Ancestral Call: Healing from the Land of the Living

Magical Guest Series with Ancestral Wise Woman Jenna Newell Hiott

Our Magical Guest today—Jenna Newell Hiott—is one of my own teachers.

We met years ago in the Visionary Fiction Alliance and reconnected here on Substack through a beautiful, algorithmic twist of fate. I have been lucky enough to work closely with her through her membership here on Substack, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to partner on this article.

What I love most about Jenna is how easily she experiences the kind of magical moments many people spend their whole lives seeking. For her, the shamanic existence appears to flow as naturally as breathing.

She is generous and relaxed in her sharing insights with others, and the quiet way she shares the deep wisdom entrusted to her always leaves me leaning in for more.

---

Hi everyone, I’m Jenna, and I’m so honored to be here in Allysha’s space while she’s adventuring in France. I was thrilled when she asked me to write a little something about ancestral healing, because this work has changed my life in ways I never imagined. Whether you’re deeply rooted in spiritual practice or totally new to this kind of thing, I hope what follows offers a gentle doorway into the world of your ancestors—and the possibility that transformation doesn’t end with us. 💖💖

Ten years ago, a long dead great grandfather came to me and asked me to do a ritual of forgiveness, a ritual of healing. I didn’t know it was possible to be summoned by the dead. But in that moment, everything in me said yes—yes to the work, yes to the lineage, yes to a healing that would ripple through time.

That was the beginning of a relationship that has changed everything.

Ancestral healing isn’t about idolizing the past or pretending our ancestors were perfect. It’s about tending to the roots of who we are, so that those roots can become a nourishing foundation instead of an unseen source of harm. It’s about entering into sacred relationship with the ones who came before us–not to fix them or carry their burdens, but to join together in healing so that something new can grow.

---

What Is Ancestral Healing?

To me, ancestral healing is not a technique or a trend—it’s a remembering.

It’s the act of turning toward the deep well of life that we are a part of, the one that stretches far behind us and far ahead. It’s the recognition that we are not separate. That the ones who came before us are not gone. That the patterns we carry, the wounds we tend, the gifts we hold—they didn’t begin with us, and they don’t end with us either.

Ancestral healing is about relationship. About allowing the veil between the worlds to thin, not in fear, but in love. It’s about listening, witnessing, making space. It’s about participating in the great work of repair—across generations, across time, across the heartlines that connect us to the unseen ones.

Sometimes that work looks like healing grief that was never grieved. Sometimes it looks like reclaiming the blessings that were lost. Sometimes it means saying yes to a strength we didn’t know belonged to us.

It simply begins with a turning—toward the ones who call to us from the afterlife and from deep within our bones. They are still here, still longing for connection, still waiting to be known.

Why This Work Matters (Especially Now)

We are living through a time of great unraveling and remembering. Systems are shifting. Foundations are shaking. Many of us are feeling untethered, overwhelmed, or unsure where to root. In the midst of all this, ancestral healing offers something profound: a return to belonging.

The vibrant, healed collective of your ancestors is not a metaphor. It’s a living reality. And it is your birthright.

Your ancestors carry medicine. They are your roots, your blessings, your fierce protection. They are the long memory of what it means to live in reciprocity. They know how to weather the storms of history, and they are reaching toward you now—because they know you are the one who can carry their love forward in a new way.

The guidance I receive again and again is this: we are moving toward a more relational way of being. Even when the world seems fractured, that deeper current is flowing. The ancestors are part of this shift—and they need us as much as we need them. When we help them heal, we bring them with us into the unfolding. Together, we co-create a future rooted in connection, reciprocity, and care.

You Don’t Need Special Skills (Just Curiosity)

I often get asked, “Do I need to be psychic to do this work?” Not at all. It is our inherent nature to connect with our ancestors. You don’t need to know your family tree. You don’t need to be able to “see” spirits. All you need is the willingness to relate.

Think of it like learning a new language—it starts with practice and a shift from trying to allowing. When we stop grasping for connection and instead open ourselves to what is already reaching for us, beautiful things begin to happen. You might feel a presence. You might have a dream. You might just feel a subtle but powerful shift in how you carry yourself. And that’s more than enough to begin.

What If I Don’t Want to Connect With Certain Ancestors?

This is such an important question. Many of us have ancestors who caused harm. Some of us don’t know or like our family of origin, or feel no connection to our recent dead. That’s okay.

Ancestral healing is not about forced reconciliation. You never have to work with ancestors who feel unsafe or unwelcome. Instead, we widen the frame. Our ancestors are not just the last few generations. They go back thousands—hundreds of thousands—of years. And there are many wise, kind, loving ones among them who are ready to support you.

This work begins with the ones who are trustworthy. And as healing unfolds, you choose whether or not to engage with the ones who’ve been healed. The choice is always yours.

A Living Collective, Waiting for You

Imagine stepping into a circle of loving presences—people who have walked this earth before you, who understand your struggles and carry your gifts. They’ve known heartbreak and joy. They’ve grown food, tended fires, sung to the moon, survived unimaginable things. And now they stand in their wholeness, with hands outstretched.

The collective of healed ancestors is electric, alive, generous beyond words. They offer strength when yours is depleted, insight when you're in the dark, and deep, unwavering love that cannot be broken by time. When we open to them, we step into an ocean of wisdom that affirms: you belong here. You are carried. You are never alone.

And this connection isn’t just for us. It’s also for the ones who come after. When we heal our lineages, we clear the way for the next generations to walk with more ease, more power, and more grace.

---

Want to Go Deeper?

If something in you feels stirred by this, I’d love to invite you into my course, Sacred Roots: A Yearlong Journey of Ancestral Healing. It’s a gentle, spacious container for doing this work with guidance and community. You don’t need to know anything in advance. You just need to be willing to explore, relate, and open to the possibility that your ancestors are closer than you think.

Learn more about Sacred Roots here:

https://spiritconnections.substack.com/p/sacred-roots-a-year-of-ancestral

---

May the ones who came before you surround you with love.
May the healing you do ripple backward and forward in time.
May you remember—again and again—that you are not alone.

You are held.

You are rooted.

You are the living altar of your lineage.
And the time to remember… is now. 💖💖