Ancestry is complicated
Ancestry is complicated. African Americans are trapped in a never-ending entanglement with an identity that seems to escape the possibility of closure. So we accept the only practical option that appears to be available to us, a DNA test. A scientific DNA test to give us a percentage, a probability of what we are genetically composed of, so we can do what? Perhaps, take the obligatory trip to an African land, pose and take pictures in front of African landmarks and explore the what if’s? I don’t know about you, but that has never felt like enough justice, enough fulfillment, or any sense of connection.
But none of this, absolutely none of this helps us to realize ourselves. None of this truly connects us to our ancestors spiritually, and this is why we still have a void when the excitement of our test result wane and the trip fades to black just like any other vacation we have taken.
We have to face that the only way to recover our wisdom is in our consciousness. We must be committed to finding our connectedness in spirit. That means we have to absolve ourselves of the guilt we feel as it relates to our past. It is only in our consciousness that we can relate and come to understand what we need for ourselves in the present. However, the very idea of completing our history with a DNA test continues to separate us. Our otherness is not even that of our race, our ethnicity, nor our DNA, but the part of us that is only defined by Source. The aspect that can only be identified in our connection to Source is our true ancestry.
Though, ancestry has become what we can biologically anchor ourselves to based on familial attributes. But, what is family? How many different ways do we define family on Earth?
How do we even relate to our family, when we remember all of the ways we have turned on ourselves to survive the energetic transfer of trauma inflicted on us?
Today, we have bought into our otherness and are eager to erase it. We erase it in our egotistical pursuit and acceptance of all things Eurocentric. Even as Africanity rises and the diaspora is now present and accounted for in the leaders we aspire to be, we shrink our values and remain disconnected from our truth -- the truth.
Now, what if we considered the infinite ways family could be defined ethereally.
But ultimately, we cannot bear to pause here in our pursuit of ancestry because it would be one-sided, and our true ancestry must represent the collective consciousness.
To truly consider ancestry as African Americans, we must accept that the trauma, the haunted memories, the microaggressions, the biological history live within us now. We can’t truly dissect nor remove ourselves from our origins. Our origins here reflect mindsets, beliefs, and systems created to erase us.
The only way to begin this aspect of ancestry is to start where we sit now, at the mercy of white privilege.
Here’s what I can’t stand about the abyss of ignorance that is known as white privilege. They have an abundance of artifacts, stories, records, wealth, pictures to give them an obvious perspective of their ancestors. Sometimes I really hate to refer to the people who came before them as ancestors because when I think of an ancestor, I think of someone that offers great wisdom, an energy that has earned their wings and earned their light. And, without fail, every time a past life has come through a white client, I ALWAYS see something unspeakable attached to their legacy; theft, secret meetings, plotting, scheming, rape, and not just in the sense we usually think about...some days the job is hard. It’s funny because except for one of my white clients, they all assume that they were in some way on the right side of history, all while having this mysterious ability to gift homes to their children, to pass massive inheritances, and give away priceless heirlooms. How on Earth would that be possible without some tangible level of generational wealth? I say tangible because African Americans have an invaluable source of spiritual inheritance; we have simply forgotten how to tap into and were stripped of what we started out believing to be true.
We don’t even realize how intentional we are in disconnection as we try to mimic our ancestors’ traditions and customs without creating an authentic spiritual connection. Almost everything we do is based on what we believe to be true about West African spirituality. But we can’t all be Yoruba. And in forcing ourselves to adopt cultures that are not native in biology or in spirit, we void our true ancestors and weaken the connection to them.
Here’s why your ancestor alter is ineffective:
Firstly, all altar work should be intentional. Any spirit you are calling forth should be with the same respect that you have if Spirit were standing before you. Those who work with energy but do not understand its power are sure to suffer some unfortunate circumstances. Deities do exist, and all represent some aspect of existence. You must understand what you are seeking and what you stand to receive, not to mention what you must sacrifice before calling a spirit being forward in your circumstances. This level of energy work is never a one size fits all situation. Secondly, altar work is only successful with connection. You should always be drawn naturally to a deity or be pulled to them through synchronicity, your dream state, or in meditation. Without connection, there are only empty rituals that have no power and only serve as face value in your journey. The goal in setting up an altar should be to seek guidance and clarity as with any spiritual guide. But, guidance is not available without belief or connection. A novelty altar will not help you to seek more deeply on your path or help you to gain insight into your circumstances.
Consider these questions when seeking to learn more about your ancestors spiritually:
How do I connect to my ancestors spiritually?
What are my inherited generational patterns?
How can I best approach the emptiness I feel in being disconnected ancestrally?
How do our souls join ancestral lines?
Who are my conscious ancestors?
I said it before, and I will say it again, ancestry is complicated for all of us. But, we have an ancestral obligation to understand more about who we are at a soul level, and that includes our past. I will continue to post more ancestry thoughts here because the Akashic Records provides us with the perfect energy to become one with the knowledge we have been separated from. If you want to know more about your ancestry, schedule time with me here.
And, check out these episodes of the podcast:
Juneteenth: Africa, where are you?
Ancestry: The Ins & Outs of Perceived Identity