by marikare | Aug 29, 2021 | birth, death, family, grief, mental wellbeing, resilience, shamanism, Soul wisdom, traditions |
Did you know that your body is a 100 000 years old made up of the myriad of memories, beliefs, traumas and strength of your Ancestral DNA?
The beginnings of my love of DNA and Ancestral Inheritance
I have always been fascinated with inheritance, as a child noticing the little features that I had of my mother or father and what was similar between me and my brother. As I progressed in school and began learning the basics of genetic inheritance I was hooked. I loved filling out the genetic maps figuring out which genes were recessive and which were dominant and how each allele was passed down through meiosis aka reproductive cellular division. Through this seemingly simple process it is easy to see how our bodies are made up of hundreds of thousands of years of genetic material, way back to that first ancestor. But the depth of this understanding didn’t really occur to me until I began to study the more ancient and holistic forms of healing that are Shamanism and Chinese Medicine.
My awakening to all that my DNA held
I have such deep gratitude to my parents who were the first to bring me into the folds of Shamanism, They had spent many years doing personal and spiritual development work and it wasn’t till Shamanism that they truly found their path and it turned out it was my path as well. It was in my first series of ayahuasca ceremonies that I began to see and feel the deep connections that i had to my family line. In those ceremonies I witnessed the amazing oneness that we all are, the amazing web that connects all humanity to all things in the universe and how the light that we each emit communicates and feeds off of the light of all living things. It was the most beautiful of expereinces and when I can tap into that web I feel whole like in no other way.
Also in those same series of Ceremonies i asked to be shown my fears (I do not ever recommend doing this in your first plant medicine ceremonies) and boy was i taken down the rabbit hole. It was awful and painful and i saw these tendrils of pain and suffering that had come down the generations and now were woven into my body. At the time I did not realize that this glorious light filled web of love and beauty and the dark wicked tendrils were both apart of my soul’s evolution and key to my growth and development. Thankfully that second ceremony did not scare me away and i went back for another and many many more after and as i continued down the rabbit hole I discovered, learned and healed in ways I did not know possible at the time.
A Shamanic Perspective of Ancestral DNA
The most personally resonant explanation of inheritance and the spiritual evolution of humanity was given to me by my Shamanic teacher Jose Stevens. This explanation does not ony exist in Shamanism but is mirrored in many spiritual traditions. It says that at some point Spirit decided it wanted to feel, be and know something else and so it tore off pieces of itself and sent them to incarnate as different beings on earth, plants, animals and humans and when we initially incarnated we lost all memory of what we were and through lifetime after lifetime we slowly evolved, creating karmas and learning to play this game of human and as we grew and evolved much as we do from infancy to adulthood we began to remember what we were until we finally reached a point where we had healed and repaired our karmas and were able to step fully into the awareness that we are spirit and we are all one.
Part of this game is also conducted behind the scenes and between lifetimes when we go back to spirit form our spirits decide what we need to learn next on our spiritual paths. This is where genetic inheritance and Ancestral trauma come in as each family line offer us a unique opporunity to step into a specific pattern of trauma, pain, and disease for us to navigate and ultimately heal, as well as a specific pattern of strength, resilience and power to support us on this journey. Just as I saw in my first ceremonies there was light and love as well as dark and pain that made up my connections with my family.
Reflecting on your own Ancestral DNA
In order to begin or further your understanding of your own ancestral inheritance I offer you some questions to reflect on in order to bring to light the things you have come here to heal and gain strength in.
1) What positive attributes is your family known for? What side of your family does this come from?
2) What are you most grateful for that you received from your family? What side of your family has this come from?
3) What physical illnesses are you aware of that exist in your family? (obesity, diabetes, cancer, dementia, ms, autoimmune, eczema, psoriasis, heart disease,…..) Which side of your family are on they on? Where can you trace it back to?
4) What mental patterns and behaviours exist in your family? (Anxiety, depression, bipolar, aggression, timidity,….) Which side of your family are they on? Where can you trace it back to?
5) What addictions exist in your family? (Alcohol, drugs, shopping, sugar, violence, extreme sports, sex,…) which side of your family is it on? Can you trace it back?
I hope this is helpful to you and helps you find more understanding and compassion for yourself and your family. If you would like to continue diving into this work my course on Transforming Ancestral Trauma begins on Sept 22nd and i would love to have you! You can also book a one on one shamanic healing or shamanic acupuncture session with me either in-person or distance. Book here
Many Blessings
by marikare | Jun 19, 2020 | body wisdom, chinese medicine, distance healing, family, grief, mental wellbeing, nervous system, resilience, Ritual, shamanism, Soul wisdom |
I am a firm believer that re-establishing the connection between spirit and our conscious, unconscious and bodies is the greatest work we can do and with these truly incredible times we are living in where we are being asked to rewrite the story of humanity centered on our connection with spirit. As I have mentioned in previous posts in Shamanism we believe that we are constantly dreaming our worlds into being. This is an incredibly empowering and scary concept that has truly been seen in our covid lockdown. How quickly have we changed our lives for something we can’t even see. Collectively we believe that it is worthwhile to protect the lives of those most vulnerable and have been willing to transform our lives for it. Now that this has been proven others are demanding this same respect and protection for black, indigenous and other people of colour. Are we willing to transform our lives even further and instead of governments telling us what to do, can we the people transform our governments ( who after all are supposed to be in place to support the collective voice of the people)
As an empathic, white, straight, cis-gendered, able-bodied, educated, middle class Canadian woman who practices indigenous healing, I am deeply aware and grateful for the immense privilege I have in this life time. Not all of my life times have been like this, I have been slave and slave master, warrior and witch. The list goes on how long I don’t know some privileged and very brutal. In watching the Black lives matter movement roll out in front of me, I have deeply felt all the emotions rolling around in the world, the rage, grief, anger, sadness, powerlessness, despair, hope, fear, frustration,… dragged up from the depths of my own ancestoral lineage and my past lives that my spirit and bones still remember. I have had the privilege to be brought to my knees by them and am blessed with the time and space and knowledge of how to process them.
My beliefs have all been challenged this week and no doubt yours have been too. It has been hard to witness my complacency and apathy in the systems that keep this world separated and segregated. Acknowledging that I am indeed apart of this collective dream. I can see the very real consequences of having the structures of our reality built on the backs of others and the degradation and exploitation of the earth and its people. The thought of dismantling it all seems so momentous and the huge changes that need to happen are rattling to the nervous system.
But one truth I do know and feel at this time is that we are triggered when there is something that needs to be cleared and right now we are all being given the chance to do some incredible healing work. We each carry in our bodies and DNA the stories and traumas of our ancestors as well as of our past lives and these get passed down to each generation creating our realities. In order to make true change we must address our own traumas and the traumas of the world. Just as our DNA is marked by these stories, so are the systems we live under. The rules that govern us were created out of slavery, rape, pillaging, war, fear, hate but also out of love, inspiration, creativity and hope. We as a species have come through so much and together can create a new way forward.
I would like to begin by acknowledging all the voices that have been raised to share their stories and stand up against a system that does not see or treat everyone as equals. It takes immense courage and a real ability to step beyond the traumatized places within us to create change. It is truly the first step in healing.
So I have been asking myself how can I help dream a new world into being both in spiritual practice and lived action. A world that recognizes each person’s sovereignty, unique wounding and perspective, while remembering we are spiritual beings having a human experience that we have chosen.
I begin at home by educating myself and having the uncomfortable discussions with my friends and family.
I continue to learn about and work at transforming the trauma that I carry and my friends, family and patients carry.
I am working on practicing Deep listening and honouring each humans unique experience, while remembering that they are spirit and perfect, whole and complete.
I will be offering special sliding scale sessions for those who do not have the financial means but wish to do the powerful work of transforming trauma.
I will donate 5% of my revenues to regenerative projects that are actively working to create resilient, flourishing and equitable systems that respond to the needs of society while respecting the integrity of nature.
I offer my humble gratitude to all the voices that have been raised to share their stories and stand up against a system that does not see or treat everyone as equals. It takes immense courage and a real ability to step beyond the traumatized places within us to create change. If your are interested in doing this work here are some of the people I have found most helpful and transformative:
Resmaa Menakam
Rachel Rickett’s Spiritual activism course
Thema Bryant-Davis, PhD Being an antiracist practitioner
Jose Stevens PhD, Slavery, A closer Look
The Ritual as justice School
Light Watkins
D’orjay The Singing Shaman
Janaya Future Khan
Tracy Stanlee
Through all of this be gentle with yourself. Our egos love a good opportunity to make us feel guilt, shame and fear. They are our biggest slave owner and doing the work to recognize this and transform it is crucial to being able to make meaningful action in the world.
So much love to you all
Marika
by marikare | Mar 31, 2020 | Acupuncture, astrology, birth, body wisdom, chinese medicine, death, family, Friends, grief, Ritual, Self-Love, Soul wisdom, traditions, wild food |
Dear Ones,
These are extraordinary times we are living in and they call for us to gather up all our strength and tools to navigate them. In shamanic traditions it is believed we are constantly dreaming our world into being and advances in the world of quantum physics we are beginning to see how true it is. So I challenge you at this time to begin to allow yourself to dream. Think on all the things in your life that aren’t working for you and begin to paint a picture of how they can improve, think on all the things you love in your life and how you want them amplified, expand your thought to your family, friends, community, city, country and out across the whole world.
Here is mine:
I want to live in a world that is ridiculously accepting, generous and loving.
Where children can feel safe to play in their communities
Where everyone can feel safe to be who they are
Where people touch, hug, kiss and express their love, joy and gratitude for each other
Where everyone’s perspective is welcome
Where we know ourselves as the stewards of mother earth and care for all her children
Where we use only what we need and share what we have
Where people are connected to their dreams, their spirit guides, their ancestors and their higher selves
Where life is regarded as a true miracle and death is regarded as the next step in a well lived life
Where ritual marks each day and the initiations we pass through are honoured and celebrated, allowing for time and space to mourn and grieve
Where we care more about the quality of the food we eat and where it comes from than our latest new gadget
Where integrative and traditional medicines are valued just as highly as modern medicine
Where companies give back to the communities they work in, take from and are responsible for the full life cycle of the things they create
Where our elders are seen as the bearers of great wisdom and the passers down of memory
Where each choice we make takes into consideration the next seven generations
Where every person has enough food, water, clothing, a warm, cozy, safe home, access to the tools needed to practice their passions, hobbies, work and art
I’d love to hear your dream! Please share in the comments or email me at marikarhall@icloud.com
by marikare | Jun 18, 2017 | family, Self-Love, Soul wisdom, traditions |
It’s funny how the memories we have of someone don’t aways match up to real life or at least not the way other people see life or themselves or each other. After my father passed, I began looking through old photos of him, to remember and feel I still had a piece of him around, but the man I saw in those photos was not the same as the image I held in my mind and I wondered as time passes and he is gone for longer and longer from my physical world if the image in my mind would mold to that of photographs or continue to be something different. So on this Father’s day I wish to lay down what I remember of him now and the lessons he taught me in life. Perhaps they will stay the same or perhaps they will change as my own life changes.
My father was not a perfect man, as none of us are. Some have called him a golden boy, others a playboy, some saw him as a teacher and others a sportsman, some knew him for his love of drinking and dancing and some for the quiet solitude he found in nature and the peace of his country home. My earliest memories of him are at that country home when I was just a wee child wandering through the magic of the world, embraced by the love of those around me. I remember him in many ways; with his hands deep in the soil of the gardens or behind a chainsaw or hammer, waxing our skis in the early hours of the morning preparing to take us small children out to explore the stillness of the rising sun on prairie snow, dancing in the living room carefree with so much joy and sitting on the couch with him late at night when he had returned from work. These early memories are imprinted upon my memory almost like a dream, a dream of the father I knew I once had. But in any life these things change and the majority of our shared lives together he fell short of this dream. I now know that he did what he knew to do with his own experiences and imprinting. We are all a product of our raising and our cultures and though my dad was a markedly sensitive man there was no platform for him to learn to embrace this, except for time and the many lessons his life presented him with.
His life lessons did lead him to embrace and honour that sensitive man more thoroughly and I am so grateful that the last five years of his life came so much closer to the first five of mine. Despite all the pain and hurt, conditioning and hiding, we were able to connect and find joy in our shared experiences. This was the time that I truly got to know my father and the dream turned into a reality and this is what I wish to carry on in my heart and share with my children when they ask of their grandfather.
- Be Gracious, Thoughtful and Kind – while he was in hospital just a few weeks before he passed I asked him what his guiding principle of life was. After shaking his head at another probing question and some quiet reflection this is what he came up with. Though I know this was an ideal and he did not always live up to it, in so many ways he did. Throughout the challenges of losing his job, going to court and then to jail and finally his illness, he managed to be so gracious, thoughtful and kind. He would help others when they needed it and constantly was on the look out for making someone’s work easier or more efficient. Every day that I visited him in hospital he would thank me for being there and helping him. For the first time since I was little I felt validated by my father.
2. Connect with Everyone- my father was a very social man. He loved people and could easily connect with them and learn about their lives in the time they spent together. In the hospital he knew all of this nurses, doctors and aides names and stories. When I was young I remember one day driving down the highway and he stopped to pick up a First Nations man, loaded up with bags and a scruffy appearance my father innately trusted this man and welcomed him into our vehicle. I initially felt uneasy by the appearance of this man, but as my father broke out into conversation with this man, I remembered that we are all humans playing this game of life and we each have so much to offer no matter how we look, what we say or where we come from.
3. To be smooth- Anyone who knew my father would have heard him say “be smooth” and this was something he truly embodied. Sometimes it seemed phoney to me like he wasn’t dealing with his shit and sometimes I am sure it was. But he had this way about him of keeping going with a smile on his face no matter what happened; injuries, job losses, separations or accusations. In the last two days of this life he even managed to conserve his energy and each time a new visitor came by he would muster up some strength and smile at their presence. He remained smooth till the end.
4. To take care of myself- My father like his father was a man who knew how to survive; camping in the backcountry, building houses and furniture, fixing old things. dealing with emergencies, he knew how to be self-reliant and throughout my life he instilled this in me in two ways. The first by teaching me these many skills when I was a child and the second by not being present as a father when I was coming of age and so I learned to find my own way.
5. Enjoy the good things in life- Bobby loved things, beautiful, well made, high class, delicious, food, wine, beer, cars, sports equipment, stereos,…. He loved it all and he definitely left all of his kids with a sweet tooth for nice things, but also an appreciation for caring for your stuff. He instilled in me that if you buy well made goods and took care of them, then they would last you a life time and your mind and body would be happier for the beauty that surrounded you and the nourishment that you provided it.
These are the things that sit with me now in my mind and heart as the memories of my father. They may change and perhaps more will come with time, but they are true now and in moving through my grief, writing this has truly helped me connect, reflect and convolesce. Thank you to those who take the time to read this, may it move you to reflect and perhaps inspire you to heal your own grief. And most of all thank you to my father who helped to bring me into this world and share these many memories and lessons over our lives together.
