Book Title and Author: Ancestral Whispers: A Guide to Building Ancestral Veneration Practices by Ben Stimpson
Status?: Finished
My overall rating of the book: 9/10 (I took one point off because I would have preferred there to be example workings/evocations/etc., but I do understand and completely respect the author’s goals and publishing restraints in the writing of this book.)
How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: Lately, I’ve been wanting to connect with and honor my ancestors. I haven’t known where to start because I’m still trying to figure out the details of my path, and the description of the book sounded like it would be helpful in getting me to think about my worldview and help me come up with my own process of ancestor work.
My personal thoughts/opinions: I loved this book! It has so much great information and is written in a way that is informative without pushing one particular viewpoint or tradition. While the author does make it clear that they have studied several traditions, they are able to present aspects of many cultures that relate to the topics covered in the book in a neutral but respectful way, not implying that any one tradition or viewpoint is better than another.
One important thing that I think is important to point out about Ancestral Whispers is that if you are looking for a book that will provide any sort of “here’s-a-ritual-for-inviting-your-ancestors-to-join-in-your-magickal-working”-type of structure, this book is not it. There are no specific rituals, prayers, evocations, etc. provided, so if you are reading this book expecting direction in that regard, you may be disappointed. Because of this, I am having a hard time deciding if I would recommend this book to someone who is new to ancestor work. On the one hand, because it doesn’t provide any one specific viewpoint, it will get the reader thinking about different aspects of ancestor work to consider in developing a personal practice, so it is great in that it will not cause the reader to limit other input because they are so influenced by the first ritual for something they read. On the other hand, I feel that many people who are new to ancestor work would benefit from some form of an example ritual or working.
Despite not having any sample rituals, there are ample journal prompts that get you thinking about your worldview and how you can take those beliefs and apply them to your ancestor work. These questions were the kind that could prompt me to fill an entire notebook just to answer one question.
For the sake of brevity, I will quote a paragraph from the conclusion of the book that perfectly sums up the book and what I am trying to say about it:
In part one, I asked you to consider what you believe and how you see the ancestors. In part two, I asked you how your beliefs and worldview will affect how you communicate and collaborate with the ancestors through ritual. This book was not designed to be definitive; there are so many other pieces I feel have been left out, but it was designed to challenge. I hope that as you read this conclusion you come away with as many questions as you started with, but now with ideas on how to seek out the answers. (page 229)
An interesting quote from the book: “While many are interested in ancestral work to discover themselves, the relationships you build with your biological or affinity ancestors will impact your relationships to the living.” (page 230)
All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes