Holy Water.

Most of us enjoy water in all its forms. Fresh rain, the ocean, rivers and streams. But, we don’t always realise the power that this element holds.

The first medicine I learned to make as a twasa (initiate) was holy water. The nature and energy of water lends itself to being an exceptional healer, transmitter and holder of energies and intent. A lot has been studied and written about the properties and consciousness of water by Dr. Masaru Emoto. You can do some further reading about this amazing element. Water is also a very good healer for us as we are made of 60% water.

Holy water is used to clean, bless and heal. It was a daily ritual to make blessed water in the mornings and then clean the makosini or ancestors house and sprinkle it with Holy water, as well as the yard. A bucket of blessed water, covered with a white cloth is always in the makosini, ready for use.

Holy water is also used to “dress” or bless candles or ceremonial items. This is also done in other traditions such as West African and Caribbean. Any person or item can be blessed and consecrated by sprinkling it or dipping it into holy water.

When using holy water for healing it can be done in a number of ways. The sick person can be given holy water to drink in small quantities at intervals while they are being treated or recovering. A sick person can also be sprinkled with Holy Water to protect them against further negative energies. Holy water is also used in exorcism or clearing out bad spirits in homes.

Blessed water is also used for preparing muthi or medicine. Before we cook any medicine we bless the water in the pot. When water is collected for washing or steaming a patient, the water is blessed before it is used.

Preparing Holy water:

I was taught in this way how to bless water. It can be done in many different ways. Place the water you want to bless in a clean bucket. Take 10 matches. Light them all at the same time and drop them into the water while they are still burning. Start to pray over the water and ask for the Holy Spirit of all things and the holy spirit of the water, to awaken and bless the water. The fire symbolises the spirit of the water and awakens the water. While you are praying you can also add a silver coin or hold a silver cross in the water. Make sure you only speak positive words of love, healing and power into the water, as the water will accept what you put into it and transmit it to any person or object it touches.

Some water is naturally more “awake” than other water and can be used to awaken water that is stale – like tap water. This is natural water like sea water or unpolluted water from sacred springs or rivers, waterfalls and rain water.Drops of these waters can also be added to bless water, or can be used by itself as healing water. Pray over it and ask it to do the work you want it to do.

Various ceremonies and rituals are performed using water, such as ceremonies at rivers, waterfalls, the ocean, washing, steaming and baptisms. I will write more about this in a next post.

Water represents our emotions. It also teaches us to flow and be flexible. If our emotions are out of balance we have to balance this water element within ourselves, we can also use it to remove bad energies, heavy thoughts and illness from us, by allowing the flow of water to take it away from us. You can do this practise by standing under running water or sitting in flowing water and asking the water and the water ancestors to remove everything that is causing you trouble and what you do not want. Remember to thank the water and the ancestors after the ritual.

Thokoza. Thank You for reading my blog. Please contact me if you want to give feedback or have a question.

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The ritual of Prayer. Pahla.

The Ritual of Pahla / Patla: Prayer, petition and thanksgiving.

One of the first things you learn as a twasa or initiate is how to pray. The Pahla, a petition or prayer is performed twice a day and should be an ongoing practise for a Sangoma or healer. In the tradition I was initiated, Thokoza Sangoma’s, the pahla is practised as described below.

Morning and evening prayers.

It is important to note that we don’t pray to or worship the ancestors like we do God. The prayers are to “report” to the ancestors (i.e. your direct  ancestor, and the ancestors of Nguni & Ndau) and to God, what your current circumstances are, for instance if you are having difficulty with something, to petition them for their help and guidance, and also to give thanks for the blessings they bring to you.

The principle of reciprocation is practiced where we give something in a symbolic way, in order to receive, we give as an act of gratitude and we give as an act of feeding the spirit of the ancestors, and in so doing also our own spirit, to manifest what we need on this earth.

Items used in the Pahla are a large straw mat, a “khamba” or pot with “ukombothi” (traditional beer) (or we sometimes used a bottle of alcohol) snuff (ntsu), imphephu (a sacred herb) and a white candle.

The pahla starts at the gate or entrance of your or your trainers homestead. The mat is rolled out on the ground and the sangomas take up position in a line from the “youngest” to the “oldest” initiate – the youngest being the most recently initiated or twasa. The candle is lit and placed in the centre in front of the mat. The imphephu is lit and is passed down to the youngest to start the prayers. The same ritual or prayer is repeated with the imphephu, snuff and beer.

The items are offered to the ancestors in turn – first to the right – ancestors of Nguni, then to the left – ancestors of Ndau, and then to the front centre to the ancestor of our Impande – or the keeper of the family tree of our lineage. All three items are offer in rounds – first the imphephu is offered by all, then the snuff and then the beer.

When the prayers at the gate are completed – it moves on to the place of the Impande – and outside altar or the place where the tree of the linage is planted and the keeper of the Impande resides, and then to the altar in the Makosini / Indumba, or ancestors house, where the sangoma does his or her work with the ancestors.

When the pahla is completed, all present may offer up a song or prayer from their own spiritual tradition – such as the singing of Christian or church songs.

The Pahla of Thokoza (in specific to the Impande of Umsala Umzathi):

Clap twice with your hands. Pick up the offering and greet the ancestors: “Thokoza bo gogo nomkhulu”. (I greet you grandmothers and grandfathers. Please come closer to hear our prayers). Offer the item to the ancestors saying “I offer this to you”. Then offer the items to your right, to your left, and to the centre in front of you speaking to the ancestors:

Imphephu: “Ngicela ukunuka imphephu lenu” (I offer / burn this imphephu for you). To the right: “Bema Nguni”, (I smoke this for the ancestors of Nguni), to the left, “Bema Ndau” (I smoke this for the ancestors of Ndau) and to the centre, “Bema Gogo Khoza, Mnigazwe Impande” (I burn this for Gogo Khoza (Umsala Umzathi) the keeper of our Impande).

Snuff: “Ngicela ukunuka snuff lenu” (I offer / burn this snuff for you). To the right: “Bema Nguni”, (I smoke this for the ancestors of Nguni), to the left, “Bema Ndau” (I smoke this for the ancestors of Ndau) and to the centre, “Bema Gogo Khoza, Mnigazwe Impande” (I burn this for Gogo Khoza (Umsala Umzathi) the keeper of our Impande).

Beer: “Ngicela phuza ukumbothi lenu” (I pour / drink this beer for you). To the right: “Phuza Nguni”, (I pour this for the ancestors of Nguni), to the left, “puza Ndau” (I pour this for the ancestors of Ndau) and to the centre, “puza Gogo Khoza, Mnigazwe Impande” (I burn this for Gogo Khoza (Umsala Umzathi) the keeper of our Impande). When you offer the beer to the centre – take a small sip and spit it out.

When the offerings have been given – start your prayers aloud and clap while you are praying. When your prayer is done, end with the words “Thokoz Ndau she, umNdawe”. (Greetings great ancestors of Ndau).

When all 3 rounds of prayer are finished at the altar – end the prayers with: “Ndau Ndau, ngiya babonga, uko kwana nabami. Ndau she”. (I give thanks to the great ancestors who help me to see). Sing songs of praise.

Thokoza, Thank You for reading my blog. Please give me some feedback or ask a question:

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Thokoza! Welcome!

Thokozani Bogogo Nomkhulu! Welcome. My blog is currently being constructed as I write down my experiences as an African Traditional healer or Sangoma. I hope to be sharing with you soon information about my calling to this path of African Shamanism, my initiation, learning to work with oracles and traditional herbal medicine, and growing into becoming a teacher – Gogo – and keeper of an Impande or family tree of my own medicine lineage.

Thokoza.

 

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