There are many who grapple with the pain that generational patterns can inflict. They carry feelings of abandonment, sadness, fear, or trauma throughout their lives and may fear diving into those feelings. Often, those emotions have been buried under layers of coping mechanisms — some with devastating results.
Jenna Lee, an author and coach, has explored the themes of generational trauma and abandonment through a retelling of a Buddhist legend in her new novel “Heavenly Creatures.” Within the book, Lee has attempted how we can unravel the often mysterious and frustrating world of generational patterns, and eventually come to a place of healing.
In the story of “Heavenly Creatures,” Tara and her brother are dealing with a loss of memory of past life abandonment. Tara meets the heavenly Monkey King, Sun Wukong, who urges Tara to go on a spiritual quest to reclaim her lost memories and discover the meaning behind her present-day traumas.
The book is a story of uncovering lost truths and ultimate healing. It is the culmination of years of study and self-reflection for Lee, who in addition to writing, coaches people towards empowerment and unlocking their full potential.
Putting pen to paper
Lee has been a student of spirituality for over a decade, beginning at Phillip Exeter Academy in New Hampshire before going on to teach meditation at UC Berkeley and furthering her spiritual education in Nepal. It was during this time of educating herself that she began to explore the subject of generational patterns.
“As a Korean-American, I had only grown up learning about American and European history,” said Lee. “Learning about eastern philosophy helped me to think differently about the world and my place in it.”
Lee was attending graduate school in South Korea when she decided to follow a different path. She admits she felt “a bit lost” at the time, but her spiritual journey began to culminate in a book rather quickly. “I began writing for 30 minutes to 6 hours a day, and the book finished itself in two months.”
Amid writing the story, Lee spent 38 days in Nepal practicing intense meditation. Her teacher in Nepal inspired her to finish the book.
Diving into Generational Trauma
The subject of generational patterns and trauma is nothing new to Eastern philosophy — it has been the focus of texts and philosophies for centuries. There is a thread of belief that is woven through Eastern philosophy that we are connected to our past.
One type of generational trauma that Lee used in “Heavenly Creatures” is called han, which translates to a resentful or grief-ridden emotional state. It is an emotion that doesn’t have an exact correlating definition in English but was perfect for illustrating the themes in Lee’s book.
Korea has endured national suffering through occupation, imperialism, and socio-political division within the country. Han describes all of this and more, giving a name to a collective feeling. It is a sentiment that is uniquely Korean, and one Lee has included within the prose of “Heavenly Creatures.”
The story is not only a retelling but an acknowledgment of national — as well as personal — suffering. “The main theme of the book is forgiveness and acceptance,” Lee explains. “The secret to healing generational trauma is coming to a place of complete and loving acceptance of the past.”
A long road towards healing
Lee knows well how difficult healing from emotional and generational trauma can be; it is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Throughout Lee’s education, she has found that trauma needs to be acknowledged before one can heal, as Tara discovers herself in “Heavenly Creatures.” It is not about accusing people or shrugging off accountability, but about seeing the trauma and working through it.
Lee has relied on meditation to work through her own resentment and grief born through generational trauma. Finding healing through meditation and self-love, she has since worked with others to tap into their unique strengths and ability to overcome limiting beliefs. Lee helps guide people to find where their resentment and pain — their han — come from. A deep awareness can occur when someone gets deep into a meditative state. Ancestral and generational conventions can be revealed, and answers can be found, through a dedication to meditative practices.
Lee is hopeful that “Heavenly Creatures” will resonate with readers, as generational trauma and healing are universal constants, and many struggle with how to work through them. Through the story of Tara’s spiritual journey, Lee wants to bring happiness, clarity, and enhance familial and other personal relationships for readers.
When readers find a story that resonates with them, the outcome can be transformative growth. “Heavenly Creatures” is the type of story that could very well be life-altering for many.
Working through trauma, sadness, grief, or resentment can feel isolating, something Lee has experienced and has written about within her novel. “This book is for anyone who’s ever felt alone in life,” she says. “You’re not as alone as you think.”
