New Year Blessings

In constellation work, we frequently look to the dysfunctional epigenetic inheritance that is often passed down from our ancestors to find the root of recurring issues in our lives.  Yet, rarely do we acknowledge and honor the positive epigenetic inheritances that we have received from those who came before us.  What gifts or ways of being have been bestowed upon you by your ancestors?

For many years I have worked with healing the various traums in my own family's history.  Recently, I experienced how gratitude and acknowledgement can play a vital role in healing.  Instead of focusing all of my energy on the past traumas, I began to look for the strengths that run through my family line.  It's been interesting to notice how many of my interests and talents were shared by those who came before me.  

For example, my maternal grandmother, like her mother before her, was a seamstress who used this skill to support her family just after World War II when union upheaval caused my grandfather to lose his job.  As a child, I dreamed of owning and sewing my own ball gown. I longed to learn how to sew, but unfortunately my mother had never learned to sew. About five years ago, I began to teach myself how to use a sewing machine and read patterns.  I learned quickly and others mentioned that I seemed to have a "knack" for sewing.  Two years ago I finally fulfilled that childhood dream and finished sewing a Civil War Ball gown for myself complete with homemade undergarments.  In sharing my success with a friend she connected my ability to sew with my grandmother's skills.  Now, whenever I sew, I think of my grandmother and offer a prayer of gratitude for the skills she unknowingly passed on to me.

This month, in our mini-constellation exercise, we will have the opportunity to reflect on the blessings of the past as we move forward into the New Year with gratitude. ​