When I attune myself to the ancestors of my maternal grandfather’s lineage, I see a long line of men before me. Men in work clothes. Ordinary, hard-working men – labourers, farmers, men who worked with their hands.
But among them, I also see a few men who catch my attention.
On my altar, I have four figurines representing the four ancestral lines of my parents: my maternal grandmother’s line, my maternal grandfather’s line, my paternal grandfather’s line, and my paternal grandmother’s line. Each figure symbolises the gifts I may receive through that particular lineage.
For my maternal grandmother’s line, I searched for a long time for an image that felt right.
When I attune myself to this lineage, I see a long line of women before me. Women with healing and spiritual gifts. In my experience, many of them carry not only these gifts, but also the memory of a time when revealing them could be dangerous. I see women who were condemned and persecuted for what was considered witchcraft.
What did that mean for me?
Perhaps, in systemic work, we have spent a long time listening to the tears of our ancestors.
But our ancestors left us far more than their suffering.
They also gave us their songs.
Their dances.
Their laughter.
Their craftsmanship.
Their courage.
Their love.
Their remarkable capacity to embrace life, even in the midst of hardship.
Photo: Susanne Hazen. Towerland. As you have read in my previous blogs, I was in South Africa for the last few weeks. I spent time in Towerland (Langeberg mountains) and Wilderness, among other places. This is one of the areas of the San – the oldest people in the world. They are descendants of theContinue reading “South-Africa – blog 3 – Where our ancestors walked”
I am of this place. What did I learn about this in South Africa? A journey I undertook in search for inspiration.
First, I wish you already a very happy New Year with lots of health, well-being and great challenges. A look back at 2023 I look back on a pleasant, adventurous and full year of 2023, where I could fully practice my passion – systemic and shamanistic work.There were no fewer than ten groups for theContinue reading “Bye, bye 2023, Hello 2024”
I was impressed by the symbol of the Eagle that you can find in this church and wanted to find out more about that. What is the meaning of the Eagle? What can we learn from him?
Systemic Ritual and Systemic Constellations