I was barely 30 years old when my mum died. It was so sudden and a shock to the whole family. It was not long after this that I experienced my first Grief Ritual hosted by the wonderful Sobonfu Somé of the Dagara Tribe from Burkina Faso. It was such a powerful, transformative and healing experience, but I never knew back then, that this would be my calling also.

Sobonfu has now passed into the realm of the ancestors, but her legacy lives on and there are many people around the world who have been helped by her rituals and loving energy.

Grief, loss and heartbreak all need space and time to heal. Our busy lives don’t allow the space needed to feel the sadness and release some of the pain of our grief.

Once the initial shock and the funeral are over life is expected to ‘get back to normal’ but there is no more normal when you have lost a loved one.

A Grief Ritual is nothing like a funeral or a memorial, it is something different altogether. It is a powerful healing space where you can come together with other people in a safe and loving community, a ‘temporary village’ as Sobonfu called it, where you can connect with and release some of the pain of grief, loss and sorrow that we all inevitably carry as we go through life.

Death is a part of life, yet it is so hard for us to face it. The loss of a loved one can be incredibly painful and overwhelming. The pain of grief will always be a part of who you are but the power of the Grief Ritual will help you to release some of the long held sadness and enable you to connect with a deeper sense of wonder and joy in your life.

Imagine…

The sound of the Udu Drums and Spirit Rattles guide you as you walk towards the woodland grove with your Sisters in Sorrow. The smell of wood smoke and incense reminds you of an ancient time when coming together in ceremony was as essential as breathing.

You have created your own Adinkra Spirit Rattle which you hold in your hand as you sit at the Ancestral Altar. The sounds of the drums and rattles is behind you as your sisters hold the space for you to access your deepest feelings of loss and grief.

The sacred Grief Ritual is a magical space that feels outside of time.

You feel safe and supported as you allow the waves of grief to bubble up from deep inside your body. You choose an Adinkra Spirit Stone to take to the Grief Shrine. Your tears flow and the sounds of your grief combine with the sound of the sacred drums as you sit before the waters of the Grief Shrine. You pour your grief into the sacred waters and when you are ready place your Adinkra Stone into the Grief Shrine and walk slowly back to your sisters and take your place in the ceremonial village.

You may feel called back to the Ancestral Altar and the Grief Shrine in a sacred cycle of deep and healing release. The waves of grief and tears flow within and around you as everyone feels the ebbs and flows of healing tears being transmuted by the magic of the Grief Ritual.

Coming together in community to take part in an Ashanti Moon Grief Ritual is a powerful and transformative experience. My wish is that you will leave the retreat feeling lighter, more hopeful and ready to allow more joy into your life.

You will leave feeling nourished by the experience of being part of a village of deep love and connections. You will feel held and supported as you step back into your life with more strength and purpose.