2020 has already been one for the books, but we are all charged with completing this mammoth year. I know we have a bit of trepidation with elections, a second virus wave, and possible shut downs ahead. I felt like it only makes sense to try to decipher what is ahead. Of course this is not looking into a crystal ball trickery, but rather ancestral wisdom looms over my head just as it does over yours. In this post I will lay out one way to view all of this and suggest a way to decode what lies ahead.
What we do
Navigating the remainder of this year is about knowing what type of energy has already been put out into the world with COVID, injustice and large amounts of global deaths. Once we know we must accept all that transpired thus far and digest it in order to transmute this surge of negative and positive experiences. Even as I write this I too struggle with parts of this prescriptive plan of moving from this moment.
What we need
Ok let's chunk this into smaller parts. Simply stated the pandemic has changed our lives in an instant and spiritually this has been a huge undertaking to pivot, adjust, protect, root and ground ourselves. Having said that I personally felt that leaning into my ancestors and their experiences and ways of living is one of the things that really got me through the darkest days (since I live in North New Jersey which was a part of the eye of the virus initially). Once I was able to identify that this wasn't new and that there was a blueprint of some sort acceptance became an option for me. Now digestion, well that one was a bit more difficult.
What we know
Digesting all of this comes with such grave aspects of knowing that there really is meaning in ignorance is bliss, but since I lean towards learning every time, I had to just take whatever came with the knowing. Again my ancestors provided me with insight that what we are experiencing is not new and is a pattern of human behavior when there is lack, inferiority, and emptiness in their souls. Also the ancestors taught me that there was nothing anyone did to deserve this fate and that somehow calmed me in the harshest of the storm.What we will
Lastly, (and where I currently find myself) is the place of transmutation. The phenomenon associated with taking the horrible and making it useable is a tall order on any given day, but during or after a pandemic is quite heroic humanity and spiritual might. So I will say this, ancestrally speaking, this is where our greatest and best good lives dwell and if we swim through all of our spiritual muck to reach the point of peace, understanding and balance what we access is much like that of walking a tight rope with a monkey on our heads. PURE BALANCE.
What we are
Now many of you may ask how do I lean into, reach out to, or even access my ancestors. Well it is much simpler than you think. For me, a practitioner of an earth based spirituality, I believe our ancestors are always around us we just block ourselves from seeing them.
But for a beginner or even a naysayer here are a few things that help me access them.
Ancestor Connection
Make their favorite food and eat it, you can even have a small spirit plate that you leave for them while eating
Set up an ancestral altar with pictures, objects they like and candles to light the way for them (be careful, use safe candles or faux candles)
Do a meditation on them and really concentrate on connecting to them in order to receive messages they have for you
Engage a family member in a conversation about the ancestor so you can remember their personality, traits, wit, and wisdom
Go to a favorite place of theirs and spend some time there just being there and staying open to any understanding that you may receive
Celebrate a holiday or favorite time of the year that your ancestor liked, you can do it like they did it or add something new to it that is your own flavor
