Meeting a Traditional African Priestess!

Today was so intense, we met a traditional African Priestess and the experience was out of this world, magical.  It is difficult to explain every aspect of the experience, but I will try my best.  We drove an hour outside of Kumasi to the shrine where the Priestess and members of her community live.  We asked her questions while she was her human self, and she was a sweet woman who hugged me very tightly.  We danced to the sound of drums with Nana (the name for one who communicates with the spiritual world) and our father here in Ghana, Papa Atah.  Then, Nana entered her room and entered into a trance, possessed by one of the traditional African spirits.  She came out with white powder all over her body (a sign of spiritual possession), a black and white outfit, and a red hat.  She was smoking a cigarette, because this particular god liked cigarettes.  Nana gave us all hugs and danced in trance.  She was then possessed by another spirit, and she changed outfits to fit the personality of this new god from the North, who spoke a language that not even Nana in her unaltered state knew how to speak.  This spirit greeted us and danced, and during this time of possession Nana's eyes had an intense yet far-off look, tinted red.  I was not scared, I was simply in awe.

While Nana was possessed by this particular spirit, we were able to have individual consultations with her and ask any questions we wanted.  The waiting period was nerve-wracking, and I went into Nana's room for a consultation second to last.  There were two interpreters in the room, one interpreting from the language of the spirit into Twi (the language spoken here), and one from Twi to English.  The meeting with Nana was nearly indescribable.  I gave her a long hug when I entered the room, and she told me that the spirits really loved my energy.  She said that I have a spirit originating from India that protects me wherever I go, and will continue to protect me my whole life.  She had no idea I had gone to India.  Nana also told me that I have the ability to connect with the spiritual world, and she asked me if I wanted that ability to become clearer.  I said yes.  She said that if I went back to see her again, and if I wanted this, I would take a bath in special herbs and would then have the clarity to see into the spiritual world.  She told me that I would be able to see what was going to happen to those around me after this bath. 

Nobody else in the group got a proposition like this.  Two of my friends were also told they could come back for healing having to do with their families, but my proposition was about my clarity to see into the spiritual world-- a whole other can of worms.  I think I am going to go back this weekend and take the bath.  If nothing happens, it was an experience. And if I am able to reach a greater understanding of my connection to the spiritual world, that would be life-changing. Our program directors have said that there are many specific cases where Nana has been right about what would happen to their students, from a student getting a bad case of malaria but being ok to a student breaking a bone during the trip.  Who knows what will happen, but I am so intrigued and everything feels so right to me, so I must go with the flow of this life.  I am thinking very seriously about having an incredible journey during my Independent Study Project and studying traditional healing amongst traditional Priests, Priestesses, and Diviners here in Ghana.

Still loving my group, my hilarious program directors (I have never laughed so hard in my life than I have at some of the things our program directors say!), and loving life here in Ghana... Peace to you all!