Let’s be honest, some of your ancestors were powerful wisdom
keepers, survivors, innovators and teachers. And some were deeply wounded
humans who passed that pain forward.
Ancestor work means being willing to sit with all of it. Not just the shiny,
mystic priestesses or the legendary war heroes—but also the abusers, the
cowards, the ones who harmed, and the ones who hid.
“To work with your lineage is to work with truth. And truth doesn’t always come
dressed in light.”
You Inherit Both
You don’t get to pick and choose which ancestors influenced you. Even if you
never knew them, their stories, beliefs, and survival patterns live in your
cells. Some of those patterns are brilliant. Others are toxic. Both matter.
Shadow work meets ancestor work right here—when you decide to hold both the
wise and the wounded without romanticizing or demonizing either.
Acknowledgment Isn’t Endorsement
Working with a difficult ancestor doesn’t mean you condone their actions. It
means you’re willing to understand the impact they had—on your family, your
psyche, your patterns. That clarity helps you shift what you’ve inherited unconsciously
into something intentional.
Some ancestors are not safe to engage directly. That’s okay. You don’t have to
open your altar to everyone in your bloodline. Consent, boundaries, and
spiritual sovereignty still apply.
Keep in mind, you’re not limited to your genetic ancestry. Bloodline is one path, but spirit, culture,
teachers, and chosen connections shape your lineage too. There are ancestors of
the heart. Ancestors of craft. Ancestors whose stories live in your soul even
if your DNA never met theirs.
This matters especially if your bloodline is painful or unknown. You still have
the right to honor and be held by the ancestral field.
Ancestor work is expansive, not exclusive. Claim the ones who call you into
integrity, not just biology. And learn from those who were damaged and
damaging. People are not born broken (usually), and there is almost always an
origin story behind the behavior and bad acts. If you are called to do so, this
is an opportunity to heal those legends, especially for your own growth and
wisdom. This work is not to be taken lightly, and must be considered with care,
but you see where I’m going with this.
There is additional insight and revelation that adds to your own
integrity and library of insight.
Try This:
- Write a list of known family traits or stories—mark which feel empowering vs.
which feel harmful
- Light a candle for the “wise and well” ancestors only—state clearly who is
welcome
- Use divination to ask: “What ancestral pattern is most ready to be healed
right now?”
Your lineage isn’t one story—it’s a whole anthology. And your role? You’re the
editor. You decide what continues.
Coming next: **Breaking Cycles, Not Bonds—Healing Without Erasure**
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