Dia de Muertos - The needs of my Ancestors’

Vania, a Non-violent communication trainer, conducted a profound session titled ‘Needs of my ancestors’ on the 31^st of October.

Dia de Muertos is an annual Mexican tradition. The departed souls, friends, family members and dear ones are recalled on this day. We remember each of them and recall the relationship we had with them. If we don’t have any connection with them, even then we try and recall them just so we can check that they are happy wherever they are at this moment in time.

The whole day is spent with them, the loved ones who are no longer physically present in our lives today. Though they belong to our past, strangely or mystically, our today is influenced by them. Our character, physical attributes, personality, conditioning are shaped by them. Their story has brought us here, today! Our subconscious has carried it forward and we are grappling with it (our unmet needs) or enjoying it (our met needs) in our present lives. On this day, we honor their contributions, remember them with fondness so as to help them move on, find peace.  We then pray that they bless us; so that we live our lives with gratitude.

Our wounds, scars come from them, what they have lived through. Similarly, the gifts also come from them. This life itself would not be without them. Ancestors are an integral part of our present! We are a product of all that has lived before us, and we carry their DNA!

To me, this session felt like a Mexican way of performing the Pitru dosh pooja. We are praying to them to help us live fully. By honoring the burdens of our ancestors, we find a way to release them! And thus, we leave less weight or burden for the newer generations, for whom we shall be the ancestors!

Praying that the needs of our ancestors are met, so that only life, love compassion, generosity may enrich the lives our future generations.