WHAT SOUTHERN AFRICAN WISDOMS HAVE TO OFFER THE WEST #9

Diseases or “Dis”-eases unknown to Allopathic Medicine and Psychotherapy

 

“This is the original truth the original medicine; it will never change – just like the law of gravity.” P.H. Mntshali (my sangoma mentor)

 

Diseases unknown to Western medicine or psychiatry are and were well known to many indigenous peoples. Those in Southern Africa could be described as follows. 

 

  Disease Just Happens 

  We really do not often know why some people get sick and others do not.

"Anyone who isn't confused here really does not understand what is going on." Unknown

Diseases of  Omission rather than Commission. 

   Our guides and ancestors turn away if we ignore them and we lose their protection. They can be our parachute in troubled times when we need to jump out of sticky situations. 

"The problem in the West is that you have forgotten your ancestors. If you pay them no attention they turn away and then you are unsupported in life from the other side - like papers blowing in the wind." P.H. Mntshali

 

“Thwasa” or the “Calling” Sickness

 This malady can be physical and somatic or psychological and can occur in a potential initiate, manifesting in many ways. It happens because of an energetic field around the initiate created by their guides that demands the sufferer's attention. This "dis"-ease can be disruptive and will defy an allopathic diagnosis. It has a spiritual origin and requires a spiritual solution. The person will need to initiate or at least dialogue as to why this is not possible at that time. The one chosen is being called to his/her destiny and delay may have karmic implications.

 

Spiritual Intrusions 

These hauntings arise from various conditions especially from earth-bound spirits or ancestors seeking forgiveness.

  

Earth Bound Spirits (E.B.S.)

These can be Involuntary or Voluntary.

The involuntary ones usually occur because of a sudden, traumatic or confused death. Here, the soul leaving the body may not see the light or hear the ancestors calling them home and hence becomes earth bound. 

It can be voluntary when the spirit wants to comfort and support a loved one left behind on the earth plane. When earth bound it is easier to appear in dreams or even "visit" in real time. After crossing the veil between the worlds this will become more difficult.

 There is nothing good about being haunted even if the spirit means no harm. It can interfere with one’s energy field and create a variety of symptoms including; headache, anxiety, depression, bad luck, trouble at work and in relationship ...

Intrusive Spirits or Shades.  

Usually these are blood related ancestors, mothers or fathers, grandfathers or grandmothers or other relatives which haunt the living because they had wronged them and are hoping to find forgiveness for their misdeeds - usually emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Forgiveness can release them specifically from the karmic implications of what they had done. The effects of the intrusions will be similar to those described above and often more severe.

Energetic or Ritual Pollution 

Be careful of what you taste and where you immerse -

 what you touch and what touches you.

Ritual impurity results from a negative energetic imprint due to many factors. Sangomas recognize a state of ritual impurity resulting from sex during menses, contact with a corpse, and eating a dead animal found in the bush or road kill. Many sangomas will purify themselves after officiating at funerals before doing any healing work. Objects may also be ritually impure such as war objects that have killed others, totems, talismans or masks etc. that have been used for dark purposes. To a sangoma, pollution is something that is spiritually “dirty.” I once questioned one of my mentors as to why it occurred from sex during menstruation. He advised; "a woman is too powerful for a man during her moon cycle." Pollution can also occur after a toxic journey or an illness.

 

One can also find references to many of these same ritual impurities in the Old Testament. 

In biblical times, anyone who had been in contact with a dead body, or who had eaten an animal that had not been killed in a kosher manner was not allowed back into the community until he or she had been purified. 

Religious Jewish women are not allowed to be in contact with their husbands during menstruation. 

Amongst religious Jews kosher killing and preparation of meat requires exsanguination of the animal and extraction of the remaining blood with the help of salt on the raw meat after the exsanguination.

Sangomas and Native Americans have similar beliefs around menstruation (a woman is not allowed to participate in a sweat lodge during this time.)

Blood carries the life force and is seen to have power. This is also true in Satanic cults where it is used for demonic purposes. 

In sangoma belief and in the Bible, land or places can be polluted or cursed. Sometimes fire is the only thing that can purify demonic evil and malevolence. 

 

“You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place.” Deuteronomy

 

Demonic worship is often practiced with such zealotry, determination and passion that its power has a lasting force for captivating and destroying. 

It is best that one not try to remove the rotten and decaying apples from the pile, but rather move the good apples far away. 

In some instances it may be appropriate for a cleansing, sterilizing and purifying to take place, but only by knowledgeable specialists in such matters.

 

Exorcisms may be required in some instances and fortunately are still practiced especially by highly selected Catholic priests. It is dangerous work that has been endorsed and supported by the Pope.

Places where demonic rituals have been performed especially where there is water (river, lake or even underground) are difficult to purify. Water has consciousness, memory and resonance and can hold on to both profane and sacred vibrations.