Mantra: Honoring the Dead
There is a powerful and present theme this time of year around honoring our ancestors. Celebrations take place all over the world to acknowledge those who’ve passed on. We offer gratitude, we remember them, and we have a potent opportunity to take advantage of the thinned veils to make contact with them in a deeper way.
Why might one want to do this, you ask? In short, as I see it, connecting with our ancestors to understand our family’s history – our lineage – is one of the most important aspects of healing. As well, working with the concept of “death” itself can be quite healing on its own.
It is common in many western cultures for much fear to arise around the idea of death and dying. And/or that there is no “life” after death – that one is simply gone.
As always, I encourage you to believe what serves you best, and therefore am here to convince no one of anything that I know to be true for my own heart. You are welcome to approach this the way it resonates for you. Yet, in general, I do think there’s space for pretty much everyone to explore the ways that connecting with their family’s history, and patterns (healthy or not so) that have repeated themselves generation after generation, can actually be a source of great healing.
For me, uncovering how I am connected on a deeper, quite literally cellular, level to my ancestors, has been beyond significant in my understanding of certain wounded behavioral, emotional, and belief patterns that have shown up for myself and many in my family over and over again.
Learning more about my ancestors’ stories and life experiences – which has often required my asking of some difficult questions, thus creating a bit of discomfort for others in my family (which is a totally necessary part of the process, by the way) – has brought such great healing and clarity to my life, and I know it is contributing to ending certain cycles of pain that my Soul was sent here to work on for my lineage.
What sorts of challenging things “run in your family”?
The reason these things repeat is because they are not being healed. The traumas that take place in one’s life create imprints on the DNA. Therefore if these wounds are never fully acknowledged, expressed, etc.. they go un-healed and continue to live on in the DNA of future generations.
Sometimes we are carrying around pain that we’re confused by, right? We get triggered by certain events and we don’t quite understand where our strong feelings are coming from. Well I’m here to tell you (as per my own experience and countless others I’ve witnessed) that so often this painful baggage is rooted in something that didn’t even happen to us at all, but to a family member in a previous generation. We’ve simply received the genetic imprint of their experience. Pretty incredible, huh?
The science behind all this is there, and I’ve studied it quite a bit. It comes up with clients a lot and incites major breakthroughs again and again. It’s one of the discoveries of life for which I have been most grateful. I’ll probably write more about it soon… but this is just a taste, and a bit of a “why” to the use of this specific Mantra.
An additional reason I felt called to share this Mantra at this time is due to the synchronicity of our entrance into the final Mercury Retrograde phase of this year, starting Thursday the 31st. Mercury’s Retrograde energy is all about giving us the opportunity to “clean up” and face things from the past – to bring attention to anything that’s being avoided or back-burnered in our lives. This alignment makes this Mantra perfectly suited for this time.
The Mantra Aum Namo Vah Pitrah Saumyah Svaha calls on the Divine wisdom, support, and healing from our Ancestors, honoring them for the lives they’ve lived, and humbly bowing to them as the bodies we are that were created from their bodies. This Mantra establishes a direct connection to those who’ve passed, and opens an energetic space within for communion with them. This Sanskrit Mantra translates as:
Oh Dear Ancestors, I offer you my deep respect. Please accept this offering.
Here is a general breakdown of this translation:
Aum (Om): The Divine Word and primordial origin of Sound
Namo: Salutations (Great/Divine/Name)
Vah Pitrah: One’s Ancestors
Saumyah: Deeply auspicious, gentle, and graceful respect
Svaha: So be it
This Mantra sends out a vibrational “call” to your Ancestors. It deeply connects you with your lineage and the cellular frequency you share within your body. Great clarity, guidance, and healing of generational wounding is possible with this Mantra.
*Can also be seen as: Om Namo Vah Pitra Saumya Swaha
Curious to experience more ancestral healing?
What is Sanskrit?
Sanskrit is an ancient language of India. Poems, prayers, and scriptures of India and the Yoga tradition are commonly written in Sanskrit. These Mantras can be chanted, or spoken (silently or aloud) during meditation.
Sanskrit Mantras are sound formulas, packed with energy & intention, that have a profound effect on the body-mind. When these sound waves (Mantras) are combined with thought waves (intentions), they become powerful tools for insight, healing, creativity and spiritual growth… Learn more and grab your FREE download →
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(She/Her)
The gal behind Held In The Heart. The Community Journal is a space for those who feel deeply to express freely. We explore all sorts of things here, from the real & raw healing stories & creative writing, to the funny & fleeting moments of everyday human life. I warmly welcome you and invite you to explore with us!