Learn to confidently interpret the messages hidden within your dreams — by communicating directly with your soul and aligning your life with your true purpose.
Activate your “inner dreamer” through powerful rituals, sacred non-psychoactive plant medicine, and ancient dream tracking techniques and practices from the Xhosa and Swazi traditions of South Africa.
In traditional Xhosa and Swazi cultures, your dreams are a direct channel of communication with the ancestral and spirit realms.
In fact, it’s believed that your dreams are as unique as your fingerprints, and by learning to track and interpret the messages within your dreams, you can cultivate a deep connection to your soul and align your life to its true calling.
Once you know how to fully understand the language of your dreams, they can provide you with a path for healing and uncover deeper sources of wisdom that you can apply in your waking life, says John Lockley, a fully initiated sangoma (healer and shaman) in the Xhosa lineage of South Africa.
John shares that our dreams communicate in metaphors, symbols, and sensations, representing our inner DNA, the symbolic “spiritual DNA” that shapes who we are at a core, soul level...
... and as you learn the language of your dreams, you can start to uncover the true nature of your soul and its connections to the world, both seen and unseen.
He teaches that when you learn to appreciate your dreams as sacred works of art that hold deep meaning, as opposed to dissecting them for literal meaning, you can learn how to honor the wishes of your soul and step out of old, unhelpful mindsets and limiting beliefs.
Join John for a live 7-week video course, where he’ll introduce you to potent dreamwork practices, rituals, and tools from the Xhosa and Swazi traditions, offering new ways to access your higher spiritual abilities — and helping you create a deeper, more expansive life. Engaging in this work can help you make better decisions, have a clearer vision for your life, and cultivate richer relationships.
Using a powerful dream tracking methodology that he developed alongside legendary Bushmen trackers during his Dreams and Tracking Retreats in the Kalahari Desert...
... you’ll discover how to track and focus on specific dream images that can help you travel to the realms of your ancestors... meet your animal totems... and experience the divine love of the Great Spirit, allowing you to receive guidance, protection, and inspiration in every moment.
You’ll learn to cultivate mindfulness, radical humility, and sensory awareness as you navigate the dreamtime to uncover the hidden messages within your dreams.
By slowing down and attuning yourself to the whispers of your soul, you’ll discover how your dreams are calling you to embrace your hero’s journey and find deep purpose in everyday life.
You’ll learn to identify and interpret the unique characteristics of prophetic dreams, including their intense, electrical sensations — and explore the role of shadow dreams as messengers of spiritual callings, instead of fearing them as nightmares.
You’ll also explore cleansing techniques with herbs like lavender and mugwort that can help you foster a serene sleep environment and protect you against negative energies while you sleep.
As you activate your spiritual, ancestral, and divine channel of communication, you’ll experience the profound responsibility, potential, and power that comes with being human. In your waking life, you’ll dance and move in ways that help you let go of expectations and embrace the moment.
You’ll even get to experience a magical surprise that John has planned for you that can foster laughter and play, which are essential for releasing mental blocks and enhancing your dream clarity.
During this soulful course, you’ll:
- Discover your unique “dream print,” your personal dream blueprint that acts as a roadmap for your destiny, purpose, and/or spiritual path — and learn how it reflects your personal and ancestral history
- Engage with dream interpretation techniques that connect you deeply to your inner child, boosting creativity and emotional resilience
- Use non-psychoactive plant medicines to cleanse your dream state, enhancing clarity and protection while you sleep
- Cultivate a deep connection with your inner dreamer, enabling you to communicate directly with your soul and access a wellspring of spiritual guidance
- Discover the art of dream tracking, using ancestral wisdom to navigate the dreamtime and uncover the deeper purpose of your life’s journey
- Recognize and interpret prophetic “calling” dreams that hold the key to unlocking your true potential and aligning with your soul’s mission
- Activate your 7th sense, the unique human ability to bring about profound change in the world through the power of dreams
- Embrace your role as a steward of Mother Earth, using your dreams to guide you in service to your community and the planet as a whole
- And much more...
John was drawn to his calling through a powerful prophetic dream that summoned him to train as a Xhosa sangoma during his time as a medic in the South African army. Shortly after his calling, John experienced thwasa — a severe period of illness recognized in many shamanic cultures, which requires guidance from a shamanic teacher to overcome. Due to the restrictions of apartheid, which ended in 1994, it took John seven years to find a Xhosa teacher.
After apartheid ended, John connected with MaMngwevu, a respected Xhosa sangoma in one of South Africa’s most impoverished townships. She had predicted his arrival through a dream and started his 10-year apprenticeship, during which she named him Cingolweendaba, meaning “messenger” or “connector” between people and cultures.
John draws on his personal experiences and the ancient Xhosa teachings to bring a unique perspective to his practices and teaching... one that fuses African shamanic traditions with modern-day spirituality.
At the core of his teachings is the concept of Ubuntu, which emphasizes interconnectedness and the importance of community, offering you a path to reconnect with yourself, your community, and the earth.
Sangomas believe that as soon as you experience your soul, your life is then given its direction. It’s a bit like being a sailor at sea, looking for the North Star, and then navigating your boat based on the position of the star.
During the course, you’ll be encouraged to connect deeply with your soul to find your “inner North Star” and help you navigate your way in the world, and because your North Star represents your inner shining or “Buddha nature,” this work is referred to as “khanye umsebenze,” or shining work, in the Xhosa language
By the end of your seven classes with John, you’ll have a wealth of African-inspired dreamwork tools to help you navigate life’s challenges with greater clarity... deepen your connection to your inner dreamer... understand your true purpose... and enhance your ability to positively impact those around you through the power of your dreams.
What You’ll Discover in These 7 Weeks
In this 7-week transformational course, John will guide you through the fundamental skills and competencies you’ll need to successfully journey to the realm of dreams, connect with ancestral wisdom, and use your inner visions to guide your personal and spiritual growth.
Join the Livestream — or Stream Later to Watch at Your Convenience
You’ll connect with John and experience his teachings through livestreaming video via any connected device. This connection is easy to use and will enhance the impact of John’s transmissions. Can’t make it live? After each class, you can stream the video and audio recordings to enjoy anytime and anywhere at your convenience.
Weekly Sessions Wednesdays at 9:00am Pacific
This course will feature LIVE teachings, interactive sessions, experiential practices, and Q&A with John. Each session will build harmoniously upon the previous ones, so you’ll develop a complete holistic understanding of the practices, tools, and principles you’ll need to harness the power of your dreams, enabling you to tap into ancestral wisdom, uncover deeper meanings in your daily life, and make conscious decisions aligned with your spiritual growth.
Module 1: Discover Your Unique “Dream Print” to Activate Your Ancestral Channel of Communication (June 26)
Explore the three levels of dreaming — mundane, psychological, and mystical — to identify your unique “dream print.” Just as each person’s fingerprint is unique, so is their dream print, which provides a window into their soul and its distinctive language. You’ll learn to recognize and interpret the landscapes and motifs in your dreams... understand their emotional and sensory details... and connect with messages from your higher consciousness.
Often both our spiritual and bloodline ancestry is depicted in the landscape of our dreams. These understandings can empower you to harness your dreams as a tool for deeper self-awareness and spiritual communication. You’ll learn to become more conscious of your dreams, stretching your capacity to dream and activating the spiritual, ancestral, and divine channel of communication that we all possess.
In this session, you’ll:
- Discover your unique “dream print” and understand how it reflects your personal history and identity
- Learn to interpret the landscapes of your dreams, recognizing ancestral connections and deeper meanings
- Identify the emotional and sensory qualities of your dreams, enhancing your mindfulness and self-awareness
- Connect with your higher self through mystical dreams, gaining clarity and guidance on your life’s path
Module 2: Energize Your Inner Dreamer Through the Spirit of Play (July 3)
Connect with your inner child to unlock deeper, more meaningful dreams. This session challenges you to shed linear, transactional thinking and embrace a spirit of innocence, openness, and play. Through practical techniques involving rhythm work, dance, and playful music-making, you’ll engage with your dreams in a joyous, uninhibited way.
John will guide you through exercises that transform dreaming into a dynamic, interactive experience, helping you to silence your inner critic and awaken to the possibilities of your subconscious.
In this session, you’ll:
- Discover how sacred songs, chants, and rhythmic movements can align you with the world of dreams
- Dance and move in ways that help you let go of expectations and embrace the moment
- Gain an understanding of learning how to play instruments like flutes and drums to tap into your inner joy and creativity
- Experience a magical surprise that can foster laughter and play, essential for releasing mental blocks and enhancing dream clarity
Module 3: Harness Non-Psychoactive Plant Medicine for Cleansing, Clearing & Protection (July 10)
Explore the traditional use of medicinal plants to safeguard your dream body and enhance dream clarity. You’ll learn about the protective powers of common household herbs like lavender and mugwort — and discover techniques to cleanse and shield your physical and dream selves from negative energies that can disrupt sleep and cause nightmares.
This module highlights the importance of ritual preparation and the role of non-psychoactive plants in maintaining mental and emotional balance, preparing you for deeper dream experiences.
In this session, you’ll:
- Identify household herbs like lavender and mugwort and their roles in dream protection and emotional clarity
- Learn cleansing techniques that use these herbs to foster a serene sleep environment
- Experience the transformative effects of herbal practices on your dream recall and nightmare prevention
- Implement herbal protections to strengthen your resilience against negative energies during sleep
Module 4: Activate Your Inner Dreamer to Communicate Directly With Your Soul (July 17)
In this module, you’ll undertake the profound process of activating your inner dreamer and establishing a deep connection with your soul. Through a powerful ceremony involving live drumming and chanting, you’ll learn how to invite your soul to rise up so you can receive white dreams, which belong to the Mystical level of dreaming.
During this module, you’ll discover how to create a sacred space using a white candle, soil, and incense, and how to step out of linear time and into the dream state.
You’ll understand how to embrace the discomfort that often accompanies spiritual growth, recognizing it as a sign that the medicine is working. By the end of this session, you’ll have gained valuable insights into how to awaken your ancestral energy and connect with the primordial dreamer within.
In this session, you’ll:
- Participate in a transformative ritual designed to awaken your ancestral energy and forge a deep connection with your inner dreamer
- Learn how to create a sacred space conducive to spiritual growth and self-discovery
- Develop the ability to become comfortable with the uncomfortable as you touch the primordial dreamer inside of you and unleash your inner wildness
- Gain insights into how to nourish your spirit authentically, avoiding the pitfalls of “hungry ghost consumerism”
Module 5: Learn the Art of Dream Tracking to Unlock Deeper Levels of Dream Interpretation (July 24)
Dreams are like ancient maps or riddles. If we interpret them too literally or metaphorically, we can miss their true meaning. In this module, you’ll discover a unique approach to dream interpretation that encourages you to appreciate your dream as you might appreciate a sacred work of art. John will illustrate how your dreams are speaking to you by pointing to physical events in our waking state. Like a photographer, we’re called to focus on key aspects of our dreams to lead us through our lives.
John will share insights from his Dreams and Tracking Retreats in the Kalahari Desert, where he worked alongside legendary Bushmen trackers to develop a powerful dream tracking methodology. You’ll learn to cultivate mindfulness, radical humility, and sensory awareness as you navigate the dreamtime and uncover the hidden messages within your dreams.
By slowing down and attuning yourself to the whispers of your soul, you’ll discover how your dreams are calling you to embrace your hero’s journey and find deep purpose in the mundane.
In this session, you’ll:
- Navigate the interplay between dream time and the waking world to enhance your understanding of both realms
- Learn to recognize key dream images, unlocking deeper levels of dream interpretation and manifestation in the physical world
- Track and focus on specific dream images that connect you to your ancestors, revealing messages and guidance
- Learn to recognize signs and guidance from your higher powers, ancestors, and angels within your dreams
Module 6: Decipher Prophetic “Calling” Dreams to Reconnect With Your Life’s Purpose (July 31)
In this module, you’ll explore the realm of prophetic calling or “white” dreams, learning to recognize and interpret these powerful messages from your soul. John will share the various types of prophetic dreams, including shadow dreams, ancestral dreams, animal totems, and Great Spirit dreams. You’ll discover how to distinguish these calling dreams from ordinary dreams, even when they appear as nightmares or mysterious visions.
By mindfully reflecting on the riddles within your dreams, you’ll learn to slow down and allow the ancient wisdom within you to surface and speak. This process will help you reconnect with your true purpose and navigate the North Star inside of you.
Throughout the module, you’ll explore the divine feminine energy that’s the keeper of this old shamanic medicine, learning to nourish yourself and honor the wisdom that emerges from within.
In this session, you’ll:
- Learn to identify and interpret the unique characteristics of prophetic dreams, including their intense, electrical sensations
- Explore shadow dreams and understand their role as messengers of profound spiritual callings, rather than mere nightmares
- Recognize ancestral dreams and animal totem messages that guide and protect your spiritual path
- Develop the ability to mindfully reflect on your dreams, allowing the ancient wisdom within you to surface and guide you towards your life’s purpose
- Reconnect with your true calling by honoring the divine feminine energy that is the keeper of this powerful shamanic medicine
Module 7: Activate Your 7th Sense to Manifest Change in Your World (August 7)
As we listen deeply to our dreams, we have the potential to change not only our lives but the lives of others around us, in the human and non-human worlds. In the traditional Xhosa and Swazi cultures of South Africa, there is responsibility attached to being a human being. It is said that if someone doesn’t dream, they have an illness and need to speak to a sangoma in order to reconnect to their dreams.
Dreams are a channel of communication with the ancestral and spirit realms. As we dream, we connect to our soul and with the qualities that make us human, our empathy and intuition. John will guide you to listen deeply to your dreams and take action on the messages you receive.
By manifesting your 7th sense, which is unique to humans, you’ll fulfill your role as a steward of Mother Earth. John will share inspiring stories of how listening to and acting on your dreams can transform not only your own life but the world at large.
In this session, you’ll:
- Discover your 7th sense and learn how it differentiates humans from other animals
- Learn to see every dream as a gift from the great dreamer
- Connect to your North Star to communicate with your higher self
- Explore the deeper connections between your personal dreams and the collective wellbeing, emphasizing the importance of service and devotion to humanity and the planet
The African Shamanic Dreamwork Bonus Offering
In addition to John’s transformative 7-week online course, you’ll receive this special bonus offering to complement the course and take your understanding and practice to an even deeper level.
Herbal Remedies for Sleep and Dreaming
Video Teaching From John Lockley
In this video, John Lockley offers an insightful look into plant medicine from a sangoma perspective, focusing on how to use common household plants like lavender, mugwort, and rosemary to enhance sleep and dreaming. He demonstrates the preparation techniques for these plants, positioning them as potent aids in the journey of dreamtime awakening. The session concludes with a guided plant medicine meditation designed to awaken the senses.
Register by June 8 to claim this bonus before it expires.
Thwasa: “Calling Sickness” & Dream Paths to Healing in Southern Africa
Video Teaching From John Lockley With Robert Moss
In South Africa, the Xhosa refer to “thwasa,” a calling sickness, where healing begins as the afflicted follow their dreams to find the right teacher and transition from patient to apprentice healer. John Lockley was called to his life work in this way as a white igqirha, which means “one who holds the lightning rod of the ancestors.” He embraced this calling through an extensive apprenticeship with a Xhosa medicine woman and now shares these ancestral teachings globally. In this 31-minute video conversation, John and Robert Moss, creator of Active Dreaming and a survivor of multiple near-death experiences, discuss how they were called to their vocations through dreams of ancestors. They share the many levels of dreaming and how dreams may be real experiences in separate realities. They also explore the profound significance of dreams in connecting with one’s soul and maintaining balance with the surrounding world.
Register by June 21 to claim this bonus before it expires.
Ancestral Healing, Dreaming & Trauma
Video Dialogue With John Lockley and Dr. Arielle Schwartz
Join South African shaman John Lockley and clinical psychologist Dr. Arielle Schwartz for a 46-minute video discussion on ancestral healing. In this conversation, they explore the intersection between psychological methods for trauma recovery and shamanic views on ancestral healing. Both John and Arielle share pivotal experiences from their personal healing journeys, demonstrating how pain can be a transformative gateway to personal growth. This bonus session promises to touch and lighten your heart.
Befriending the Wilderness to Heal Our World
Video Dialogue With John Lockley and Dr. Marie Mbouni From the Shamanism Wisdom Summit
Join Dr. Marie Mbouni as she interviews John Lockley in this 44-minute video conversation, for a profound exploration of “Ubuntu,” the South African concept of the circle of life. Discover your path to engaging with your own inner wilderness — by connecting with your soul, honoring your ancestors, and exploring your dreams. Once you establish this deep internal connection, you can extend your efforts outward, working to heal the environment and nurture the plant and animal kingdoms.
What Graduates of John’s Courses Are Saying...
“John’s work has had a profound effect on my life, and to be able to take a deeper dive through this class was nothing short of transformational.”
John’s work has had a profound effect on my life, and to be able to take a deeper dive through this class was nothing short of transformational. His wisdom, and ability to convey the deep emotions of the Xhosa tradition will stay with me for a long time.
— Michelle Katz, Idyllwild, California
“John’s expert knowledge of the ways of shamanism was even surpassed by his enthusiasm, kindness, and authenticity.”
I enjoyed this course immensely. John’s expert knowledge of the ways of shamanism was even surpassed by his enthusiasm, kindness and authenticity. His desire for the betterment of All-Kind shone through in his teaching, and it strengthened my desire for focused purpose in the pursuit of healing and connection to my bloodline ancestors as well as mentor and nature ancestors. There is nothing like whetting your appetite to learn more on a subject than having a teacher who is the real deal. John is that and much more.
— Jul, South Carolina
“I can say I have healed any negative concepts about my own ancestry, and that is big!”
I have read an enormous amount of material and received brief teachings from Indigenous peoples, but this is the first time I feel like I understand about ancestors and why it’s so important to call them in. I can say I have healed any negative concepts about my own ancestry, and that is big! It is transformational in self-acceptance. These teachings are invaluable in moving my spiritual growth forward. I’ve been at this a long time since I started my spiritual path in my 20s. I’m now 65. This was refreshing in its simplicity and the DEPTH! Thank you so much.
— Lynn, Spanaway, Washington
“I am feeling more connection to love and blessings, but more importantly I am not fearful of the past.”
I feel that I connected to my ancestors, nature, and my deep roots of birds and my calling. I am feeling more connection to love and blessings, but more importantly I am not fearful of the past. I am embracing the beautiful ancestors that wish to connect to me.
— Deanne, South Australia
“I found this course with John Lockley deeply transformative.”
I found this course with John Lockley deeply transformative. John’s delivery of these ancient (yet deeply now-time applicable) wisdoms and practices was deeply moving, sensitive, and grounded. The uncomplicated and yet rich practices are accessible and make sense. I have found my life to be more vital and more richly nuanced as I open further to messages and relationships with non-human beings (including my ancestors) and with my inner self and my dreams. These teachings are a much, much needed reminder of our connection All, to our Great Mother nature and to the Great Dreamer as we navigate the changes that are occurring for us all. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity.
— Rosemary, Australia
Join the Global Community
African Shamanic Dreamwork offers some of the most transformational online teachings available, within a thriving global community of learning and practice.
Join fellow students and practitioners to support and inspire each other as you integrate the teachings and practices John Lockley will share in this powerful program.
You’ll join an international community on the leading edge of manifesting a world grounded in the principles of cooperation, harmony, and reverence for all of life.
Here’s What You’ll Receive
Seven 90-Minute Class Sessions With John Lockley
Experience a unique opportunity to be mentored by and learn from Sangoma (African healer and shaman) John Lockley, founder of “The Way of the Leopard” teachings — from the comfort of your own home. Each class session includes a livestreaming video option and will guide you to learn to interpret your dreams, connect with ancestral wisdom, and use your inner visions to guide your personal and spiritual growth. Course sessions are on Wednesdays at 9:00am Pacific.
Seven Video Recordings of Class Sessions
After each class, the video will be available for you to stream in a high-quality format. You’ll never have to worry about missing a session, and you can watch anytime and anywhere at your convenience.
Seven Audio Recordings of Class Sessions
After each class, the audio will be available for you to stream. You’ll never have to worry about missing a session, and you can listen anytime and anywhere at your convenience.
Seven Transcripts of Class Sessions
You’ll also receive the entire class transcription after each session is completed. You can then review, print, and highlight the most important insights and practices you were given.
Seven 30-Minute Interactive Group Practice Sessions
With live class attendance, there will be a 30-minute optional interactive practice session directly following each class. You’ll be placed in an intimate group with several other participants on the Zoom call to interact, share, and do additional practices to help you further integrate the weekly lessons. Practice sessions are not recorded for playback; if you’re unable to attend the live sessions, the Facebook online community group allows you to connect with each other and find alternative times to interact.
Interactive Exercises and Questions for Each Lesson
Between class sessions, you’ll have the option of completing related exercises, practicing new tools, and answering questions to accelerate your learning and integrate each week’s lesson.
Online Community
Our exclusive Facebook online community is the perfect place to continue your discovery process after each class. Here, you can continue the discussion about your course materials and interact with your fellow students to take your exploration to an even deeper level.
The African Shamanic Dreamwork Bonus Offering
- Herbal Remedies for Sleep and Dreaming
Video Teaching From John Lockley
- Thwasa: “Calling Sickness” & Dream Paths to Healing in Southern Africa
Video Teaching From John Lockley With Robert Moss
- Ancestral Healing, Dreaming & Trauma
Video Dialogue With John Lockley and Dr. Arielle Schwartz - Befriending the Wilderness to Heal Our World
Video Dialogue With John Lockley and Dr. Marie Mbouni From the Shamanism Wisdom Summit
An Unprecedented Opportunity to Join the Online Course, African Shamanic Dreamwork
We feel honored that John Lockley has chosen to partner with The Shift Network to offer this exclusive LIVE online course. This is a unique opportunity to interact directly with a fully initiated sangoma (African healer and shaman) and the founder of “The Way of the Leopard” teachings, whose powerful insights and pioneering work are helping us heal and awaken ourselves and our world.
If you’re serious about learning to interpret, protect, and activate your dream states, enabling you to manifest positive changes in your life and the wider world, then you owe it to yourself, your loved ones, and our world to take this one-of-a-kind program.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your own evolution, click the register button below to reserve your space now.
Your Satisfaction Is 100% Guaranteed!
Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed! If you don’t absolutely LOVE African Shamanic Dreamwork — or don’t feel that it meets your needs — please submit your refund request form on or before July 10, 2024 and we’ll happily issue qualifying customers a refund.
More Praise for John Lockley...
“The workshop participants experienced great shifts in their souls and a deeper connection to their ancestors through John’s guidance.”
Our mission is the conservation of Indigenous cultures, preservation of their territories, and the education of the public regarding the rich wisdom that they carry. We hosted John Lockley for a week and wish to express our gratitude to him for offering such truly powerful and authentic spiritual work from the Xhosa sangomas of South Africa. Everyone in the audience felt the presence of the ancestors in the room and left deeply fulfilled by the experience. We also offered a weekend medicine workshop and it was a beautiful experience for all who attended. The workshop participants experienced great shifts in their souls and a deeper connection to their ancestors through John’s guidance. I highly recommend his work to any organization that wishes to host a truly authentic elder from South Africa. In these times when many people are calling themselves shamans, we do a lot of searching for the authentic medicine people of the world. John offers the truly authentic wisdom we seek.
— Patricia Turner, founder of Tierra Sagrada, The Sacred Earth Foundation
“I’ve attended two of John’s ceremonies and left each time feeling elated and hopeful that shamanic work can bring healing to the world.”
John Lockley, a traditionally trained sangoma, brings the rhythms of African shamanism to life. With song, dance, and drumming, he creates a spirit-filled atmosphere in which to honor our ancestors and exchange blessings between the worlds. If you get a chance to participate with him in his joyous celebrations, don’t miss it. I’ve attended two of John’s ceremonies and left each time feeling elated and hopeful that shamanic work can bring healing to the world.
— Tom Cowan
“John is clearly called into a life of serving as a cultural bridge as well as being a healer.”
I participated in John’s retreat at the Buddhist Retreat Centre near Ixopo. I had previously had one experience visiting a sangoma and had done a bit of reading but looked forward to an experience. The experience facilitated by John was both informative and powerful. John is clearly called into a life of serving as a cultural bridge as well as being a healer. He shows up to both with a great deal of integrity. As a teacher myself, I appreciated the way in which John handily facilitated a group of widely and wildly varied individuals who each had their own hopes, expectations, and intentions. As someone actively seeking healing, I appreciated the authentic, practical, and nourishing healing experience of those days. I’m writing these words months after the experience and it continues to feed me.
— Jon L.
“This was incredibly beautiful, heart-opening, and at times, mind-blowing as well.”
I had the blessing and honor of attending a ceremony and talk by Xhosa sangoma John Lockley. This was incredibly beautiful, heart-opening, and at times mind-blowing as well. He sings, chants, dances, plays the drums, flute, and bowl, and is dedicatedly determined to create (and did) a sacred space and give the people with him a glimpse of the shamanic state of consciousness from an African point of view. He does this with a sweetness, kindness, and compassion but also has the spiritual wisdom of a veteran lineage holder. I felt without a doubt that he is a deeply powerful shaman, and one who would always use his power for healing and the greatest good. A beautiful and divine ceremonial experience.
— Jacqueline Arnold, Colorado
“Working with John is giving me a profound experience of awakening; the drumming shook my soul and spirit and ‘I woke up.’”
I’m very lucky to have been a part of sangoma John Lockley’s retreat. Working with John is giving me a profound experience of awakening; the drumming shook my soul and spirit and “I woke up.” John’s medicinal herb foot wash cleansed my soul; my dreams became beautiful again and the nightmares stopped. I have been very fortunate to experience a number of John’s healing retreats, and I can say the more you work with him in the circle of life/unbuntu, the more your heart opens and you begin to become a happier human being. I feel it’s the antidepressant that works for the modern world we live in today as it helps you to love and heal the past.
— Anita, United Kingdom
About John Lockley
John Lockley is one of the first white men in recent history to become a fully initiated sangoma (traditional African shaman) in the Xhosa lineage of South Africa. He was born in 1971 into a divided apartheid South Africa, with the mark of the sangoma on his face — a band of white birth skin around the eyes.
At 18, John was serving in the South African army as a medic when he had a strong, prophetic dream calling him to train as a Xhosa sangoma. He immediately began to suffer from the thwasa, a severe period of ill health that is inherent in all ancient shamanic cultures and which can only be cured through apprenticeship to a shamanic teacher.
Because of the restrictions of apartheid (which ended in 1994), it would take John seven years to find a Xhosa teacher. During the early days of his calling he trained as a Zen student under renowned Zen Master Su Bong, completing an intensive 3-month Kyol Che in a Buddhist monastery in South Korea. He was then invited by Zen Master Dae Soen Sa Nim to join his “monk army,” but the strength of his sangoma calling drew him back to South Africa.
Eventually, post-apartheid, John met MaMngwevu, a well-known Xhosa sangoma medicine woman, in one of the poorest townships in South Africa. She had foreseen his arrival in a dream and began his 10-year apprenticeship, giving him the initiated name Cingolweendaba, meaning messenger or connector between people and cultures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What’s a virtual course?
A: It’s a great way to engage with live and pre-recorded teachings and each other from the comfort of your home! All you need is any connected device. We use Zoom video conferencing to make it just like an in-person event, where you can ask questions and deepen your exploration of the course themes.
Q: Can I still benefit from the course if I miss the live classes?
A: Absolutely! You can stream the recordings and download the transcripts of all course sessions, so you never need to worry about missing live calls. You can also engage with the full community and leaders in our private online community group.
Q: Can you tell me about the private online community group?
A: We’ll have a private online community group for all course participants on Facebook that will support you in making connections with others, sharing insights, engaging in discussions, and completing homework assignments that can supplement your transformational journey. You’ll have the ability to share your experiences, projects, and growth throughout the course.
Q: Are there scholarships available for this training?
A: Yes, we always make a certain percentage of spaces available for partial scholarships, for those who otherwise would not be able to enroll at the regular rate. If you’d like to apply for a scholarship, please review our guidelines, which include a link to our online application form.
Q: What’s your refund policy?
A: Your satisfaction with The Shift Network and this course is our highest priority! We offer a satisfaction guarantee so that you can sample the course risk-free. The deadline to receive a full refund is July 10, 2024. To request a refund, please click on this refund request form and submit your request. Qualifying refunds will be processed within five business days and an email confirming the refund will be sent. However, we’d love to have a chance to address and resolve your concerns first. If there’s something we can assist you with, please email us at support@theshiftnetwork.com and we’ll be happy to help! (No refund requests accepted after the above date or with scholarship awards.)
Q: How can I reach Customer Support?
A: Please visit our Customer Support Center, where you should be able to find the answer to your question or the solution to your problem. And if you can’t, you can submit an online request form and we’ll get right back to you.
