RITUAL OF REMEMBRANCE
Life Itself
The ancestors are significant, not because we are dwelling in the past or are sentimental, but because of what is happening in your life today. It is because of your ancestors that that life flowed downhill to you.
There are two main movements in nature and in life: the movement of Yes and No; towards Life and towards Death. One basic thing we know about life is that it wants to continue — despite any challenge, hardship; and often in spite of adverse situations. Like a river, from grandparent to their child, life keeps flowing down hill. The most direct opening to that river of life is from your own mother and father.
Regardless of how your relationship has evolved with them, it can be strengthening to do a ritual of acknowledgement that life arrived to you from this mother and this father.
Guided Ritual
Life Itself
Creating a personal ritual for Life Itself
After doing the guided ritual, place an object for yourself. Place an object representing your Mother and one for your Father. Place an object for Life itself. Notice where they are in space and which objects have resonance.
To clarify the relationship between each one, look towards the object representing Mother, and inwardly feel if you can be in touch with the statement, “I see that Life came from you.”
Look towards the object representing Father and see if you can feel into the same, “I see that Life came from you.”
Although it may sound simple and obvious, this kind of clarification done with consciousness can be strengthening. For this ritual we are stepping outside the emotional layers of the relationship and looking at the most basic biological fact. You may want to offer the objects representing Mother and Father a flower and a gesture of “Thank You.”
Look towards the object representing Life itself. As you do, check whether you can find within yourself an inner gesture of “Yes.” You may want to make a symbolic offering to Life or see if you can move the object representing you closer to the object representing Life.
To find an inner “Yes” to Life is one of the most healing and energizing movements a person can do. This is a great ritual to do periodically over time, as your gesture of “Yes” will continue to evolve. As we do it we acknowledge all that had to happen before this particular Life could arrive to us; all of the triumphs; the difficulties; and the weightiness that had to be overcome in our family lineage. So finding a “Yes” to all of this is profound. Offer this Yes knowing that it is truly no small thing.
