© Frigga Asraaf 2024
Healing rituals for an ancestral lgbtqia+ subfield
One of my mottos is talk to people instead of about people, yet I can’t quite shake the feeling that I’m talking about people with this piece. At the same time, I know that this is not the right way of thinking because both lgbtqia+ ancestral spirits and lgbtqia+ people need allies. People and other ancestral spirits who support them, and also stand up for their rights and safety. Through my writing I can be a voice for lgbtqia+ ancestral spirits and give them the chance to speak if they wish to do so. I made a commitment to get them involved, so I read this article to lgbtqia+ ancestral spirits who could listen to it through Nancy.
Nancy: My experience when Frigga was reading aloud was the feeling that someone was sitting next to me, was inside me, listening and watching with me. On various moments the lgbtqia+ ancestral spirit present clearly thought: “Well, that really doesn’t interest me at all.” They felt no need to contribute anything.
What follows are personal insights and experiences with ancestors in general, the collective ancestral field, lgbtqia+ ancestors and the lgbtqia+ subfield, healing rituals and constellation work. The kind of rituals this piece is about are rituals of service, serving the community, of which the collective ancestral field is a part. By community I am referring here to the community earth with all its life forms. Humans, animals, plants, fungi and bacteria are all life forms. Some barely perceptible, but indispensable and connecting all life on earth. Together we form the web of life. For me, the other worlds that surrounds us also belong to it.
Building bridges (Bridging the Gap) between people is about connecting. It is engaging in dialogue and listening to each other. The word dialogue is a compound of the Greek words logos “word, language, reason” and dia “through. To be able to meet each other at a deeper layer, reason and feeling must go hand in hand. Dialogue requires choosing one’s words carefully and with feeling, temporarily suspending one’s own (pre-)judgments and opinions. It requires less speaking and more listening, attentive listening and thinking about what is being said.
Rituals can be a form of dialogue and in addition to building bridges between people, they can also build and strengthen ties with ancestors. Constellation work, about which I will talk more of later, is in my view a form of ritual dialogue. In my opinion, listening is part of the core of this method. Listening to the constellation, listening to what is being said, listening to your intuition, listening to your feelings. This applies not only to the facilitator but to all participants. For me, the constellation rituals we perform together with lgbtqia+ ancestors are also dialogue. As people, we give them a chance to speak out if they want to and we listen and there is a consultation that takes place.
Animism
An essential part of my philosophy of life is animism. Briefly, this is the view that the world around us is animated, and life is a web of interconnectedness (the community earth). The word animism can be traced back to the Latin anima meaning “soul,” “spirit,” “life,” “breath,” “principle of life”. People, animals, plants, trees, stones and landscapes or parts of them, such as a river or mountain, natural phenomena and forces, and the earth itself have a consciousness and can communicate with each other. To me it is more than an opinion, it is how I experience it. Just like the existence of other worlds outside of this one.
The interaction between humans and the other worlds remains astonishing. In a conversation about things worthy of attention with a Flame for Frith ritual, thoughts of an lgbtqia+ ancestral subfield suddenly popped up in my mind. Not surprising in retrospect, since I was talking to a trans-man. There was clearly an appeal being made and we decided to heed it. We started talking to each other and ancestral spirits about this, which led to rituals we have come to call Bridging the Gap.
Seidr
Years of practicing seidr has led to developing my own views and methods of working . Constellation work has become part of that for me. Point of views remain at least partly in development. Methods of working remain basically the same. However, that does not mean a standstill, because every ritual that is performed could enrich a person with insights and bring depth to be able to do this work even better. There are two people with whom I joined forces for a very long time: Nancy Tinkhof and Michiel de Nijs. Together we have performed many rituals, gaining experience, knowledge and insight. It is familiar and challenging to work side by side with them and exchange views on the rituals and what they bring.
Practicing seidr is an ongoing journey of discovery. In the last thirty years, people at home and abroad have crossed my path. Some of them as teachers and many others I share my knowledge and skills with. Among other things by performing rituals and giving workshops, often together with Nancy Tinkhof and Michiel de Nijs. There are all kind of different views on seidr, magic, ancestors, gods and so on. Nancy, Michiel and I are generally on the same page, but that doesn’t mean we always agree on everything. As far as I’m concerned, that’s what keeps us on our toes. Working together with people who have different ways can be really interesting. After all, different approaches can and do exist side by side. It can be inspiring, and it allows one to reflect and it could deepen or broaden one’s methods of working.
In my dealings with the other worlds and gods, spirits and powers, the human dimension is my way of relating and I also expect them to be polite, considerate, respect boundaries, offer safety and so on. At the same time, I am deeply aware that life in the other worlds is different and much of it is far beyond our human comprehension. For example, the collective ancestral field, to some extent, reflects human existence. However, it is in the other worlds and ancestors who dwell there are no longer human beings but spirits.
From the first encounter, dialogue with the lgbtqia+ ancestral subfield gave me much food for thought. About what this subfield actually is, whether our views and seidr methods fit with it, with the ones who dwell there and about ourselves. With things like seidr, magic and healing it is so important to always be attentive and avoid the pitfall of taking things for granted. It is and always will be paying close attention to and listening to and observing with care and an open mind.
Soul lore
Before talking about what ancestors are, first I will talk a bit about what a human being is. Although we are made up of more parts, here I only mention body, mind and soul.
They found on land Ash and Embla,
capable of little, lacking fate.
Breath they had not, spirit they had not,
character nor vital spark nor fresh complexions:
breath gave Odin, spirit gave Hænir,
vital spark gave Lodur, and fresh complexions.
Previous lines from the Edda layer Völuspá (16 and 17, translation Larrington) describe how the three gods Odin, Hœnir and Lodur brought to life two washed-up pieces of wreckage (tree trunks). Reading the lines, I noticed that the word soul does not appear in them, spirit does. Both words are seen as synonymous, but to me there is a difference. It does depend on which angle you look at it. The Dutch author and teacher of shamanism and systemic constellations Daan van Kampenhout argues in his book Beelden van de Ziel that soul and spirit refer to the same type of consciousness: ‘De geest is een ziel, en de ziel is een geest. Als het bewustzijn in een fysiek lichaam is verankerd noem ik het een ziel. Als het onafhankelijk van een fysiek lichaam bestaat een geest.’ (“The mind is a soul, and the soul is a spirit. If consciousness is embedded in a physical body, I call it a soul. If it exists independently of a physical body a spirit.’)
The mind as part of body, mind and soul is sometimes described as the consciousness of other-worldly powers, gods, spirits and the like along with intuition and conscience. In his book In de geest van het sjamanisme, Van Kampenhout states: ‘Die ziel bestaat buiten tijd en ruimte en is in essentie onveranderbaar en gezond.’ (‘The soul exists outside time and space and is essentially immutable and healthy.’ )With the first I agree wholeheartedly. The second is contrary to my experiences. The soul is an incorporeal part of the human being that lives on after death and can well be injured. According to Plato, the soul is the life principle of man.
Ancestors
Who the ancestors are, or to be more specific ancestral spirits, is a simple question and easy to answer. Before their demise, they were people who lived on the planet earth. A remark from someone about the ancestors has stuck with me. Pointing to my personal computer, he said: “Even if the machine is turned off, the data is still there. That’s how I think about ancestors.”
The questions of what part of us it is that lives on after we die and where it dwells are less easy to answer. If only because beliefs vary. I would like to share my insights on this with you reader, but before I do so, lets recall where the dead may go according to mythology, lore and contemporary thinking. For Germanic heathens Helheim is the realm of the dead. Balder and Nanna have resided there since their deaths in the hall of the ruler of this realm, the goddess Hel. Other well-known examples are two halls in Asgard. Namely Walhalla belonging to Gladsheim the abode of Wodan and Folkvang which is the hall of the goddess Freya. Lichtalfheim is called both a world of light-elves and of ancestors.
In the old days people thought that ancestors lived on in their burial mounds. As heathens we speak of the halls of the ancestors, without saying where exactly they are located. There are those who believe that they will join the deity to which they committed themselves in life when they die. No doubt there are many more other possibilities.
Since we as humans are related to all life with which we share Mother Earth, so now and then it pops up in my mind whether there is an ancestral field greater than the collective ancestral field of deceased humans. After all, animals, plants and trees also die and where are their souls, their blueprints? It is beyond the scope of this writing to go deeper into this, but it is certainly worth investigating. Here I will focus only on ancestral spirits of human beings.
When a person dies their body stays behind and the soul leaves the earth. Still, I do not know where souls go to. In my way of thinking it is most likely there is more than one possibility. For a long time, I have wondered whether it is the soul that joins the ancestors or whether it is something else. It seems unlikely to me that the souls of all people who have ever inhabited the earth dwell in the collective ancestral field. A soul moves on to wherever. So, to me it makes more sense that a blueprint of a human being becomes part of it. This blueprint contains all life experience, all knowledge gained, memories along with appearance and personality. According to Daan van Kampenhout, ancestors who have not been dead very long often retain most of their personality. Their attention may still be focused on the living. Personality, according to him, disappears the longer ancestors are dead and the more their attention is focused on where they reside, on the dead among themselves.
A final farewell to a deceased person is often “rest in peace”. To my experience many people who die go into a dormant state followed by sleep as it is called. There are those who decide while still alive to stay awake after death. Or that choice is made after dying, consciously or unconsciously. Some wander unconsciously or are frozen in time alone or with a group. These are a few examples of what could happen after death.
The reasons for staying awake vary. To continue to care for family may be a motivation and, for example, to be (temporarily) guardian of the collective ancestral field or a sub-field of it. A question I still have not found an answer for is if it is the soul that stays awake in cases like that. I doubt we will ever know things like this with certainty in life, but it is fascinating food for thought and discussions.
Ways to connect with the ancestors is inviting them to Midgard during a ritual or speaking to them through prayer. It is also possible to visit them in the other worlds, such as the previously mentioned places like Lightalfheim or in burial mounds. Years ago, a friend and I talked with ancestors about an easy to reach and easily accessible and inclusive place in the underworld to meet with them. A place outside Hel, because entering this world is really easy, but leaving can be rather tricky. I usually advise against visiting Hel with a trans journey especially if you are alone, unless you know very well what you are doing. The feeling of being welcome and detached from all earthly trials and tribulations can make it very tempting to stay there. With the result that it takes effort, sometimes even great effort, to leave Hel again.
For some rituals or seidr I imagine the ancestors as a straight line from the present to the well. This works fine for me. Of course, it’s not a straight line, but a wide fanning triangle. Envision your parents behind you, behind them are their parents, behind them are already 16 ancestors, and the next generations up to 32, 64, 128, 256 and so forth. To me it shows that as human beings we are all connected and there is diversity in every family field. In other words, we all have lgbtqia+ ancestors.
The collective ancestral field
Already more than once I have mentioned the term ‘collective ancestral field’ and it is time to tell you my view on it. To put it simply: it exists and connects all ancestral spirits from the first humans to those who have just passed away. We all have a connection to it naturally because we are human and descended from our ancestors. How strong this connection is, whether a person is aware of it or not, of course could vary. For me personally, there is no particular image to this field. Possibly because it covers the entire span of human existence regardless of how people think about it. It is known all over the world and people approach it in their own way or according to the teachings of their religion or tradition. The latter may have an image of it. Earlier, I mentioned some places where ancestors might be but wherever they are they’re part of the collective ancestral field.
Within the collective ancestral field all kinds of smaller fields could be observed, such as family fields, religious fields, time periods and so forth. There are all kinds of cross connections and ancestral spirits could belong to several subfields. Collective traumas caused by major natural disasters such as earthquakes or flooding or caused by humans such as war, oppression, persecution or climate change remain in the ancestral field. This may have created or could create subfields such as the previously mentioned groups of ancestors frozen in the time span of a collective trauma.
If all goes well, there is at least some exchange between the collective field and all subfields no matter how large or small. If any part of the collective field is injured or disrupted this has an effects on the entire field. As to how that effect might manifests itself or to what extent, I have no answer (yet), I only know it happens. Whether the collective field is aware of it is also something to explore. Although a subfield may be withdrawn and self-centred it could draw on support, strength and knowledge from the collective field, simply because it is part of it.
While the collective ancestral field has a wealth of much good, this may be different for the smaller fields. Subfields of religions can be as rigid as the communities of their living followers. Each ancestral family field is different and can range from being a source of love and care to limiting destructive family patterns that adversely affect living family members. Often both are present, for as human beings we all go through trials and tribulations in our lives. However, all good might be hidden under layers of, for example, rigid thinking or endured suffering.
In the collective ancestral field there is so much present beside a lot of ancestral spirits and everything they once were and are now. By connecting to this field, we could call upon all it has to offer and discover what we could offer the ancestors in return. As humans, we usually focus on what we consider to be good, such as love, wisdom, support and comfort. Sorrow, shame, despair and pain we more often leave unmentioned.
Both healthy and unhealthy patterns can be passed down within a family, often from generation to generation. This is called transgenerational transmission, usually related to entanglements. The threads of a family web may be tangled in various places. Collective trauma could continue on a large scale for a particular group of people, the population of a country or even more far-reaching as in wars where multiple countries may be involved. For the deceased, the suffering endured often stays and because of this, it could still affect the living. We, as the living, can break patterns for ourselves and heal trauma. We may invite ancestors to join us for healing, but the decision is theirs to if they want to take part or reject. Constellation work is a way to shine a light on how unconscious patterns and dynamics from your family system move you. It can bring insight and set people and ancestral spirits free. It can restore dignity and balance and might have a beneficial impact on the present. More on this later.
The lgbtqia+ ancestral subfield
As human beings, we depend on each other for our existence. We regularly need help from others because we cannot do things ourselves. Sometimes we need allies to support us and/or stand up for us as individuals and/or as a group. This is also true for the collective ancestral field. A subfield unknown to us until recently is an lgbtqia+ ancestral field. The request for help for this subfield I spoke of earlier came from a mediator. An ancestral spirit of the seidr sibbe that I have been working with for a long time. By seidr sibbe, I refer to ancestral spirits who practised seidr and magic and healing while alive.
Frigga: It always takes a few seconds to become aware that it is not myself speaking. It is always guessing who it is this time, because spirits and gods do not announce themselves. The way I speak and move change. It felt familiar as often and I realise it is one of the seidr sibbe, Takkewijf as I call her.
I am aware of what is being said and of my own thoughts somewhere in the background. There are impressions and feelings that are not mine. For the first time it dawned on me that among the ancestral seidr sibbe are many who would now classify themselves as lgbtqia+.
The first period of contact with this subfield and thus with lgbtqia+ ancestors and a single ancestral ally was all about discovery for us as allies and lgbtqia+ people. Ancestral spirits informed us that there was hardly any exchange between the collective field and the lgbtqia+ subfield. What we observed was a strongly inward-looking field, distrustful of the outside world. Life experiences of lgbtqia+ ancestral spirits such as continued rejection and the like, also from the collective field around them underlie this: entanglements on a large scale. This subfield is also familiar with the disruptive consequences for people of centuries of rejection, oppression, having to fit in at the expense of one’s deepest being, hatred, taunts, violence, manslaughter. Also think of the HIV and AIDS epidemic that struck in the 1980s, which then took many lives and left deep wounds in lgbtqia+ communities worldwide.
The right to self-determination is the right to make one’s own decisions about one’s body and identity. Much has been achieved through years of commitment by lgbtqia+ people. Unfortunately, lgbtqia+ rights vary by country. Human rights of lgbtqia+ people are still often violated. Also, as allies, we must remain alert and continue to work alongside lgbtqia+ people to improve their rights, also in the Netherlands!
Our guiding principle is equality and equity and to listen carefully. The way we perceived the state of the lgbtqia+ ancestral subfield was to be in a kind of lethargy where love, trust, knowledge and wisdom were buried under suspicion and distress. We felt a strong distrust of lgbtqia+ ancestors’ spirits toward the living. In the very beginning we still thought “we have to teach the field some things.” Soon it was made clear to us how presumptuous it was to think this way. We immediately abandoned that patronizing thought. Of course, the lgbtqia+ subfield itself knows best what it needs, and which outside help is needed.
With collective traumas, I always ask if there are a few representatives of a sub-field or group of ancestral spirits who could cope with listening to the reasons why we reach out to them. It was striking that in this case only one ancestral spirit made itself known as a spokesperson during the first ritual we performed in Joeltime 2023. I think that says something about the lack of trust.
Nancy: I never know what to expect when we perform a ritual like this. Who will come, what will come, will there be nothing or will there be something. I felt like this also for the first lgbtqia+ ritual. Nothing happened for a while. Although I did feel that there was attention from something, but it wouldn’t reveal itself yet. This was also the first time I experienced that there was what I at first percieved as no need for contact. Anyhow, it turned out a few were open for it. The one who first spoke through me called herself Magenta. They were very cautious and suspicious of us, of what we would do. Slowly that feeling diminished. The strength of the presence within me grew stronger as it dawned on them that I was giving the freedom to do what they thought was right. Unlike myself, Magenta likes to talk to their hands.
When we performed the second ritual, it was so great to see that already more lgbtqia+ ancestral spirits were present and communicated. After introducing ourselves and shared why we want to be part of Bridging the Gap rituals the lgbtqia+ ancestral spirits were invited to talk through us. One of the things they told us was that they did not know how to do it. Nancy, Michiel and I love to share our knowledge and expertise with seidr and constellation work. We will suggest possibilities for rituals and give them every opportunity to adapt them to their wishes. It is important to give them a voice to express what they may have wanted to express but never had the chance to. We are willing to weep the tears they could not shed.
Mostly Nancy and I talk about rituals and when we do, we often feel the presence of lgbtqia+ ancestral spirits and allies. They are part of our conversations in some way. Something we have repeated many times is “no is a valid answer! Whatever we come up with, if the answer is a no from the lgbtqia+ subfield, that is crystal clear to us. We like them to explain why it is no to see if we go in a wrong direction or it just need some refinement for example. Or how to offer the best way safe space.
There is the expression ‘what you focus on is what will grow’. It seems to work. Instead of the languishing and sad look the lgbtqia+ subfield gave when we first focused our attention on it, we were amazed to already feel change after the first ritual. The lgbtqia+ subfield began to crawl out of its shell with a colourful radiance.
Years ago, I learned to check with ancestral subfields to see if there is a flow from the present to the well and a second from the well to the present so energy can flow freely. One stream is to be able to drain things like sorrow and pain, and the other one things like trust, love and so on flow through the field. Checking the flows was part of the aim of the very first Bridging the Gab ritual. And it was really needed to dredge out these streams in the lgbtqia+ subfield. The effect was that energy could flow way better within it and also brought back a better exchange with the surrounding collective ancestral field.
Michiel: As I see it, a field, like the ancestral field, is a network of shared experiences, stories, memories and images but also, for example, shared traumas. The view about and handling of a field described in this article works primarily on how the field is present within the shared experience of the group of people with whom we perform such a ritual. By reviving old connections and making new ones, we give the lgbtqia+ subfield a more prominent presence in the shared experience of this group. Because we as a group and as individuals are not separate from the rest of the world, this then radiates to the world outside our group. Thus we create waves that ultimately have a broader effect than just on ourselves.
As we perceived it, the motion created in the lgbtqia+ subfield causes a ripple through the entire collective ancestral field and sets something in motion there as well. That is how it works, just like in our human world. As a human being or ancestral spirit of a marginalized group, if you open your mouth to speak out about injustice done to you often seen as annoying and all too often dismissed as being aggressive. We noted that there is some resistance here and there in the collective ancestral field toward the lgbtqia+ subfield from ancestral spirits or groups that already rejected lgbtqia+ people in life. Of course, there are ways to protect the lgbtqia+ subfield from this the best way possible.
Frigga: It is so special to me some old friends of mine among the giants showed up and offered to take on this task. I call them the hedge giants because their power is to stand around what needs protection like a hedge. They act like a kind of filter. All that is considered to be good can pass them freely, but all that is considered harmful is kept out as much as possible. An additional reason here is that giants are not people and therefore feel safer for the lgbtqia+ subfield. Meanwhile, there is also a group of ancestral spirits who have come forward as allies.
Healing rituals
Bridging the Gap rituals are an initiative of the Flame for Frith (FoF) an international heathen prayer circle that seeks to promote peace and connection. FoF prayers and rituals performed are largely for the benefit of the community, the community earth. While what follows may apply to healing rituals in general, explanation here is approached from Bridging the Gap, healing rituals for an lgbtqia+ ancestral subfield.
In rituals like these, you do not participate for yourself, but to be of service. It can be hard work. Yet here too many hands make light work, but nonetheless it could be really profound. Although the focus is on the person(s) or purpose the ritual is for, all participants naturally also have an experience of their own. A balanced and well thought of ritual has something to offer to all participants. And although selfless, serving can give the satisfaction of doing something for someone else.
Generally, a ritual has several roles. It is a sum of these roles, and each has its intrinsic value. Some of them require more than others, such as harder work or more skills, for example. Being there, with your attention, even if you perceive nothing at all, adds something. It helps increase the power needed and is therefore supportive.
There could be also roles for spirits and gods. They often can help us in many ways, for example with their healing powers and wisdom and their protection. Feeling and expressing, including crying for someone else is sometimes necessary. In the rituals I speak of here, it is not about the feelings of an individual but of a collective. In this case of all ancestral spirits of the lgbtqia+ ancestral field, like all feelings of loneliness and sadness of all the ancestral spirits of a subfield. To feel that all at once even for a brief moment would be far too much. It is wise to ask spirits and gods to be a filter so that what we experience does not become overwhelming.
Whether it about ancestral spirits or people it is often about universal feelings and emotions, such as a deep desire to belong somewhere, to a group, a community, a family and to be seen and heard, to be safe. There is often recognition among all participants. It might be a mirror and can trigger things. If you are aware of this, you can distinguish if it is yours or not. If it is only recognition, is it a trigger or it is just feelings or thoughts of others that you are experiencing.
Michiel: For me, an important part of the healing rituals we perform is expressing our wishes for the world, for society and for nature. One by one we express such a wish. Saying it aloud or hearing it said aloud gives direction to feelings that otherwise often remain unspoken as a feeling of powerlessness. Because the wish is then present as a negative emotion, it limits and hinders my thinking. Expressing it in a positive context frees me partly from feelings of powerlessness and gives space to move forward. For me, this is an essential aspect of the healing power of these rituals.
The course of a healing ritual cold be described as a wave on which we ride. The wave rises to a highest point and then rolls back down, rolls out and comes to rest. If all goes well, you feel fulfilment toward the end of a ritual. I often choose to sing together my soul song Gibu Auja, in this case wishing good luck to the lgbtqia+ ancestral subfield and all others we shared the circle with. Singing and moving/dancing gives an opportunity to express what you just experienced. To shake it off if needed and it also has a grounding effect. It helps to return to daily life in a gentle way.
It is pleasant to share after a ceremony, but it is advisable not to go into detail about what happened. Try to let your experience take effect on you free of expectations and without letting your ratio interfere. If it triggered something that does need immediate attention, do not doubt yourself. Often talking to a friend and a hug and something to drink and eat is enough. Listen well to yourself if you need something else and do not hesitate to talk with one of the persons in the role of observer and confidant, right away, an hour or a few days later.
Constellation Work
An always special and impressive method for a healing ritual is constellation work. This way of working is chosen for our Bridging the Gap rituals. From the very first time I heard about family constellations from Daan van Kampenhout, many years ago, I was fascinated by it. A short time later I participated in seminar with him and afterwards we started working with it ourselves. It is a method that has so much to offer for much more than just family constellations, by which it is probably best known. Usually, it is done with a group of people, but it can also be done alone with pebbles, for example.
This writing will only give an impression of what constellation work is all about, at the start from family constellations. As human beings, we probably all have a need to belong somewhere, to be seen and heard, to be able to be ourselves. There is a need for safety, social rules and order. As mentioned above, deceased people take their life experiences with them and restrictive and damaging family patterns are quite often passed on from generation to generation, for example addiction and abuse. A traumatic experience, such as the loss of a child, can have major effects on a family. All these issues are referred to as entanglement. A (family) constellation can bring back motion where it has become entangled and stiffened. Motion that might restore dignity and balance and closure. Truth brings peace even if it is sad and painful.
A family constellation has four roles, namely, a facilitator, questioner(s), representatives and all other participants. If several constellations are held in a row, you may alternate between being the questioner, the representative or the participant. The role of facilitator can change if there are more people with the skills for this role. The word spectator is not appropriate here because you are more than that. This also applies to other group rituals, as mentioned earlier. All the people in the circle around the constellation have a supporting role. They watch with attention what is happening and usually sympathize. Constellations are about feelings and emotions and there is always some recognition small or huge and therefore it can be healing and provide insights for everyone present.
The facilitator decides who or what will be set up. The questioner decides what the constellation will look like. People could represent other people, ancestors, runes and so on. The constellation begins with the questioner placing representatives in the room one by one. This already gives a picture, for example, how are family members placed in relation to each other. Do they look at each other or turn their backs on each other, are they close to each other or is there a distance.
When the representatives are put in place, they usually begin to experience something. Their posture may change, and feelings and thoughts may be perceived. As a facilitator, it is learning to see where there might be an opening rather than focusing purely on the problem. Trust your own intuition and follow it. Through questions to the representatives, things become clear and motion is created which hopefully leads to untangling of entanglements and healing.
Various forms of constellations can be decided upon according to the subject. So far, the choice has been for the same constellation on a dining table for our Bridging the Gap rituals. Since we are with a only a handful of people we asked pebbles to join us. The constellation with them is an anchor point and it gives us a chance to switch roles. Sometimes we speak as ourselves and sometimes we are a voice for one of the lgbtqia+ ancestral spirits, allies or other spirits present, invoked or on their own accord.
The constellation is a line from the well to the here and now. A bowl of water represents the well. On a narrow board of about a meter long, pebbles lie in a row and on the end a small block of wood painted with all the colours of the rainbow and on four sides ancestral spirits. Around it all a frith cord and a lgbtqia+ cord are placed. Representatives sit on either side of the table and at the head ends one or two people who are both themselves and representatives of lgbtqia+ people.
For the second ritual we agreed to meet in the Frith Garth between the worlds. A special corner of the Frith Garth is for lgbtqia+ people and -ancestral spirits only and next to it a spot for them and allies from all worlds to get together. It works fine to act both in Midgard and between the worlds. Since we knew more ancestral spirits would join this ritual and not all people knew each other already we thought it to be a good idea to introduce ourselves to each other and so to the ancestral and other spirits who were present. After doing so it was the turn of lgbtqia+ ancestral spirits to speak (through us) and was it our turn to listen.
Frigga: What stayed with me most strongly from the second ritual is the comment, as I remember it, “So many times people have said to come and help us, but it was only once or twice and then they disappeared again.” What struck me was the feeling behind it, even more than the words: desolation. That made me decide to invite lgbtqia+ ancestors in particular for all our rituals, like the main festivals. We can only perform a Bridging the Gab ritual a few times a year, but this way we can show that they are part of our heathen communities just like the other ancestors again and again.
All the more moving was a moment shortly thereafter in a ritual centred on Helheim and the ancestors at Eldaring’s Ostara 2024 gathering in Germany. Nancy shed tears for the ancestors. Suddenly I felt a presence speaking through me that I thought was unknown to me. Because of what was said, I understood it was Magenta offering comfort. She looked at Nancy and said, “You are here for us, so now we are here for you.”
Nancy: I was super surprised that a spirit was speaking to me through Frigga. It was very special, because I had never experienced this kind of interaction before. An ancestral spirit that had spoken through me was now speaking to me through someone else.
To be continued
You could also listen to the The Wyrd Thing Podcast
Episode 20: The ancestral field
Episode 21: Bridging the Gap
Literature
Kampenhout, Daan van – In de geest van het sjamanisme – Bres BV, Amsterdam 1999
Kampenhout, Daan van – Beelden van de ziel –Altamira–Becht, Haarlem 2001
Larrington, Carolyne (translation) – The Poetic Edda – Oxford University Press, Oxford, Engeland 1996