Working With Ancestry
Hannah Green
Dear Community,
Happy November!
My heart goes out to any of you that have been directly affected by the fires. Please reach out if there’s anything I can do. I support all of you in slowing down and practicing self care. If anyone wants to stay home and meet online instead of in person just let me know.
The veil is thin in autumn as we cross from one season to the next. For many people and cultures, Autumn is a liminal time where we reflect on the year so far and back through our ancestral lines. In this reflective time we may have access to different parts of ourselves, feelings and realms of consciousness.
This year felt particularly potent in terms of connecting with the ancestors. It was wonderful to talk with clients about their ancestral stories and tap into the ancestral pulse in my own life and with others.
I have been thinking a lot about ancestral lines. Some are blood lines and some are not. We have our ancestral family lines and we also have intellectual, spiritual and cultural lineage. For those of us who’s stories include trauma, immigration, adoption or limited access to ancestral knowledge these “choice” or “resonance” lineages are particularly potent and important. It can be really fun to think about your favorite writers, artists, activists, thinkers or healers and learn more about their lines of influence. These are lineages that we can connect to for strength, inspiration and guidance.
Those of us engaged in therapy and recovery may get a special sense of purpose and meaning knowing that the work we do benefits us as well as out ancestral lines. We do this work for ourselves but also for all those who came before. Many of these ancestors had difficulties that they could not heal in their lifetime and so the healing continues with us. The winds of trauma and oppression blow through the ancestral lines and so the work we do blows back.
When I am meeting with a client I see them and I see their lineage. There is profound healing that happens for the whole ancestral line when people are willing to do their own work. I honor the work each of you does to benefit yourselves, your ancestors and the world as a whole.
PS.
Stan Tatkin (one of my relationship gurus) is coming out with a new book called We Do. Here is a short video of him discussing the number one rule when arguing with your partner. This is great advice for having difficult conversations with our partners (or anyone we might encounter over the holiday!)
His advice is especially timely given the fact that we may be worn down and vulnerable due to the smoke and fire. Our nervous systems may be just as impacted as our lungs making us understandably poised for "fight or flight." All the more reason to be really kind to ourselves and each other.
If you have time through the holidays to spend some time at one of our beautiful museums (where the air is quite good) I recommend the photography exhibit Traveling Light at SFMOMA. I am also very excited about the upcoming exhibit Gauguin: A Spiritual Journey at the De Young.
I wish you a restorative holiday filled with what you most value.
Lots of love to all!