​At this time of year, it is traditional to call forth the ancestors, to seek their wisdom and honor them. It can also be a time for ancestral healing.  
We carry the strength and wisdom of our ancestors within us. And we also carry their wounds – their heartaches, deep disappointments, traumas. These wounds can interfere with our ease and well-being in life. These wounds can be healed within us. The really wonderful thing is – when we work with our ancestors to heal these wounds, we heal them for the whole of our lineage.  We heal them for the ancestors.  We heal them for future generations. We heal them for ourselves, affecting everyone around us and, hopefully, inspiring others to work with their lineages.  
Earth Healers are usually catalysts for healing within our families, directly or indirectly. We are the ones who say “no more” to disharmonious or inauthentic thought or behavior patterns.  We work within our own lives and beings to shift those patterns. Here, we extend this healing to the wounds of the ancestors which are living on within us.  We work to shift patterns born in the lives of the ancestors which have embedded themselves in our lives and beings. In this way, we create a better life for ourselves, help heal our ancestors, and support a better life for future generations (just a quick reminder that time is not linear…but that’s a bit of a tangent…)
The veil is thin this weekend.  It’s a good time to call on the ancestors – to ask them to work with us. It’s a good time to ask them to heal with us – to shift our lineages for health and happiness and purpose.  It’s a good time to shift toward love.
Sunemaura O’Brien
www.revsune.com
 

​How wonderful it is that we can introduce children to the ancestors!  Here is a simple ceremony of introduction to and healing for the ancestors (for children of all ages).
Two leaders are needed
​for this ceremony:  a drum and a voice.   This may be one or two people. The participants, regardless of age will each have an instrument, such as a drum, rattle or wood sticks.  Marigold flowers or incense is used as a traditional way to honor and call to the ancestors. 

The words in bold italics are to be read aloud by the leader.
 
“We begin with the drum calling us into sacred space.”
Drum
“We light marigold incense to call in and honor the ancestors.”  Incense is lit.
The ancestors are the people who have lived before us – the ones in our families who have died and the ones who have helped our spirits who have died.
The ones who lived before us had strength and wisdom.  They left us with this strength and wisdom, along with many other empowerments and gifts.  They also had heartbreak and sadness.
Today we want to use the goodness we have gained from the ancestors to heal the hurts they have inside them, hurts they may have left behind, with us.”
“May each of us in turn name their mother, father, grandmothers and grandfathers,”
Each person names their family members.
“Let’s offer prayers with our drums and rattles for the healing of the hurts of these people we have named, and others, whom we did not know.”
    Everyone drums and rattles for a good while.
“Let’s offer prayers with our drums and rattles – prayers to invite healing strength and wisdom from the ancestors into each one of us.”
    Everyone drums and rattles for a good while.
“Each of us has been given our own strengths and wisdoms – our own empowerments.  Name yourself and your power.”
Each person in turn, name themselves and a strength or wisdom (power) they have.
“Let’s drum and rattle our gratitude for the ancestors, for Mother Earth, for Creator, for ourselves, for Life.”
  Everyone drums and rattles.
Let the music stop and quiet to come in.
“and the drum will offer a closing prayer.”
Drum.