They say our ancestors live on through us — not only in our DNA or behaviors, but in the matrix of our luminous energy field. We may see everything from beliefs, diseases and addictions played out in our lives as a result of those who have walked here before us.
Many of us feel a calling to the lands of our ancestors. This primal echoing of our ancestor’s lives, and often their unfinished business, can reach out to those of us who are listening with our hearts.
In 2012, I heard the land of Eire, the Emerald Island of Ireland, calling. There was a pull within my soul to journey there, and as I began tuning into it, the Universe turned up the volume of its signs to make sure I was listening!
During meditation one day I distinctly heard, “Go look up yoga teacher training in Ireland in July.” It was a very random message, but one I knew that was not to be ignored. As I searched the internet, I quickly came across a yoga website that said James Van Praagh would be teaching a 5-day Mediumship workshop in Ireland in July. I had been wanting to train with James and to visit Ireland, so here was a chance at a two-in-one customized retreat!
Over the next few days, I continued to receive repeated validations in strange and wonderful ways that this trip was meant to be. As I connected in with my angels for further guidance, they informed me that I was to go for the two-week retreat, not just for the workshop. I was to go alone; no friends or family were to accompany me. I was to make no plans before I got there, except for the class. Rather, I was to explore the land of my ancestors before and after the class on my own, each day allowing spirit to guide me where to go. Talk about taking me out of my comfort zone! I had always been a type-A, list-maker type person who would plan and research things for months ahead of time before making any decisions.
As I touched down in Dublin after an overnight intercontinental flight, a part of me was wondering what in the world I was doing there. I had never traveled like this alone, and I was both excited and terrified. As I sat in my rental car staring at the map of Ireland, I was drawn to drive to the opposite side of the country. My hands shook as I pulled out onto the unfamiliar roadway, grinding the gears as I mangled the stick shift and tried to figure out how to drive on the opposite side of the road.
The next two weeks of this personal ancestral retreat were filled with magic, heartache, fears and amazement. Ireland is filled with ancient stone circles and stone cairns dating back 3,500 years. As I walked the paths of my ancestors, I “remembered” ancient ceremonies. I felt standing stones breathing beneath my hands and connected with the lore of the fae/fairy realm of this ancient culture.
On a blustery morning, I stood upon the pier in Malin Head with the wind and waves of the North Atlantic Ocean crashing around me. This pier was the place from which many Irish people embarked during the time of the great famine as they struck out for the New World. Tears streamed down my face as I felt the fear and sadness of families torn apart from each other and from their homeland. I could feel the pain and excitement of my ancestors who left from this place to a New World, and I felt the healing come full circle.
I think it is a misnomer to believe that a retreat will always be butterflies and peace. The most powerful retreats are often those that give us the opportunity to sink into the stillness of our soul and bring forth that which needs to be looked at and healed.
In the words of the Irish author, John O’Donohue:
“When you travel,
A new silence
Goes with you,
And if you listen,
You will hear
What your heart would
Love to say.”
