When I think about healing with ancestors I think of both blood line ancestors as well as spiritual ancestors.
Your spiritual line line can be a lineage you are initiated into by a teacher connecting you to many teachers, a deep knowing that in a past life you were priestess of Brigid and you have dreams teaching you the ways of your temple, or a general sense and connection to a practice of this earth or from a dream realm.
“Spiritual ancestors” is my catch all for what feels inherited in some sense that’s not clearly from your bloodline.
Big ancestors is a phrase I use in juxtaposition to recent ancestors like your grandparents, parents, uncles, or relatives that you knew this life or know by name. (Watch this video about healing with recent ancestors.) My “big ancestors” are all those ancestors I couldn’t name — but who know I came from.
The heart of this teaching is that you can make amends, re-establish trust, gain knowledge and learn something from these big ancestors.
Using the “I am willing to admit” exercise with an additional “I am grateful for” prompt in a simple ritual format can really work wonders for putting disgruntled feelings to rest, opening a connection, and even processing wider cultural wounds.
Give it a shot and let me know how it goes.
Lots of love!
Sophia
