Smudging with Herbs and some OT: Ceremonies

[Guest guest]

Thank you both for such a heart warming note. Many of my own thoughts and

feeling were so clearly expressed. I have a more central/middle European

ancestors and don't have much knowledge about them except my eating habits (ha

ha) as well as some Native American ancestors. My dad's family have all the

documentation on that part of my background. I have always had a " feeling " for

many of their traditions (long before I knew about the family history -- my

grandmother keep it very quite) and as I got older and wiser, my instinctive

interest became stronger. And like many others my interest in herbs, herbal

medicians, the elimentals, the earth, the stars, etc and how Spirit works

through all of of us, became part of my way of life. There is so much beautiful

history steeped in my traditional Christian upbringing and so many truths, I

never questioned those or the messanger, but there were also so many " rules "

that just didn't fit for me also.

 

Thanks for writing such an eloquent posting.

 

Rita

 

Brian Jacobs <jacobs.fam wrote:

<<It is hard to explain to my friends why I feel not quite complete in not

knowing these ways and why I've had this long-held

stirring to bring it into my life although my parents had lost many of these

traditions due to their ancestors who had to deal with Christianity arriving to

those regions. >>

 

This is exactly how I feel about my own ancestral heritage. I can't tell you how

happy I am about the current revival of interest in pre-Christian Northern

European traditions and history. One has to weed carefully through the available

information, of course, because a lot of it is silly and made up, but there are

truths to be discovered. There is a purity and depth of emotion in recreating

your ancestral customs that gives you a great sense of connection to history, to

the spirit of place even if you don't live there, even to your own DNA, that you

might not experience any other way. I am not of Semitic origin and my people

never set foot in a desert before coming to the New World, so it isn't

surprising that the traditions of the Biblical peoples are not my perfect fit. I

can appreciate them, and I certainly acknowledge the impact of those traditions

on our present culture, but in the spiritual sense I feel more at home, more

resonant, with the history, stories, songs, and customs

of my personal forebears. Those were the people who looked like me, shared my

same genetic weaknesses and strengths, and the weather patterns, geography,

diet, flora and fauna, catastrophes, hardships, artisanship, and joys they

experienced shaped the spirit that comes down through the centuries to me. I

couldn't be fully alive in my life if I didn't understand where I came from and

who they were, those people who are part of me. Their life force continues to

some degree in the blood coursing through my veins and in my dreams. They belong

to me, as I to them, and their traditions are freely mine. I don't have to adopt

something that I already own, I just have to relearn it )

 

<< Don't get me wrong - I do cherish being in this country and I am astounded

really by how many different cultures are represented here. It's just that it

is also hard to retain ancestral identity here. Especially when you run into

folks who think that is just not PC. My family is supportive of this wish but

they cannot provide the history I'm looking for because they're in the same

boat! >>

 

I was just reading an article about genetic testing that is now available to

African-Americans to discover what part of Africa their people came from, and

what modern tribes they are most closely affiliated with. I think that's very

exciting. For a lot of African-Americans, this is the first knowledge they will

have of their ancestry. Africa is a large continent full of many diverse

peoples, so there will be an incredible richness of discovery going on. I love

that.

 

<< Now if I feel this way imagine my kids' feelings in the future: one set is

also part Puerto-Rican. The other set is also Italian-Scot-Irish!! They always

tease me and ask which part, foot? arm? ear? >>

 

I guess mine is pretty straightforward for a United Statesian ;O) My ancestors

all came from Northern Europe (mainly Celtic--and presumably proto-Celtic--but

some Norse and Germanic, as well) except for my great-grandmother's grandmother,

who was full-blooded Cherokee. I'm very proud of that tiny drop of Native blood,

of course, but I don't presume upon it. None of the Native Americans I know feel

it's enough to give me ownership of their traditions, but that doesn't mean I

can't enjoy them )

 

Since my husband's ancestors came from the same places as mine, my children just

say their heritage is Norse-Celtic with all that implies. When my older son

started middle school I had a medallion made for him that had a Viking spirit

ship on one side and Celtic knotwork on the other, so he could carry the

reminder of his ancestors' strength and vitality, talents and wisdom with him as

he made the scary transition from elementary school. (When my younger son went,

he just wanted " really cool clothes " instead of anything symbolic <G> ). The

older boy researched and taught himself to make his own kilt, and a mantle, and

a shield and a bow and a cloak...he listens to Irish and Scots music both

traditional and modern, he even eats haggis. The younger boy couldn't care less

about any of it, although he still talks about our first Bealtaine celebration,

mainly because we made May wine and I let him have a thimblefull ;O) I hope

someday he'll become interested in the past and in why he is

who he is. I think it's important for people to know such things. I'm certain

he'll never eat haggis, though....

 

jaime