Our individual lives are a product of every experience or relationship that we have ever had. But that’s not all! To know where we are going, we first need to understand where we’ve come from. We are inextricably linked to the stories of the generations that came before us. Only by understanding all of the threads that have been woven into the fabric of who we are, can we truly know ourselves.  ~ JL

Everyone has a “story” but few of us stop to consider how central stories are to the human experience. Why is story so important? Stories allow us to share information in a way that creates an emotional connection, in turn helping us gain a deeper understanding of our own experiences as well as those of others. Stories connect us.

In story telling a powerful tool often used is the backstory…a story that led up to the main plot or event. The notion of a ‘backstory’, although it is not called that, is central to many psychological therapies. So how might “backstory” be useful to the individual?  Philosophically, most of us have at least once asked: “Why am I here?”; “What is it that I am meant to do with the time that I have?”  Regrettably, we too often just move through our lives either wishing for something else, or simply assume there is nothing more. The possibilities and opportunities, much less the bigger questions, are not even considered. Have you ever thought about how your own story emerged, or which stories and backstories influenced your life experience? Our vast ancestral history can provide clues to who we really are, and why. As an Astrologer I have learned through research, and in my consulting practice, that there are common signatures within families, past and present. With a life-long interest in the story of my family, I am fascinated by what we are able to learn from our ancestors.  My study of Astrology served to intensify this interest and, overlaying my family tree with more than four generations of natal charts has been enlightening to say the least. 

The family tree can hold secrets and clues to help us understand our own experience.

Have you ever wondered why certain things in life have been difficult, or challenging, and yet others have seemed inherently easy, or natural?  What made some of your relationships work well, and others fail?  Why, or even how, your parents got together?  What was their story and what events (other than the obvious) brought you into the world?  Who were your ancestors?  What were they like?  How do your ancestors’ stories affect yours? How might your life redeem what was neither claimed nor redeemed in the ancestral line?

What stories have been woven into the fabric of who you are?

In Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, there is always something that must be redeemed. If the hero/heroine accepts the challenge, they enter the unknown world where they find enemies and helpers they did not know existed. Here, they defeat the enemies and bring a boon, or gift, back to the known world. Just a tiny glimpse into one of countless generational threads might allow a person to release an ancestral pattern that has played out amongst family groups for generations, or retrieve a gift from the past which has the potential to redeem the current generation.

In my ongoing client work within the scope of Astro-Genealogy, I am amazed and grateful for the gifts and treasures that have been realized through learning about, and understanding, individually specific family stories and the resulting dynamics.  If your interest is piqued, or even renewed, consider what you might learn or gain from your family or ancestral threads. Let me begin by asking…”What IS YOUR story?”