How to Build an Ancestral Altar to Connect With the Spirit World

Our ancestral lineage stretches back thousands of years. Each person is a link in a long chain of humanity. As time continues to move forward, each person and family has ancestral spirits directly connected to them that are powerful allies.

The end of October brings us several opportunities to honor those who’ve passed to the other side. Samhain and Halloween fall on October 31, followed by Día de los Muertos on November 1 and 2, All Saints’ Day on November 1, and All Souls’ Day on November 2.

This is the time of year when people say “the veil is thin,” meaning the invisible barrier between the living and the dead is believed to be at its most porous. Building an ancestor altar gives you a place to honor your ancestors and connect with them during this season and throughout the year.

Who Can You Honor on an Ancestor Altar?

You probably know the names of your blood family from one to three generations before you. For those of us who are orphaned or disconnected from our lineage, this may be an even smaller group. Yet this is only the smallest droplet in the great sea of your ancestors.

First, we have ancestral spirits related to us by blood and bond: your grandmother’s mother’s mother, your great-uncle’s great-uncle. These are often the people we think of when we think of ancestors.

You don’t have to know their names to venerate them. You can call upon them broadly, such as your Holy Creative Ancestors or Elevated Builder Ancestors. When in doubt, begin by praying or talking to your Elevated Ancestors, those you call upon for loving support and guidance.

If there are named ancestors you’d like to honor, ask yourself: Is this someone I would’ve called upon for help when they were living? If yes, you may wish to welcome them. If not, leave them off the altar for now.

There are also ancestors connected to us through culture and deep mythic time. Cultural ancestors are people who’ve passed to the spirit world and had a great impact on the culture we were raised in. Think of Martin Luther King Jr., John Brown, or Mary Shelley. You can choose to honor cultural ancestors alongside your blood ancestors.

Deep mythic ancestors are figures from legend, folklore, myth, and fable. Some are archetypal, such as the Holy Grandmothers. Often, people explore these connections with the help of a practitioner, priest, or medium. If a mythic figure has fascinated you since childhood, you might include them on your altar for veneration.

Why Build an Ancestor Altar?

Every human is connected to a vast, complex web of life. Honoring those who came before us and calling upon their wisdom, joy, and protection connects us to that web.

In our modern world, it can be easy to forget that we belong to something much larger and older than our present experience. We all stand on the shoulders of those who came before.

Many people have complex and difficult relationships with their living families. An active ancestor practice can offer space to reflect on those wounds and the patterns we hope to stop passing down.

Ancestral veneration isn’t the same as worship. Depending on your beliefs and religious tradition, you may honor your ancestors alongside your personal faith. To honor our ancestors is to honor our humanity.

How to Build an Ancestor Altar at Home

An ancestor altar can be as simple or complex as you’d like. Across many traditions of ancestral veneration, two common elements are light and offerings. Everything else can reflect your experience, family traditions, and intuition.

Choose Where to Place Your Ancestor Altar

Start with a flat surface, such as a table or small shelf, in a somewhat central part of your living space.

In the practice described here, avoid placing your ancestral altar in a bedroom or bathroom. Think of where you’d seat an honored and welcomed guest. Often, people choose the kitchen or an open space near the front of the house.

The goal is to place your altar somewhere you can spend time with it and keep it maintained, without putting it in the way of daily life.

Clean the surface of dust and debris. You’re setting a table to invite honored guests into your home! Cleanliness shows respect for their presence.

If you’d like, place a cloth on the surface. When in doubt with ancestor work, white is a simple choice. You can also use a cloth connected to your heritage or made by someone in your family.

Add Candles to Your Ancestor Altar

Next, add candles. You can use glass-encased devotional candles, often called seven-day candles, or tea lights. Always follow the candle’s instructions and extinguish it before leaving the room or going to sleep.

Fire holds an important place in this practice. Think of lighting a candle as turning on the front porch light so your ancestors can find you.

Some practitioners use electric candles, though opinions differ across magical traditions. You may also feel drawn to scented or unscented candles. Experiment thoughtfully, and remember that a candle that won’t burn may have a problem with its wick or wax. It doesn’t necessarily mean your ancestors disapprove.

Choose Offerings for Your Ancestors

An offering can be many things. Don’t stress yourself out wondering whether it’s “good enough.” The intention is to honor ancestors who want you safe, well nourished, and fulfilled. Don’t break the bank on expensive offerings if you’re struggling to pay your bills!

Clean, cool water is a common ancestral offering. In some traditions, a lit candle and a glass of water are all you need.

You can also offer candy, bread, fruit, songs, art, coffee, tea, incense smoke, or flowers. If you’re honoring specific ancestors, consider their favorite things from when they were alive.

For a cultural ancestor, research their life and the time they lived in to find meaningful offering ideas. For more inspiration, explore these suggestions for creating an ancestral altar.

Include Photos and Meaningful Altar Objects

Once you have your altar space, candles, and offerings, add any meaningful objects you feel drawn to include.

You might display photographs of ancestors you’d like to honor, along with stones, curios, feathers, or animal statues that represent your family. Other possibilities include a skull carved from white stone, a family Bible, or seashells from a meaningful beach.

You don’t need to add decor simply to make the altar Instagram-worthy. When an item draws your attention, sit with it and ask yourself why. How does it connect to your people? You may discover an ancestral connection you hadn’t considered.

How to Connect With Your Ancestors at the Altar

Spend time with your ancestors at the altar and speak with them. Talk respectfully, but personally and casually, too.

For example, offer your ancestral spirits a glass of cool water. Then sit beside the altar with your own glass and talk about the day you’re preparing to begin.

Give yourself space to listen and receive. You may notice a sense of calm, a warm presence, or a feeling of being held in love. You can also ask your ancestral spirits for signs of their presence throughout the day. This is where the practice becomes deeply personal and subjective.

How to Clean and Maintain Your Ancestor Altar

Never let offerings rot on the altar. Replace the water regularly, remove food before it spoils, and take time to dust and clean the space. Give it a thorough cleaning at least once a month.

If you feel uneasy about which ancestors you’re inviting into your practice, direct your prayers to your Elevated Ancestors and ask for loving guidance and protection.

Be respectful. Have fun! Feel into the loving web of you and your people.