Appreciating Ancestors

Autumn is a time for us to harvest the lessons we have learned from the preceding seasons of our lives. 

 It's also a powerful time to honor our ancestors, those who came before us, like our grandparents. 

 Today (September 11) is Grandparent's Day and therefore, I would like to honor each of my grandparents:

Grammy (Bette Levin, 1923 - 2018): She thought my sister and I were the most precious people. She called us "pumpkins" and ended calls with "I love you muchly!" She supported me through challenging life decisions and was an inspirational cook. She taught me how to knit, darn socks, and love chocolate. 

Pop (Benjamin Levin, 1915 - 2002): As a first generation American, and having lost his own family early in his life, he valued the family he created with Grammy more than anything. He loved bagels and lox and taught me the little amount of Yiddish I know. He inspired me to love poetry and photography, and appreciate a punny sense of humor. 

Grandma J (Janet Solez, 1922- 2014): She played piano and made the best strawberry shortcake, which she once let us eat for dinner! She was a synchronized swimmer and was lovely to watch in the water. She grew roses and passed her Singer sewing machine along to me, which I still use. 

Grandpa Chet (Chester Solez, 1923 - 2019): He loved ballroom dancing, traveling, and speaking Spanish. As a doctor (who was suspicious of modern medicine) and didn't want to take medications, he said, "I am glad someone in the family is going into medicine!" when I went to Ayurveda School.

Our grandparents created our parents and made it possible for our lives to exist. They also passed down patterns that can either support or challenge our lives. Ancestral healing is something I encourage you to look into. Ayurveda's version is called Tarpana and we did a simple version during the online Autumn Equinox Retreat for women. 

Who are your grandparents? What do you most appreciate about them on this Grandparent's Day?

Also, don't forget that we have an opportunity to align with seasonal changes and make empowering differences in your life, creating the health you want, during the Heartfelt Wellbeing  Autumn Detox, Sept 26-Oct 17. 

You get to decide what you really want in this life. Health and vitality will always be the foundation of any other dream. Invest in your own foundation today, thereby making everything else you desire possible.