To honor ones' ancestors is giving honor to your personal blood line as well as the linage of our existence. We often call the ancestors by the Yoruba term Egun. Without the ancestors being pleased and blessing your work, you will not see very good results because, after all; ancestors always come FIRST!
Your egun are also a fundamental part of who you are and where you comefrom. In fact, when saluting your egun, you are declaring who you are in a direct way by the act of declaring where you came from. By connecting with your egun you affirm the continuity from the distant past towards the distant future.
To begin honoring the ancestors you should set aside a special area for them in your home and I will give you the method I use (and was taught) for setting up and using a Bóveda Espiritual which comes from the Espiritismo/Lucumi tradition. I suggest starting TODAY to build your Cuadro Espiritual (Spiritual Court) and you will notice an increase of protection, prosperity, and general happiness in your home and life.
HOW TO SET UP A BASIC BÓVEDA?
The bóveda is the place we most often go to to salute and to commune with egun (ancestors) on a daily basis. There are many different personal touches that make each practitioners' Bóveda different however there are a few things that are pretty much the same framework and these I will describe now so that you may begin working with your ancestors today!
Begin by covering a table or shelf with a white cloth. On this table or shelf place 7 clear glasses of cool water (some variations call for 9 glasses) with one being a larger goblet style glass. The 6 smaller glasses should be places in an open V formation, extending from the large glass. They represent the spirits who walk with you. The large glass is your central glass and represents your main guide, or a communal place for the ancestors to communicate through. Into this glass place a small metal crucifix. This will repel any evil spirits that may try to confuse or harm you.
Also put a red candle on the table. (Red being the color of blood to remind you of the ties to your ancestors) You should also hang a rosary over the table to represent God.
You should now sprinkle your Boveda with Holy Water and Florida Water. You should also sprinkle the boveda with these things every time you communicate with your ancestors or Cuadro Espiritual. If you have pictures of deceased relatives put these up on the Boveda, (or the wall above the actual table but do not include any pictures of the living.
Other offerings can be cigars, rum, black coffee, any foods that a particular spirit liked in life, and personal objects they owned in life, petitions, etc.
On the Bóveda should also be placed an image/statue of the African Spirits known as La Madama and El Congo. And an Indian Head to represent the Spirit El Indio.
By honoring these spirits we are acknowledging the African Spirits who brought the practices with them and the Native spirits who were here before the White man. (these statues can be purchased at most Botanicas)
Change the water, rum, cigar, candle and other offerings every week.
When you approach the boveda you should talk to them and say who you are and what you have come to do, etc. And listen...given time your ancestors will start to speak to you and you must listen. After a while you will be able to tell the difference between your thoughts and when the spirits are talking. And always speak from your heart. You can use various Catholic Prayers, The Our Father, Hail Mary, Gloria, etc. You may use Allan Kardec's book of prayers, or simply speak from the heart which is always the best. You can recite long prayers in Lucumi but if it doesn't come from the heart it means nothing.....
Blessings...
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