Samhain has long been a time for remembering the dead and honouring those who came before us.
At this turning point of the year, when the veil between worlds is said to grow thin, Wild Ancestors invites you into a sacred space of remembrance, and reconnection. This class offers a safely held sacred space to honour and connect with the ancestors, those whose wisdom, strength, and deep relationship with the land still echo through our blood and bones.
Some are close enough that we know their names. Others have disappeared from family memory. Beyond them are the much older ancestors, people who lived in very different relationships with land, community, season and the more-than-human world. These are what I have come to call our Wild Ancestors.
Through shamanic journeying, and guided practice, you’ll be invited to meet the Wild Ancestors, the elders of deep time who hold knowledge of belonging and balance. We explore how their wisdom can support us in our own healing and in reclaiming our relationship with the Earth. You will also be guided through the creation of a simple ancestral altar, to continue your practice of connection and remembrance.
During this day we will explore how ancestral connection can become part of an earth-centred spiritual practice, while making space to honour the many different ancestral lineages that have brought us to where we are today.
During the workshop we will explore:
Remembering and honouring our ancestors
What we mean by ancestors, and the different ancestral lineages we connect with through Spiritual Rewilding
The Wild Ancestors, and what it means to reconnect with these elders of deep time
Samhain as a time of remembrance, ancestral connection and ceremony
Creating and tending ancestral altars
Offerings and practices through which we can honour those who came before us
Shamanic journeying to meet and connect with the Wild Ancestors
Journeying to the Wild Ancestors
An important part of the day will be experiential. Through guided shamanic journeying, we will begin by reaching back through the generations, beyond the ancestors whose names we know, to encounter the deeper ancestral lineages behind us.
We will then have the opportunity to journey more deeply with a particular Wild Ancestor, exploring what can be learnt through building an ongoing relationship with those who came before.
Some previous experience of shamanic journeying will be helpful, but it is not essential. Each practice will be fully introduced, explained and guided.
Practical information
Date: Saturday 31st October 2026
Time: 10am to approximately 4pm
Arrival: From 9.30am, ready to begin at 10am
Venue: Heron Drums, Unit 4, Drumkeeran Enterprise Centre, Drumkeeran, Co. Leitrim, N41 P8D8
What to bring
A blanket or yoga mat and a pillow, so that you can be comfortable during the shamanic journeys.
Photographs, objects or other items connected with your ancestors, if you have something you would like to place on our ancestral altar. These do not need to relate only to recent family members, and they can be symbolic items.
An offering for the ancestors, such as flowers, herbs, food to lay out a plate for the ancestors at lunch time.
A drum or rattle, if you have one and would like to use it during the day. There will also be drums available.
A packed lunch. Teas and refreshments will be available throughout the day.
You do not need to know your family history or ancestry to participate. Our work will include the ancestors whose stories have been retained, but also the countless generations whose names have been lost.
Come prepared for a day of journeying, remembrance, ceremony and connection as we gather together at Samhain to honour those who walked before us.