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Of Water and Spirit

Ritual Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman

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Of Water and Spirit

By: Malidoma Patrice Somé
Narrated by: Malidoma Patrice Somé
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About this listen

Born in West Africa in the early 1950s, Somé was kidnapped at age four by a French Jesuit missionary to be trained as a priest, for the next 15 years enduring the harsh regimen of a seminary where his native language and tribal traditions were systematically suppressed. At age 20 he escaped, but when he returned to his Dugara people in Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) they rejected him as an outsider. To reconnect with his native culture, Somé underwent a month-long initiation into shamanism during which he reports that he journeyed to the underworld, became a bird, then a porcupine, and was buried alive.

©2012 New World Library (P)2014 New World Library Cultural & Regional Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts Spirituality Shamanism Africa African Rituals
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Having lived in a remote Aboriginal community where boys go through initiation, but women are not privy to what happens, I found the magical aspect awe inspiring. When Malidoma spoke of the need for initiation, but not in the traditional sense as he went through something touched me deeply. Onwards from here I had tears in my eyes, like he was speaking to me. Very moving and beautiful. Thank you.

Moved to tears

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This book gives you a look into another amazing culture. If you’re interested in shamans, magic, consciousness, spirituality and rituals, this book is for you

So interesting

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The whole teaching of the author’s book is viscerally transformative. What an urgently needed offering for our time! 💚🙏

In the conclusion part, the author describes that the elders wish him to be the messenger to talk to the strange enemy “the white men”, who from historical record we know have inflicted unspeakable suffering on the African indigenous.

I teared up hearing that all the elders said was just “to show them what they might have overlooked when they first came to the village”.

What a cosmic heart of gentleness, forgiveness and spaciousness these beautiful indigenous people have got besting in their chest! And how much they and their younger generation have suffered!

We must become humble and gracious students and children of these previous indigenous heritages, if we wanna to
Work together to help our world out of the crisis of wars, segregation and mutual exploitation and exploitation of our Mother Earth. 💚💚

A rear gem, previous indigenous wisdom heritage! Thanks!

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A story of evolution and connection from another perspective! Beautiful and a must listed to for anyone wanting to evolve their soul!

Pure and well needed

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.