For the times we are moving into, the Black & African healer of today requires an evolved context when it comes to investing in relationships. One that creates an environment of intimacy where spiritual confidence can develop.
Before diving into the new context, you might be asking yourself, “how do I know I am a healer?”
First, being a healer is not something you want to be 😆
‘The irony is that each wants to sit where the other sits. The healer dreams about being human, that is, “normal,” while the other normal person wishes to become as knowledgeable as the medicine man’ - Malidoma Patrice Somé, Of Water and the Spirit (pg 78)
The reason being is because you carry a beautiful yet heavy burden that mostly leaves you feeling misunderstood.
You FEEL so much of what people are navigating in this world. When most turn a blind eye, your natural and immediate response is to serve and figure out ways to help. Your ability to empathize and your ability to easily connect to your heart is your superpower and can also be your biggest challenge.
It’s your superpower because your presence in a space gives people permission to slow down and feel their own hearts. It’s not something you have to work at, it’s simply your way of being that creates a safe container for people to be vulnerable. Your deep awareness of your inner world also provides so much fruit to draw on when it comes to creating art and sharing your medicine with the world. Your gift to dream a new existence for the human collective is exactly what we need right now.
Your ability to feel and empathize with others is also your biggest challenge because it’s hard to turn it off when you're feeling depleted. Because of this, you tend to burn out from how much you care. You might often slip into depression from the beautiful burden of being called to be a healer. You are also deeply aware of the projections from others, which causes you to care too much of what others think. This stifles your creativity and play and us experiencing your medicine which we really need!
The new context begins with your intimacy with Spirit.
If you’ve identified that you are a healer then it’s best to come to terms that this is a lonely path, particularly as you develop spiritual confidence. I will note that part of my vision for THE VILLAGE! is to build a community of Black and African healers to help with this.
It is a lonely path because time in solitude is a requirement. Time in solitude allows for clearer discernment in what Spirit is asking of you versus what others are asking of you.
As you step more into being a healer and trusting your unique relationship to Spirit, the inner critic can get very loud - “WHAT ARE YOU CRAZY?!”
I get even using the word “healer” can bring up a lot for folks.
When the anxiety becomes overwhelming from other peoples’ emotions and beliefs you have taken on, your sign of growth is how often you cry out to God, Spirit and The Ancestors for help.
This is where intimacy begins and develops with the realm where we play in.
It’s developing a relationship with the unseen that strengthens us.
‘I remember many times I would spit and scream and yell at spirit when I felt frustrated. But this is to be expected; it’s all part of the learning process.’ says Sobonfu Somé in The Spirit of Intimacy (pg 62).
The challenges we experience, the grief we allow ourselves to feel is all part of our spiritual initiation into our purpose. It grows our capacity to hold space for others as our bodies can sense the level of safety of vulnerability we can express. It is not easy to undo the conditioning of our parents/families and colonialism so this process can be quite grueling and exhausting.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to THE VILLAGE! to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.