Pitru paksha
Pitru Paksha, known as the “fortnight of the ancestors” is a 15 day observance that takes place during the calendar months of September & October. In 2024, this observance takes place September 18 to October 2.
The autumn equinox falls within this period which is when the sun transitions from the northern to the Southern Hemisphere. In Vedic tradition, southern direction is the place associated with the ancestors. Pitru Paksha starts on the first day after the full moon and comes to close with the new moon afterwards. Pitru Paksha is in alignment with nature to the various astral movements during this period of time.
Pitru Paksha is rooted in Vedic tradition stemming from India. It is a powerful time to express gratitude and honor those who have come before us that left for us a legacy of protection, love, and wisdom. It is a time to honor and give thanks to our ancestors (grandparents, mothers, fathers, siblings, teachers, friends, children, and even animals) who departed the physical realm and left for us memories. This is a time for reflection on their influence over us and how they have influenced our lives and continue to influence who we are and who we will become. Yoga teaches us that we are nature and nature is us. It shows us that everything in the universe is a relationship and the connection we have with those we love transcends the physical realm. When the body decays and falls back to the earth, the soul or Atman continues to exist. The soul is timeless and the imprint our loved ones have left on this world is eternal.
This is a time to offer our prayers and blessings for those who have passed on and imprinted our hearts. This is a time to honor and support them on their journey. We can do this by dedicating our spiritual practice to our ancestors through meditation and mantra repetition or to simply focus on their love as we move through the physical practice of Ashtanga yoga. We can place a picture of our loved ones on our altar and sit quietly with them before we start our day. We can offer them foods such as fruit and rice and fresh flowers.
Pitru Paksha reminds us that we are part of something greater than ourselves; a lineage that stretches way back, DNA that shapes our bodies, and karmic patterns that influence our experiences are all inherited from those who came before us. Let’s honor, remember, and give love.