When The Veil This: The Healing Magic of Our Ancestors
These past two months we lost two members of the Krzyzanowski family. My brother (in-law) and sister (in-law). It was last year in this month I lost my eldest sister, Helen. She’s the one I wrote about in the last book I was a part of.
My family didn’t have many relatives in the U.S. having left their families in Poland after being prisoners of war during WWII. So, I didn’t experience as many funerals as my husband.
The recent funerals in our family started late March when our cousins lost their almost centenarian mom. The wake and church were overflowing. She was obviously well loved.
Wally was next. My brother-in-law was well known and respected in the Indian Motorcycle world for over 50 years. That was not a typo. Motorcycle colleagues and his brother, Joe were honored to be pallbearers. Wally had Parkinson’s for 18 years. He went down quickly, within two weeks. He actually pulled his suit out just before he passed. He knew. This knowing, to me, is truly a miracle or at the very least, magical.
I was in awe of his colleagues in the motorcycle world that came to the funeral. I was in awe of their deep respect for Wally.
Later the next month, Joe’s wife Char passed from lung cancer. Joe was caretaker for both Wally and Char. This is a small town. Char was well-known and well-loved throughout the area. She worked at various healthcare facilities and provided home health care to many individuals throughout her years, doing this much needed service with great care and attention. Many families considered her their angel. The wake had over an hour wait to get through the line to see Joe, and the funeral was likewise overflowing.
All these shades of death and passing have me continually learning that funerals are healing to the bereaved. I didn’t grow up with that. I didn’t understand funerals. But I’m getting there.
My first funeral was of my fourth-grade best friend’s dad. My parents dropped me off at the funeral home and I walked in alone waiting in the foyer not knowing what to do. My best friend’s mom walked me over to the casket to say my prayers. This was my introduction to death.
These most recent funerals have made me take pause and ask, could I do better? What is my legacy?
When my eldest sister passed a year ago, I was in a deep funk dwelling on her passing after a few years of not knowing anyone. It was a long good-bye as they say.
But these ancestors continue to be in our world and in our realm of communication. Just after writing the chapter I wrote about my eldest sister being my “buffer” in a household filled with PTSD, the channel we were listening to on Sirius played “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”—the tune the music box she let me win with her bingo win. I don’t recall that channel ever playing that tune before.
After Wally passed, we were driving home to Indiana for the funeral and we were talking about his huge heart. Just as we were having this conversation, we came upon a trailer being pulled by a vehicle. Both were all covered with Indian Motorcycle emblems. And so, the communication began with Wally saying hello via his lifelong love of Indian Motorcycles.
Char loved butterflies and hummingbirds. After Char passed, we were hearing songs on the radio as we drove home— “The Dog and the Butterfly” by Heart, “Hummingbird” by Seals and Crofts. You can call this coincidence. I call this magic.
Our ancestors want to stay in touch. We just have to listen and be aware of our surroundings and environment. Are you listening?
I’m including my meditation on connecting with ancestors from the webinar I did last year for the book I was a part of. We must listen for our ancestors. They aren’t gone from our lives. They’re only a song or vehicle away.
Namasté,
Sandy Krzyzanowski
Better Day Yoga, LLC
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Mail to: 5024 Oxborough Gardens
Brooklyn Park, MN 55443-3990
(612) 708 6900
1) The Ancestor Meditation:
Halloween Treat
And given the time of year and the thinning of the veil that connects us to our ancestors, please enjoy a clip of the Ancestor Meditation, here (Free):
In this meditation we’ll connect with our ancestors, those who carry wisdom and compassion, by releasing what no longer serves us and then we’ll be closing with a gentle humming practice. Remember, you don’t need to sing perfectly. Your hum is simply vibration. It’s a way to feel connection and support moving through you.
We hope you’ll find the material valuable. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us directly.
We have more classes coming up soon. If you’d like to work with Sandy further, you can access the Guided Meditation and Yoga Nidra series on the Learn It Live platform. Also look out for her trauma-informed yoga classes coming 2026 on the platform as well. We hope to see you at the next one!
2) Brave Families Community monthly meeting this Friday!
It’s my turn to speak along with a deeply respected colleague, Elizabeth Kipp. I’m oh so honored to be paired with Elizabeth who has soooo many more trainings under her belt regarding ancestors and ancestral clearing/healing. I hope you join us!
Where do families go when life gets complicated? The Brave Families Caring Community!
This is a group formed with my co-authors in the best-selling Brave Families, The Ultimate Guide To Long-Lasting, Loving Relationships book. We meet monthly. This month is my turn! Please join me!
Join Jean Voice Dart, Psychotherapist & Host, with expert guests Elizabeth Kipp, Addiction Recovery Coach and Ancestral Clearing®️ Practitioner, and me🥹—Sandy Krzyzanowski, Trauma-Informed Hatha Yoga Practitioner, for a safe Zoom gathering.
•15 minutes of expert insights
•15+ minutes of off‑camera time, with safe Q&A
Friday, 10.9, 2026
9 AM PT / 12 PM ET / 5 PM UK
🙏You are not alone. Your wellness matters, and we care.
Link to register: https://www.jeanvoicedart.com/bravefamilies
