of her kind criticism of my early works. Mom taught me how to cook, and while I don’t cook as often as I should, I enjoy it when I do. I would probably enjoy playing my mother’s clarinet, although it was never my instrument. I haven’t tried it in years because it’s now in the care of my niece.
I also want to briefly mention my newest hobby, brewing. There’s something deeply satisfying about brewing a batch of mead. There’s a lot of cleaning and sanitizing effort, but the actual brewing is simple: mixing honey and water over fire. Just the way the ancients did it.
Some of these activities are specific to just one or a few of my ancestors. I often find that I have just one or two people on my mind when I want to connect. Other times, though, such as Yuletide, I feel the need to remember and honor them all, so it’s good that many of these activities can be combined. I can eat a slice of the bread I made yesterday and drink some tea while I sketch plans for a project. Sometimes, I leave them all a little tea and bread to say “thank you.”
How do you connect with your ancestors?
+Featured image, freshly baked banana bread photographed by Ginny.
++ This article is cross-posted at Hjortronsylt.
2 comments
B says:
Oct 22, 2013
What a lovely post! Thank you for sharing these inspiring activities; I’m moved to drag out my old cross-stitch patterns and give them a go!
I have an ancestor shrine in my studio where I collect objects and photos. I don’t visit as often as I should, but it makes me smile when I do. There’s a piece of a Fraser tartan; this is the loop-rug my great-grandmother made, rolled up into a little corner of shelf; here is the pillow my mother made for my doll’s crib, with my first haircut used for the pillow stuffing. (I kinda had a lot of hair. Still do.)
Thanks for sharing such sweet memories! I think I’ll spend a little time in the studio tonight with my ancestors. 🙂
hjortronsylt says:
Oct 23, 2013
Thanks! I really enjoyed writing this. This treatment of the ancestors is one of the major factors that attracted me to my path. Your shrine sounds appealing! May your kin smile on you!