Spiritual Journey

Greetings Family, Friends & Conscious folks:

I was blessed to have a life-transforming experience in Jamaica. I firmly believe that "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear." I was at a spiritual retreat with Brother Malidoma Some - an African holy man from the Dagara people in Burkina Faso. He was the "teacher" I was sent to learn from & with; and the experience was powerful beyond words. He is also the author of "Ritual", "Of Water and Spirit" and "The Healing Wisdom of Africa". POWERFUL BOOKS!

The entire area where I went (Jackies On-The Reef) is built on coral...acres of coral...living coral...and the life force in this coral feeds thousands of snails, crabs and other sea life. I have always had a strong connection to the spirit in creation/nature. As I walked on the coral I felt the sensitivity of the living spirit in the coral - and it made me walk GENTLY on the coral. I apologized for walking too hard on the coral - I actually found myself saying "I'm sorry...I feel and honor your presence."

The coral was everywhere - and it felt to me that it was a permanently visible testimony to the ancestral spirits of the Middle Passage - a testimony to those that died in these waters, those who survived as well as those who transitioned later. The coral manifested itself to me in the faces of the ancestors - grandmothers, children and old men...and CLEARLY spoke to me and told me: "We are the spirits of the middle passage, don't forget us, tell our stories, don't let anyone forget us." A massive pile of coral revealed to me that it was a conglomerate of spirits that formed to ensure they couldn't be missed, that their story would be earthly visible to all. The spirit of this coral "rock" was a communal spirit - to show how carelessly Africans were scattered and strewn all over as they struggled, and fought to survive and died in these waters - so that the millions of spirits would wash up in fossilized bones that would speak again. I began weeping and crying and felt the intense horror, turmoil, fear and agony of my people. I assured the ancestral spirits that I would devote the rest of my earthly life to spiritual work - up-liftment, empowerment and spiritual healing.

I honor the spirit of my Grandmother's who brought me to this place to honor them, to uplift them, to connect with them and to free myself of anything that is blocking the spiritual and ancestral flow. I accept this responsibility to continue to do the work of telling the stories, and assisting people to connect with their stories for healing and transformation.  I am available to talk with you and your groups, schools, organizations. Feel free to contact me as I allow the ancestral energy to flow through me.

With Love and Blessings,
Your sister - Helen Tinsley


www.htinsley.com
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http://www.meetup.com/The-Literary-Tea-Room/
www.writerscollective.ning.com