What are Ancestors?

 

• Simply put, Ancestors are the beings that existed before a current generation of something. While the focus of lineage healing is often expressly based on the clients' blood Ancestors and therefore focused on humanity, the truth is that all of us have Ancestors that are also not related by blood (such as Ancestors of profession). Some people make the distinction between beings who are well, ascended and healthy (an "Ancestor") and beings who are still in the process of becoming well ("the dead", "the beloved dead" etc). This distinction is useful because it gets to one of the core objectives of lineage healing; to help ensure that the Ancestors in your bloodlines are well, healthy and rooted in the wisdom of Ancestral goodness. However, the distinction is not a hard and fast rule; different people and different traditions may relate to this language differently. When in doubt, ask. But for our purposes, we'll be working with the conceptual reality that the Ancestors are those who are well, and the dead are those who are becoming well. 

 

How does it work?

 

• There are many ways to attend to one's Ancestors and many ways to assist in the elevation of our beloved dead (which is how they become Ancestors). In Lineage Healing sessions, I will hold space for you in the form of a facilitated session, using my connection to my own Ancestors as guidance. This means that I’ll be there to support you in your process of connecting with your Ascended Elders. This includes assistance in grounding and tapping in, prompts to deepen and explore, and providing a roadmap and gentle guardrails during the session. During each session, I’ll assist you in connecting with the collective force of your parental lineages and you’ll attend to the pertinent lineage based on what they prescribe. From there, it’s that prescription that really attends to the specifics of the healing; the clients' work is to be present to initiate, ask questions and ground the work through witnessing from a space of ease. This is a meditative practice; in order to effectively work within this method, some familiarity with sitting in stillness is required. However, it’s important to note that what constitutes meditative is broad; as long as you can tap in and receive in some way, then this method is for you.

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Why is this important?

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• There are many “whys” of this work, and they are as individual as we are. But for the most part, they’re all rooted in connectedness and change. Sometimes we come to the work when loved ones are in a time of transition, seeking order. Sometimes we experience levels of stuckness and tension in our family systems that feel larger than a matter of individual relating. Sometimes we come as folks who have marginalized identities, seeking to reconnect to the currents of what we think has been lost. And sometimes we come as folks who are seeking to shift oppressive patterns of relating, so that they’re dwindled on as many levels as possible. All of these reasons are good reasons, and each of them is cause for rejoicing. At the end of the day, the why comes from being called to it and how we rationalize that call is as individual as our connection with our Ancestors is.

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Family is a tough subject for me. How do I do this?

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• May ease and warmth keep you. The complexities of family are real and alive, both in us and in the work. Know that there’s space for complexity here, and your truth is welcome. The best pace, I find, is a slow one that allows ample time to digest, to decompress and to ensure you feel safe in the work. As long as you feel comfortable in taking this step forward, I’ll do my best to hold space for what’s showing up for you.

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What if I don’t know anything about my family? Is a lot of genealogy necessary?

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• No, it’s not. Remembered names are beautiful and powerful, but many of us don’t have access to in-depth information about our families. And still, we can attend to this work dynamically and in ways that are deeply connective. Even when we don’t know our Ancestors, they know us. The minute we decide that we want to connect with them, they’re already helping us get closer to that goal.

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Is there anything I have to prepare?

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• All you need for a session is a quiet and comfortable space. Nothing else is necessary.