Connecting with your ancestors isn’t as hard as it seems. It just takes a little thought and effort. Sometimes a simple prayer is enough to contact the ancestors from beyond the hedge. Sometimes a specific herb or crystal also helps bridge the gap between the mundane and spirit worlds. Here’s my MUST-have crystals and herbs for ancestor work.

First, Why Work With Our Ancestors?

When I first came to the pagan path, there was no real emphasis on working with ancestors. The books and information I came across were more Wiccan in topic and mostly encouraged working with a god and a goddess. Which is great! But as I progressed in my spiritual practice, I felt that something important was missing. Then I began building a family tree online and the realization hit me that our ancestors are important too. And the more I learned of our ancient pagan ways, the more I knew that our ancestors honored their ancestors too. So I began working with my ancestors in my spiritual and magical practice.

The reason it’s important and helpful to work with your ancestors is many-fold. First, they are the people who paved the way on this planet for you to be here. Many of them put blood, sweat, and tears into their lives and their childrens’ lives in order to make it possible for us to live. Some traveled far distances to foreign lands to make a better life for themselves and their descendants, including you. In addition, working with your ancestors not only helps you heal yourself but also your bloodline…sometimes even breaking barriers and healing generational curses. Not to mention, our ancestors are protective of us, warn us of oncoming danger, and teach us things.

6 Must-Have Crystals for Ancestor Work

The way you use crystals in your practice is up to you. There’s no limit to how they can be used, as long as it’s safe. Remember, there are stone stones and crystals that break down easily when added to water, slough off, or even release potentially harmful chemicals. So do your research before using crystals and stones with other elements, etc.

1. Obsidian: 

Obsidian has been used as a potent scrying tool for thousands of years. It is actually hardened volcanic lava turned into a glass-like rock. Because of its use in divination to “see” the other side, and because it is connected to your root chakra (which connects you to the earth) makes it a powerful stone to use in contacting one’s ancestors. I recommend obsidian over all other must have crystals to work with the ancestors. Peer into obsidian’s blackness and scry a message from your ancestors. Hold onto it at night before going to sleep to stimulate contact.

2. Selenite:

Selenite is connected to the crown chakra – your direct line to the Divine. It is high-vibrational and self-cleanses. Selenite’s white light brings clarity and breaks through debris that clouds our auras blocking us from connecting with our ancestors. Use selenite in conjunction with obsidian, as it can leave you feeling “flighty” after use and obsidian is a strong grounding stone. I set a selenite wand on top of a deck of oracle cards that I use to talk to my ancestors. I feel it cleanses and charges the cards for use.

3. Amethyst:  

Most crystal-lovers know amethyst to be a powerful intuition and psychic ability crystal. It aids in opening the third eye and increases prophetic dreams. When our third eye is opened, our ancestors speak to us through our dreams, thoughts and visions. Amethyst is a multi-purpose must have crystal for your collection. Keep it by the bed, in a dream pillow or spell bag, or hold it during ancestral meditations.

4. Lapis Lazuli for Ancestor Work

Another third eye stone, lapis lazuli was used by the Ancient Egyptians to honor royalty in the afterlife. Because of its connection with the ancient dead, it is a potent tool to use in ancestor work. And because it opens your third eye, it aids in helping you connect with your bloodline and past lives (which may have been lived as one of your own ancestors). Be careful with this stone – if you wear it too long, it may make you feel “flighty”. Take breaks working with it.

5. Bloodstone:

Bloodstone is known to heal cardiovascular illness and disease. It “gets the blood pumping” so to speak, and therefore has a link to ancestor work. The blood in our veins is the blood that once ran through our ancestors’ veins, therefore bloodstone is a must have stone for ancestor work. Not to mention is a powerful healing stone for physical and emotional ailments. Hold it to your heart when doing any kind of ancestral medicine work.

6. Smoky Quartz for Ancestor Work

Smoky quartz is great for divination, particularly for scrying. The smoky quality makes it a liminal stone – neither here nor there. Neither mundane nor spiritual. But both. It’s a great stone to use in ancestor work, especially when you’re using divination to contact the ancestors. 

7. Black Tourmaline for Nightmares

Our ancestors protect us everywhere we go. They’re even there when we sleep, watching over us. Sometimes our most vulnerable state is when we are asleep…so it just makes sense that black tourmaline would be a stone the ancestors would like for us to work with. I keep a piece of it by my bed so that when I’m experiencing any kind of nightmare or even psychic attack, I can reach out and grab it. Then immediately ask my ancestors for their protection.

6 Must-Have Herbs for Ancestor Work

1. Mugwort for Ancestor Work

This must have herb not only has protective qualities but also enhances psychic visions, dreams, and astral travel. Ancestors often come to us in our dreams and through psychic visions, so mugwort is an essential herb in connecting with our beloved dead. Some paranormal investigators burn mugwort to attract ghosts. If you have Germanic ancestors, mugwort is directly connected to their ancient magical practices.

2. Wormwood:

If burned, wormwood summons the dead. Be careful if burning – the fumes may be toxic. Burn in a well-ventilated area (outside is best). Wormwood was the key ingredient in absinthe, a popular “hallucinogenic” beverage made in past centuries. The hallucinogenic ingredient in wormwood is called thujone, which is also present in mugwort. Some people are sensitive to the thujone in this must have herb, while others aren’t affected at all! 

3. Bay: 

Bay leaves have been known for centuries to enhance psychic abilities. Ancient Roman priests chewed on bay leaves to acquire messages from the gods. You might even have this herb in your kitchen pantry! Bay may be burned, simmered, added to culinary dishes like sauce and soup, and much more. You can even write your intentions on a bay leaf before burning or adding to spells.

4. Tobacco:  

A must have herb in spirit work, tobacco is used in Voodoo and Hoodoo traditions as offerings to the spirits. To many Native Americans, tobacco was smoked as an initiation to many things including friendships, alliances, and at the beginning of a long journey. Tobacco before it was widely farmed was a much more potent herb as far as hallucinogenic properties. It still has the connection today but maybe not the potency it once did.

5. Pine:  

helpful when connecting with one’s ancient ancestors, pine represents the evergreen trees of prehistoric past. It burns easily and has been known for its resin for hundreds of years. Pine represents immortality and renewal, therefore is a must have herb in talking to the ancestors. Burn it as a loose incense (it burns quickly so be careful here!), add it to spell bags, bottles, etc. If you find a branch with needles still attached, it can be used as a natural besom/witch’s broom to cleanse your space.

6. Rose

Rose petals, rosebuds, and rose essential oil tends to be a favorite among my maternal ancestors. The rose’s power is frequently underestimated. Not only is the rose potent for beauty rituals, it’s also powerful for protection spells AND for ancestor work, particularly with communication. Drip rose essential oil on your ancestor candle, spritz rose water around your ancestors’ altar space, and make rosebud tea in their honor. Clip off the thorns and add to protection spell bottles (including traditional witch’s bottles), bags, jars, candle spells and more.

7. Skullcap

Recently I called on an ancestor who was a teacher to aid me in a school conference. One of the herbs I used in the invocation spell was skullcap. Skullcap has an amazing ability to a. calm down a situation. And b. connect us with our ancestors. For me, it’s all in a name. And skullcap says it all. Plus when taken in the proper amounts it is a known sleep aid (obviously talk to your healthcare provider before starting any herbal regimen).

More Ancestor Articles:

• DNA Kits and Ancestor Work: Your Ethnicity and Spirituality
• I Am Odin’s Granddaughter: How I found the Allfather in My Family Tree
• Dumb Supper: How to Host a Sacred Ancestral Dinner for Samhain