Our ancestors are those who have gone before us,
Whether we are related to them or not.
They can be spirits of a particular land.
Their earthly form could have been human,
Plant,
Or animal.
An ancestor can simply be someone you are strongly connected to in a spiritual sense,
Or even someone you never personally met.
This meditative working invites us to attune to those kindred spirits as we learn from and honor them.
Begin this meditation in a position that is comfortable for you.
This can be sitting or lying down,
Indoors or outdoors.
If you wish,
You may close the eyes.
Take a deep breath and release it slowly.
As you do so,
Allow the jaw to soften.
Allow the neck and muscles to relax,
Releasing any tension they might be storing.
Feel the sit bones rooting into the earth,
Connecting you with the energy of the earth.
Keep the awareness on the breath,
The natural flow of the breath.
As you do so,
Begin to release any distractions from your day,
Letting go of anything that might have occurred before bringing yourself into this time and space.
Be aware of this moment.
Allow yourself to be completely in this moment,
Free from distractions,
Worries.
Breathe in peace.
Breathe in contentment.
Breathe in a sense of compassion and belonging.
As you exhale,
Release fear,
Anxiety,
Stress.
Breathe in love for yourself.
Breathe in love for all forms of life.
Allow the mind and spirit to become even more receptive now,
As we call out through the astral plane a spiritual reflection of the physical world,
Wherein lies the realm of guides,
Guardians,
And our ancestors.
Open the door to this portal with peace and love,
Inviting only love and light into yourself and into this practice.
In your mind's eye,
See yourself taking a walk.
This can be a walk in nature or along any path that is familiar to you.
Be mindful of each step you take.
Bring awareness to your steps.
As you do so,
Begin to sense and feel the footsteps of your ancestors upon this very land,
The footsteps of those who have come and gone before you.
Allow yourself to attune to the footprints that are no longer visible to the human eye.
Sense and imagine those who left their footprints on the earth before you did.
Feel the vibration of their steps.
Consider what might have prompted those steps.
Spend a few moments now being receptive to what messages those vibrations wish to convey to you.
As you continue walking,
You now bring the awareness to the air and wind around you.
Take a deep breath and release it slowly.
Breathe in the same energies of air that your ancestors did.
Allow the air and wind to cleanse and bless you,
Knowing that you belong here,
Knowing that you are wanted here.
Wind is breath.
It is the voice of spirit and the voice of the spirit of our ancestors.
Allow the sounds of the ancient whistle to channel those otherworldly voices,
To invite your attention to these spiritual voices and the messages they wish to send to you.
Spend a few moments now listening to those voices,
Absorbing the messages those voices carry.
As you begin to further sense and feel an interconnectedness with your ancestors,
Pause for a moment now to offer thanks for them,
Their example,
Their messages,
Their footsteps.
May you who have gone before me always walk beside me.
May you who have gone before me always live within me.
I hear your voice inside the wind.
I see your smile in the light of the Sun.
I sense your assurance under the glow of moonlight.
Now pause for a moment to silently share any messages you might have for your ancestors.
Do so peacefully and with respect.
Speak to them as you would a dear friend.
Our connection to our ancestors is never lost or broken.
We walk the same earth as they did.
We breathe the same air as they did.
Our ancestors experienced both sadness and joy as we do.
Our ancestors remembered their ancestors as we do.
Our connection to our ancestors is never lost or broken.
As you prepare to depart from this space,
In your mind's eye see yourself leaving an offering for your ancestors.
This can be an offering of food or drink or something as simple as picking up litter or taking a moment to respect the space of someone else in this realm or to show kindness or compassion.
Whatever gift you choose to offer,
Do so in a way that mindfully acknowledges your ancestors and dedicated to them.
As you begin your journey home,
The awareness is still on the connection to your ancestors.
Your interconnectedness with all things.
You take steps of gratitude as you return to your sacred space with the realization that one day your footsteps too will also be followed.
That you will one day be an ancestor to those who are yet to come.
What messages do you wish to leave for them with your footprints?
What messages do you wish to leave for them with your spiritual voice?
Continue seeing yourself on this homeward journey in your mind's eye.
Allow the awareness to begin slowly returning to the present.
Returning to the present,
Feeling peaceful and blessed.
Allow the awareness to now begin shifting to the present,
To the sounds around you,
The sound of the breath.
With love and gratitude,
Take another deep breath and release it slowly.
As we give thanks for the teachings and gifts from our ancestors,
May we always be mindful that our actions and words will one day become gifts and teachings for those yet to come.
The crow flies from me to thee to send the message,
Blessed be.
