ymib.com - Daily Inspiration

So much inspiration!

Thanks so much for all those great responses! I was apprehensive about the altar at first but now I have all these new ideas and I'm looking forward to it. Yall are a blessing :)

MY new Altar

I''ve recently created one...Currently I have pictures of my ancestors resting places. I have images of the ones that go back as far as early 1800's. So I was blessed when i went to Carriacou.

I have coconut shells, african comb, wooden center peice that will hold food/drink. candle holders, and a decorative incense holder.

For my grandmother's parents...i have no pictures so i wrote their names on a peice of paper and put it under the center plate.

I can't wait for the Ancestral teleconference on Thursday, to learn more ways that i can pay respects to my ancestors.

Don't Forget...

Mawiyah Kai EL-Jamah Bomani

Prepare a little something in honor of a particular ancestor (weekly, daily, monthly) however you can afford. It can be as small as a hot cup of coffee, light a cigar and let it sit in an ashtray if that was a particular favorite of a given ancestor or you can prepare a favorite dish and let it sit for a few hours or overnight (before placing it at the base of a tree). Also emblems from their time in this realm. I kept my grandfather's fedora hat on my altar. It was his favorite dress up hat. I remembered as a little girl watching him soft-step into my parents home on holidays tipping his hat as I gave him a kiss to the cheek. Inside the hat was always the most spectacular silver dollar( for me) and so when he passed on my mother gave me that very magical hat.

Ase

ancestral alter

WATER!! - is a must have on your alter.
My alter is pretty busy, but the most beautiful spaces for Egun that I have seen are the simple ones - a clear glass of water, a sprig of lavender and white cloth -
Let them tell you what they want.
Any articles of clothing worn by the deceased, favorite snacks (peanuts, chocolate), books they enjoyed (the bible , koran) are all nice additions to your space.
You've inspired me to write a post about creating a space for egun (ancestors) ;0)

- Odokemi
Iya mi ile odo

Ancestor Altar

Greetings:

I have an ancestral altar and I keep fresh flowers, a copy of my African DNA test results, dolls that I have collected from Africa and the Caribbean and artifacts from Africa.

Anything that you want to put on your altar would be acceptable. You may add things or take some away as time goes on. Go with what you feel is best for your altar.

Stay in Peace & Joy!