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UNCENSORED VERSION
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[Transcript Below]
I feel like society has lost its way, and I think many, if not all of us, feel that. When this happens, I believe we need to turn back to the past, to ancient wisdom, to our ancestors, for guidance. That’s what ancestral veneration is all about for me. There’s this guy named Carl Jung who has a quote I really like: “The task is to give birth to the old in a new time.”
So today, I’m really excited about this topic of ancestor veneration, or what I like to call sacred gratitude. I believe it’s a practice that can actually benefit those of us in recovery, and I’ll explain what I mean by that. I just want to make a quick point that I’ll be reading off my notes quite a bit, simply because I want to be very precise. So, what is ancestor veneration, and why is it important?
I like the idea of sacred gratitude. After all, this channel—this project—is called Sacred Sobriety, and I do believe ancestor veneration is a form of sacred gratitude that I wasn’t taught growing up. Ancestor veneration is something practiced more in other cultures around the world, not so much here in America, but I think it’s something that could benefit us.
One big idea here is turning to our ancestors for guidance. Many of us pray; I know I pray. A simple prayer I have is that I just pray to whoever, whatever—I just pray for guidance. I’ve learned to also pray to my ancestors for guidance. There’s this guy named Carl Jung, and he said, “The task is to give birth to the old in a new time.” This statement reflects Jung’s idea that in the process of personal growth and cultural evolution, we must reconnect with the wisdom of the past while adapting it to the present. This is a massive concept I have throughout my project of Sacred Sobriety. It’s a through-line.
In fact, a lot of Jung’s work and philosophy has inspired much of my thinking about self-sabotage, how to remedy self-sabotage, how to think about addiction, and what’s going on with the human condition right now. For Jung, this often meant integrating ancient archetypes and spiritual knowledge into modern life, ensuring that timeless truths are revitalized in ways that are meaningful for contemporary individuals and societies. It speaks to the balance of honoring tradition while allowing it to evolve through conscious awareness and personal transformation. In essence, Jung is advocating for a dynamic interplay between continuity and change.
It’s about recognizing the value of historical or ancestral legacy, both personal and collective, while ensuring it evolves in a manner that remains pertinent and vital to the ever-changing now. This process ensures that while forms might change, the essence or core truths remain, thereby giving depth and meaning to modern life through the lens of the past. To me, that’s gold.
I’m going to talk about a couple more guys: Terence McKenna and Ram Dass. They have their own twist on this topic. Terence McKenna, a well-known advocate of psychedelics and shamanic practices, often spoke about the importance of reconnecting with our ancestors. While he didn’t explicitly focus on the traditional idea of honoring ancestors, he did emphasize the importance of ancient wisdom and indigenous traditions.
He believed that modern humanity had lost touch with the deep wisdom of shamanic traditions and ancient cultures, and that reconnecting with those who lived in harmony with nature and possessed a direct relationship with the mystery of existence was essential. In his view, by reconnecting with this ancient lineage, we can transcend the limitations of modern materialistic society and rediscover the depth and potential of human consciousness.
McKenna promoted the idea that we must learn from and integrate the knowledge of the past. He believed that ancient practices, particularly those involving plant medicines, were keys to unlocking higher states of awareness that our ancestors had known intimately.
Ram Dass, a spiritual teacher and author, often touched on the topic of ancestors in the context of karma and lineage. For him, honoring ancestors meant understanding the importance of the karmic bonds that connect us to our family, traditions, and heritage. He believed that we inherit not only the physical attributes of our ancestors but also their emotional and spiritual patterns. To honor our ancestors, according to Ram Dass, we must acknowledge the gifts and challenges they’ve passed down to us. But we must also work on healing and transcending the aspects of ancestral karma that no longer serve us—in other words, ancestral trauma.
He encouraged embracing the lessons and wisdom of our ancestors, but also recognized that part of the spiritual journey is breaking free from the past’s constraints. For Ram Dass, honoring ancestors meant having compassion for the struggles they endured while using that understanding to grow spiritually in the present moment. He also emphasized intergenerational healing, believing that by doing our own spiritual work, we help heal the wounds of those who came before us.
Now, I want to add some texture to this whole thing by walking us through 100 years ago, 200 years ago, 500 years ago. Just a quick snapshot of what life was like for our ancestors and what it may have been like for these different generations of people. We think we have it so bad right now, but it’s a matter of perspective. If we just take a minute to think about what their lives were like, I think it’ll bring a lot of gratitude into your heart. For me, just doing this brought a lot of gratitude, just thinking, “Wow, my life today stands on the shoulders of the work, pain, and suffering from generations and generations of human beings who did everything they could just to survive long enough to procreate and have the next generation—and eventually have me here talking on this video.”
I’m going to say something controversial now, but I think it’s unfortunate that a percentage of people in our culture don’t see any use in having kids, basically ending the lineage of our ancestors who did everything and fought so hard to keep us going. But I also have compassion for what we’re going through in terms of mental health, and I understand there are many reasons why people don’t want to or can’t have kids. So, I have compassion about all of that, but it saddens me that some of us are losing the fight in us—losing hope. I might even cut that part out, but it’s a lot to think about.
Now, in a paragraph each, I’m going to narrate what life was like 100 years ago, 200 years ago, and so on. I won’t go back to cavemen or anything, but I think you might have an appreciation if I just walk us through this.
A hundred years ago, in the early 20th century, the 1920s, imagine the aftermath of World War I. Entire cities were destroyed, and millions of families were torn apart. Returning soldiers were scarred physically and emotionally, trying to reintegrate into a society struggling with economic instability. For the average person, survival was difficult. Diseases like the Spanish flu had swept through the world, killing millions and exposing the fragility of life. There was no modern healthcare, and a simple infection could be fatal. People often worked 12-hour days in harsh, unsafe factory conditions, barely making ends meet with enough food to feed their families. Life expectancy was low, and infant mortality was high. Daily life was a battle for survival, and every day was a reminder of how delicate and hard life could be.
Two hundred years ago, in the early 19th century, around the 1820s, life during the industrial revolution and pre-modern medicine was grueling. You likely worked on a farm or in a factory for long, back-breaking hours. There was no electricity, no running water, just the relentless toil of trying to produce enough to survive. Disease was rampant—tuberculosis, cholera, typhoid fever were common killers, often sweeping through towns and cities without warning. Medicine was rudimentary, and many people didn’t live past the age of 40. Childbirth was extremely dangerous, with high mortality rates for both mothers and infants. Life was a constant fight to meet your basic needs: food, shelter, and safety. There were no passion projects, no “find your dream job,” no “find my life’s purpose.” These are luxuries we have now. Our existential crisis today would be laughable to someone 200 years ago. They’re probably rolling in their graves about what we complain about today. Life was short, brutal, and survival was a daily struggle.
What does this have to do with recovery? A big part of recovery is gratitude. A big part of recovery is healing. I believe that ancestor veneration, honoring our ancestors, can provide healing, guidance, and gratitude. Look down at your body. This is all possible because of what our ancestors went through. Their strength flows through our veins today. You cannot just give birth to the new without being at home in the ancient and the primordial. Don’t look forward so much, but back and into yourself, in case you fail to hear the dead.
And the dead are our ancestors. The dead are the ancient.
