August 2024
Welcome August!
I wanted to share with you an experience that I had back in June that really speaks to one of the key points of the ancestral healing work that I practice: we can (and do) have relationships with the dead.
I know this sentiment can elicit a variety of feelings; fear, curiosity, memories, excitement, and more. Allow me tell this brief story…
I was contacted by an older gentleman whose mother (“A”) had recently passed. He was familiar with ancestral healing and wanted to create an online ritual service incorporating ancestral reverence. The first time I met with him and his close family members via zoom, they did not know where to begin to craft such an offering. I worked with them to create an outline, brainstorm ideas, and channel creativity. Mostly, however, I listened. I listened to them speak of their beloved mother and grandmother; her wily ways, adventurous attitude, community service, and her love of art and poetry.
As I continued to meet with the family to co-create the ritual, I came to know “A” in a very personal way. I wondered how this family, whom I never met from another state, found me. Rationally it was the inter-web, but intuitively I knew that “A” and I were somehow destined to meet beyond the bounds of life and death.
The service was a beautiful experience for the international community that attended and “A” was honored in such a deep and meaningful way. I felt blessed to get to know this woman in spirit and my journey with her continued to substantiate something that I hold to be true; we are always in relationship with the dead. They call upon us as much as we may call upon them and there can be a wonderful exchange that ensues. “A” enriched my life and her memory will now live on through an incarnate person and continue to touch the world.
This month we will explore the basics of what it means to relate to the deceased.
Kindly,
Jen
“The life of the dead is placed in
the memory of the living.”
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
questions for reflection
What are your experiences with the dead? Has there been fear, negative experiences, positive connections, or meaningful synchronicities? How have your past interactions informed your current views of the dead?
Consider the idea that we are always in relationship with the dead. Is this something that rings true for you or do you have a healthy skepticism around it? Aside from the absence of a physical body, what separates the living from the dead?
Reflect on some historical figures that you feel a connection to. Think back one hundred years, one thousand years, and even beyond. What qualities do these people embody that you admire or feel inspired by? Consider that right now, in this very moment while pondering these people from the past, that you are relating to a dead person(s). Does this reality shift how you may feel about the dead?
~ aUGUST VIDEO MESSAGE ~
Season Ritual PDF
Seasonal rituals will be released in Pdf format during the months of September, December, March, and June.
Reflect on this past seasons ritual; are you still in process with the ritual? Did you notice any shifts as a result of completing the ritual? Take a moment here to reflect on your time with this ritual.
“Any ritual is an opportunity for transformation.”
~ Starhawk
monthly ritual
Each month you will be given a ritual in Pdf format. These rituals arise from a combination of experience, divination, guidance, and natural cycles. Create the time & space to bring regular ritual into your life using these pdf’s as guideposts.
“No one is actually dead until the ripples
they cause in the world die away.”
~ Sir Terry Pratchett
RITUAL INVITATION
Create your ritual space with grounding and protection.
You will need a piece of paper, a pen, and a private space. Think of someone who is dead that holds a special meaning to you. This could be a friend, a family member, a beloved pet, or someone from history. This person should not be someone who holds a negative emotional charge or could trigger you. The intention of this ritual is not to re-traumatize, it is to meant to bridge space and time so the concept of “the dead” becomes more normalized.
When you have this person in mind, you will write a letter to them. You will explain why you are writing, what you may know about them, what you wish you would have known about them, and anything that feels pertinent at the time. You are not inviting them into your space. You are simply taking a moment to acknowledge them and feel what it is like to express yourself to someone who has died.
When you are finished with your letter, you will ask yourself what needs to be done with it. Perhaps it is meant to be tucked away, left outside, burned, or placed somewhere special. Trust yourself, you will know what to do.
August meditation
Adventurer Monthly Gift / Discount (changes each month):
Save $40 off a sixty minute Elemental Divination (via Zoom) when you book by Aug. 31. Use the code DIVINATION (all caps) to schedule your divination now!
“They listen, the dead.
They’re always listening.
What else is there for them to do?” ~ John Connolly
This fall will bring many opportunities to engage in Ancestral Healing and Lineage Repair Processes. I offer private sessions as well as the HIVE Ancestral Community Healing Group. See the link below for more information!
“Those who have crossed over have access to knowledge that the living do not. Just like when they were alive, your deceased loved ones are still looking out for you in their afterlife. There are many reasons for your deceased loved ones to communicate with you, from offering comfort and reassurance during your time of grief to giving advice about a trying circumstance.”
~ Allana Kai from 10 Signs a Loved One Wants to Communicate with You
RESOURCE ARTICLE
This short CNN article outlines and even normalizes contact with the dead.
