Remembering the Ways of the Ancestors

"We live in an ongoing tension between forgetting and remembering. Nearly all enduring cultures developed practices designed to help us remember three central things, who we are, where we belong, and what is sacred." - Francis Weller

Tigh Nam Bodach (The Shrine of the Old Man) in the Scottish Highlands. One of oldest, continually tended sacred sites in Europe.

For the majority of time humans have been on Earth, we lived from a place of humility, reverence, and reciprocity with the world around us. We knew where we belonged. We developed elaborate cultures and practices to help us maintain balance with nature.

Somewhere along the way, we were led astray. Perhaps it was the dawn of agriculture that gave rise to capitalism and resource extraction; it could have been the formation of organized religion and hierarchical political systems; maybe it was a combination of all of the above, but over time, humans began to forget their role as fundamental members in the web of life.

The result has been devastating, not only for the millions of humans who have suffered from oppression, war, and greed, but for the vital Earth systems and wild beings who have experienced the destructive impacts of our actions.

Thankfully, throughout history, there have always been people who have stood up against those in power. They are the ones who were rooted in honour and respect, who knew their place in the world and were willing to fight with all their might to protect it. They are the ones who remembered.

We now find ourselves in a more perilous state than ever. We can no longer deny the impacts we are having on the world around us. The time has come for us to wake up from the slumber of amnesia so we too may remember.

For some, we may have to go back hundreds or even thousands of years, but we all have ancestors who can help us find our way back to right relationship with ourselves, each other, and the Earth. We all come from peoples with elaborate cultures that taught us how to live in a good way, to remember what is sacred.

We hold this memory within our animal bodies and our intuitive senses. We find it by quieting our minds and listening intently for the wisdom of the ancestors. If we can get still enough, they will guide us back to our rightful place in nature where we will weep in gratitude for all the bounty it offers.

This is not a quick fix or something to be taken lightly. It is a slow, ongoing process of continually coming back to sacred relationship, over and over again. It can be an arduous journey and may be met with resistance from those to stand to lose their power. But, what other choice do we have?

The ancestors have been calling for a long time. I stand with them at my back as I offer my hand to you. Will you join us?

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