11/03/2025
“Honoring the Ancestors on All Souls Day” from Tias Little
We live in a world that presses headlong into the future, hell-bent on progress and gain, never looking back. But this is the time of year to halt the harried forward push, to pause and reflect on the lives that came before. On All Souls Day we remember the departed and “feed” our ancestors through silent prayer, remembrance, and well-wishes. Today we step outside the parameters of our solitary self and recall the generations that came before us. On All Souls Day we take our place in a long parade of lives— past, present and future. This is a day for inter-generational healing, for we each inherit genetic (or karmic) traits from previous generations. On this day, we vow to sustain the positive qualities we have inherited while breaking harmful cycles of attitudes and behavior. By opening up to new ways of perceiving, by shifting our perspective, we can transform relationships with a deceased mother, father, friend, or foe.
As part of a spiritual practice, we are like ancestors in training. As our lives go on, we stand in as holders of our lineage. When we tend and care for those who came before us, we become custodians, protecting and sustaining the lineage we inherit. In turn, we hope that when we move on, we too will be acknowledged, held and remembered.
Like beads tucked into a small pouch for safe keeping, most cultures throughout history keep close the memory of their ancestors. When we run ahead without minding our past loved ones, we move through the world unchaperoned. It is as if we are orphans, wandering around, restless, preoccupied, hungry and under-nourished. So on this day bring to your heart and mind the spirit of a loved one. Rekindle the spark they passed onto you and make a small promise to keep their essential goodness alive.
