In the spirit world, the topic of connecting with our ancestors or our ancestral DNA often comes up.
This isn't something that really resonated with me until I re-watched the movie Moana the other day off a bout of inspired action.
There's a scene a the end of the movie when her tribe reconnects with their voyager roots and starts sailing the seas again. When they do so, the tribe's ancestors are with them, supporting and cheering them on.
Over the past 5+ years, one thing I've noticed through the number of people I have met, is that many suffer from loneliness.
This loneliness manifests and expresses itself in many forms. Depression, anxiety, neediness, being overly aggressive, frustration, just to name a few.
And the thing about loneliness is... you think you're alone in feeling it.
As someone who can read energy and communicate with anything, both in this realm and others - a trait that is not always accepted in North American society - it isn't unusual for me to feel lonely in some ways. But at the same time it isn't hard for me to feel incredibly connected. I know we are all connected and one, I live it so often.
Watching those ancestors cheer on Moana and her tribe, as they stopped living in fear and instead chose to follow their hearts calling, reminded me of that connection.
There are many ways to soothe loneliness. Most take the approach of trying to surround themselves with people, or distract themselves through various forms of entertainment: movies, books, gaming, athletic activities.
But the other thing about loneliness is... it is a void that is felt with-IN and so it cannot be filled by things with-OUT.
We are lonely when we do not know who we are, when we have lost touch with ourselves and our inner calling. When we don't know our "purpose."
And so, while I encourage being connected with everything around you - the writer behind the books that you read, the trees and plants in your parks, your pets, and the friends and family you have around you - these are all external "solutions". When really, the most important thing you can do is to be connected with yourself.
As contradictory as this may sound, when you are lonely you should find quiet time to be alone.
In this quiet time you should sit with your loneliness. Ask it why its there. See what you receive. Journal about it. Meditate. Think about where you would like your life to go. Think about the people in your life you love. Ask yourself what values matter most to you. Let your thoughts and feelings rise up and go wherever they may, while you love them just the same no matter whether they are "good" thoughts or "bad" ones.
In no time at all, you will get inspired ideas for where you want your life to go and you will get steps you are excited about to get you there. You will have connected with yourself, and your "purpose."
As you follow those ideas and steps, you will uncover your heart's message. And from there, you will uncover your core values.
You will find your calling, just as Moana did when she took the leap and trusted herself. You will feel so whole because you are following your heart. And your heart's love is ever expansive. There is no "void" it can't fill.
And at the very least, when you follow your heart, your calling, you will know that you have your ancestors cheering you on every step of the way :)