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Yes same here: trying to find out more about cultures here. I grew up as a Catholic, that was the only religion in our village and area. So if there was talk of a spiritual nature with my family then it was steeped in the Catholic faith mainly. Then when mum got ill in 2017 she completely turned away from it, it being her faith. I think she felt let down so much or punished or..well I dunno what she thought, her illness and her impending leaving this plain was a non topic up to the day she passed (3am Samhain morning..how's that for timing)..anyhow a lot of musings from my part, have got me in need of information only my ancestors can give me

My mom had some reason to doubt her dad was her biological father. Unfortunately both my grandmother and grandfather had both passed on when this speculation came and therefore they couldn't be consulted by the usual means.  Seemingly sensing my questioning, (my grandfather in spirit form of course) made a point of stopping by and  informing very clearly that I was his. At the time I considered that might just mean he claimed me as his even if it wasn't by blood. When I did get genetic testing done later,  it quite definitively confirmed he is  indeed my grandfather by blood.  

@Onyxin case you come around and see this, tellmegen does a full and extensive medical genetic testing for predisposition and even drug sensitivities and such. It might be helpful for someone in your position especially. 

Perfect timing for a bump! I'm lucky in the sense that my mum's bio dad wrote a lot of things down so that she would know the history of his side of the familiy and my grandmother has a cousin who made a book about "us" and... my dad just told me everything he knows (which is a lot), and even though I probably will remember less than half as time goes on I do have some pointers at least.   I have thought about it, but... for me there's a fear of rejection there that is hard to shake*. So whenever I've done ancestor work it's been more about honoring them in a general way and saying thank you. An even bigger part for me though has also been about tracing cultures, knowledge and languages/modes of speaking I've inherited that makes no sense in the context of where I happened to grow up and recognizing those parts as belonging inside me as well. Sometimes it feels like trying to capture the light of mareel** with my bare hands, but only getting wet as a result. Sometimes it is a sense of deep gratitude and a new pair winter boots that makes my whole being resonate with recognition and joy✨ *well, there's my paternal grandma who I'd _love_ to share a bottle of wine with, there's my bio grandad's grandmother who I just want to know, there's my grandmother's (great?) grandparents who I'd like to yell at (even though I do understand why they did what they did) and there's a long line of artists on my dad's side of things who I'd love to gush ideas with. One day maybe, one day. *sigh*. **milky sea? what do you call it when you run your hand through sea water and it starts glowing?

Bumping this thread, hope that's ok! I have been doing some ancestral work but mainly in a generic way in the past, honouring them in general etc. However recently my daughter had to make a family tree for one of her subjects in school and we managed to find ancestors back to the 5th generation, which I realise isn't that far but that's work in progress still.  However there is one name on my mums paternal side and it keeps playing through my mind, that one name of a grand mother in my line somewhere in the 1800s. I am so interested to hear more about her, from her🙂