How Ancestral Patterns Shape Our Lives (and How to Start Breaking the Cycle)

Remember how I mentioned that we’ve been working on ancestral patterns in my Women’s Embodiment Circle? We’re also in the midst of closing a 16-year Pluto cycle, which has been a powerful time for reflecting on the ways our inherited stories shape us.

On Tuesday, we laid out the many ways our ancestral stories impact every corner of our lives. It’s always eye-opening to see just how interconnected everything is. This goes way beyond romantic relationships; attachment styles weave through all areas of life.

How Ancestral Patterns Show Up in Our Everyday Lives
Here’s an example: If you grew up with emotionally unavailable caregivers, that absence—whether emotional, physical, or both—probably has deep roots in your lineage. This might be affecting how you connect with others, how you ask for support, and even how you care for yourself today.

If you tend to lean into avoidant patterns, here’s how it might show up:

• Romantic Relationships: Letting people in feels too vulnerable, so maybe you keep things surface-level or end relationships just as they start to deepen.

• Friendships: It can be hard to make close friends or open up, leaving you feeling disconnected or unsupported, even when you need help.

• Work: You might push yourself too hard, avoid asking for help because “I can just do it myself,” or refuse to take time off when you’re burnt out. If you didn’t feel safe asking for help as a child, you might notice the same pattern at work.

• Self-Care: Prioritizing yourself feels uncomfortable. You might push your limits, avoid rest, or feel guilty doing something kind for yourself.

• Finances: Money is a sneaky one. Financial security is a form of support, so if love was unavailable growing up, receiving financial support can feel uncomfortable, too. Maybe every time you start earning more, you find a way to spend it, or you struggle to feel secure no matter how much you have.

If you’ve been reflecting on the past 16 years, trying to understand why certain patterns keep coming up, maybe this gives you a clue.

Awareness Is the First Step Toward Breaking the Cycle
Yes, these patterns create a thread connecting the past to the present. But the good news is, we can unravel that thread. By bringing awareness to the discomfort these patterns create—and the lightness we feel as we let them go—we start breaking the cycle.

This is exactly what we’ve been working on in the Women’s Embodiment Circle, and it’s a powerful process. By acknowledging and feeling these old patterns in the body, we give ourselves permission to release them.

Creating Space for New Patterns and Growth
As Pluto prepares to shift into Aquarius for the first time in over 200 years, it’s a good time to reflect on how these cycles might be shifting for you personally. Your natal chart can offer insight into where these patterns have been most active and where Pluto’s move might be inviting you to create new possibilities.

Through somatic practices, you can start to release these old stories and feel safer letting go of what’s no longer needed. This makes space for the kind of growth and change you’ve been wanting.

Want More Guidance on Breaking These Cycles?
If this resonates and you’re ready to explore how your past influences your present, I’d love to keep sharing more insights with you. Sign up for my newsletter here to receive reflections, exercises, and support to help you understand and release these old patterns.