I had a huge ah-ha moment this month. Well more than one and they were focused on my writing. Sometimes we really do need to be quiet and listen so the guidance can come through. We must also be willing to get out of our own way, throw out the old, and start new (no matter how many pages we already wrote!)

I was doing what I always did

Writing for me, since 2010, has been healing. Meditative. It has provided guidance from my ancestors and spirit guides. It allowed me to process a lot of emotions and release a lot of pain. Writing gave me a space to share my knowledge about genealogy research and 20th century military research and writing. It used to flow and the creative energy was intense and fun and fabulous. Then it all began to change. I began to change.

From 2016 until 2020, my life was being created on two continents (North America and Europe), with a very ill (then) husband on one continent, kids and a business at home on the other continent. Add more stress and exhaustion...

As we navigate this incredible period of global transformation, each of us is experiencing duality in many ways. For me the last couple of weeks it is an awareness and conversation with myself and sometimes others, about something I may not agree with or would not do. And then....I turn around and do something similar. Then it hits me and I ask what is the lesson here? Where is the judgment of something, someone, myself? How can I release this and become neutral?

I invite you to explore your shadow side and all the duality that is appearing in this 3D reality right now. As we heal ourselves, we heal our ancestors and the world.

Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel and also connect with me elsewhere: https://linktr.ee/jenniferholik

© 2021 Ancestral Souls

An energy tool I use often, and especially in times of great change both inside and in the outer world, and when I can't sleep at night, is a simple question. What's the worst thing that can happen if I....... Then I answer the question and ask it again.....answer...ask...and keep going until I hit the root of the issue that is ready to be cleared and healed.

When I have worked with this tool with energy healers - who ask me the question and guide the journey, I sometimes honestly get frustrated because it seems to never end - until we hit the root. The question is so valuable and has helped me make new choices, clear away old patterns and limiting beliefs. It is also something you can do alone - speak it out loud or write it in your journal so you can see the progression. Have you used this tool? What did you think?

For more tools and resources, classes and webinars, be sure to sign up for my newsletter at Ancestral Souls and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Find all my media...

What is healing? Why does it matter if we explore and do it as we research our family's past, our military past, and look at our personal journeys? Healing is a big part of all the work I do and the master class Your Family's War Journey.

To learn more about this class or what I offer, visit https://linktr.ee/jenniferholik

Grief & Loss is a topic we explore in the master class "Your Family's War Journey". It is a topic that many genealogists and military researchers should be exploring but do not. I explain why in my new video.

Be sure to subscribe to my channel and you can also find all my services and resources here: https://linktr.ee/jenniferholik

This program was presented with the Virginia War Memorial Foundation on 6 January 2021. You can find it on their website also.

Researching and writing the stories of our military ancestors may provide awareness of family patterns, inherited trauma, our ancestors’ experiences, secrets, and can take us on a journey we never expected. Journey with Jennifer Holik into the past through story. Learn how researching and traveling in her ancestors’ footsteps facilitated her healing and healing for the world.

Be sure to download the handout.

Penny Walters has written an amazing book every genealogy and military research should read. It's called Ethical Dilemmas in Genealogy by Penny Walters.

Why is this book important?

Penny outlines many potential ethical dilemmas faced by genealogy and military researchers. A few include: How do we handle things like secrets uncovered? Knowledge of a DNA match to someone the family didn't know existed? How does a professional provide potentially emotionally damaging information to a client - or do they? Do you celebrate when you find a criminal in your family? These are only the tip of the iceberg.

How do we handle these things? Penny's book shows us how through numerous examples and case studies. Her book covers:

• What are ethical dilemmas?
• Ethical dilemmas in genealogy.
• DNA Testing
• Adoption
• Ethnicity and Identity
• Potted History & Potential Future of Genealogy

Why did I want to read this book?

As a 20+ year genealogist and 10+ year military research professional, I...

Over the last few years I have begun studying different aspects of ancestral lineage healing, family patterns, family secrets, and other topics as they related to my military and family history. Many of my clients have also been seeking resources around these topics. I have one to suggest to those just dipping their toes into this pool. Healing Ancestral Karma by Dr. Steven Farmer

I discovered Dr. Farmer through The Shift Network when I received an email for his class "The 5 Ancestral Realms" in the fall of 2019. The class description gave a different view of working with the ancestors than Dr. Daniel Foor in his book and course (which I'm taking currently). After signing up for Dr. Farmer's course, I ordered his book. The book wasn't required for the course but contributed to what I was learning.

The book has short chapters which make absorbing the information easier. Reading the book I was also introduced to many others books, which of course I had to purchase, to add to my...

There is an incredible book The Survivors. A Story of War, Inheritance, and Healing by Adam P. Frankel. I picked this book up to attempt to find another book I could use in my master class on war, inherited trauma, and healing. This book gave me a completely different view of healing than others I've read.

Whether you are from a family of Holocaust Survivors or not, the themes in this book speak to many of us. As Frankel tells his story we learn about identity, family secrets, family patterns, loyalty, grief & loss, survival, sexual secrets, mental illness, PTSD, shame, anger, familial behavior, and so many other themes associated with war, survival, the physical manifestations of keeping secrets, inherited trauma, and how we each have to choose our own path regardless of our family's choices. We also learn how his Jewish family, who survived the Holocaust, felt about loyalty and looking the other way on family secrets.

If you were to look at my copy of this book, you would...