An accessible, fresh take on working with ancestral wisdom and power, perfect for anyone who is starting out on this path. Wigington takes on a subject that can seem a little spooky and delivers a straightforward, concise path to the work that puts the reader at ease. At a time when we have forgotten the old traditions of our heritage, this book reminds us to get back to our roots and seek out the wisdom of experience and assistance from our dearly departed.

A phenomenal guide to everything an aspirant would need to begin working with the ancestors. Badass Ancestors covers all the bases...and then some. If you want to learn how to research your ancestors, set up an altar to them, cook for them, deal with problem ancestors and ancestral trauma, all that and more was within the pages.

I really like how open the author was, and it really seemed to me that she attempted to make the book as accessible as possible to as many people, cultures, and races as she could. There is definitely something for everyone within the pages of Badass Ancestors.

I highly encourage any interested in ancestor veneration to pick Badass Ancestors up when it hits shelves. It is truly a gem and very much informative and approachable. I couldn't find anything wrong with it, and, to my knowledge, Badass Ancestors covers a great deal more than any ancestor veneration book currently on the market right now.

* This review is based on an e arc received from net galley

What I liked

1. Amazing resource for pagans and witches who haven’t done genealogy before but would like to get started.

2. Acknowledged and addressed the ancestors most of us have and are not proud of for all kinds of reasons.

3. Actually talked about spiritual ancestors and archetypal ancestors outside of your direct blood line.

4. Talked about adoption and how it can relate to our ancestor journey.

5. Touched on that heart breaking truth that sometimes our decedents join the ancestors before us.

What I didn’t like

1. The Author seems largely unconcerned with the cultural appropriation that can occur when people start working with ancestors not of their blood.

2. My kindle app had trouble rendering some sections but I do think that was the app itself and not an actual formatting issue.

Who would I Recommend this Book For?

Honestly I do think most if not all witches could benefit from giving this book at least a casual read. Our current generation tends to be somewhat separated from our family line weather through trauma or physical distance and this type of research can be profoundly healing.

Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me a free digital ARC (e-book) of Badass Ancestors by Patti Wigington.I love books about history and I am proud to add this to my collection. This book provides very cool insight into ones ancestry and helps the reader make sense of what that truly means. It places importance on honoring your ancestors, through research and spiritually, to connect ourselves to the past and live authentically. This lovely little book explores the meaning of ancestry, and explains why it should matter to you.

From the publisher: This groundbreaking book shows you how to work with different types of ancestors to find, develop, and celebrate the personal power of your own inner badass. By embracing the strength of your lineage—both blood relatives and those chosen by the heart—you can improve your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Badass Ancestors provides a compelling series of rituals, meditations, mantras, and exercises that connect you with ancestral guides. You'll discover solid advice on the fascinating world of helpful techniques for genealogy research, the history of ancestor veneration in cultures around the world, healthy ways to deal with problematic ancestors, and how to best leave your own legacy. Each chapter offers unique calls to action that help you build self-confidence, empowerment, and overall badassery with your ancestors' assistance.

***
This is an interesting read. It gives guidelines, outlines and rituals to help the reader connect-and often come to terms-with their ancestors. The author also acknowledges that we have people who are joined at the heart, maybe a great aunt, teacher or neighbor who loved and nurtured you, and we may consider them ancestors and honor them as well. The title of this book and it's cover are intriguing. Due to their combined impact, I believed this book would be more comprehensive. However it isn't that advanced, but it is a good way for beginners and intermediates to learn more about their ancestors and guardians.

This is great book for a beginner wanting to research their family history and to develop a deeper spiritual connection with their ancestors. Author Patti Wiggins also demonstrates how to incorporate ancestral worship into your own magickal practices. There is something here for every beginner genealogist including how to approach this subject as an adoptee. The genealogy resources listed by the author also includes advice on how to research enslaved ancestors.

Heads up, most of the genealogical advice and resources are USA centric.

I also appreciated the authors honesty about their own heritage which includes individuals involved in human enslavement and how she approached this difficult discovery from a spiritual perspective.

*eARC provided by the publisher and Netgalley for review purposes

DNF. I just couldn't connect with the author's writing style. I'm sure it's just a reflection of preference and not of content, though.

I liked this book because it was honest. The author is a real person and from the stories given her ancestors werent perfect. It was refreshing to read something that tells it all. The good and the bad. We all have ancestors and those that pretend theirs were better than others are missing the point. Once these people get to the other side they can help us, Not only can they but they want to.
The ritual given are simple and direct. It seems no matter what you have you can still honor those that in many cases gave their lives so their children and grandchildren would survive. as a people it seems that we have forgotten our crossed over loved ones but this book and some interest can reverse the situation.