The idea of honoring our ancestors unfortunately is a practice that here in the Western world is often few and far between. Ancestors are more than just dead relatives, they are consistant guardians and spirit guides of your family. It seems that the mindset of the Western world is to honor the memory of those gone before us with a funeral and then try to remember the happy times and miss our loved ones. Throughout the Eastern world, ancestors play a pivotal role in their daily lives. The day starts usually with praying to the deities and then asking the ancestors for help throughout the day. Let's put it into a different perspective, if you were training for a huge athletic competition, the best thing would be to ask for the help and intercession of someone who has been there and done it before you. Same thing with the ancestors. They have ran the race and have crossed into the mystery that we all must eventually do. It doesn't hurt to ask for their help. It's also comforting to know you have someone on the other side watching over you, an eternal family. Honor your ancestors outside of Samhain, throughout the year and see how the blessings flow.
