HERMON, THE SANGOMA

Yesterday, our sangoma, Hermon, arrived for the first of three visits. Although we had met previously, I still wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen. Hermon arrived with a basket of what he needed—sage, lavender, candles, bells. He set up using the elevated base of our living room fireplace as his staging area. What struck me was how totally unpretentious he was about his work—he asked me what I’d be doing while he began his cleansing and I said I’d be cooking to which he replied “Good.” And then he simply began.

While I was in the kitchen and he rang a small bell several times and it immediately awakened the long lapsed Catholic in me—the one that still recalls the ritual and formality of the latin mass. And before I realized what I was thinking, I was saying to myself, “Now this house is full of LIFE.”

Although he told us he would be in a very focused state, we also spoke freely when were in the same room--- no trance-like thing happening here-- he is a very down to earth about what he does! As he slowly made his way through the house, he would close windows to focus the energy. Using incense and burning sage and lavender, he used the smoke to cleanse—the house was filled with a intense and totally pleasurable smoky scent that still remains.

Hermon asked me to make notes for him of what I wanted this house cleansing ceremony to achieve and this is some of what I wrote:

What do I ask of your work, Hermon?

I ask that you clear the energy of this house—you clear the strife, anger and depression that lived within these walls for too long. I want this place to be a HOUSE OF LOVE. Glen was just divorced a few days ago after years of patient struggle and moving into this house just over two weeks ago is a new phase in our happy relationship—not just a new chapter, but a whole new BOOK. I want this house to be a place where love can grow and where our relationship can continue to develop—may our growth never stop. May it be a place where we forgive and bless the past and welcome each new day with love.

This house has a history of break-ins and I hope it will become a safe place for us to live. As I split my time between Canada & South Africa, I hope that Glen will be able to live safely here alone.

I look forward to his return today.