Speaking of Spirit

When my first grandchild was born, I was overwhelmed with emotion.  In her tiny eyes, I saw my mother, my grandmother and the long line of women, who preceded them. I thought I was simply overly emotional from driving across three states to be with this new bundle of joy and my daughter. However, a recent meme on Facebook gave me pause to think. According to the meme, "A female fetus is born with all the eggs she will ever have in her lifetime. So, when your grandma was carrying your mum in her womb, you were a teeny tiny egg in your mum’s ovaries." That is to say, that the three of you were in one body, simultaneously. One!  The thought of this blew me away. I instantly teared up, thinking of my four daughters and my 11 grandchildren.  Then, came the naysayers. "An egg is not a fetus." True. But, it is part of who a person will become. That is to say, when your grandmother was carrying your mother, part you was also part of your mother!  In addition, the...

The belief that our ancestors watch over us after death, often protecting us from harm and guiding us on the path is not new.  For many years, in many cultures, ancestor veneration was part of everyday life. From every continent, people prayed to their ancestors, believing that those they loved who had passed through the veil could intercede for them here on earth.  In our modern society, many people have lost this connection. But, many others are seeking to reconnect with this belief. For those seeking reconnection, it is their hope that the ancestors will help them and that with that help, the seeker will be able to heal his or her self as well as their community and the world. Recently, I took a online workshop with Gemma Benton , a Native American artist and healer. In the workshop, she used art to reconnect us to our ancestors. We spoke often (online), meditated and created. In the end, we each had a lovely work of art that spoke of and to our ancestors. My piece ...