The ancestors are foundational in my approach to spirit, community, and personal healing. For more info on how I approach ancestor work see the essays on the homepage of this site or parts 3 and 4 of my interview with the Voices of the Earth Project (link here). Currently, I offer the following ancestor-related services:
- Weekend and Day-long Trainings
- Individual Sessions
- Specialized Rituals, Talks, and Trainings
- Free Educational Resources
Ancestors Weekend Intensive. Engagement with the beloved dead, including one’s recent blood relations, is an essential aspect of most indigenous and earth-honoring cultures; however, many feel disconnected from their ancestors due to family pain or simply lack a framework for relating with the beloved dead. Participants in this training contact ancestral guides along their bloodlines and learn to work in partnership with these loving ancestors for personal empowerment and family healing. The ritual work often calls for safely assisting the troubled dead/family ghosts to be welcomed by the loving ancestors. Our time together includes direct visioning/journeywork with the ancestors, forgiveness practices, song, prayer, and heart-centered group dialogue. Those with little knowledge of their people or a tough experience of their families are welcome. Prior experience with ritual is helpful, and some basic prep is requested. This weekend will be offered in 2013:
- April 20-21st in Berkeley, CA
- May 18th-19th in Seattle, WA
- July 20th-21st in Asheville, NC
- Aug 31st-Sept 1st in Avon, OH (Cleveland area)
Spaces are limited for each weekend. Be in touch directly with questions or to register. Also, let me know if you feel that this type of training would be well received in your area.
Some of my paternal grandfather's people
Individual Sessions. I am available to guide individual sessions of ancestor work in person on the S.F. Peninsula or through phone sessions. This work focuses on personal healing and empowerment through relationship with your loving ancestors and may also include learning how to safely and effectively assist the troubled dead. For those in the healing professions (e.g., psychotherapists, doctors, bodyworkers, clergy) your current services can be enhanced by acquiring the foundational skills to support others in relating well with both the loving and troubled dead. For more info see the personal sessions page.
Shinto "torii", shrine gateway
Other Ancestor-Related Services.
- Clinical trainings for mental health professionals
- Events for bereavement groups
- Healing ceremonies for ancestors of place in areas of historic trauma
- Home/space clearings to support the transitioning dead in cases of hauntings
- Rituals to help deceased loved ones become ancestors when needed (see ministerial services)
Artwork Celebrating Mexican "Day of the Dead" Tradition
Free Resources. I’ve enjoyed being interviewed in 2011 on my approach to ancestor work by the Earth Medicine Alliance (link here). There are links to other interviews that include the topic of ancestor on the homepage of this site. Regarding genealogy research, I’ve had good results on Rootsweb by selecting Metasearch then WorldConnect then doing Advanced Searches (link here). One family research website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was helpful for me (link here).
