From the Western Gnostic point of view, ancestor worship as performed in Africa is something not usually referenced.
From the Gnostic teachings point of view, a deceased grandmother is a human being that will return to life on Earth in a new human body. Though for African spirituality someone's dead grandmother becomes an spiritual ancestor that is worshipped, revered and called upon many times for advice, guidance and for worldly as well as spiritual help.
Interestingly from the Gnostic point of view our Divine Mother, even our Human soul - who as an essence - we are a detachment of, as well as Chesed (our spirit and father) plus Kether (the father of our father) are the ancestors of our essence.
So perhaps ancestor worship in African spirituality is really an externalization of the internal veneration of the parts of our own Inner Being.
The tendency these days is to polarise what is internal and real to an external representation that has truth but not the deep truth and significance as does the internal.
The best way to teach Gnosis here is not to erase what people are doing, that is worshipping their ancestors but invite them to work with their inner ancestors.
With sincere efforts to experience the help of their inner ancestors they will include their inner ancestors in their practices and later chose to focus on what is right for them.
In general, if something is erased something else must enter to fill the emptied space. It is not right to erase something and not replace it, especially when teachings others.
End (6034).
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