When we arrive to this world the whole universe shifts making space for us. The whole universe makes space for us. We change everything. Because we are all connected with everything and everyone. Our place is unique. When we arrive all our ancestors notice. The pressure and joy in the ancestral field gets a new pinnacle point - you.
Dear Ancestors, dear grandmothers and grandfathers, close and far, I call on you today. All those who have kind eyes for me, all those who have a smile for me, all those who have a heart for me, I call on you. Gather at the time of my birth, gather around my mother as she helped me to see the light of this world. Offer your support and blessings as I was crossing the threshold, leaving my old familiar world of warmth and abundance and entering this new strange world. Hold my head, hold my whole body, hold my soul in your loving arms to see me arrive well. And as you do this, I'll witness. From this place in the future, I'll look back to the time of my Birth and see all of you there holding me safely, offering me your blessings for a strong gentle kind and healthy new beginning. Supporting in grieving my first loss, and encouraging me to trust the next step of this journey of my life. Thank you dear grandmothers and grandfathers. Thank you for your presence and love. Thank you for my life.
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One of the Wheels in the deck of the Wheel of Four Directions Cards is the Wheel of Homecoming. In the video I walk you through the ritual, working with ancestors and land, with past and future and connecting with ancestors of the soul. Ewok from Star Wars represents you and the table represents your sacred space. Let me know how it goes for you. To get the cards click below:
I do really hope that you are all well and if not that you have good support around you and within you to hold you through this time. For myself, I find going through waves of grieving requires a lot of love to my inner child and strong presence of my ancestors. Some of that grief belongs to them and I allow it to be released, at last. I wanted to share with you a ritual that might help with clarifying what is yours and respectfully let go of what is not - a wheel of releasing suffering and grief. For this ritual you need to be really slow and kind to yourself, different emotions might come up and some quite strong. If it gets too much, stop, rest and come back to it when you are ready. As always, you will need some stones to use as markers on the wheel and as representatives. Also helpful to know the four directions. Set up stones in the East, South, West, North and in the middle. Also, if possible, mark the area around your wheel to create the Blue Line. On this Wheel we represent ancestors who have been through big traumatic life changing global events, like we are now in. Maybe it was a war, unrest, conflict, famine, pandemic, poverty, regime, persecutions, revolution, etc. Stones represent the following: Middle - You South - Ancestors who survived and rebuilt their life successfully North - Ancestors who did not survive West - Ancestors who survived and lost (property, possessions, loved ones etc) East - Ancestors who survived and gained (possessions, wealth, new family members, etc) Blue Line - space around the Wheel, place of healing, Divine Love, place outside of suffering and any dynamics In this ritual you start in the middle and you end in the middle. Begin with a meditation, setting an intention to release suffering that does not belong to you, with respect and honour to those who came before you. Tune in to which direction you are drawn first. Stand in that representation, noticing body sensations and any information that comes. If emotions are strong remember that you are representing, and you can choose how much you are in it, feel it but don't drown in it, as it will not help the process. When you are ready, still as representative, step into the Blue Line outside the wheel with a prayer of releasing and transcending suffering of these ancestors. Do this in each Direction. It could be that you will be drawn to do a little ritual within a ritual, for example offering flowers to those who didn't survive to honour their experience, or bringing some spiritual objects to those who survived to support them. Be attentive and creative, make it into your own ritual. When you feel you have done enough, come back to the middle and say thank you to all ancestors, that despite all the suffering they still passed on life, so that you can be here now. With respect, declare your boundary around carrying their suffering. Close the ritual. Greetings of the day and welcome back to ancestral practice. Today I am sharing a recent meditation I did on facebook, which you might have joined already, or maybe not. Now you'll have it in your inbox for anytime access. This meditation takes you all the way back to your ancient ancestors, it is connecting you to your ancestral field in its widest sense, including not only direct ancestors but also all those who played a vital role in the life flowing forwards in the lineage. In family constellations one of the first things we look for is whether there are any exclusions in the family system, as they impact the rest of the family dramatically. So in this meditation we bring our attention to all possible exclusions and give them all place. It is a powerful process to become aware of who has been forgotten (intentionally or unintentionally) and allow them to become part of the lineage again. Let me know how it works for you, I love receiving your insights and questions as it also helps me grow and develop this work.
Recently I have been asked a good question about the language in a ritual (please do ask questions if you have any). For me the language in a ritual serves two purposes - to create a special state of mind taking us into unordinary reality, into the dreamworld, and also to communicate clearly, naming what is, bringing resolution and healing. Similar to sentences used in systemic family constellations, in ritual the words are clear and simple with a quality of poetry in it. It is always good to use your voice if possible. Here is an example: 'Dear Grandmothers, Grandfathers, Ancestors, I speak to you from my place in this lineage, from this year 2020, from this place on this planet. Hear my voice, hear my heart beat, hear my prayer. Thank you for your kindness and support. I agree. I receive. I am grateful. Thank you for this path that you accompany me on, thank you for looking after me and my deepest heart’s desire. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me every step of the way. All you know I know, in my bones, in my blood, in my heart. Please smile at me kindly as I walk my path with joy, with abundance, wholeheartedly. Even if you had no such luck, no such opportunity. Thank you dear Ancestors, dear Grandmothers and Grandfathers, all those who stand behind me, all those from all the way back in time.' Daan van Kampenhout, founder of Systemic Ritual, speaks about the prayer being poetry in this interview about ancestors (5 min) Ancestral Ritual for Support:
Prepare your space and mind for the ritual and set your intention to connect with gratitude with those ancestors who are able and willing to support you. There are so many ancestors behind us, in our lineages all the way back. There are those of them who know exactly how you feel right now, what you are going through, what you are carrying. They know it and they know how to get through and get better, how to support and hold you. Call them in, use stones to represent them all around you in a circle, as many as you wish, as feels right. Those Who Know. And then add a second wider circle of Ancient Ancestors. They are those who have a completely different perspective on the world and its workings. Those who were here before anyone else, those who are closest to the Earth. Represent them with stones too. Sit or stand in the middle of these two circles. Sit with your ancestors, with those who know your place and support you in it, with those who know the world since the beginning. Offer them your gratitude for your life and share with them where you are and what is happening with you. Ask for their blessing, wisdom, strength, insights. Sing with them, meditate with them. Then experiment with joining their circles, first of Those Who Know, and then the Ancient Ones. Notice how it feels to be among them. Maybe represent one of them and look at yourself with their eyes. Come back to the middle and receive, breathe in their support for you. When it feels complete, end the ritual and put stones away. We are at a threshold to the next season; today we are entering Autumn, celebrating the Equinox and beginning to lose daylight. On the Wheel of Four Directions, we are now between South and West, at the border, at the Door, and how we manage these Doors is important to how well we journey through the season. This is the time when you could walk the Wheel, from the beginning of the year, through Spring and Summer, noticing what seeds you sown, what has already been achieved, what gifts arrived and what you were able to receive; then stand at this transition point and call in the necessary resources - material, spiritual, ancestral - to move to the West in a supported way. Walk through the West noticing what your body tells you there and then to the threshold to the North, again calling in support for the journey. Make sure to be slow enough to notice subtle shifts in your perception, in your being. Also you could set up a circle of ancestors/guides all around your Wheel of the Year and turn to them at every step and every transition. Let me know how it goes. If you’d like to do this ritual for your whole life, check out the recording available on the website - the Wheel of Life, where I take you through the ritual and hold drumming space for you to do it When eight years ago I set on a journey to find out about my ancestors, how they impact my life and how I can work with that, I had no clue where to go and what to do. I googled, I met people, I researched and mainly what I found were practices where somebody else would do it for you – I needed to pay the fees, and attend ceremonies, or workshops, sometimes even cook a great deal. Now as I am one of those practitioners I am also deeply interested in empowering others to begin their own connection with ancestors. I spoke about it to various ancestral practitioners, asking them first of all - what is a simple way anyone can begin this journey. After all they are your ancestors, so you should be the one building this relationship, and then when it gets difficult turn to a practitioner for support. Here are 7 answers I received, simple steps to set on this path of ancestral connection:
Knowing the powers of four directions could be of very practical purpose - depending on your need you might just take a step towards a direction to stand in it, receiving what you need right now. So for example, South is energy, power, action, heat, summer, so when you feel overwhelmed and needing support and energy, you look around to know where South is and with an intention and request for support take a step into that direction. Similar to being a representative in a constellation, you stand in that place of South, being that direction and receiving its power and energy. Or the other way around, if you feel overwhelmed and just needing a pause, you step into the North, the place of rest, silence, stillness, Spirit. And you get nurtured in that place. A tiny movement, could bring instantaneous relief. Try it. Of course it helps if you build a strong relationships with directions, flowing in their interconnectedness, experience their presence at any point in time. Doing rituals on the wheel of four directions is a way to take this understanding deeper and to see various ways how directions can support you. I have a recording of a workshop available to introduce you to the four directions and their power. Wheel of Four Directions - Introduction Ritual
£30.00
First of the series of systemic rituals on the Wheel of Four Directions. Meeting and get to know the Four Directions. A video recording of the workshop, including the introduction to the theme, explanation of the ritual, meditation and drumming accompaniment to do the ritual. You will be sent a link and a password to the page with the video and short description of the ritual. Modern Ancestral Practice Rituals 1 & 2 - Special Offer
£160.00
Step 1: Turn your family tree into a supportive life resource. 7 guided rituals (about 20 min each, where I explain to you the ritual and we do it together) to begin the journey with your ancestors, introducing yourself to them, connecting with their support, gifts and wisdom. You will receive a link to a page with 7 videos that will explain and take you through these seven rituals with your ancestors. Life changing practice and life long journey! Step 2: The next step to access the gifts and resources of your ancestral lines. With this offer you receive access to three rituals where I explain the layout and complexity and you do it at your on time and pace, two audio meditations and downloadable handouts - taking you step by step through creating your own ancestral ritual for healing, for balance, for harmony and to continue your connection to all the resources in your wider family systems. In our lives we often focus on the trauma that we received through generations and that we now have to deal with; but we also received a foundation for becoming who we are, for our strength and resilience; and if we begin to pay attention we are able to continue to receive their support. Everything that we experience today, everything we feel, has already had a place at some point for our ancestors, they've been through it and developed ways to cope, process, transform it for the better, and we can access this wisdom through ritual, intention, and prayer.
The important thing is to be creative. To take guidance, create structure and then fill it up with your own content, relevant for your situation, for your intention, for your life. Enjoy! On receipt of payment log in details will be sent to you to access the practice page. Movement and Ritual - Homecoming
£30.00
A recording of a workshop that combines movement and dance with ritual with ancestors. In this ritual we work with four types of ancestors - of the land we come from, the land we are in, future land and ancestors of the soul. We meet them on the medicine wheel and get to know them to fully arrive home to own selves. Before the ritual a guided movement meditation takes you deeper into your body awareness to prepare for the ritual. Movement and Ritual - Inner Community
£30.00
A recording of a workshop that combines movement and dance with ritual with ancestors. In this ritual we work with the concept of community ancestors - who are they and how do they influence our behaviour and connection to our community today. Before the ritual a guided movement meditation takes you deeper into your body awareness to prepare for the ritual. Movement and Ritual Series
£90.00
3 recordings of workshops that combine movement and dance with ancestral ritual. Stepping into a new story ritual - we create a journey to transition from what is to the next step. We work with ancestors that support the movement and those that can help us stay where we are. We take ourselves to the place of the New Story, whether it is specific and known or not. Before the ritual a guided movement meditation takes you deeper into your body awareness to prepare for the ritual. Inner community ritual - we work with the concept of community ancestors - who are they and how do they influence our behaviour and connection to our community today. Before the ritual a guided movement meditation takes you deeper into your body awareness to prepare for the ritual. Homecomming ritual - we work with four types of ancestors - of the land we come from, the land we are in, future land and ancestors of the soul. We meet them on the medicine wheel and get to know them to fully arrive home to own selves. Before the ritual a guided movement meditation takes you deeper into your body awareness to prepare for the ritual. Wheel of Life and Four Directions Ritual
£30.00
A 40 minutes recording of a session to do a ritual on the Medicine Wheel, to walk the various stages of your life and bring healing, resources and support to each stage including transition points. Connecting with the power and gifts of Four Directions to support this movement and bring harmony and balance where needed. An introduction and explanation of a ritual, a meditation to connect with directions and a 20 min drumming to do your ritual. Upon payment you receive a link to a page with the recording. Becoming a Good Ancestor Programme
£300.00 - £497.00
Becoming a Good Ancestor is a programme of ritual, meditation, ancestral healing, inner work, nature medicine and more. Weaving ritual and ancestral practice into every week of the year with enough space to integrate and process. The year is structured around the wheel of four directions and four seasons, introducing theme clusters that follow the energy of each season. Each of the four themes contains monthly topics. You are going to work on four types of primary relationships: with our inner child (East, Spring) with the world - with humans, more than humans and all the various communities (South, Summer) with ourselves - our body, health and intuition (West, Autumn) and with ancestors (North, Winter) Each topic will include various prompts for you to do in your own time and in the way that works best for you.
This year of ritual is designed to support you on your journey with your family tree, with those ancestors who have kind eyes for your life; and to strengthen your connection with the world through working with four directions, elements, sacred space, and nature beings. The focus is on stepping into your wise powerful intuitive self to become a good ancestor. Is this for me? This journey is for you: if you are looking to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life if you would like to feel more connected to life, to feel like you belong if you are curious about your ancestors and how they could support you if you would like to feel more creative, abundant and empowered if you would like to work with your family dynamics and release what is no longer serving you if you would like to have better relationships with people and beyond if you would like to become a resource for the future and clear some of the burden from the future generations if you would like to tap into your intuition if you would like to feel more aligned with your purpose if you would like to feel like you are not alone if you are interested in shamanism and ritual if you are interested in creative ways to connect with nature if you would like to do something special for yourself This path can’t be a marathon, it is a walk, a gentle process of incremental shifts and insights into our own essence, our own being and our interconnectedness with everything around us. We are building a relationship with life and ancestors and that doesn’t happen overnight. Step by step we look inside ourselves, outside ourselves and beyond what is visible, to connect with our ancestors in many different supportive and healing ways, to discover and become friends with our inner child, to empower our relationships and begin trusting ourselves fully. What is included? - an introduction to each theme (12) - a recorded meditation to do as many times as you wish at your own pace (12) - a nature medicine invitation (12) - a recorded ritual guidance on each theme (12) - a reflection invitation to connect with your ancestors and the theme of the month (12) -bonus 12 ancestral rituals (worth £277) -bonus 7 introductory guided ancestral meditations (worth £59) -lifelong access (except for live rituals) As you walk this journey you will encounter beautiful insights about - your lineage - your ancestors capacity to support your healing and life path - the importance of connecting with your inner child and becoming a good parent to yourself - learning to trust the world and yourself - the support nature could offer you - your capacity to be able to receive support and guidance and so much more. What is the investment? Full 12 modules programme - £497 only until January 2024 (instead of £933) 6 modules only - £300 (excludes bonus material) The themes are: North/Winter/Place of the Soul
January – Wheel of Four Directions/Four Seasons/Four Stages of Life
Creating a foundation for the work this year on the Wheel, connecting to various aspects of four directions and their relationship to our life at different stages. Honouring our journey, where we are on it, setting the intention and calling in the ancestors to support it. February – Am I a Good Ancestor?
Exploring what does it mean to be a good ancestor on various levels. Who do we learn from? How does it look like? What does it feel like? Honouring ourselves in this process, our story, past, present, and future.
East/Spring/Childhood The energy of the new beginning, of sun rise, re-birth and new potential. March – Becoming your Own Best Adult – re-membering yourself
Beginning in the beginning. Getting to know our inner child and how we can stop betraying ourselves and step into being a reliable adult. This allows us to stop giving away our power to everyone else and start meeting our own needs, creating our own amazing reality, supported by our ancestors and the natural world. April – Inner Child and Abundance
As we become a reliable adult for our inner child, we start to see the world as a kinder place and begin to be more open to all the abundance this world has to offer. When we feel safe as children the world is rich, wide, incredibly supportive. We will do a ritual to reconnect the inner child to the sense of abundance, to restore this channel and keep it open. May – Releasing Inner Child Entanglements We come to this world with a great capacity to love, and out of our love we unconsciously take on the pain of others in our family. We grow up to have our own path but the little child within us is still carrying the pain of others, still trying to rescue and help. This month we'll focus on releasing this entanglements and freeing ourselves to be more available to our own reality and future generations. South/Summer/Adulthood The energy of aliveness, action, community and being full grounded in the present. June – Family Ties As we move into summer we'll focus on our relationship with the world as adults, being mindful of our inner child. What is our place in our lineage and our family? Who do we exclude, creating more entanglements? A ritual to restore harmony and balance in the family system to have enough freedom to be in your power. July – Romantic Relationships How do our inner child and ancestors support our romantic relationships? What would it be like to step into a relationship without losing yourself or projecting your parents onto the other? This month we will focus on bringing more clarity, freedom and power into your romantic relationships existing, past and future. August – Relationship with Community (including other than human)
Every month we will be invited to connect to nature in some way in our own time. This month the whole focus will be on how do we relate to the world around us, continuing the work we started in Spring on trusting the world as children, we will look at our integration into the wider other-than-human community as adults. West/Autumn/Elderhood The energy of slowing down, introspection, inner wisdom and letting go. September – Intuition and Guidance As we move into the energy of the Autumn we are beginning to focus on our inner world - how well do we know ourselves, how much do we trust our inner knowing? This month we will zoom in to our intuition, the guidance we receive from our own wisdom, from ancestors, from the nature world.
October – Body and Health Our intuition brings us within, and puts us face to face with our body and health. This month we are bringing together all we have done this year with the inner child, nature world, and ancestors to look at re-balancing our relationship with our own bodies - the temples of our spirit, and how this connects to our health and wellbeing. What are your ancestral beliefs about the meaning of body and health? What is ready to be released?
November – Letting go of unfinished business This month we call in the support of our ancestors to help us let go of what is still draining our power. Releasing our own unfinished business and that which we still carry for the ancestors and other people in our life. Calling back all our essence and power that is so thinly spread between all these contracts that do not serve us any more. Let go, let go, let go. The more we let go now, the less future ones will have to carry for us. North/Winter/Place of the Soul The energy of stillness, silence, spirit, ancestors and soul. December – Trusting Yourself to Be a Good Ancestor, Integration As we finish the year we gather all the work we have done in these twelve month to integrate it and to empower our path forward. We focus on calling in all our power, all pieces of our soul, and building trust to continue the journey with our inner child, loving ancestors and nature beings. We continue to live our life as a good ancestor. Terms: You will have 14 days to change your mind and get a refund minus admin fees. After 14 days no refunds will be offered. All work in this programme is copyright of Aleksandra Shymina and is not to be copied and distributed for any purposes without prior written agreement with Aleksandra. Systemic, shamanic and ritual work are not to be used to replace any conventional medical or psychotherapeutic diagnosis or treatment. By signing up to this programme you take full responsibility for your own mental and physical health. Guided meditations are not recommended to individuals suffering from psychosis, please consult with your doctor if you have any doubts about doing the meditations and rituals. When you reserve your place your email will be added to the weekly newsletter list. You will always have an option to unsubscribe. If you have any further questions please contact Aleksandra at asconstellations@gmail.com To support your personal practice, here is an 11 min track of drumming and singing that you could play while doing a ritual. |
AuthorI am fascinated by the Systemic Family Constellations work and everything shamanic. I study it, practice it, research it. Here, I am sharing what I learn and hope it can be of use to somebody interested in healing their families, communities and lives. In 2019 I published some of my poetry inspired by systemic work in this journal. It is available as PDF, Kindle or printed at the link above.
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