Sangoma: It’s not always witchcraft and curses

When things go wrong at work and at home, and a chinwag at the water cooler becomes more torture than titillation, something’s wrong.

But that wrong isn’t always what people think, says Sangoma Fezile Pretorius of Heavenly Healing.

Pretorius said that he often gets clients who face uphill battles, especially at work or with neighbours.

“You are feeling drained. There is tension at work, your sleep is broken, and something just does not feel right,” he said. “Maybe your neighbour has been acting strange. Maybe your colleague has stopped greeting you. Then things get worse. Appliances break, money dries up, you start to wonder if someone has gone the supernatural route to make your life harder.”

It is not an unusual thought to contemplate that you have been bewitched, or a spell or curse was cast in your direction said Pretorius.

“People come to me with this concern more often than you would think,” he said.

“When people live close to each other or work in high-pressure environments, tension builds up. When bad luck follows, they begin to suspect someone has done something to them. They think they are being targeted with muti.”

People create their own spiritual unease

It’s not always the case, though.

Pretorius said that many people create their own spiritual unease without realising it.

“In some cases, no one has done anything,” he said. “What happens is that we know someone does not like us, or we feel guilty about something. That creates a mental and emotional spiral. Eventually, we convince ourselves we are under attack on a spiritual level. It becomes real to us, because we made it so ourselves.”

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He said that muti works on three levels: the physical, mental, and subconscious.

“Some remedies work through the body, like herbs or mixtures. Others help us psychologically, to calm anxiety. And some work deep in the mind, prompting a change in how we feel about our surroundings. When it comes to neighbourhood fights or workplace disputes, the muti used correctly often helps us more than it harms anyone else. It brings peace to the one who uses it.”

Curses and spells do occur

Curses and spells do occur though.

Pretorius recently consulted the bones for someone who suspected that they were at the receiving end of this.

“This reading gave me what we call a double positive,” he said. “That means the energy confirmed the concern. It is not just imagination. There is interference. The bones showed darkness over this person’s life, and a clear disruption in their physical and emotional state. They are tired all the time, but can’t fall asleep at night. Then in the morning, they cannot wake up. Their energy was depleted. That was not a coincidence.”

The source of the problem, according to that reading, was jealousy.

“The bones showed that someone nearby was feeling resentment,” Pretorius explained. “There was envy about money, and more specifically, about children. The person who cast this negatively onto the client did not feel their own family was being provided for properly. They were watching someone else do well in life, and that resentment turned into spiritual interference.”

The muti was not strong

Pretorius said the muti used in that case was not particularly strong, but it still had some effect.

“It was weak, but it was active. What was more concerning was the prayer behind it. That is where the real power lies. The intention of someone’s will carries energy, and it sticks. That is what you need to deal with.”

The bones offered a solution to the client.

“Cleanse the yard. Start by removing any lingering energy in your home environment,” he said. “Then prepare a traditional meal, cook ancestral beer, and host a ritual of thanks.

“Beat the drum, call your ancestors, and acknowledge all that you already have. When you do that, you create a new energy around you. You take back your space without retaliation.”

“When you change your focus and anchor yourself spiritually, the person causing the harm will often stop. They will see that you are not reacting with hate or fear, but with gratitude and clarity. And that usually ends it.”

But before assuming that someone has ill will towards you, consult your ancestors, said Pretorius. He added that the bones do not lie.

“If someone has done something, it will show. But most of the time, it is not the enemy out there who is strongest. It is the fear inside us. That is where the real battle often sits.”

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