How Your Ancestors Help Your #LatinaMotherWoundHealing
May 24, 2021
Learning to lean on our ancestors for support and guidance can feel foreign or out of reach for first-gen Latinas. Many of us were raised in homes where our families did all they could to assimilate to western culture and the pursuit of the American Dream. It's a complicated situation because immigrant parents came to a new country, learned the language, and built a life. Yet, it is in this pursuit of the American Way of Life, that the beauties, traditions, stories, and teachings of our ancestors went untaught. I find that some of the reasons most of our Moms didn't share stuff with us is because at some point she believed (or was taught) that Indigenous ancestors were low on the social totem pole, lacked education, and therefore had to live off the land. Why would they want to share that with their daughters when they could, instead, push the agenda of capitalism? Our moms were fed the idea that 'capitalism' is the BEST chance for a daughter to create the life that Mom never got to create for herself.
But, I'm here to tell you that you actually CAN reach back into your ancestry, learn from their teachings and customs, and create a beautiful balance of First-Gen Educated Womxn & Proud Indigenous Descendant. It's in this balance, that you can access to the opportunities of being First-Gen, while also incorporating the learning and practicing of Indigenous/Native traditions of your ancestors.
It's in this balance, that healing can occur for the adult daughter seeking to heal her Latina Mother Wound.
Here are a few tips for connect to your ancestors for support in your healing path:
Find out your ancestry / heritage
23 and Me or Ancestry.com can help provide you with a DNA test kit that can open up so much information for you. With this information, you can research the Indigenous/Native background of your family and lands where your ancestors are from. This understanding opens you up to the abundance of your mere existence! You get to learn about the people, customs, practices, traditions, and experiences of the generations that came before you. The rich culture that our Indigenous/Native family members may have been lost over the years, but you can bring it back by healing traumas that have been passed down and be a cycle breaker in your lifetime.
Create an Ofrenda to Your Ancestors
An ofrenda (also known as an altar) is a sacred space you can create to pay homage and connect with your ancestors, spiritually and energetically. You can add pictures of ancestors that have passed on, candles, herbs, and/or any other items that create a sense of warmth and welcome to the spirit of your ancestors. I recommend orange candles to represent the welcoming pathway from the spirit world to the present moment (orange is the color of the Marigold flower petals that we usually display during Dia De Los Muertos). and a white candle to invite in healed, high vibrational energy only.
Pray, Meditation With, Speak to your Ancestors
Rub your hands with essential oils, burn sage, palo santo, or yerba santa to cleanse yourself and your ofrenda space, and spend time praying with, meditating with, or speaking to your ancestors. This is your time to check in with them, share your worries, experiences, ask for guidance. This helps to open up your intuitive abilities and start to feel and hear from your ancestors. I like to ask for a sign throughout my day, as a visit from my ancestors - letting me know they are with me and watching over me. For example, my grandfather likes to visit me in the form of a hummingbird, so whenever I see a hummingbird near my window or as I'm taking a walk - I know it's him, answering my request for a sign. You can do the same with your ancestors.
Call in the Power of Divine Mother Energy
Surround yourself with Divine Mother Energy by calling in the support and nurture of your healed maternal ancestors, those that came before your mother and your grandmother. Be sure you are calling in your healed feminine ancestors (yes, not all ancestors are in a sacred position to help you, some are still unhealed and finding their way). You can rely on this Divine Mother Energy from your ancestors to be the Matriarchs of unconditional love that you need. You also have Pachamamma (Mother Earth) here to hold you, and provide the warmth and grounding you need. Go outside and walk on the earth barefoot, let the sunlight warm you up, listen to the birds chirping and the wind blowing. This is what it feels like to be held in the arms of Mother Earth.
May these tips open up the possibility for further healing through ancestry, spirituality, and connection to nature. Your Mom may not have been able to give you the unconditional love you craved, but it IS available to you - always, in other places.
