Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Charged by the Goddess

Home
Pagan
The Nameless Ancestors: Getting to Know Who You Don’t Know

The Nameless Ancestors: Getting to Know Who You Don’t Know

Last updated on: October 23, 2019 at 5:06 pm by Irisanya Moon

The Nameless Ancestors: Getting to Know Who You Don’t Know 2019-10-23T17:06:59-07:00 Irisanya Moon

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Many of my ancestors are lost to me. I don’t know their names or I’ve found out the names that I learned were lies. And there are ways this knowledge (or lack) has made me feel disconnected and lost during Samhain.

But I’m working toward finding ways to connect, even in the vagueness, to support the healing of my past and the vitality of my future.

CC0 Public Domain

Journeying into the Unknown, Meeting Lost Ancestors

I drop into the mystery of timelines by finding a space where I won’t be disturbed. I surround myself with pictures of the ancestors I know and I invite them in. I call to them to be present, to be witnesses, to be allies.

I light candles beside them. I breathe in the possibility that we can connect.

Sometimes, I’ll put on music that feels deepening and allowing. Sometimes, I’ll allow the journey to be in silence.

And I’ll breathe. I’ll follow my breath until it is steady and sure. I will follow my breath until I know I am still enough, quiet enough, to hear. To know.

I ask for my ancestors to join me with all of their stories and all of their histories. I make space for time to be what it needs to be. I make way for possibilities and presence.

I wait. I don’t always have images that come to me. Sometimes it’s just feelings and sensations and words that arrive in scattered ways. I trust that I will remember what I uncover. I trust I will take back what needs to be known at the moment.

I rest in this space, trusting all of my intuition and body senses. The tingle of skin, the deepening of breath, the opening to unexpected.

I can sense the emotions and beings. Sometimes they arrive full and detailed. Sometimes they arrive quiet and timid. Sometimes they arrive as messages and advice. And sometimes they simply hold my hand.

When the feeling that I feel when I walk with my ancestors begins to fall away, I make room for any other questions I might have. I offer any blessings that feel appropriate. I promise to return to listen.

I slowly come back from timeless time into the present moment. I shake my body, take a deep breath, and reach for a journal to collect what I now know.

I thank my ancestors. I sit in the silence. I blow out the candle.

Sometimes I arrive back with knowledge. Sometimes I come into my body with more wondering. Sometimes, I just feel at peace because I’m not disconnected anymore.

Thank you nameless ones.

Thank you blessed ones.

Thank you for your beauty and your ugliness.

Thank you for the ways you brought me to where I am and thank you for holding my hand as I move into the next timelines.

Previous Post

October 16, 2019

Who are All Those Dead? Starhawk talks about Ancestors, Mighty Dead & Beloved Dead

Next Post

November 1, 2019 How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Mercury Retrograde

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Activism ADHD Allies Altars Ancestors Aphrodite Artemis Beloved Dead Beltane Book Reviews Books Brigid Classes Community Daily Magick Daily Practice Deathwork Deity Desire Devotion Divination Dreams Eclipse Everyday Magick Fall Equinox Feri Full Moon Gaia Godds grief Grounding Heart Magick Hope Integration Iris Joy Love Spell Magick Mercury Retrograde Mighty Dead Moon Myth New Moon Norns Pandemic Poetry Practical Magick Priestess Reclaiming Relationships Resilience Resistance Resourcing review Rite of Passage ritual Samhain Self Care Self Devotion Service Shadow Spell Spiral Dance Spring Equinox Summer Solstice Teaching Trance Uncategorized Water Winter Solstice Witchcamp Witchcraft Writing

Select a Month April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz