Tlingit carved horn spoons -- The collectors -- Spoons in Tlingit culture -- Spoons in ceremonial use -- Spoons and shamans -- Spoons and their stories -- Spoons since the nineteenth century.

This dissertation seeks to provide an insight into the ritual life of the everyday religious actor of ancient India and the intellectual context of the contestation between the Brahmin and Buddhist religious experts over the construction of the householder ideal through a careful examination of the discourse on ancestor worship. The historical context of this dissertation is an important turning point in the religious history of South Asia: the transition from the Vedic religion to the formative stages of Hinduism, coincident with the rise of Buddhism. The theological construction of the ideal householder is the focal point of this cultural transformation in both traditions, and this study focuses on this everyday religious actor instead of the religious experts, exceptional religious figures, who usually occupy the spotlight in similar studies. The householder is the center of gravity around which both Brahmanical and Buddhist scholastic traditions revolve; they shape and construct their ideologies in response to the needs and desires of the householder, while advancing their own moral and social ideals. Both the Brahmanical and Buddhist scholars react to a broader religious tradition, Householder Religion, and this dissertation demonstrates two key characteristics of this response: 1. Brahmin and Buddhist experts occupy the same discursive space in their efforts to construct their notion of the 'proper householder' and 2. both traditions construct the ritual obligations of the householder in such a way as to secure for themselves, among other things, the role of mediator between the householder and various supernatural entities. This thesis focuses on the ancestral rites for three reasons. First, ancestral rites is given a central place throughout the period under discussion. Second, the family, the primary context for the householder, is defined by its lineage, thus the ancestors are central to the householder's self-definition in both social and religious terms. Third, the texts that describe the rituals of ancestor worship demonstrate the characteristics above more fully in both traditions than do texts that address the householder's other ritual obligations. Additionally, this allows me to briefly outline the historical development of ancestor worship in ancient India, a task long overdue.

Discover the Spiritual Nourishment and Magical Power of Ancestor Veneration Learn how to connect to your ancestors and receive the benefits that come from veneration—deeper spirituality, more love in your life, better outcomes in creative pursuits, powerful magic and spellwork, and an improved sense of wellness. Filled with hands-on techniques and tips, Honoring Your Ancestors shows you how to create an ancestor altar so you can work with ancestors of all kinds. Author Mallorie Vaudoise also shares fascinating ideas for incorporating rituals, spells, family recipes, and even practices like music and dancing to help you open this wonderful new dimension of your spiritual journey. Ancestor veneration is one of the most widespread spiritual practices in the world. This book shares the important distinctions between working with blood ancestors, lineage ancestors, and affinity ancestors while helping you recognize the signs that your ancestors are responding to your petitions and offerings. You will also explore important topics like mediumship and ancestral trauma so you can be sure to develop a veneration practice that's uplifting and affirming for you.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Exciting and provocative . . . A tour de force of a book that begs to be seen as well as to be read.”—The Washington Post Book World World renowned scientist Carl Sagan and acclaimed author Ann Druyan have written a Roots for the human species, a lucid and riveting account of how humans got to be the way we are. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a thrilling saga that starts with the origin of the Earth. It shows with humor and drama that many of our key traits—self-awareness, technology, family ties, submission to authority, hatred for those a little different from ourselves, reason, and ethics—are rooted in the deep past, and illuminated by our kinship with other animals. Sagan and Druyan conduct a breathtaking journey through space and time, zeroing in on critical turning points in evolutionary history, and tracing the origins of sex, altruism, violence, rape, and dominance. Their book culminates in a stunningly original examination of the connection between primate and human traits. Astonishing in its scope, brilliant in its insights, and an absolutely compelling read, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a triumph of popular science.

The twentieth anniversary edition of a transformative blueprint for ancestral healing—featuring new material and gateways, from the renowned herbalist, natural health expert, and healer of women’s bodies and souls “This book was one of the first that helped me start practices as a young woman that focused on my body and spirit as one.”—Jada Pinkett Smith Through extraordinary meditations, affirmations, holistic healing plant-based medicine, KMT temple teachings, and The Rites of Passage guidance, Queen Afua teaches us how to love and rejoice in our bodies by spiritualizing the words we speak, the foods we eat, the relationships we attract, the spaces we live and work in, and the transcendent woman spirit we manifest. With love, wisdom, and passion, Queen Afua guides us to accept our mission and our mantle as Sacred Women—to heal ourselves, the generations of women in our families, our communities, and our world.

2020 Gourmand World Cookbook Award Winner of the Gourmand International World Cookbook Award, Recovering Our Ancestors' Gardens is back! Featuring an expanded array of tempting recipes of indigenous ingredients and practical advice about health, fitness, and becoming involved in the burgeoning indigenous food sovereignty movement, the acclaimed Choctaw author and scholar Devon A. Mihesuah draws on the rich indigenous heritages of this continent to offer a helpful guide to a healthier life. Recovering Our Ancestors' Gardens features pointed discussions about the causes of the generally poor state of indigenous health today. Diminished health, Mihesuah contends, is a pervasive consequence of colonialism, but by advocating for political, social, economic, and environmental changes, traditional food systems and activities can be reclaimed and made relevant for a healthier lifestyle today. New recipes feature pawpaw sorbet, dandelion salad, lima bean hummus, cranberry pie with cornmeal crust, grape dumplings, green chile and turkey posole, and blue corn pancakes, among other dishes. Savory, natural, and steeped in the Native traditions of this land, these recipes are sure to delight and satisfy. This new edition is revised, updated, and contains new information, new chapters, and an extensive curriculum guide that includes objectives, resources, study questions, assignments, and activities for teachers, librarians, food sovereignty activists, and anyone wanting to know more about indigenous foodways.