Human Connections

 

Ancestors Are Me

“Breathing in, I see my ancestors in me: my mineral ancestors, plant ancestors, mammal ancestors, and human ancestors. My ancestors are always present, in every cell of my body, and I play a part in their immortality.”

Thich Nhat Hanh (The Art of Living)

          I have had conversations with friends recently about family—Thanksgiving brings that into the zeitgeist. We talk about family gatherings of the past, and of the present. For those of us who are estranged from family, holidays are especially difficult. I don’t know about you, but I find Thich Nhat Hanh’s words above comforting.

          All members of my original family, except for my cousins, are gone now. I remember some happy times with them and some unhappy times, too. In alcoholic families, holidays are always treacherous. Most of the time, my childhood holidays were disastrous, so this season of year is not one I enter with glee. I wonder how many of you feel the same way.

          Here’s the thing though: we carry all those ancestors within. And not just our family of origin, but all the way back down the line to our ancient ancestors, the ones we’ve never even heard of. They still reside in our genetic inheritance. They are literally in every cell of our bodies.

          We are composed of our ancestors’ DNA, and every step we take toward wholeness, toward spiritual and emotional health, heals them as well as us. We know now, thanks to Albert Einstein, that time is not linear. It wraps around, travels backward as well as forward. We exist in a field of time, and we carry the energetic/genetic components inherited from our ancestors into this present moment. What we do matters to all humanity; our consciousness transcends our singular life and expands the life of all. So, it’s important that we grow in consciousness. It flows backwards to our human ancestors, as well as our plant, mineral and mammalian ancestors. Remember, too, that we bequeath to our children and grandchildren the level of consciousness that we achieve in this life. It is there, in their DNA.

          This holiday season, remember your ancestors and honor them—realize that your family is everything. Not in the sentimental, cliché sense, but in the cosmic sense. In the words of Carl Sagan, “We are, in the most profound sense, children of the cosmos.” You, my friend, are many.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane