Awakening my own ancestors
Before connecting with my ancestors I was disconnected from my relatives. Most of my entire life with my family, we had a “non commutative” or exiled relationship. Some months and holidays I got word that we wouldn't be seeing certain relatives because of differences or disagreements. I grew up as an only child, so this did not help with the lack of connection to family, even though I truly longed for that connection and to expand it as well. This honestly could have contributed to my desire to form Briona Jolie in the first place, to find connections.
Truthfully as someone with European / White ancestry, at first I didn't see a reason to be excited about my ancestry. When it came to the spiritual side it felt lost, forgotten especially as I came to learn the impact organized religion had on my ancestors and their magick practices. When it came to spirituality and culture I tended to look to and admire places like India, or Indigenous American practices like respecting the land. It was a beautiful introduction, and called me to learn their ways respectfully to both honor and learn from their culture. But when it came from my own source, it felt dull.
At the same time, I had family members lie to me about my ancestry because they felt shame from where their family was from. We only found out the truth based on written records we dug into. So there was a layer of pride that was missing too. What changed for me was when I first met my now fiance, Dieter, a door had opened.
Connecting Spiritual Beliefs
When I met Dieter, we immediately connected on our spiritual beliefs. He shared with me that he was Norse Pagan, which at the time I had never even heard before. It sparked a curiosity in me to ask him a lot of questions - as I love to do as an investigative personality type. Norse Paganism is generally a path of worshiping, honoring, and living in connection to the norse pantheon and paganism. I thought to myself, “I am primarily German and Swedish, these are my homelands too,” I just had no idea that my ancestors had gods and goddesses, old ways, divination, or even pagan traditions. I continued to spend a lot of time with him, and got to learn close hand from someone who was actually living in alignment with this ancestral wisdom.
As I continued to branch out on my own I began to dig on the internet, in my ancestral dna account, in books, in teachers, in communities. It continued to build with time, and it took nurturing a new relationship with my ancestors, not all at once or overnight.
First it began with the norse parthenon, a certain goddess named Freyja really stood out to me. Her essence, her stories, her attitude - I fell in love with her spirit. I practiced communicating with her through my channel and divination deck before I learned the runes to start to understand her better. Then came the mythological stories, listening and reading them to understand more of the pantheon and also the way their practices and magick truly came to life. Certain characters and animals came through as profound symbolism for me along my journey and what I was meant to do next in my soul work. Then I discovered runes.
The Runes
Runes are ancient nordic symbols that could be put together to write in their language as an alphabet, but on their own they hold magic, sound frequency, medicine, and story. I’ve had many teachers on my runic path, first with Dieter, my own intuition, Freyja, and my norse shaman who is also a rune master. I carved the 24 magick symbols into wood, and have worked and read with them since the day I birthed my first set in 2021.
These humble beginnings of our relationship still hold their importance yet the relationship continues to blossom every day. I've been guided to make an ancestral altar, be devoted to working with certain gods and goddesses at a time, give offerings, replace my old holidays with their pagan celebrations, eat their food, drink their mead, and listen to their music. One of the most profound experiences I was divinely guided to join was a soul retreat to Lapland, Finland, the neighboring country of my ancestors. I never felt so close to home yet was thousands of miles away from my actual home.
Shortly after this experience I began my training in Norse and Celtic shamanism and the Akashic Records. I’ve met even more of my ancestors in spirit led journey space, received blessings, gifts, and medicine from them. I now integrated a life in which I live dedication to them, their sacrifices, their prayers, their homes and dreams. It has now been my honor to share what I’ve learned with others who share my ancestry or who don’t but feel inspired by their magic and healing power.
Now their legacy lives through me and my lineage, as I leave a trail of their wisdom, stories, and whispers of love for those to follow. To be able to walk in confidence knowing I have my ancestors, an entire group I’ve connected with if not all thousands of them walking besides me - changes the way I walk. To know I am heard, seen, protected, loved, and guided always brings me a level of comfort that warms and melts away fear. It is hard to take a day for granted not only knowing this but experiencing life with them.
Connection With My Ancestors
The most surprising healing of all, is that my connection with my ancestors have brought me closer to my family here on this earth. Conversations with distant relatives seem to be easier, more compassionate, and inspire me to truly know who they are. Seeing what gifts, talents, and traits we share. Being able to bond without force, but simply through awareness of what I have learned from my ancestors. Just a few months ago a new baby girl was born into our family in August, that day I had never felt so happy. Not because I lived close enough to be able to spend time with her and watch her grow like my cousins would, no likely not, but because I could feel my ancestors smile and celebrate, and that made me smile for days.
