Ancestral Healing: What it is, Why it Matters and How to Practice It

Curious about ancestral healing?

I was. So I interviewed Farah Siddiq – an Afghan American, cross-disciplined reiki master who specializes in healing all forms of trauma. Our conversation, which you can listen to down below, covered a lot of ground even beyond the information in this article that is more focused on ancestral healing.

Especially if you’re interested in the mystical aspects of healing, stories about ancestral and energetic healing or generally more of a deep dive definitely give the episode a listen, too. Until then, read on for what I learned from Farah about the importance of ancestral healing and how to put it into practice.

Ancestral Healing

Read on to learn what exactly ancestral healing is, why it is important and who it is for:

What is it?

Ancestral healing is essentially DNA healing, because the DNA carries trauma. It is also scientifically proven when you’re healing DNA, it has to do with energy. So you can actually have DNA that is dormant and blocked due to trauma.

Through ancestral healing, we can open up any blocks. This then opens up energy for us in the physical body, thereby freeing any trapped soul memories.

In other words the idea is you can access your ancestral power once you free it on an energetic level. A big part of ancestral healing is about identifying and breaking the patterns that have conditioned us that are not serving us.

blue sky background with two hands reaching toward each other, one from the top of the photo and one from the bottom

Why is it important?

Ancestral healing is important at the individual, generational and collective levels.

Individual level

Even before we are fully aware of what within us needs healing, our subconscious beliefs are manifesting our reality. Until and unless we do the work to identify and heal our shadows (more on this down below), our trauma could manifest in chaotic situations or relationships.

For a life of greater peace and alignment, healing ancestral trauma is important on an individual level.

Generational level

Because ancestral healing is DNA healing, doing the work to break patterns and cycles for yourself also frees others in your lineage.

Collective level

Unity consciousness is where you and I are not separate from each other. Rather, we mirror each others’ wounds and joys alike. We can see this occurring on a global level, as we empathize with what people in different countries are experiencing it. We find parallels between our existences.

This contributes to the unity consciousness. The separateness amongst us is what destroys the world. And it is our collective healing or lack thereof that is reflected back in the world around us.

Who is it for

To some extent, healing from conditioning through ‘shadow work’ is for everybody. This is because our shadow self is formed when we are young by what is projected onto us or what we subconsciously pick up. It’s important for us all to heal ourselves of aspects that don’t serve us, or we continue to manifest a reality that is not drawn from our most aligned selves.

Some of us proactively seek to do this healing through therapy or other means. Others of us wait until we hit some sort of rock bottom or breaking point.

When it comes to ancestral healing more specifically, Farah refers to them as ‘the [cycle] breakers. She says that usually there’s one in each family system, who has everything energetically dumped on them. It is as if this person is chosen by the ancestors to be the spiritual warrior who breaks the lineage’s cycles of trauma.

Ancestral Healing Techniques: Shadow Work & Energy Healing

So, what are the ways in which you might approach ancestral healing? Let’s look at the two overarching approaches Farah and I discussed:

Shadow work

silhouette of woman sitting cross leged with arms resting on knees and meditating outdoors during sunset

First, there is the more mind-focused approach of shadow work. This is all about bringing the subconscious into the conscious and then intentionally integrating or addressing what is brought to the surface.

This can look like inner child work, such as reparenting yourself. It also includes surfacing and addressing our insecurities, and requires us to be honest with ourselves about where our ego might be clouding our self perception to avoid healing.

Getting present with ourselves through meditation is a helpful initial step toward shadow work. Meditation gives you space to be a witness to your thoughts, and to allow what may have been repressed to emerge.

Self love and self care

Farah also made it a point to express that this transformational work does not produce overnight results. It’s important to keep up self care, keep your vibration calm and stay grounded while doing the work. Transformation happens with ease, and is more of a process than a destination.

Going back to unity consciousness, Farah also talks about the importance of caring for ourselves and our heart space. The heart has the highest vibration energetically.

Farah says, “So if you’re sitting in meditation and your heart is open, and you’re sending out that frequency amidst all this chaos, don’t you think it’s going to have an impact?”

Energy healing

three hands touching in bluish, xray-like light to signify energy work for ancestral healing

At the body level, we come to energy healing. In our case, this refers primarily to reiki in a couple different forms.

Traditional reiki was developed many years ago by a Buddhist monk. But, Farah says, every culture or region has its own name for it. At the end of the day, it’s about healing through life force energy. This approach can unlock and heal at the DNA level by lifting heavy, stagnant energy that the body may be holding on to due to trauma.

Farah herself also developed Cosmic Reiki through a combination of different approaches including astrology and mediumship.

As an energy and ancestral healing practitioner, she employs a variety of modalities to support her own clients.

Listen to the Episode: Ancestral Healing with Farah Siddiq

A master in Usui and Angelic Reiki, Farah also created her own form of reiki called Cosmic Reiki where she combines both energy medicine & astrology.

Farah merges the worlds of psychology, astrology and energy medicine. Her own journey was to be alchemized and turned into healing medicine for this world.

In this episode, we talk about…

Ancestral healing, including Farah’s firsthand experience as an Afghani woman
The significance of shadow work
Collective world shadow and individual shadows
Energy healing / reiki
Being a WOC in the wellness / tech space

Farah says:
The intention of my page and work has always been two words:

Alchemy and Activation.
It is in everything I do.
It is everything I am.

My goal is to help activate and alchemize as many people as possible so you can align with your soul’s purpose. To live a life in alignment with your heart and thrive.

RESOURCES:
farahsiddiq.com / Instagram @farahmsiddiq
Books mentioned in this episode:
Shamanism and Islam
The Prophet