This past Sunday we held our annual Ancestor’s ceremony. We usually perform this ceremony during the Days of the Dead, but this year we delayed it due to our India trip.

The ceremony remembers those who have gone before us, those who have created the conditions for our lives. We honor all beings who have passed from our lives, as well as those who are yet to be born. In the great Circle of Life those yet to come are are also our Ancestors, just as we are theirs. During the ceremony we request healing for all beings who wish or need it.

This year, we dedicated the ceremony to the victims of the Sri Lankan genocide, both the living and the dead. We placed South Asian foods and fruit on the altar, alongside the various food offerings brought by those who attended the ceremony, and lit a central candle in remembrance of the victims. Continue reading →