Within Lao cultural Theravāda, ancestral spirits are understood within a broader world of *phi* (spirits), yet they remain intimately bound to the family and household. Deceased relatives are regarded as continuing presences who can protect descendants, offer guidance, and support the harmony of the home and village. At the same time, they are seen as beings still subject to karma and rebirth, not as eternal gods. Their ongoing relationship with the living is morally charged: ancestors function as witnesses to conduct, and neglect of familial or ritual obligations may be interpreted as a source of misfortune, illness, or social discord. In this way, remembrance of the dead is inseparable from ethical life and filial responsibility.

Interaction with ancestral spirits unfolds through a web of household and communal practices. Many families maintain a specific place in the home—a shelf, altar, or spirit corner—where offerings such as rice, simple food, water, flowers, incense, or candles are made to the family spirits. During major life events and seasonal festivals, especially Lao New Year, ceremonies and communal feasts often include honoring ancestors, inviting their presence and support. Baci rituals, while focused on calling and harmonizing the vital essences of the living, are also understood to take place within a spirit-filled cosmos in which ancestors may be present and supportive. Through such practices, the boundary between the visible and invisible members of the family remains permeable.

Specialists in spirit matters, often referred to as *mo phi* or spirit mediums, may be called upon when the relationship with ancestral spirits seems disturbed or unclear. These ritual experts help diagnose misfortune as the possible displeasure of neglected spirits, communicate with them, and perform appeasement rites. Such rites can involve offerings of food and other symbolic gifts, and in some rural settings may extend to more elaborate propitiatory acts. The aim is not merely to avert harm, but to restore a state of balance in which ancestors again stand as protectors rather than sources of fear. Consultation with these specialists underscores how seriously the living take their obligations to the dead.

At the same time, the care of ancestors is deeply integrated with orthodox Theravāda practice through merit-making. Offerings to monks, participation in temple rituals, and acts of generosity are frequently dedicated to deceased relatives so that the resulting merit may support them in more favorable states of existence. Festivals and memorial occasions provide structured opportunities for such dedication, allowing families to link the animistic logic of propitiation with the Buddhist logic of karmic improvement. In this synthesis, honoring ancestors becomes both an expression of gratitude and a means of assisting them on their ongoing journey through saṃsāra.