Our ancestors – who are they?
In a narrow sense, our ancestors are our relatives with whom we have a blood relationship. In a broader sense, it also means joint relatives from earlier times, from which we descend collectively – as humanity, nation, community, population group. This blog is about the first definition – the family.
Deep connection with our ancestors
OUR history begins before we are born. We represent the hereditary influences of our race, and our ancestors virtually live in us.
James Nasmyth
In the ONLINE workshops Systemic Ritual with family themes and ancestors (basic), we will (among other things) work with the ancestors. This workshop series will start soon: Systemic Ritual with family themes and ancestors
The field of our ancestors has a lot of effect on us. The family’s energy field – the blood bond – is strong enough to influence descendants for generations. In this field are the relatives who have produced children and those who died young or remained childless.
Imagine you are the green square. Your father and your mother are behind you. Behind it are your grandpas and grandmas. Behind it are their fathers and mothers – 8 of your ancestors. Behind it are their fathers and mothers – 16 ancestors. Behind them their fathers and mothers (32) – behind them 64 ancestors and behind them 128 ancestors. Realise that you could not be on this Earth if it had not been for one of these 254 ancestors. How does this make you feel?
I was born by myself but carry the spirit and blood of my father, mother and my ancestors. So I am really never alone. My identity is through that line.
Ziggy Marley
Empower or disprove
This connection with our ancestors can strengthen us and weaken us – depending on who you are attuned to. When you are attuned to ancestors who are in good shape, it gives you inner strength. However, being attuned to ancestors who are still suffering can weaken you—especially when you unconsciously want to take away their pain, cry their tears, take on their burden. That is not possible. You are only strong enough to carry your own burden. You can’t carry other people’s burdens. This entanglement can be resolved through a Family Constellation or Systemic Ritual. Both in a family constellation and in a Systemic Ritual, the suffering of one or more ancestors is made visible, and the aim is to alleviate and, if possible, heal this suffering.
We are a continuum. Just as we reach back to our ancestors for our fundamental values, so we, as guardians of that legacy, must reach ahead to our children and their children. And we do so with a sense of sacredness in that reaching.
Paul Tsongas
Suppose you have two children. They will have 2 children of their own. You are their grandma or grandpa. These children will also have 2 children of their own. And so on. That means after 7 generations, you will have 254 descendants. How does this make you feel? If you realise this, will you make other choices from now on?
Suffering of ancestors
Life has its joys but also its traumas. Traumas can continue for a long time – even in descendants generations later. These are major traumas – miscarriages, abortions, divorces, children who died, mothers or fathers who died early and left behind young children, alienations, loss of home, having to flee, forced migrations, victims and perpetrators of all forms from abuse of power (from rape to slavery), war traumas ……….
Ancestors who have experienced these kinds of things have to deal with it even after death. Even after death, they still need healing. Therefore, in many cultures, there is still the idea that ancestors need prayers and rituals to bring healing, after which they can join those who have already found peace. In a healed state, they also need not have a weakening effect on the descendants.
Tuning in on ancestors that give strength
Fortunately, it is not only traumatic experiences stored in the field of our ancestors that can affect us. Many good experiences are also stored in that field. We can connect with that to experience wholeness and strength. When the line to ancestral power is open, life takes on direction and meaning, and we can handle difficulties – which are therefore experienced as a challenge rather than a problem. Strengthening ancestors are usually ancestors that are at least two or three generations away from us. They have already healed the wounds of their lives and can transfer the life force pure. You can tune in to these ancestors. This idea comes from shamanism. The concept of strength is central to shamanism. When someone does not feel well, a search for power sources is needed. People can connect with those power sources to strengthen themselves. With that power, they can then take the next step in solving their problem to feel better again.
In the ONLINE workshops Systemic Ritual with family themes and ancestors (basic), we will (among other things) work with the ancestors. This workshop series will start soon: Systemic Ritual with family themes and ancestors
These were my sources of power for this blog: Van Kampenhout, D. (2001) Images of the soul. Van Kampenhout, D. (2007). Tears of the ancestors. https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voorouder https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/james_nasmyth_316729?src=t_ancestors
Systemic Ritual and Systemic Constellations 
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