Connecting with the Ancestors
An Evening of Ancestral Veneration, Seasonal Wisdom & Coming Home to the Body
Seeds of Being Studio | San Carlos, CA
As the days grow shorter, the air grows cooler, and the earth begins her descent into stillness, we are invited to turn inward, reflect, and remember.
Across many cultures and ancestral traditions, this time of year has long been recognized as a season of remembrance, when communities gather to honor their beloved dead, tend to their ancestral connections, and acknowledge the sacred cycles of life, death, and renewal. Connecting with the Ancestors is an intimate community gathering devoted to honoring those who came before us, exploring the wisdom of the autumn season, and reconnecting with the body through movement, prayer, and shared remembrance.
Through the teachings of the medicine wheel, we will explore the direction of the West, its association with the element of water, and the medicine of the bear. As the bear prepares to retreat inward for the colder months, we too are reminded of the importance of slowing down, honoring our emotions, and making space for the parts of ourselves that are asking to be witnessed.
We will explore how these seasonal teachings relate to our own experiences of transition, grief, remembrance, and the natural rhythms of being human. At the heart of our gathering, we will collectively tend an ancestral altar, inviting each participant to contribute a photograph, flower, prayer, or meaningful offering in honor of those who have walked before them. Through this practice, we remember that our ancestors are not only found in the stories of the past, but also in the traditions, wisdom, and ways of being that continue to live through us.
We will also explore the body as a vessel of remembrance through a guided somatic movement practice. This will be an invitation to listen to the emotions and stories held within us, allowing movement to become a form of expression, prayer, and connection. Through gentle exploration and dance, we will make room for both the tenderness of grief and the joy of celebrating those whose lives have touched our own.
This is not a space where we must arrive with something to heal or fix~ while we may address grief it is not about having a huge “release”~ my prayer is that we learn to recognize it in the body and have more space to be with it. I hope that this can be a space to slow down, honor our relationships with those who came before us, and remember that we are part of a much larger, living story.
What to Expect
Seasonal Teachings of the Medicine Wheel: Exploring autumn, the West, water, and the wisdom of the bear as reflections of our own cycles of life.
Community Ancestral Altar: A collective offering of remembrance through photographs, flowers, prayers, and meaningful objects.
Guided Somatic Movement & Ancestral Dance: An embodied practice to explore emotion, reconnect with the body, and celebrate our ancestors through movement.
Cacao & Community Sharing Circle: A space for reflection, storytelling, connection, and witnessing one another.
What to Bring
A photograph, flower, or small meaningful offering for an ancestor or departed loved one.
Comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely.
A journal, if you wish to write down reflections or prayers..
You do not need to know your ancestors by name, have an established ancestral practice, or hold a particular spiritual belief to participate. Whether you come to honor a loved one, deepen your relationship with your lineage, or simply gather in community during this season of remembrance, there is a place for you, kin!