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Ancestral Medicine and Communicating with the Dead
As in the essay on mindfulness, the following material on the subject of the ancestors was taken off the internet from several different sites. Our reason for doing this is so the reader can see what proponents of ancestral medicine are saying rather than a critique from those of us who disavow it. And the reason we stand against it, despite its growing popularity, is that it is another practice that easily leads to being invaded by demonic spirits, which is why it takes its place in this book.
What does ancestral medicine encourage?
Everyone has loving and wise ancestors they can learn to invoke for support and healing. Coming into relationship with your ancestors empowers you to transform negative family patterns into blessings and encourages good health, self-esteem, clarity of purpose, and better relationships with your living relatives.
What does it mean to heal your ancestors?
When we reconcile with ancestors who experienced different types of persecution or who enacted violence and oppression, we make repairs in our personal psyches and family histories that, in turn, mend cracks in the larger spirit of humanity.
How can I heal my ancestors?
Make prayers to your Ancestors and speak your desire to heal the wounds in your Family and your DNA. Burn the plant offering with this prayer. Know that you are supported by your ancestors in this endeavor and feel their love and support. Read the Release Intention and Burn it in the Fire.
How do you start ancestral healing?
Begin simply, by making a family tree that includes everyone up until your grandparents (or great-grandparents if you have access to that information). Then, next to each person, write down any and all traumas they endured. 93
How do you release ancestral trauma?
Four ways to break ancestral trauma:
- Acceptance of your parents as they are/were.
- Acknowledge unconscious loyalties to pain/addiction you might be carrying from your lineage.
- Everyone belongs, no matter what; each person must be given a place.
- Release what doesn’t belong to you; own what does.
What is ancestral bloodline?
Bloodline Powers: You have the power of your collective ancestors surrounding you, and the powers you gain manifest in part due to the heroic or dastardly deeds your family members have achieved before your time. You have been selected by these spirits to build upon your family’s greatness.
How do I make my ancestors happy?
The easiest way to venerate ancestors is simple: put a photo of the deceased beside a glass of water and a white candle and talk to them or recite their favorite prayers. You can also add food or drinks they enjoyed. There is no right or wrong way to honor those who have passed on.
How do I connect with my ancestors spiritually?
In addition to prayer, calling on your ancestors in meditation is likely the easiest and fastest way to feel their presence. Take time to sit in meditation for 10–30 minutes, specifically calling whichever ancestor by name you feel most connected to and ask them to talk to you!
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Following are some remarks on two biblical passages that relate to ancestral connections, both from the Hebrew Bible, the first from the Torah, Leviticus 20:6 and 27, then from the prophets, Isaiah 8:19.
L_e_v_i_t_i_c_u_s_ _2_0_:_6_:
[6] “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. (ESV)
Our focus is on the word “necromancers.” The passages concern people who want to connect with dead people, usually ancestors, and they turn to mediums and necromancers to help with this task. Both mediums and necromancers offer to contact the dead. And the passage is clear that such were rejected by God and cut off from the people of Israel.94
L_e_v_i_t_i_c_u_s_ _2_0_:_2_7_ _
[27] “A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them.” (ESV)
Now the passage speaks specifically about the medium and the necromancer. Not only those who want to connect with ancestors by means of mediums or necromancers are to cut off from the people of God but also the mediums, and this by means of execution.
D_e_u_t_e_r_o_n_o_m_y_ _1_8_:_9_–1_2_a_ _
[9] “When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. [10] There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer [11] or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, [12] for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD.
Thus comes a second warning from the Torah, and again the message is the same, clearly stating, “one who inquires of the dead.”
God’s word does not assume that the dead can actually be contacted—they are dead, and there is no available pathway to them—but there are evil spiritual entities that do impersonate the dead.
I_s_a_i_a_h_ _8_:_1_9_ _
[19] And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? (ESV)
Again, now from Isaiah who lived hundreds of years after the writing of Leviticus, comes the same message. The land of Israel had been occupied for long periods by those who practiced occult arts, and the Israelites copied them. Here now comes reality from their creator God, that His people should seek Him rather than the mediums and necromancers.
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How do you know if you are receiving an Ancestral call?
And for some, ancestors speak to them until it is like they are mentally disturbed. And some cannot find a job or cannot have children. The physical symptoms most commonly related to the calling, are: (severe) headache, 95
stomachache, burning feet, back pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, palpitations and fainting.
We question whether this, then, is something to be desired and sought!
What is respect for the ancestors?
The veneration of the dead, including one’s ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Some groups venerate their direct, familial ancestors.
What is the relationship between God and ancestors?
Together with their descendants, ancestors worship God. As mediators between God and humankind, ancestors do not possess the power to mediate salvation. Ancestors remain in contact with descendants for quite some time
How do I pray to my ancestors?
God, Source of all hope and love, Hear our prayers for our ancestors. May the road they walked in pursuit of peace and joy in you Mirror for us the same peace and joy we long for. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
How do you call ancestors?
In addition to prayer, calling in your ancestors in meditation is likely the easiest and fastest way to feel their presence. Take time to sit in meditation for 10–30 minutes and specifically call-in whichever ancestor by name you feel most connected to and ask them to talk to you!
What is ancestor karma?
Ancestral karma has been described as karma, which is made up of our ancestors’ habits and beliefs, wrongdoings and right doings, and middle-of-the-road actions.
What are the signs of having a calling? Here are 7 signs you have found your calling.
- Your actions match your plans. You make big plans and then you carry out the actions to match. . . .
- You reach a state of flow. . . .
- You can’t be deterred. . . .
- You suspect you’re onto something. . . .
- Your output is huge. . . .
- You’re happy. . . .
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- You’re making progress.
Your Calling Is Closely Tied to What You Enjoy
Always be watchful for that same feeling. When you find yourself in the middle of a task, hobby, or job and notice that same satisfaction, know that you have found the point where your God-given talents align with the tasks He has laid before you.
What does the Bible say about ancestral spirits?
Some have used Leviticus 19:26b-32 to justify the veneration of ancestor spirits. It reads: “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD” (NIV).
Of course, this completely misses the point of respecting one’s living elderly and also completely ignores the passages quoted earlier from Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Isaiah.
What religion believes in ancestor worship?
Ancestor worship and reverence to family are fundamental elements of Confucianism. Rituals to honour ancestors are extremely important and must be performed in precise ways. By carrying them out properly, an individual can receive the aid and cooperation of deceased relatives.
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Here now is the danger. Contact with an entity who disguises itself as a dead ancestor is very deceiving. A person is convinced when he or she hears a voice that exactly fits with the ancestor. This entity also knows secret things that only the two, the voice and the person, could possibly know. However, it is no actual ancestor; it is an impersonation. How the demonic kingdom has this knowledge is quite incredible and chilling. One suspects that there are always prying demonic eyes watching us in order to gain the ammunition needed for this kind of deception. We have even experienced, during sessions of deliverance ministry, demons trying to derail its being cast out by blurting out (accurate) accusations against us, the ministers, about sins we ourselves had committed. With the collected information the demons have stored, anyone could be deceived.
We therefore see that the further danger for the person in contact with who they think is a long-gone ancestor is being open to invasion by the very demonic spirits who are impersonating the supposed ancestor.
Fifty-two years of experience in the pastorate has proven that grieving people may be vulnerable to this sort of deception. In particular, recovering from the death of a loved one puts one in a vulnerable frame of mind, easily manipulated 97
by the magnet of a chance to interact with that loved one again. We have recently encountered this, when a man stated, quite seriously, that his dead wife was waiting to speak with him. Such a powerful temptation!
There is a parable of Jesus that fits in right here. It is titled, by the editors of the English Standard Version of the Bible, as “The Rich Man and Lazarus.” It is found in Luke 16:19–31.
[19] “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. [20] And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, [21] who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. [22] The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, [23] and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. [24] And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ [25] But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. [26] And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ [27] And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—[28] for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ [29] But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ [30] And he said, ‘No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ [31] He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
Lazarus is a poor man and is “carried by the angels to Abraham’s side,” or to Abraham’s bosom in some versions. “Abraham’s side” is an ancient Jewish term for heaven, or the presence of God.
Then the rich man, who knew Lazarus, also died and was carried not to heaven but to Hades, a term used in that era by Jewish people as a very awful place full of torment and misery. (Hades would be more completely identified as hell, a place ruled over by Satan and his demons.)
In the parable, and not necessarily to be taken literally (commentators disagree on this issue), the rich man sees Lazarus in a place of tranquility and goodness. The rich man wants Abraham to send Lazarus with a drop or two of water. Abraham’s response is the core of what we are presenting here. It is verse 26: “And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been 98
fixed, in order that those who pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us”.
This is only a parable, but it contains great truth. No one comes back to the planet once dead. Throughout Christian history, theologians and all Bible commentators have not maintained that there is a crossing over from heaven to hell or from hell to heaven. The destinations are fixed.
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Ancestral Medicine
Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing, by Daniel Foor, Ph.D., published in 2017, describes perhaps the clearest presentation of what Ancestral Medicine is. Following is a brief presentation of the core of some of his points.
In the introduction to the three sections of the book, he speaks of spontaneous ancestor contact such as dream visits, waking visions, and synchronicities. Also, the reader may “learn to partner with wise and loving ancestors to assist the souls of any deceased family members who have not yet joined the ancestors” (p. 3).
All of the dead then are not necessarily part of the “ancestors,” but those who are may be contacted through various shamanistic and psychic processes. He will go on in the book to explain how to contact ancestors, which he says will be healing in many ways.
Part One: Foundations of Ancestor Work
Chapter one, My Personal Journey with the Ancestors.
He states on page 10, “Allow space for personal reflection as you read, and stay open to helpful dream visits or other spontaneous contact from your loving and supportive ancestors.”
He expects the reader will be contacted, but this contact will not be with ancestors, it will be with demons who impersonate dead ancestors. Based on what we have experienced, the very idea that an ancestor may be contacted is enough for a demon to play the role and make the contact.
Dr. Noor concludes the chapter by encouraging any attempt to connect with an ancestor. “There is nothing unusual about having a healthy, ongoing relationship with our ancestors; in fact, it’s one of the most inherently human things we could do” (p. 12).
Chapter two, Who are the Ancestors?
Dr. Noor states that our oldest ancestors lived more than 200,000 thousand 99
years ago in Africa, know the entire journey of human beings, and “are custodians of our generic and cultural memory” (p. 21).
Key to his understanding of the ancestors, he asserts that some of these are “deeply at peace, while others may still be working things through” (p. 21).
The author states that the dead are not dead, and says that “most indigenous peoples, animists, shamans, pagans, spiritual healers, and others who intentionally relate to the dead would agree with the following four assertions: 1) Consciousness continues after death; 2) Not all of the dead are equally well; 3) The living and the dead can communicate; and 4) The living and the dead can strongly affect one another.
He thus lays the groundwork for communicating with souls or spirits. Satan could not have expressed it better. Indeed, the reader is being groomed for talking with the dead.
The dead are no more dead, Dr. Noor states, “than angels, gods, the spirits of plants and animals, or other unseen forces” (p. 23). But then, he says it is best when thinking about the living and the dead to think of the distinction between human souls who are currently living and souls who were previously living and with whom we can still relate. Indeed, “throughout this book I refer to ‘the ancestors’ interchangeably with ‘the dead’ (meaning all human souls not incarnate on Earth at this time)” (p. 26).
This sets the stage for the enormous lie, the lie of the “soul.” Every one of the psychic therapies or practices depend on the concept that there is a soul trapped or living in a human body and which is the true essence of the individual. This concept of the soul is mere confusion, and the essay, “Soul Confusion” presented in this book details where and how this tragic error is derived.
The author, Dr. Noor, writes about how the living and the dead can communicate. “Contact between the living and the dead can take many forms. Sometimes the deceased come unsolicited as visitors in our dreams. Sometimes they speak through waking visions or synchronicities, or at times when our psychological defenses are thin (e.g., near-death experiences, altered states)” (p. 27).
Synchronicity: this concept came from Carl Jung. The term refers to two or more events that are meaningfully related but which otherwise would be unlikely to occur.
But then, some will seek to contact the dead by means of “ancestor reverence,” which can include ancestor-focused prayer, meditation, inspired song, and creative expression; psychic and mediumship practices; some types of divination; and any other practice that facilitates communication (p. 28).
Here is where occult practices like mediumship intersect with meditation. When one engages is various forms of the psychic occult one opens oneself up to being invaded by demonic spirits. Based on lengthy experience, the 100
initial contact or invasion can be either frightening or stimulating, sometimes both. Something occurs, and not merely an emotional something, but something real and tangible, though it may remain mysterious for some period.
Once the initial event occurs, contact with the dead may be initiated by the living person, or the dead ancestor may initiate the contact. Interestingly, Dr. Noor admits that “the ancestors can confer blessings of health and longevity, or they can send us to an early grave” (p. 29). Yes, the idea is that some ancestors are mature and benevolent and some the opposite. “We on Earth can also benefit the ancestors. . . . when we speak well of them and feed them through heartfelt offerings (e.g., food, drink, flowers)” (p. 29). After all, death is just the beginning of a rite of passage for the recently deceased.
Of interest is that Dr. Noor states that ancestors are not only real, but they are also not all equally well, and they can and will communicate, even if we do not seek the contact. The ancestors can give gifts of longevity and fertility and give a person an even temperament.
Ancestor “reverence” practitioners will sometimes encourage knowing the names of ancestors back to seven generations; thus, as many as 254 ancestors may be made known to them. But all of these ancestors may not be equipped to be “supportive” family ancestors, and such can cause “disruption and disequilibrium for the living” (p. 35).
Yes, this so-called gifting and knowledge is not all that can be given; indeed, ancestors may open the door to physical and mental illness.
It is interesting to note that Dr. Noor repeatedly states that there are often experiences when ancestors whose souls indwell or contact a living person may not prove to be a wholesome event.
In our years of doing the work of “casting out of demons,” we have often seen the disruption experienced with those who have “souls” living in them or have contacted them. Our experience, and that of countless others, confirms that the presence of such ancestors is frightening to the point they are compelled to find help.
Dr. Noor draws a distinction between “ancient ancestors” and those a person knew during their life on Earth. “No longer tethered to Earth by name or living memory, these older ancestors often appear to living people as a group or a collective energy” (p. 36). These spirits may appear as more loving and peaceful than those who departed more recently, and they may be in a state of restlessness and pain. So, it is said there is a “family lineage repair process,” whereby older and younger family ancestors can be helped (p. 40). Noor also states, “Although it’s not usually the case, it is entirely possible that such work will destabilize your life” (p. 41).
A summary of the chapter is given on page 42: “This chapter began with 101
the question, ‘Who are the ancestors?’ To summarize, our ancestors include both the remembered dead and those ancestors whose names are forgotten. Both our recent and our older, collective ancestors influence our identity and sense of place in the world: ideally, we will include both in our practices of ancestor reverence.”
Ancestors is a word that has good feelings associated with it; those in our family tree that we can know and benefit from—this is the author’s premise. He does not realize, or maybe he does, that he is inviting people to become indwelt by demons and not merely by making contact. And who can resist such a generous invitation?
Chapter three: Spontaneous Ancestral Contact
Contact and communication with ancestors can be sought or they can happen spontaneously, Dr. Noor explains. This latter means of contact may happen all of a sudden, without warning or intent. The spirit or soul of an ancestor just shows up and makes itself known. Dr. Foor says that “either type of contact can be helpful, harmful, or both” (p. 46).
Contact can be made by means of dreams—not that a person merely dreams about the ancestor, but that the ancestor actually shows up in a dream. To acknowledge the contact, a person might make a simple offering to the ancestor, such as a prayer, lighting a candle, or pouring out a libation when awake. If the contact is that of a “troubled dead,” someone who has not yet become an ancestor, one can “make prayers, dedicate offerings, direct positive energy, and even conduct healing rituals for the elevation of these ancestors” (p. 47).
Dr. Noor says that it is relatively common that ancestors show up when a person is in some altered or passive state of consciousness. And if such an event unexpectedly occurs, the encounter was likely with the troubled dead.
Here now the deception runs deep. These “ancestors” are not ancestors at all but are what are sometimes referred to as “familiar” spirits, demons who impersonate dead people and appear and sound like an actual person. It can be very deceiving and again, such contact will eventually, if not quickly, result in demon possession.
Dr. Noor, in my opinion, is not attempting to deceive the reader but does sincerely believe in what he is relaying. My attempt to contact him and request an interview was rejected.
Chapter Four: Ancestor Reverence and Ritual
There are many ways, says Dr. Noor, to relate to and communicate with one’s ancestors. One way is “ancestor reverence” and may involve many different forms and rituals. He says that many religions practice and perform rituals for 102
this including those in the animistic and shamanistic traditions, Buddhism and even Christianity.
The word “Christianity” reminds us of the Catholic tradition of praying to saints including the Virgin Mary. Although we know as Christians that we pray alone to “Our Father, who is in heaven,” there are certainly Christian brothers and sisters who, when praying, say, “Lord Jesus hear my prayer” or “Holy Spirit hear my prayer.” Such is not concerning since our Lord is Three-in-One and One-in-Three.
Dr. Noor believes it is right to connect with our ancestors, because “we are bonded with the ancestors as life to death, light to shadow” (p. 57). He goes on to say, “One reason for engaging the ancestors is to more fully receive their support in our everyday living. Another reason is to extend support to the troubled dead” (p. 57). He also speaks of talking with dead ancestors and states that one needs to be careful, as others who overhear such conversation might wonder what is going on.
Rituals are the focus now, and he mentions Celtic Samhain, the Mexican Day of the Dead, and the Japanese Obon festival as illustrative of such rituals. There are many others, of course, and he discusses how to establish them.
Surprisingly, Dr. Noor states that the “troubled dead” can be a problem to the point that a “full exorcism may be needed to untangle the spirit of the deceased from the living” (p. 58).
He does not understand that all of the so-called ancestors, troubled or not, are demons.
“As stated in chapter 3, the living may experience direct contact with spirits of the deceased at any time” (p. 63). And this may occur by means of meditation, trance, and by direct intuition. Meditation is a usual and common way for entering into a trance type state or by what Dr. Noor terms direct intuition.
Meditation, in every book we read, written both by those who support mindful meditation practices and by those who know these are means to connecting with evil spirits, know it is a manner in which ancestors, meaning demons, connect with humans.
Dr. Noor notes that it is necessary to “trigger a shift in consciousness, which allows us to hear ancestral spirits more clearly” (p. 64) and the means to create such a shift include meditation, contemplation, vision quests, fasting, retreats, even drumming and rattling, intensive song and dance, psychological and physical ordeals, and the intentional use of psychoactive substances.
It has become popular is some Christian churches and ministries to focus on a type of worship where music dominates, meaning the praise band, with long periods of ecstatic arm waving, dancing, and closing of the eyes, and then words of prophecy (so-called) are heard. This has been present for some 103
decades and only recently have there been some corrections.
Part Two: Healing with Lineage and Family Ancestors
This second part “presents a framework and exercises to support direct engagement with loving and wise ancestors for the intention of personal, family, and lineage healing” (p. 72). And this includes greeting ancestral guides and other elevated ancestors, helping troubled ancestors, and much more.
Chapter Five: Family Research and Initiating Ancestral Healing
Dr. Noor describes how to “directly engage the spirits of your ancestors.” By this he means that it is time to “invite and start talking to dead people and listening for their responses” (p. 79).
One of the vital processes is to become attuned to a person’s four primary bloodlines, these being one’s grandparents, two on each side. He then describes six stages for the work of speaking and hearing from dead ancestors. This is something Dr. Noor promotes, teaches, and uses to help supposedly troubled ancestors, thus the title for his book, Ancestral Medicine.
We must be blunt here, because Noor is promoting what is often referred to as channeling and acting as a medium and a necromancer. The Hebrew Bible, in Deuteronomy 18:9–12 speaks to these “abominable practices”:
[9] “When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. [10] There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer [11] or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, [12] for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you. (ESV)
Note the phrase in verse 11, “inquires of the dead.” Clearly Dr. Noor ignores this, (he likely is aware of it), but he encourages and teaches others to engage in these “abominable practices. Based on nearly fifty years of dealing with people who desired to have demons cast out of them and having acquired these evil spirits by means of any number of occult practices/arts, among those listed in Deuteronomy, we agree with the biblical warning.
The numbers of those involved in contacting the so-called dead is growing exponentially. We do not mean to imply that those who engage in occult practices like that of speaking to the dead are evil people. No, they simply have been lured into a “spiritual” practice that is demonic. The devil and his demon 104
angels are spiritual and have powers that amaze and fool many of us.
Chapter Six: Meeting with Ancestral Guides
The focus here is how to “converse with bright ad elevated ancestors through practices of trance work and guided visualization” (p. 96). The guides are spirits of people who once lived on the earth and are part of a person’s actual blood ancestors. The guides are able to help their living ancestors and help any troubled dead. Dr. Noor refers to them as our “elders in spirit.” (p. 97)
Various types of rituals are used in order to make contact with ancestral guides, the author states. “This section explores ritual structure, energetic protection, the use of nonordinary states of consciousness, ways to distinguish imagination and fantasy from authentic spirit contact.” (p. 100) On the next page we find that “During ritual, participants sometimes work with nonordinary states of consciousness or access strong emotion.”
On page 102, Dr. Noor says, “If you intend to communicate with ancestral guides or other spirits of the dead, then you will likely need to enter into a state of awareness that is conducive to this type of dialogue.”
Dr. Noor notes that there are a number of ways to prepare oneself to make communication with the spirits of the ancestors without using consciousness-altering substances. These include “mindful and medically safe fasting or eating lightly . . . engaging in exercise or disciplines like yoga, dance, chi gong, and martial arts.” (p. 102) He says one must “take caution” if one uses alcohol, cannabis, peyote, ayahuasca, and pyschoactive mushrooms to get into the proper state of mind for rituals. Instead, he does recommend meditation and drumming for the shifting of consciousness. The meditating is to calm and still, and the drum is for sensory stimulation. He also mentions “rattling,” the sound of the Native flute or recorder that will “support a light trance” (p. 103).
We take note of the phrase “nonordinary states of consciousness” above. This reveals that the contacting of spirits involves an altered, passive, or shamanistic state of being. At this stage, the “therapist” enters into such a state by varying means often termed meditative or mindful states of consciousness.
In our studies of these states of consciousness and conversing with those involved with various meditative practices, we discovered that the early stages of meditation and similar routines will most often produce pleasant and peaceful states of mind in the practitioner. There is no denying it; however, things will change over time and not for the better. This is when such a person may become fearful, disoriented, and may seek out help to deal with what turns out to be the presence of evil spirits. And it is only Jesus Christ who casts out demons. His followers, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, do this ministry today.
Of course, Dr. Noor does not understand or perhaps is even unwilling to admit, 105
that the spirits are not good at all. This would upset all he has committed himself to and would even cause him to wonder about the true nature of these ancestral spirits.
Let us state once again: the ancestral ancestors are demons and not souls. In our view, one of the greatest deceptions ever to ascend from the nether region is the idea that a person has a soul inside the body, and which survives the death of the body. (See the chapter titled Soul Confusion for more on this subject.)
Under the heading “Ways to Deepen Relationships with Ancestral Guides,” Dr. Noor states the first way is to “spend quality time with the ancestral guide” (p. 110). This is followed by, “Meet helpful spirits associated with this lineage.” And these other spirits “may include the collective spirits of animal and plants, deities, elemental powers, or spirits of place” (p. 111). He goes on to suggest that one might call upon the virgin Mary to help.
In regard to “lineage,” those existing prior to any ancestors, this goes back to the formation of the universe and some, especially “indigenous peoples,” see themselves as being descendants of “specific powers, deities, land spirits, stars, natural forces, or exceptional and ancient human beings.”
If one were to do so, he or she may well be rewarded with actual contact with spiritual entities. But what are these? Demons are able to assume any posture or identity, which is widely known. The worst of all outcomes is being in the presence of a demon under the control of the prime enemy of God, Satan.
Let us assume that Dr. Noor believes what he is writing. We do not think he is making an attempt to fool people and lead them into danger of the worst imaginable kind. He believes he has made contact with the ancestors and other guides and entities, and he is thoroughly sold.
In the interest of brevity, and because it should be clear to reader by this point in this chapter what Ancestral Medicine entails and what results, the remainder of our comments on Dr. Noor’s book will be abbreviated.
In chapter eight, Dr. Noor writes of what is called a psychopomp, or soul guide, which is human or non-human, like a land spirit, a natural force, whose function is to “help the recently deceased reach the realm of the ancestors.” (p. 149) In other words, they deal with troubled souls.
In chapter Nine is “Integration and Work with Living Family.” On page 176 is, “To embody, incarnate, or incorporate the ancestors literally means that they are en/in our caro (flesh) and corpus (body).”
A rather perfect definition of being indwelt or possessed by . . . ancestors. He does not, I suppose, understand that these spirits are demons. Or does he? He makes is sound so wonderful—this “acquiring spirits/souls of dead ancestors in order to help them and allow them to help you.” Notice the terms: 106
embodiment–this means that the ancestors are in you, and this applies also to the term possession. Then mediumship, again the same as embodiment and possession, as the medium traffics with souls or spirits within them, and spirit and soul are, by the way, one and the same thing.
He mentions Mongolian and Siberian shamanism where the shaman actually embodies the spirits in many of their rituals. This is called ongon orood, which is having the “spirits inside the body” and “the shamanic state of having one or more shamanic helper spirits in possession of the shaman’s body” (p. 177).
Dr. Noor also encourages the reader by saying that “a_l_m_o_s_t_ _a_n_y_o_n_e_ _w_i_t_h_ _s_i_n_c_e_r_e_ _i_n_t_e_n_t_ _c_a_n_ _e_m_b_o_d_y_ _t_h_e_ _s_p_i_r_i_t_s_ _o_f_ _t_h_e_i_r_ _a_n_c_e_s_t_o_r_s_” _(p. 177). And this has been his experience as well.
It could not be clearer; Dr. Noor is busy inviting others to become invaded by spirits or souls of ancestors. Apparently, he does not realize the nature of these spiritual entities.
Over long years of ministry of dealing with those who wanted to be free of indwelling entities, meaning demons, it became clear that, at first these entities were mysterious, but over time their actual identity was discovered, and now their human “hosts” came looking to be rid of the now tormenting evil spirits. We must remember that there is only one Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit always and only glorifies and magnifies our Lord Jesus Christ. Could it be that Dr. Noor cannot face the reality of what he is caught up in?
Our reason for setting out this brief snippet is to draw attention to the place of meditation. It seems so benign, this meditation, but it is the door opener to all of the contact with the evil spiritual world. The Scripture never even comes close to advocating or teaching this type of meditation. We recall the “Lord’s Prayer” that Jesus taught His disciples to pray; see Matthew 6:9–13. It has nothing at all to do with meditation, or sitting quietly focusing on one’s breathing, or attempting to rid the brain from thinking about anything at all. No, actual words are directed to Our Father in heaven. And the recorded prayers in Scripture, like John 17, are thoughtful and concrete, spoken by a person who is talking directly to his or her Lord.
Part Three: Honoring Other Types of Ancestors
The last part of Dr. Noor’s book is essentially an invitation to “reflect on your own death, practices to encourage conscious dying, preferred funerary customs, and the post-death journey, and beliefs about consciousness after death” (p. 200).
Perhaps this is the most seriously dangerous part of the book, as Dr. Noor is convinced that after death there is still life, soulish in nature, but ongoing 107
consciousness at any rate. And this is false hope indeed.
After our dying, the very second after our dying, one of two things happen. For those safe in the salvation of our Lord Jesus, eternity in the presence of our God in heaven begins and never ends. Those not safe in Jesus will find the beginning of an eternity in the presence of the devil and his angels, that is, the demons.
We cannot help but say that Ancestral Medicine is as far as one can get from the truth. Sad indeed.
Chapter Ten: Ancestors and Place
The reader is encouraged to “safely and respectfully commune with your ancestors at a cemetery or other burial place.” (p. 207) Following then are various things to be considered in such a process.
There are certain places on Earth that enhance and support connecting with ancestors, such as certain plants or animals, natural formations like caves, waterfalls, mountains, etc. Plus, there may be places where ancestral spirits dwell near one’s home.
Chapter Eleven: Affinity Ancestors, Multiple Souls, and Reincarnation
The purpose of this chapter is to “provide one framework for dealing with multiple souls, reincarnation, and past lives” (p. 229).
Affinity—this refers to ancestors one is familiar with: family members, close friends, teachers, mentors, and cultural heroes.
Multiple souls—here is meant the bone and body soul, the blood and breath soul, the star and ghost soul. He counsels that if one having a problem with a ghost, make sure you are not being paranoid or delusional. Dr. Noor advises, “If you do conclude that a troubled human ghost has in some way linked his or herself to you or inhabits your home, consider contacting a ghost care specialist.” (p. 242)
Again, we say that only Jesus casts out demons. Throughout decades of deliverance ministry, which is the actual casting of demons out of people, we have seen hundreds of demons cast out of hundreds of people, the majority of whom were Christians who discovered some time after their conversion that there were demonic spirits in them, usually the result of engaging in occult-oriented practices, or visiting mediums, engaging in serious yoga and meditation, and so much more.
Yes, there is a controversy among Christians as to whether or not Christians can have a demon. Only on rare occasions have non-Christians wanted demonic spirits cast out of them. So, the debate continues, but our experience 108
and that of many others, is that only Christians realize their dilemma and seek to have demons cast out. We have even done this via the internet, even for those in foreign countries.
To see more of what we have written on the subject, look for the following: Deliverance Handbook: A Guide to Casting Out Demons for Today’s Christian. It contains an important questionnaire, which can be used in a deliverance session.
Chapter Twelve: Joining the Ancestors
Here are some highlights from the final chapter.
Dr. Noor now speaks of preparing for the moment of death. He advises calling on the “support from the unseen worlds (e.g., ancestors, spirit guides, deities, God/dess) and that you are able to receive this support and to enjoy their guidance for what’s to come” (p. 260). He also states that some psychics who “claim to communicate with the souls of the recently deceased report that they may face a life review or reckoning with their life on Earth before fully joining the ancestors” (p. 264).
Some Hindu and Buddhist traditions practice cremation, as fire severs unnecessary attachments to the past and helps release the soul from the most recent incarnations.
The souls of people have been likened to a bird more than any other creature, which flies away at the point of death. It pictures the soul escaping the “cage” of the body. In fact, “our winged relatives are common messengers for the ancestors in this world” (p. 273).
It is understood by many spiritual traditions that there is a period of time following death when the soul is still present, and only lasts a few days up to two weeks. Those who grieve the death of a loved one or friend and are available for this sort of contact can directly engage with the spirit—soul—of the recently deceased person. And, it is advised, speak aloud to them. Some say that it takes about four hundred days before the dead graduate to the status of ancestors. And these then are available to help us in this world.
Our author, the psychologist, has likely used the above concepts to help grieving people come to an acceptance of a loss through death. And it may work for some, for a while anyway. However, what really has occurred is the one suffering loss is now exposed to demonic spirits that impersonate the dead. The contact with the soul, or the evil spirit in actuality, opens the door to more deception and a growing level of possession.
How the demonic spirits accomplish this is beyond our understanding, but that it occurs is beyond question, as it has been known for long centuries. There is a knowledge that the satanic kingdom has that is incredible. Evil spirits can imitate, with incredible accuracy, all that can be known about a person. We 109
can say this, because we have observed such on many occasions in the process of casting demons out of people. We wish this were not true, but because it is reality, we must be made aware of what is under the direction of evil.
We are reminded that Jesus casts out demons today just as He did when He was on the planet. Just recently, several demons were cast out of a person during our food pickup ministry. Our words were simply “Jesus Christ of Nazareth casts you out, you unclean spirits.” This we said two or three times, and what a difference, but there it was. Indeed, Jesus has given His followers this ministry, and they have been aiding troubled people all this time and all over the world. We say this to give those bothered by spirits, souls, entities, and other strange forces hope.
Excerpts from Wikipedia
Wikipedia, July 22, 2022
What is ancestor healing?
Ancestral healing is the process of revealing and releasing inherited wounds and traumas that have been passed down by our ancestors. Anyone researching their heritage will uncover both positive and negative issues that pass through the bloodlines from one generation to the next.
What is ancestral work?
Ancestral work is broad, vast, and incredibly important to any personal magical and spiritual practice. Ancestral work is part intuition, part dialogue, part deep listening. It can be research and reading based. It is engaging with the practices, food, medicines, stories, and beliefs of your cultures. Apr 15, 2021
Can your ancestors help you?
There are people all around us struggling through tough times. And if you find yourself battling loneliness, anxiety, or disappointment, the ancestor effect can help you. If you’re willing to reexamine the story of where you come from, you can create new emotions and promote healthy actions in hard seasons of life. Jul 23, 2017
How do you stop the ancestral spirit from healing?
You can’t stop the heal, but you can deal with as much damage as possible to negate the effect. The Ancestor spirit can only heal in large chunks when surrounded by spirits again, so taking down its health quickly afterwards is key. Mar 25, 2022110
How do I connect with my ancestors spiritually?
In addition to prayer, calling in your ancestors in meditation is likely the easiest and fastest way to feel their presence. Take time to sit in meditation for 10-30 minutes and specifically call-in whichever ancestor by name you feel most connected to and ask them to talk to you! Oct 22, 2021