Maybe you have an established relationship with your ancestors, and maybe this is completely new to you… either way - welcome! This article gives you a simple yet profound mindfulness activity to access your inner wisdom and deepen the relationship with your ancestors. It also shares about Samhain, the Irish-Celtic festival that serves as the doorway to the ancestors.
Sections
Ancestors are for Everyone
We’ve all got ancestors - the practice of honoring them spans most world cultures from the Day of the Dead practices in Mexico to the Shinto Rites from Japan. Even the modern practice of bringing flowers to a grave a few times a year is a way of paying homage to those gone before us.
Connecting In Our Current Lives
More than a few of us have experienced talking out loud to an empty room to share thoughts or seek counsel from those close to us who have passed on. Most people intuitively feel connection is possible. While some have yet to reconnect with the wellspring of ancestral knowledge, cultures still sourcing ancient wisdom know the value of maintaining ancestral connection and keeping their relationships current.
The good news: the ancestors are there for you and want to connect. You can start anywhere, any time. While our ancestors had diverse personalities during their lifetimes - some great people and some… not so great people - they have valuable lessons and wisdom for us from the spirit realm. Your ancestors are always ready to connect with you!
How can we connect with our ancestors and begin to tap into the wellspring of wisdom available? The mindfulness activity below outlines one way you can awaken the relationship. The practice is intended for anyone from any culture, tradition, or religion to access ancestral wisdom. After all, ancestors are for everyone!
Samhain and the Energies of Winter
The Perfect Time to Connect with the Ancestors
Samhain, the season of winter, and the Irish-Celtic shamanic North offer powerful spirit medicine that you can use coupled with intention to connect with your ancestors. While you can of course connect with your ancestors any time of year, the potent energies of Samhain with the thinned veil between the living and other worlds, lend themselves well to connecting easily and clearly.
What is Samhain?
Samhain (pronounced SOW-en) is the name of the festival marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter in Gaelic Ireland and Scotland. A similar festival was held by the Brittonic Celtic people, called Calan Gaeaf in Wales. Still celebrated today by diverse groups of people of Celtic ancestry or heart, it is one of four seasonal festivals: Samhain (~1 November), Imbolc (~1 February), Bealtaine (~1 May), and Lughnasa (~1 August).
The festival is referenced in the earliest Old Irish literature, which dates back to the 9th century. This great festival also marks the beginning of the Celtic New Year, which differs from the modern Gregorian New Year’s celebration on December 31.
During the festival of Samhain, the division between this world and the otherworld is thought to be at its thinnest, allowing spirits to pass through. The origin of modern day Halloween, a family's ancestors were honored and invited home and harmful spirits were warded off. People wore costumes and masks to disguise themselves, thus tricking the harmful spirits and avoiding harm.
Irish-Celtic Winter
The Irish-Celtic wisdom tradition follows the natural cycle of the seasons and teaches that darkness marks the beginning: seeds germinate underground, animal life begins in the warm cauldron of the womb or egg, the day begins at sundown - and the year begins with winter.
The Shamanic View
In the shamanic Irish Celtic spiritual tradition - my own initiated lineage - winter signals the beginning of the North direction and offers the spirit medicine of the element of Earth, the wisdom of the crone An Cailleach, as well as connection with our ancestors.
Medicine Walk Key Information
Medicine Walks are practiced all over the world under varying names. Here we use the term Medicine Walk because 1) we are walking, and 2) we are setting our intention to receive Wisdom Medicine from our internal and external environment.
Why Walk?
Being in a state of movement - making sure our ‘animal body’ is occupied - quiets our mind and enhances our receptivity to this healing wisdom. We gain insights, answers, comfort, and solutions that we may otherwise have missed due to the regular chatter of the mind.
Walking also affords us the opportunity to tap into our senses, which is an important part of the Medicine Walk. Once you set your intention (outlined below), you’ll want to forget about it and focus on your senses. Let touch, taste, smell, sight, and what you hear delight and guide your journey as you open up and allow your intention to unfold.
What’s the Medicine Part?
In modern times, medicine treats or prevents disease and is limited to the science of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. However, in most ancient traditions, the definition includes healing (spiritual, healing, curative, etc.), protection, and other powers.
When looking through a holistic lens, anything that can offer movement towards wholeness is medicine - this is how we are defining it in this practice.
Setting an Intention
An important part of a Medicine Walk is setting a clear intention. It doesn’t have to be complex. In fact, the more simple your intention is, the better. We want to set a clear intention to give the energy a direction to flow.
Examples of an intention for your Ancestor Medicine Walk could be:
My intention for my walk is to deepen the relationship with my ancestors.
My intention for my walk is to connect with an ancestor willing to come forward as a guide for me in this life.
My intention for my walk is to connect with my ancestors to understand my relationship with my parent(s)/or a pattern in my life.
My intention for my walk is to gain insight into hidden corners of my ancestry/heritage.
My intention for my walk is to hear my ancestor’s advice on my decision to change my job/relationship/living location/etc.
Working with Other Energies
You can also work with other energies that are present on the day such as the phase of the moon, astrological events, time of day, location of your walk, etc. If you are religious, you can call in Mother Mary, Jesus, the angels, Buddha, Mohammad, or any other religious figures and deities.
You’re even free to pull a card from a tarot or other deck to inform the energies present before your walk. You are totally free here to work with whatever energies you wish. Include aspects of your own practices to really make this your own.
Step by Step Instructions: Ancestor Medicine Walk
When: Any time; however it’s a great ritual to build into a Samhain practice (October 31-November 1) and during the winter when the ancestors are close.
Where: Anywhere you can walk with limited distractions - preferably in nature such as a forest, beach, stream, field, or park.
Duration: 1-2 hours
With Whom: It’s best to do this practice alone, though you can do it in groups if each is able to be in their own experience, uninterrupted.
Go to the location of your walk. Make sure you feel safe for the location and time of day.
Turn all devices on silent or airplane mode - it’s really important that you give yourself the space with your own thoughts. If you are in a group, finish up any logistical or social conversations. This is the time to begin turning inward. ~1-3 min
Go to the place you would like to start your walk. ~1-5 min
Take a moment to ground yourself by doing a short grounding meditation. This is the transition time you need to let go of the burdens of your day and context-switch for the walk. If you need support with this step, download the guided Grounding Earth and Sky Meditation found in the shop. ~1-5 min
Call in spirit support from your lineage. You can do this by saying a prayer; opening sacred space; calling in energies of the cardinal directions; calling in your spirit animals/guides/angels/God/Jesus/Mary/Buddha/etc.)
Welcome your ancestors. Take time here to feel the space opening up and be aware of who may enter your mind's eye right now. You may think of a parent, grandparent, auntie, or simply feel the warm presence of ancestors you don’t know. ~1-5 min
Set your medicine intention for your walk. ~1-2 min
Release your focus from your intention and begin your walk with an open mind. During the walk you will want to keep your attention set on your 5 senses - really take time to feel/smell/touch/hear/taste everything around you as you walk. You may even choose to walk barefoot for extra connection to the earth. ~1-2 hours
Finish your walk and note down any insights that came to you during your practice. Be sure to remain open to insights that show up for you over the following days and weeks.
Thank your ancestors, spiritual guidance, the land spirits, and all beings involved in your lightful practice.
Before you get into your car, bike, or public transportation, do some physical grounding practices such as jumping jacks, a few yoga positions, or even clapping your hands to ensure your attention is fully and safely on your journey home.
If you want a guided experience, I’ve have a 1.5 hour guided Ancestor Medicine Walk available for download in the shop.
I’m so excited for you to connect with your ancestors. It's such an enriching relationship. Feel free to share your experiences with me in the comments here, or over on Instagram or Facebook.
Wishing you a beautiful journey between Earth and Sky. Be well.
<3 Nicole
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