Ancestors are complicated. Some of them we knew, loved immensely, and miss daily. Others we knew and their memory causes pain, and we hope to never repeat their mistakes again in the world. Either way, they inevitably live in us and in our families’ costumbres, personalities and behaviors. Should we honor and elevate them all irregardless of their character? If so, how?

In this episode, we speak to Jose Rodriguez, “Agboola” about his ancient West African spiritual tradition of Ifá–which has made its way to every corner of Latin America from Chile to Colombia, Brazil to Cuba–and about what it means to praise the ancestors. We talk about why it is profoundly important, not only for their spirits, but for our own character, elevation and evolution here in the world as individuals and as a collective.