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The Way of the Leopard: Meditations and Shamanic Practices from the Heart of Africa
Shake your bones, listen to your dreams, and feel the earth beneath your feet
Inside you is a deep capacity for connection to nature, your ancestors, and the limitless wisdom and creativity you touch every night in your dreams. Yet in this modern age filled with distraction and anxiety, how do you restore your connection to these primal resources for living with power and purpose? "We are all bound together by a symphony of blood and bone", teaches John Lockley, one of the few white men in recent history to become a fully initiated sangoma - traditional priest and healer - in the Xhosa lineage of South Africa. With The Way of the Leopard, he brings you a treasury of practices informed by this powerful tradition to help you embrace your true gifts and become a healing presence in the world.
An audio training course inspired by African Shamanic wisdom
The core spiritual teachings John teaches are all created to help you awaken to your own Ubuntu, or shared humanity. In these sessions, you'll learn to activate the untapped power of your physical senses and intuition; discover how to honor your ancestors and draw upon their guidance; engage with your dreams as a spiritual practice; connect to nature through animal and plant medicine; and dance and shake your way to greater vitality, health, and aliveness.
At the beginning of his sangoma apprenticeship, John Lockley's teacher MaMngwevu gave him the name Cingolweendaba, which means "messenger", reflecting his calling to spread the essential values and principles of South African mysticism to a world in need of healing. "It doesn't matter what color your skin is or what culture you're from", John teaches. "If you are a human being with red blood, you can walk like the leopard and connect with the earth like the elephant." Join this remarkable teacher on The Way of the Leopard for a joyful and invigorating course to help you create a life rich in meaning and supported by spirit.
Highlights
Activate your physical senses - how to unlock the hidden magic in your vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch Ignite your intuition - practices to strengthen your "sixth sense" of deep knowing and spiritual awareness Honoring your ancestors - powerful ways to connect to the living lineage in your blood and bones, as well as your adopted and spiritual ancestry Shaking medicine - use your breath, body, and heart to activate your "lightning rod" (spine) for spiritual power and wisdom Plant medicine - using plants in your environment for cleansing, healing, and connecting to the natural world Overcoming obstacles - the most common roadblocks to spiritual practice and how to clear them The practice of dreaming - how to receive the wisdom of your dreams and use them as a gateway to your true eternal nature
Inside you is a deep capacity for connection to nature, your ancestors, and the limitless wisdom and creativity you touch every night in your dreams. Yet in this modern age filled with distraction and anxiety, how do you restore your connection to these primal resources for living with power and purpose? "We are all bound together by a symphony of blood and bone", teaches John Lockley, one of the few white men in recent history to become a fully initiated sangoma - traditional priest and healer - in the Xhosa lineage of South Africa. With The Way of the Leopard, he brings you a treasury of practices informed by this powerful tradition to help you embrace your true gifts and become a healing presence in the world.
An audio training course inspired by African Shamanic wisdom
The core spiritual teachings John teaches are all created to help you awaken to your own Ubuntu, or shared humanity. In these sessions, you'll learn to activate the untapped power of your physical senses and intuition; discover how to honor your ancestors and draw upon their guidance; engage with your dreams as a spiritual practice; connect to nature through animal and plant medicine; and dance and shake your way to greater vitality, health, and aliveness.
At the beginning of his sangoma apprenticeship, John Lockley's teacher MaMngwevu gave him the name Cingolweendaba, which means "messenger", reflecting his calling to spread the essential values and principles of South African mysticism to a world in need of healing. "It doesn't matter what color your skin is or what culture you're from", John teaches. "If you are a human being with red blood, you can walk like the leopard and connect with the earth like the elephant." Join this remarkable teacher on The Way of the Leopard for a joyful and invigorating course to help you create a life rich in meaning and supported by spirit.
Highlights
Activate your physical senses - how to unlock the hidden magic in your vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch Ignite your intuition - practices to strengthen your "sixth sense" of deep knowing and spiritual awareness Honoring your ancestors - powerful ways to connect to the living lineage in your blood and bones, as well as your adopted and spiritual ancestry Shaking medicine - use your breath, body, and heart to activate your "lightning rod" (spine) for spiritual power and wisdom Plant medicine - using plants in your environment for cleansing, healing, and connecting to the natural world Overcoming obstacles - the most common roadblocks to spiritual practice and how to clear them The practice of dreaming - how to receive the wisdom of your dreams and use them as a gateway to your true eternal nature
Audible Audio
Published November 1, 2017
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About the author
John Lockley
2 books9 followersJohn is one of the first white men, in recent history, to become a fully initiated sangoma in the Xhosa lineage of South Africa.
He was born, in 1971, into a divided Apartheid South Africa, with the mark of the sangoma on his face – a band of white birth skin around the eyes. At 18, John was serving in the South African army as a medic (during the war with Angola in the 1980s) when he had a strong, prophetic dream calling him to train as a Xhosa sangoma. He immediately began to suffer from the thwasa, a severe period of ill-health that is inherent in all ancient shamanic cultures which can only be cured through apprenticeship to a shamanic teacher. Because of the restrictions of Apartheid (which ended in 1994) it would take John seven years to find a Xhosa teacher. During the early days of his calling he trained as a Zen student under renowned Zen Master, Su Bong, completing an intensive three-month kyol che in a Buddhist monastery in South Korea. He was then invited by the Grand Master Dae Soen Sa Nim to join his “monk army”, but the strength of his sangoma calling drew him back to South Africa.
John with his teacher, Mum Ngwevu and her husband.
John with his teacher, Mum Ngwevu and her husband.
Eventually, post-Apartheid, John met Mum Ngwevu, a well-known Xhosa Sangoma medicine woman, in one of the poorest townships in South Africa. She had foreseen his arrival in a dream and began his 10-year apprenticeship, giving him the initiated name Ucingolwendaba, meaning messenger or connector between people and cultures.
John now splits his time between South Africa, Europe and the U.S.
He was born, in 1971, into a divided Apartheid South Africa, with the mark of the sangoma on his face – a band of white birth skin around the eyes. At 18, John was serving in the South African army as a medic (during the war with Angola in the 1980s) when he had a strong, prophetic dream calling him to train as a Xhosa sangoma. He immediately began to suffer from the thwasa, a severe period of ill-health that is inherent in all ancient shamanic cultures which can only be cured through apprenticeship to a shamanic teacher. Because of the restrictions of Apartheid (which ended in 1994) it would take John seven years to find a Xhosa teacher. During the early days of his calling he trained as a Zen student under renowned Zen Master, Su Bong, completing an intensive three-month kyol che in a Buddhist monastery in South Korea. He was then invited by the Grand Master Dae Soen Sa Nim to join his “monk army”, but the strength of his sangoma calling drew him back to South Africa.
John with his teacher, Mum Ngwevu and her husband.
John with his teacher, Mum Ngwevu and her husband.
Eventually, post-Apartheid, John met Mum Ngwevu, a well-known Xhosa Sangoma medicine woman, in one of the poorest townships in South Africa. She had foreseen his arrival in a dream and began his 10-year apprenticeship, giving him the initiated name Ucingolwendaba, meaning messenger or connector between people and cultures.
John now splits his time between South Africa, Europe and the U.S.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 27, 2018
John Lockley reveals his personal journey to becoming a Sangoma with deep reverence and heart. In these pages lies true wisdom. Having had the privilege of attending a workshop of John's, these written stories, and recorded discs allow me to remember, deepen, and immerse myself ever deeper into these African teachings.
If your soul is looking to roam free, The Way of the Leopard my lead you to the steps of your ancestors doors, and help you through them.
If your soul is looking to roam free, The Way of the Leopard my lead you to the steps of your ancestors doors, and help you through them.
October 18, 2020
Important for me to gather information about other traditions and practices.
As himself says, I am a spiritual shopper at the moment and I do like to cherry-pick ideas that can help me heal and learn about myself.
I will come back to really try some practices, very interesting since I am paying attention to dreams and I work with them in psychoanalysis.
As himself says, I am a spiritual shopper at the moment and I do like to cherry-pick ideas that can help me heal and learn about myself.
I will come back to really try some practices, very interesting since I am paying attention to dreams and I work with them in psychoanalysis.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews