Every now and then I get someone ask me about a "generational curse" or a "family curse" and how to clear it. By the time the person has approached me they have usually been through the ringer with other practitioners. The popular practitioners whom folks reach out to first these days seem to be "shamans" who sends someone through a ceremony to remove the curse. Yet the problem continues.
First, a caveat about the trend of shamanism
I don't have a problem with shamans, that is actual shamans. But there seems to be far too many people who get "certificates" in shamanism courses and then go on their way like it is a weekend hobby. Spiritual practice, at least for a practitioner, is a lifestyle and a calling long before it is a public practice.
If this all feels very appropriated from native tribes as an excuse for suburbia to feel connected, you wouldn't be wrong. Modern society has taken everything else from natives, it seems they are finally claiming their culture as well. All this is to say, be careful. Shamanism is very "on-trend" at the moment. I can tell from the number of clients who start a conversation with "Well, I went to a shaman, and then it all went down hill from there." Again, not to dissuade from shamanism, but rather the folks who are only dabbling in it.
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How Curses are looked at through Hermetic Qabalah
From a Hermetic Qabalah standpoint, the idea of generational curses is not a central or explicitly defined concept. Although the principles are the same. How we view and address the idea of generational influences or patterns that can affect individuals and their descendants. These are the key ways I view Generational curses, or any curse at all:
The Tree of Life and Sephiroth: The Tree of Life is used extensively in Hermetic Qabalah (if that hasn't been clear in my posts). In case you missed any of my videos, the tree of life represents different levels of existence and consciousness, from the most material to the most divine. Each Sephirah (sphere) represents an aspect of the divine and also correlates with different aspects of human life, including psychological, spiritual, and ancestral influences. When there is a curse, if there is one, there is often a blockage (much like reiki) preventing a person from understanding or incorporating the lessons of a given sephiroth into their life.
Karma and Cause and Effect: The Hermetic principle of cause and effect (the law of correspondence) can be applied to explain how a family is affected between generations, or how a person continues to experience the same troubles over and over again. This principle suggests that actions (including those of ancestors) have consequences that can ripple through time, potentially affecting future generations. This is where the idea of karmic debt comes in. While karma is the wrong philosophy, the same sort of rules apply. When you think of karmic debt, in Hermetic terms just think larger ripples, and thus larger obstacles of consequences. Every time a consequence or obstacle isn't dealt with, the issue just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
Ancestral Influence and the Collective Unconscious: through the lens of Hermetic Qabalah, ancestral influence and collective unconscious can manifest in patterns, behaviors, and even spiritual blockages that seem to be passed down through generations.
Tikkun and Rectification: In Kabbalistic thought, which influences Hermetic Qabalah, there is a concept called "Tikkun," which means rectification or repair. This refers to the process of correcting spiritual imbalances or sins, which could be applied to the idea of breaking free from negative patterns or curses inherited from previous generations.
Astrology and Cosmic Influences: I often work with astrological patterns (astral magic) to understand the obstacles that were placed on you at birth. You may have heard the term, "born under a bad sign". There is no such thing really, however there are transits and alignments that can create blockages or obstacles that reinforce the curse.
Psychological and Spiritual Work: One of the things I like most about the practice of Hermetic Qabalah is it encourages deep psychological and spiritual work to achieve self-knowledge and spiritual ascent. This work often involves examining and transforming inherited beliefs, behaviors, and patterns, which could include what might be perceived as generational curses. This is illustrated through "shadow work", which I often work with clients on.
How I Address Generational Curses and Karmic Debt
To be honest, it takes some time. Whomever you work with, if they tell you that you can pop in for an afternoon session and be done in a few hours - run. I only know the way I help people tackle it, so find a practitioner who can assist you with the following:
Understanding your talisman (your birth chart) Its the first step to understanding the obstacles and dilemmas you deal with in your every day life.
Spiritual Cleansing: Find a practitioner who is very very good at finding blockages and helping people remove them. Sometimes they are energetic, but they leave deep psychological impacts on a person, which is why the next step is important.
Integration of Shadow: After that you need to get into the shadow work. What is this? It is understanding how you view things from all perspectives, both negative and positive. Many people avoid this because it is difficult. But if you do, good luck changing the ways that have been plaguing you. Part of understanding how obstacles present themselves in our life over and over again involves understanding how we invite them in ourselves. As the line from the Usual Suspects says, "The greatest trick the devil played, was convincing the world that he doesn't exist." The same can be for confronting yourself. If you truly are dealing with a curse of any kind, you will be blinded from exploring any kind of self inquiry. Hermetic Qabalah encourages confronting and integrating the shadow aspects of the self, which can include inherited traits and unresolved issues from one's lineage. By bringing these aspects to light, one can transform them and potentially end the cycle of generational curses.
Ritual and Invocation: Priests do this all the time, and Hermetic Qabalah is no different. Specific rituals or invocations of divine names and angelic forces associated with the Sephiroth to break negative influences and bring about healing. These rituals can be aimed at both personal healing and the rectification of ancestral patterns.
Creations of Talismans and Symbols: Talismans, symbols, and other magical tools might be employed in Hermetic Qabalah to protect against or neutralize negative influences, including those perceived as generational curses.
Part of dealing with a curse will feel like ritual magic, the rest feels like therapy. Through the principles of cause and effect, spiritual rectification, and the use of ritual and meditative practices, a what is commonly called karmic debt or family curses can be healed. What most often gets in the way is the seeker often wanting things to occur at the pace of modern convenience, like a McDonald's drive thru. If you can set those expectations aside, this will be a good start toward healing and transforming these inherited influences, effectively breaking free from what could be perceived as generational curses.
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