Ancestral Grimoire

Connect with the Wisdom of the Ancestors through Tarot, Oracles, and Magic

Create Your Personal Book of Shadows 

This is a guide to reconnecting with your ancestors. You will learn how to access their unique wisdom—their magic!—and create your own personal ancestral grimoire, a spell book or Book of Shadows, unique to you and your heritage. Through divination, intuition, and sometimes a little luck, you will learn the magic of each ancestor and how you can use their gifts to make your life richer and more fulfilling. As you go through this book, you’ll save your ancestral work in a journal or loose-leaf binder that will become the place to store the stories, spells, rituals, and everyday life, lore, and legend of twelve of your ancestors. At the end of a year, you will hold a personal Book of Shadows with every bit of ancestral knowledge within its pages unique to you. No two will ever be alike. In an age when family storytelling has been lost, you will have created a legacy—and a life—that the ancestors could only dream of.

Forward by Benebell Wen

 From the Publisher:

“Hendrickson takes readers on a magical journey where they learn how to construct a personal Book of Shadows filled with ancestral wisdom.” —Theresa Reed, author of Twist Your Fate

Most of us know our immediate family and maybe even a generation or two beyond, but few of us are attuned to those who lived earlier. Many of us have forgotten how to keep our own stories alive. This is where the ancestors come in and where this book begins.

Ancestral Grimoire is a guide to reconnecting with your ancestors. It will show you how to access their unique wisdom—their magic!—and create your own personal ancestral grimoire, a spell book or Book of Shadows, unique to you and your heritage. Through divination, intuition, and sometimes a little luck, you will learn the magic of each ancestor and how you can use their gifts to make your life richer and more fulfilling.

As you go through this book, you’ll save your ancestral work in a journal or loose-leaf binder that will become the place to store the stories, spells, rituals, and everyday life, lore, and legend of twelve of your ancestors. At the end of a year, you will hold a personal Book of Shadows with every bit of ancestral knowledge within its pages unique to you. No two will ever be alike. In an age when family storytelling has been lost, you will have created a legacy—and a life—that the ancestors could only dream of.

Reviews

“Working with ancestors is essential for so many witches, and this book offers a unique way to do just that. By following her annual cycle of divination and other suggested practices, the reader can work intuitively to create a scrapbook grimoire of their own magical ancestors.” —Christine Grace, author of The Witch at The Forest’s Edge and cohost of the Betwixt & Between Podcast  

“Ancestor veneration and the work that goes with it have long been a shadowed practice in much of the West, finding its deepest expression in genealogy and family stories. As we reclaim these powerful, helpful connections, it is so important to have information presented in a way that invites us into these beautiful practices. That's why I am grateful for Nancy Hendrickson’s fascinating book, which is well-written and chockful of practical information. This belongs on your shelf!” —H. Byron Ballard, author of Seasons of a Magical Life  

"Ancestral Grimoire is written in a way that deepens the practice of someone familiar with ancestor work while also giving brand-new practitioners a beautiful start. Well thought out and absolutely a delight to use, I could not recommend Ancestral Grimoire more.” —Jenna Matlin, author of Will You Give Me a Reading?

“Hendrickson takes readers on a magical journey where they learn how to construct a personal book of shadows filled with ancestral wisdom. Monthly exercises, divination techniques, and rituals will help readers connect with their ancestral roots to manifest the life they want today. Ancestral Grimoire is a necessary book for tarot readers, magical folks, and anyone who wants to see how the past can create a new, better future.” —Theresa Reed, author of Twist Your Fate: Manifest Success with Astrology and Tarot   

“Nancy Hendrickson thoughtfully leads us through the tarot and oracles to meet our ancestors and dive into our magical lineage. Seeing ourselves through the eyes of our ancestors illuminates a deeper sense of inner wisdom. Each month is packed with meaningful journal prompts and spreads to help us discover parts of ourselves that lay deep within.” —Laura Louella, author and editor of Brigid's Light  

 “Ancestral Grimoire enabled me to develop a personal and healthy ancestral practice -- a step far beyond simple DNA research and family tree-building. As a lifelong keeper of journals, sketchbooks and such, I was surprised by the new depths of insight I was able to achieve using the methods in this book. Your own grimoire will be the bridge that you build toward your ancestors, but this book will provide the sturdy legs for that bridge.” —Stacey Williams-Ng, tarot artist and creator of The Southern Gothic Oracle   

“Ancestral Grimoire is a genealogical adventure that will take you on a deep-dive exploration of your innate magic as seen through the scope of ancestral inheritance. If you're looking to deepen your knowledge of self and connect with your ancestors in a brand-new way, this is a must-have for your bookshelf.” —Cairelle Crow, genealogist, owner of Sacred Roots, and editor of Brigid’s Light  

About the Author:

Nancy Hendrickson is an author with decades of experience in genealogy and tarot. Her published work includes several genealogy books and magazine articles. Nancy has been interviewed on the topic of internet genealogy by the New York Times, Kiplinger’s, and Better Homes and Gardens. She is a columnist for The Cartomancer Magazine, writing about Tarot decks of the past as well as Tarot from a cultural perspective. She is active on Instagram @nancysageshadow where she posts daily about Tarot and other forms of divination. You can learn more about Nancy and her work at www.sageandshadow.com.

Published by Weiser Books, an imprint of Red Wheel/Weiser LLC 2022

240 pages