Cowry Shell Divination

Happy Fall Equinox and almost New Moon to you all.

 

A year ago I became an official Cowry Shell Diviner from my mentor and now beloved memory, Elder Malidoma Somé.

I was honored to attend one of his final year long divination trainings as he transitioned to the ancestor world in December of 2021. So I continue to grieve for him. 

 

I want to explain a bit about Cowry Shell Divination, then extend a few special offerings, and give you a message from the shells themselves. 

 

Cowry Shell Divination is a language from other realms, from the Ancestors; it is a language of the soul. A diviner is someone who can see into other dimensions and bring back messages for how to be in this world. 

 

From Malidoma, “Divination is an effective tool for tackling the crisis of the human psyche in modern times. Divination clarifies the meaning of the Soul’s quest and sheds light to the obstacles to overcome on the way to successful living. In other words, divination does not just tell you what is going on in your life; it tells you what you need to do in order to flow into your gifts and fulfill your purpose. Divination provides a positive spin on human challenges by emphasizing gifts and purpose.”

 

It’s an ancient African tradition that’s been passed through many generations of diviners and healers from Malidoma’s village of Dano in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

 

I’m so grateful to have been taught by Malidoma and that I’ve been called to carry on this healing tradition. One of the first things he said to us in the training was this. “You being here is not random.”

 

Yet, I wonder if some of you may be asking—why is a white woman from the west in the United States doing this practice that comes from a black wisdom keeper from West Africa? 

 

Well, I’ll tell you—this tradition comes from a time when we were all in the right relationship with the land; we were all in a reciprocal relationship with nature, land and the earth. 

 

So this practice is rooted in an ancient time before this Western civilization time. 

 

Malidoma taught us to wake up the ancient wisdom that lives in our DNA in our bones. He wanted us to continue this practice in the world that so needs it right now. So he taught us regardless of our race, or where we come from because it is rooted in time out of time.

 

And it is a sacred ancient practice that I approach with great humility and reverence.
 

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Why come for a divination? 
 

• Come if your mind is confused and your heart is heavy.
• Come if you need to reconcile with someone, especially if that someone isn’t willing or can’t repair with you directly.
• Come If you’re at a crossroads or need to make a big decision and don’t know which direction to go.

Each stone and item in the kit has meaning and then where they land on the cloth and in relation to each other also has meaning. So there are layers upon layers of insight and meaning for you. 

When you sign up for a divination reading, I’ll send you a few questions to get clear about what you want to ask. You’ll then set some uninterrupted time aside to get clear and write down your question. 
 

• The reading will begin with you speaking this to me and the Cowry shells.
• You will then be guided to move the items in the center of the cloth. 
• The reading may be done either in person (outside near my home), or online via zoom. 
• The reading will be recorded so you can listen back and hear the message later.

  


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Creative art options:

 

• Option One: I will create a wand for you that will have colors and special items woven into it that relate to your reading. 

 

• Option Two: I send you some of the materials and you create the wand yourself. 

 

The wand will be a reminder to you of the reading and can be placed in your home-on your altar or you can place it anywhere you need to have the reminder of this connected time with your soul and your ancestors. 

  
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And in honor of the anniversary of finishing this course last September, I’m offering divinations for $50, (normal price is around $130). Half of the proceeds will go directly to Malidoma’s village in Dano through his organization called Aviela.

 

The art wand created by me will be an additional $40, and if you’d like to buy the items to make your own, there’s an additional $25. 

 

These prices will be good until the end of October. 

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I did a divination with you all in mind. I asked the shells-what do you want people to know about this practice and do you have any special message for them at this time?

 

Here’s what they said:  

• You’re at a major crossroads right now.
• Come to us, your ancestors for support.
• Deepen your relationship with your purpose and identity.
• Get support to do the necessary repairs in your relationships.
• Great healing will come towards the end of your healing journey, stay the course and go be near water.
• Thank water for what it offers you.
• Be in nature more, it strengthens you.
• Also be fierce about standing up and protecting nature too.
• There is a strong pull to deepen your connections in the community at this time. You cannot do this alone-find your community and honor it.
• Community includes more than human beings as well as your ancestors. What or who are you devoted to? Deepen this, then be fierce about it.
• Healing comes if you work together. And that also means you need to play together too-lighten up and don’t take yourself so seriously all the time even though these are serious times.

So dear ones, I look forward to supporting you through this ancient practice if you choose to do so. Reach out if you have any questions. 

And as always–may you grieve well.