Home Explore The Ultimate Guide to Ancestral Worship: Offerings of Fragrant Flowers for Ancestral...

Explore

The Ultimate Guide to Ancestral Worship: Offerings of Fragrant Flowers for Ancestral Blessings and Prosperity

10 September, 2024

Lotus Flower

The lotus flower has long been the top choice for offering to deities, Buddha, and ancestors. At this time, the lotus is in full bloom, exuding a gentle, pure fragrance, making it ideal for the July full moon festival. Offering lotus flowers not only shows reverence but also reminds us to live honestly and compassionately.

Money Plant

Money Plant, with a name signifying prosperity and wealth, is often chosen by families to display on their altars during special occasions. On the July full moon, this flower not just brings affluence but also symbolizes robust health and longevity. Thus, the Money Plant is an excellent choice for the mid-year 2024 ceremony.

Red Roses

Red roses, with their gentle fragrance and vibrant color, attract luck and prosperity. In feng shui, red symbolizes good fortune and abundance, making red roses a fitting choice for the July full moon offerings. Presenting red roses to the ancestors or the God of Wealth will bring blessings, prosperity, career advancement, and thriving business to the family.

Gladiolus

Gladiolus, especially the white variety, symbolizes purity, elegance, and refinement. Offering gladiolus during the July full moon expresses reverence to the ancestors and reflects the family’s pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty. The immaculate whiteness of the gladiolus creates a solemn and serene atmosphere for the worship space.

Frequently asked questions

Ancestral worship is a traditional practice of venerating one’s ancestors and seeking their blessings. It is based on the belief that the spirits of the departed ancestors continue to watch over their living descendants and can bring prosperity and good fortune if properly honored.

Offerings typically include incense, food, and fragrant flowers. The flowers are believed to attract the ancestors’ spirits and please them with their beauty and scent. Specific types of flowers may be chosen based on their symbolic meanings and associations with certain virtues or blessings.

When selecting flowers for ancestral worship, it is important to consider the symbolism and meaning associated with different types of flowers. For example, lotus flowers represent purity and spiritual enlightenment, while chrysanthemums signify longevity and devotion. The color of the flowers may also hold significance, with white symbolizing purity and respect, and yellow representing gratitude and happiness.

The sense of smell is believed to be the most powerful way to attract the attention of the ancestors’ spirits. The fragrance of the flowers is thought to create a pleasant atmosphere that invites the ancestors to accept the offerings and bestow their blessings upon the family.

The flowers should be carefully arranged in a respectful and aesthetically pleasing manner. They can be placed in vases or bowls, or even floated in water to create a serene display. It is customary to face the flowers towards the ancestors’ tablets or photographs, symbolizing an invitation for them to enjoy the beauty and fragrance.