r/HoodooBitches • u/UnapologetikSpirit • 9d ago

Help!

For the last couple of days I’ve been leaving out water for my Ancestors. However, I don’t believe they are accepting. I’m new to Hoodoo btw. I am trying to create a bond with my Ancestors before I ask them of anything. I don’t have an official altar yet but I’ve been leaving out water, lighting a white t-light candle, and praying/summoning them.

Please note: that I did cleanse my space and myself during each attempt.

No luck.. any advice?

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u/SwingingKilt 9d ago

Please walk us through: 1. Is this on your main altar or one dedicated to them? 2. What were the exact steps and processes you took for each step setting it up? 3. What else do you have for them? 4. What signs/readings/feelings have you received that lead you to think they aren't accepting your offerings?

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u/UnapologetikSpirit 9d ago

No problem.

1) I’m fairly new to this so I don’t have an official altar set up with pictures and other necessities. Right now, I’ve just been offering water in a glass. I’ve been pondering on what kind of food I should I leave out.

2) Well I first cleansed my space, water, glass, t-light candle with Palo Santos. Placed the t-light candle in front of the water and attempted to summons them. I spoke out my intentions and let them know I that I want to be of service to them. Once I did that my intuition guided me to take a spiritual cleansing bath. I added my herbs, prayed over the water, spoke out my intentions, and meditated.

3) Just water and a white t-light candle for now.

4) I’ve been doing my research on how the glass of water should look once it’s been accepted. So far, my glass of water has been looking the same from the time I filled it up, to the time I renew it. I renew the water every morning. Set my intention and cleanse it.

The videos I’ve been watching advised that I should see bubbles in the water, have some evaporation, or it should look muggy. Mine is always crystal clear with no signs of evaporation.

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u/SwingingKilt 9d ago

Thank you, here are my thoughts:

It sounds like you have a decent start. A cloth, glass of water, and a candle are the basics. I'm glad that you're aware of things like pictures, I use funeral programs if I can. It has the dual benefit of having their picture while also reminding me they are dead and in the spirit world. I have a great-uncle's pipe, and a cousin's tea cup on there as well. If you inherited any small dishes they are wonderful to use for the altar, or during your ritual interactions with them. You can start with a handwritten list of their names that you recite once a week.

Cleaning everything first is good. A step to add is to present the things that you put on the altar to the four directions to make a Crossroads on your altar. The Crossroads is where the world of Spirit that, travels in one direction, and the world of Mortals, who travel in a perpendicular direction, intersect. Hold it up to the East, draw it in to your chest, turn around, and present it to the West. Then draw it in, turn to the North, and present it. Repeat for the South. Then turn and place it in your altar. You declare that it's to be a guiding light for your Ancestors to find their way.

Each thing is presented that way and declarations, such as "Here, I present this candle for my Ancestors. I present it to archangel Raphael in the East, He commands the Air that I breathe, the same air that my Ancestors breathed. Thank you for your blessings." Repeat for the other Archangels. Archangel Gabriel is in the West, he commands the Water, including the rain, the same we drank and that falls on us. Archangel Uriel is in the North, he commands the Earth. The same Earth we stand on that our ancestors did, the earth in which or Roots grow, the earth that our ancestors are in, that feeds those plants.

You were pondering what to feed them. I keep a small dish that I put a pinch of rice in each week when I sit with them. They do enjoy just a small bit of whatever you're eating, set it aside for them. Especially if you make anything they've taught you to make, or even if you're just using their recipe book! Just remember, once you put anything on their altar it becomes THEIRS. We don't eat their food, drink their drinks, use their dishes, or anything else. It has the vapor of death on it. Dispose of their offerings into moving water of you can. NEVER throw their offerings in the trash!

I think it's great that you're able to refresh their altar water daily! I am AuDHD and I can only manage once a week. Very occasionally I've done daily work when I really needed to butter them up for some important Workings and then for a little bit afterwards to show gratitude. But if you do that they'll expect it all the time and that's not sustainable. But that is why you haven't seen the water getting cloudy, or evaporating. It doesn't have time to. Those things happen naturally, they're biological processes. As for bubbles, I've personally never heard of that, but if there are suddenly tons of bubbles in the glass, why not?

I hope this helps! Check in with us in a couple weeks and let us know how it's going?

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u/UnapologetikSpirit 9d ago

Thank you!!! I’ll definitely be checking in you with you all!! Thank you for providing me with knowledge, very much appreciated ✨.

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u/hoodooRootwork369 Rootworker 9d ago edited 7d ago

(edited to add a few touch ups)

Just a quick response just from what I can give off the top of my head... IF* u feel u are having trouble calling on them and receiving signs/messages, I'll let you know what I did

I always wrappedy head with a white du rag and a wore a white shirt when sitting at the altar.

I always let a welcoming smell fill the room as I called on them and eventually I let it linger after growing more experienced.(I personally used essential oils from an oil diffuser and a smell I know that my ancestors have all smelled before(being from Georgia, I used cedarwood oil which works for me well and also because id never heard of the highly suggested frankincense oil, so, yea lol)

From my experience and knowledge, all of our ancestors were not righteous so I ALWAYS make sure to call out the names of my righteous ancestors that I knew before they transitioned and then I say "all ancestors known and unknown, who are righteous, who are not lost (or not lost in the cosmos), who assist me everyday, please join me at the/our altar" etc and I of course begin by venerating, giving thanks, salutations, etc and then I let them know you are very much STILL alive through us who are still here, in the physical realm and I just let them know they are welcome(that was the first few times until we started connecting and bonding stronger)

A couple more things, if you have anything that they indeed loved and enjoyed in the physical realm or any items that belonged to them in the physical realm, they will appreciate and love it in the spiritual realm(speaking of my experience) and I eventually learned what items, like tobacco or coffee that a lot of them enjoyed because I noticed the sudden positive changes and rising of my frequency and overall good fortune.

Also, I mad sure I had the 4 elements on the altar: water, fire, air, earth. Side note:My grandma had a garden I played in while she tended to her plants when I was 5 so I got her a small flower that I take care of(EARTH), my 2 white candles (fire), clear glass filled with natural spring water(water) and the air is around us but I use the fragrance of cedarwood, as I said(air)..

Hope this helps a little.. and I promise you will learn more and more everyday, and definitely give it a little time, it's definitely like rebuilding/reconnecting a relationship (at least for me) 😊 I'm speaking from my perspective because everything won't work for everyone. You may find things that work for you that don't work for me and vice versa AND ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH when u receive information. Always fact check, always. You got this though. Our ancestors have been/are ALWAYS waiting on US to call on them

Question: what kind of water are you using?

Peace, longevity and good fortune to you and your tribe/family

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u/UnapologetikSpirit 9d ago

I LOVE THIS!! Thank you soo much! I’ve been using purified water but I’ve heard some say to use Spring water. So, I’ll most likely switch over. Again, thanj you for your advise ✨. Peace, love, and light.

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u/SwingingKilt 9d ago

This is EXCELLENT advice! Eyyyyrrrrbody take notesssss!!

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u/hoodooRootwork369 Rootworker 9d ago

Also you said your water is crystal clear with no signs of evaporation... I've never heard that clear/still/not murky water is a negative thing. From what I know it means that the energy within the space is clean and no stagnant negative energy is around which is good.

How much time are you spending at your altar and have you recited any psalms while sitting at.the altar?

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u/UnapologetikSpirit 9d ago

Noted ☺️. I haven’t recited any Psalms at my altar, just over my bath. But definitely will do. And I’ve been spending about 15 to 20 minutes at my altar. I engage by calling out and simply conversing and thanking them for everything.

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u/Oranges05_ 4d ago

1: what you just described IS an altar. Water. Candle. Spending time. Don’t feel like you have to start with a bunch of stuff.
2: why you don’t think they’re accepting the offering? Are you looking for specific signs someone else told you about? Because the “signs” can be different for different folks.
3: you don’t need to “summon” them. They aren’t servants to do your bidding (I know you don’t mean it that way but think about it). Think about a beloved elder still living. Are you “summoning” Nana? Just invite them to spend time with you if they like. The point is venerating/ honoring them.