African Shaman – John Lockley, Xhosa Sangoma

The Work

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is central to John’s work as a shaman and Xhosa sangoma. Ubuntu means humanity. It is widely believed in Xhosa and Nguni culture that people become human through their connection with other people. Through sharing, togetherness and helping one another we constantly rediscover and recreate ubuntu, our humanity. John keeps his work as grounded as possible, focusing on peoples’ lives and their connection to their own spirits, nature and one another.

‘Ancestors’ – the silent, hidden ones

Traditionally in some sangoma traditions, sangomas work with three sets of ‘ancestors’:

1. The blood ancestors down the Father’s line,
2. Blood ancestors down the Mother’s line,
3. Those ‘adopted’ ancestors who we have an affinity for from other cultures, for example – Tibetan Buddhists, North American Indians etc (or in John’s case, the Xhosa).

It is widely believed that if we travel back far enough all our ancestors are related.  New scientific research claims we are all descended from one small African tribe who crossed the Red Sea and began to populate the rest of the world…

John’s teacher and husband are Xhosa, but they share a common Khoi San or Bushmen ancestry. It is widely believed in South Africa today that the Xhosa tribe have some common ancestry with the Khoi San or Bushmen people of Southern Africa, and this is demonstrated in their well known ‘click language’. Recent research has postulated that ‘African San people are the world’s most ancient race’.

The English word ‘ancestors’ can sometimes be misunderstood in the context of shamanic work. It means more than just those to whom we are blood related. A closer translation would be ‘the silent, hidden ones’ – referring to the unseen forces and spirit guides that play such a powerful role in our lives, and who can support us the more we connect with them and work with them.

The work gives us a chance to connect with ‘helpers’ other than just those in our own bloodline, and can even give us an opportunity to heal troubled relationships we may have with some of our own bloodline.

Talks

Every ‘talk’ that John gives is a fresh, interactive experience. This is because he works with the space, and the energies, questions and ‘ancestors’ that the audience brings.

Each event begins with a Blessing Ceremony. John shares with us what it means to do ubuntu work with a sangoma – the path to becoming fully human through connecting with ourselves, community, ancestors/spirit guides and Nature. In the ancient Ancestral tradition of the Xhosa people of Southern Africa, this connectedness is at the heart of spiritual practice.

Workshops

This is the first time in recorded history that the ancient teachings of the Xhosa sangoma culture are being taught outside South Africa. The reason for this is not hard to fathom – the world is dying. The job of Xhosa sangomas historically has always been to maintain the balance between the Ancestral world and the living, between the world of nature, spirits and people. The world we know is completely out of balance, hence the necessity for ancient teachings like those of the Xhosa sangomas.

Ubuntu means humanity. John takes people through a traditional Sacred Xhosa ceremony using rhythm, song and drumming to encourage connection to Nature and the dream world. He shows people how to make their own plant medicine using local plants. During the weekend people are given an opportunity to wash with various plant mixtures. The results vary from workshop participants remembering their dreams to a greater clarity and sense of optimism in their daily lives.

An evening might include heartbeat meditation, conversation on plant medicine, dreaming, connecting with ancestors, trance dance, shamanic journeying, and music. Audience are invited (but not compelled!) to bring their hearts as well as their minds.

Kraal work – opening ancestral space

John is available to travel to people’s homes & communities to ‘open’ the connection or doorway to their own ancestors or spirit guides. The kraal is traditionally a space outside where, ‘once opened’, people can go to reconnect with their own ancestors and spirits. Opening or blessing the space involves an ancient shamanic ceremony. Once opened and blessed the family or community can experience a deeper dreaming and connection to the spirit world, nature and local community.

Practitioner trainings

John has recently started leading the first Xhosa Sangoma practitioner’s course in the UK. It is a series of 5 long weekends spread out over 1 year. This is a deeply spiritual course and not for beginners. It is an alchemical journey of transformation involving the initiation of students into the ancestral world. All students need to apply for this course, and in order to be eligible for it they need to have completed one of John’s weekend ‘Ubuntu’ courses.

The focus of this course will be on connecting to one’s own spirits and Ancestors. As all shamans are ‘hollow bones’, spirit messengers or ‘empaths’, the most important area for any shaman is their connection to their own ancestors or spirit guides. People do not become shamans or sangomas at the end of this year, as the traditional training takes many years. However it is hoped that all participants will develop a greater awareness of their own spiritual gifts and a deeper connection to their ancestors and spirit guides.

In the Zulu and Xhosa culture this course would be classified as a khanya umsebenze, literally ‘shining work’, where John’s focus is to help cleanse the group in body, mind and spirit so that they ‘shine’. A person who is in touch with their khanya, inner shinning or spirit, has a greater sense of their destiny and their life’s work. This is well known in the ancient Zulu and Xhosa cultures. Ancient Xhosa and Zulu medicine is used in this process as well as local plants.

“Helping people of all nations ‘to remember’ their old ancestral ways through dreaming – for when people are in touch with their own inner worlds, then happiness and contentment can be fostered, peace and balance can be restored.”