Autumn is the season of the ancestors. Across cultures, this time of year is marked by ceremonies and celebrations like Día de los Muertos, Halloween/All Hallows’ Eve, Samhain, and many others—moments of ritual, remembrance, and collective stillness. All are invitations to sit with and honor those who have crossed to the other side.
They say the veil grows thin in autumn, granting us easier access to the wisdom, presence, and guidance of those who came before us.
This season always returns me to gratitude for ancestral gifts.
In the world of “healing” and “wellness”, we’re often met with encouragement to repair ancestral trauma, understand epigenetics, and excavate what has been carried through our lineage.
And while acknowledging and tending to generational wounds matters deeply, we can become so focused on mending past pain that we forget to offer thanks for what our ancestors generously placed in our hands—our stories, features, recipes, humor, talents, resilience, and the quiet wisdom that moves beneath our lives.
This season is also one of Thanksgiving—a time to reflect on the blessings we have received, to honor the gifts and abundance in our lives, and to hold space for the deeply painful and harmful truths of colonization, displacement, and the enduring struggles of Indigenous peoples. We can honor both the gifts our ancestors left us and the difficult legacies that shape our present, weaving gratitude and remembrance together.
In this spirit of reflection and connection, I’d like to offer you a guided practice for honoring the ancestral gifts that live within you. You can listen to the recording above, or follow the practice written below. May it support you in remembering the beauty that lives in your bones, and the blessings your ancestors entrusted to you.
Honoring Ancestral Gifts—A Guided Practice
Find a quiet space where you can be alone, ideally outdoors if possible. Light a candle or incense, whatever helps you ground and be present in the space.
Close your eyes (or gaze softly downward if closing your eyes doesn’t feel safe in this moment).
Take some deep belly breaths, inhaling through your nose, exhaling through your mouth.
Bring an ancestor into your mind’s eye. It can be a bloodline ancestor, a chosen family ancestor, or an ancestor of the earth (a tree, stone, etc.).
Think and feel into the gifts this ancestor has given you: a recipe, a story, a facial feature, a personality trait. It can be anything; there is no right or wrong.
Take time to truly appreciate this gift and this ancestor. Share your thanks with them. Give them a hug, whatever feels right for you in the moment. Again, there is no right or wrong.
When you feel complete, take a few more deep belly breaths. If your eyes are closed, slowly start to flutter them open and return to your space.
You can close the practice here or make an offering. My favorite is tobacco, but you can use anything that feels sacred—rosemary from the garden, flowers from the store, or gathered on a walk. Place your offering upon the earth, resting your hand gently upon it. Breathe gratitude into it, letting your thanks flow from the depths of your heart and into the offering, carrying the presence of your ancestor with you in this sacred moment.
Ancestral Altars
Another beautiful practice for this season is creating an ancestral altar. An ancient tradition held by cultures across the world, altars serve as vessels for our prayers and intentions—places where memory, devotion, and presence gather.
The altar pictured below is the one my family and I created for autumn. I threaded the marigold garland from flowers we grew in our garden, their bright petals a bridge between worlds. We’ll soon add photographs of our ancestors, and the altar will continue to take shape, piece by meaningful piece.
I hope these ancestral practices help you feel the nearness of your ancestors and the gifts they placed in your hands. May this season be one of remembering all those who have walked the path before us.
1 - Mother daughter led sound baths are back! My 10-year-old daughter, Matilda, and I are excited to start hosting sound baths together again, now at the beautiful and cozy NOWyoga in Charlottesville. Join us on Sunday, December 14, from 2 to 3 pm for a sound bath that eases stress and cultivates deep rest and relaxation.
This immersive experience blends spiritual and somatic practices with a rich variety of instruments, singing, and soundscapes. Together, these elements create space for expanded consciousness, introspection, and connection with your mind, body, and spirit. You’ll leave the sound bath with a quieted mind, open heart, and a profound sense of connection to yourself and the world around you.
Also, mark your calendars for January 18 and February 8 from 2 to 3 pm.
Register for the December 14 sound bath. Matilda and I would love to share this experience with you!!
2 - In the spirit of ancestral healing, I have been listening to The Baton by Katie Gavin every day. She encapsulates the experience of ancestral healing so powerfully. I cry every time I listen. It’s been especially potent to listen to this song with my daughter. Check it out.
3 - Magical realism novels. A year or two ago, my dear friend Heather introduced me to this genre of fiction, and ever since, I’ve been devouring book after book. My favorite authors in this genre are Sarah Addison Allen, Alice Hoffman, Rachel Vasquez Gilliand, Heather Webber, and Rachel Harrison. I check the books out at my local library instead of buying; it’s saved me lots of money, and who doesn’t love supporting our libraries!
4 - Speaking of books, I’ve also been diving into my dear friend Angelica Merritt’s book, Womb Witch. It is a bible for people with wombs. Angelica imbues her deep wisdom throughout, and I’ve learned so much from her. I’ve been giving it to loved ones and cannot recommend it enough. Get your copy and gift one too.
5 - More books :) I also cannot recommend Anastasia Miari’s cookbooks, Mediterranea and Yiayia, enough. She travels the Mediterranean, learning family recipes from local grandmothers. The books are gorgeous, and the recipes are highly approachable. I will be gifting some of these this holiday season, too. Get your copy.
6 - Rainbo mushrooms. I love all of their potent and high-quality adaptogenic mushrooms, especially their 11:11 tincture. You can get 15% OFF everything using the code WAVERLY. Check it out. P.S. Their products make great holiday gifts :)
With love and gratitude,
Waverly
♡