After a flurry of celebrations and house guests, I’m now immersed in integrating the teachings from an inspirational week of hosting my friend and cherished mentor Mandaza Augustine Kandemwa from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Much of Mandaza’s work is focused on helping people connect and listen to their own inner guidance – to listen with the ears of their hearts. Mandaza listens from his heart to the voices of his Ancestral Spirits, many of whom are ancient beings. This is made possible by the many initiations he has received and continues to attract.

Paying Attention – Mandaza is a very good listener as I witnessed over the course of our week together. A recognized Medicine Man or nganga (traditional healer in his native Shona language) Mandaza surrendered to the persistent call of his Ancestral Spirits who wouldn’t take no for answer. He has been paying keen attention to their guidance and messages for several decades. It’s a full time job as he says he carries and honours the voices of dozens of Spirits that make use of him to heal, advise and direct the people that seek out his rare gifts.

Dreams are Soul Messages – Mandaza listens to his dreams and the dreams brought to him by others. He advises us to pay attention to our dreaming – both sleeping dreams and the more lucid or waking dreams we experience as day dreaming and visions. Some dreams are recognized as having messages for the community or even for the world making them especially important to understand. This kind of listening is soul work. It’s like learning a new language of symbols.

We started each day reviewing the messages of at least one dream. People who are new Mandaza’s work understandably want to know what to expect in a reading. The answer is always, “that depends.” Depends on what your soul is calling in for you at this time. Mandaza listens closely and responds accordingly.

The Poetry of Signs – Like most indigenous wisdom keepers, Mandaza takes cues from the wild animals that show up and signs from nature. Michael Ortiz Hill, the co-author of several books with Mandaza including Twin from Another Tribe and The Village of the Water Spirits, calls this reading of signs “the mysterious poetry through which Spirit communicates.” Likewise, I advise people I work with to “notice what they notice” – to pay attention to what “lights up” or has energy for them and to follow that energy.

Dr. Alison Normore & Mandaza Kandemwa in Innisfil, July 2018

Taking Inspired Action – I was fortunate to have my friend and colleague Alison Normore, founder of the Institute of Ancestral Wisdom and the author of Return to Pangaea, A Shamanic Journey Back to Newfoundland Roots, join me for the week. Listening to her inspired inner guidance, Alison responded by flying from Newfoundland to help with the important details like registration, collecting payment and ensuring Mandaza was comfortable between his commitments. A talented Medicine Woman in her own right, she held grounding space and responded to questions from people coming for readings, “you may not get what you want but you will get what you need.”

Listening with the ears of our hearts, we can all learn to hear the whispers of longing that reveal what is needed now.

Janet

Learn more from Mandaza Kandemwa with this YouTube Video of Mandaza speaking at the Mind & Life Institute, Published on Sep 29, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoIjl6978iE