Ancestral Medicine
Rituals for Personal and Family Healing
Foor presents a sensible case for the positive benefits associated with ancestral contact.
As a teenager, Daniel Foor experienced “contact with nonphysical beings or spirits.” Rather than dismiss the experience as unreal, he pursued it into adulthood, and he now uses “ancestor reverence” as a psychotherapist and an “ancestor-focused ceremonialist.” Foor shares his beliefs, and detailed instructions for communicating with ancestors, in this well-structured book.
The book introduces the practice of ancestral contact with the basic premise that “consciousness continues after death” and that it is quite possible for the living and dead to communicate. Communication can be prompted or happen “spontaneously” via dreams, as just one example.
The work then delves deeply into how to relate with ancestors, and also how to engage in “linear repair work,” and provides very clear instructions for how best to accomplish this. Especially interesting is the chapter titled “Assisting the Remembered Dead,” which includes a process for helping “especially troubled ghosts.”
Foor also explores interacting with human ancestors who may not be related by blood, such as ancestors of tradition or friends and mentors. Content concerning different types of burials and rituals surrounding death makes for fascinating reading.
It is probable that some readers may be skeptical of the very idea of communicating with ancestors; for such nonbelievers, the book’s appendix, “Distinguishing Talking with Spirits from Psychosis,” presents a reasoned argument that individuals who engage in spirit communication are far from unbalanced.
Ancestral Medicine is both illuminating and instructive. Throughout the book, Foor takes pains to avoid sensationalizing his subject matter; instead, he presents a sensible case for the positive benefits associated with ancestral contact while admitting that there can be potentially negative results from such engagement.
Foor’s levelheaded explanations, accompanied by detailed exercises, demonstrate his ability to be a patient, thorough guide. This is an excellent manual for those who wish to pursue contact with the spirit world to take advantage of the personal knowledge and, ultimately, the healing they can gain from their ancestors.
Reviewed by
Barry Silverstein
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
