Spirit Guides
Animal Spirits
Earlier this year my cat, Tigger, passed away after reaching the advanced age of 21. I had Tigger in my life since 1993 and he was more than a pet. He was like my son who was always there when I came home from work.
In the month leading up to his death I kept seeing his spirit leaving his body. What was weird is that I also kept seeing shadows of two cats that looked a lot like him.
Over the years I have seen several animal spirits of family pets that I grew up with. In these moments I could sometimes also hear different family members calling for the animals by name. I heard my parents call my childhood animals, and I even heard my grandparents, aunts and uncles who had passed away. Continue reading
The Secret To Smudging Is In The Smoke
“The secret to smudging is in the smoke.” These were the words of my mentor when I undertook my Ukuthwasa as a shaman initiate many years ago in Southern Africa. I have also come to know that the true intention behind any smudging ceremony is a very significant part of its success.
An initial part of my rigorous training as a Sangoma, or traditional healer, was a self-cleansing ritual using Mphepo, made up of herbs indigenous to Southern Africa.
“Smudging,” simply put, is the burning of certain herbs to create a cleansing smoke bath. The smoke is used to cleanse areas used for rituals and ceremonies, as well as any tools or objects used for such cleansing, as well as to cleanse people. Continue reading
Life After Death
I remember going to my first funeral. We traveled a few states away to attend this. My mother’s uncle had passed and they felt it was okay I attend. I was pretty upset only a few years before, because I didn’t get to go to my grandpa’s funeral. I was in kindergarten and remember feeling left out in that I couldn’t say goodbye.
I remember it like it was yesterday, looking at the casket as he lay there, and his wife crying over him and his sisters, all aged of course, they must have been in their 60’s. Being a typical Italian family, they were in the back talking about his life and trying to make things right, and going over past negative arguments and trying to make sense of his passing, and trying to find peace in it.
I remember, while observing all of this chaos, thinking to myself that he is here; he is observing us and watching his funeral. I felt he was at the foot of his coffin. I could see a figure once I focused my eyes, and I realized he was in fact not dead – his energy was alive! Continue reading