Recently I have been delving back into my family history. I found this as a good topic for a Wellness Wednesday topic because of some of the facts that you find in your history. These can pertain to both the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of our lives. Physical
The physical detriments that our ancestors had, sometimes bleed down through the generations to us. This can run the gambit anywhere from heart conditions to diabetes. The sooner you learn what you ancestors may have dealt with in regards to their health, the easier it will be for you to avoid following an unwanted circumstance.
Emotional
I have been watching some of the series “Who Do You Think You Are” (the U.S. version). It is remarkable how so many families seem to repeat the same decisions generation after generation. This can be both the good and bad decisions.
For example, I am descended from a military family. Without knowing it, I signed up for the military. It astonishes me every time I find how these aspects in a family line can be repeated until one generation gets it right.
Some may say that this gives validity for the ‘family curse’ arguments. I don’t know if I really buy that, but it is something to think about. It can also be argued that we travel in family groups, within the same family line. Again, I’m not sure if it is something that necessarily rings true for me, but it is still something to think about.
Spiritual
The spiritual aspects of our ancestors might have been anything from Shinto to Christian and anything in between. Most of the time the religious preference is not revealed in historical documents, but if it is known it might be something that rings true for your practice.
What else can I do?
One thing that you may want to do once you have discovered these roots is to honor and share them. I share the good and bad about my family history because it is where I came from. You can set up an ancestor altar, light a candle, or visit a grave and bring an offering. Honor their memories by celebrating the good, learn from the bad and vow not to repeat it.
Learning all this is not only a fun adventure full of helpful information. You can live history from your ancestors viewpoint and make history come to life. I would challenge everyone out there to find out their roots and know where they come from. See what the health issues might be present, what the reoccurring themes may be, and what their spiritual practices were.
