The Spirit of Intimacy: Ancient African Teachings in the Ways of Relationships by Sobonfu SomeMy review
rating: 4 of 5 starsThis is a deceptively simple book about living in relationship--with one's self, community, world, and the spirit realm. Sobonfu Some portrays the indigenous rituals of the West African culture that she comes from. Her writing is beautiful and characterizes a people with little armor and masks.
This book was a quick read--simple, straight-forward and heartfelt. I experienced an opening--that there is a precious jewel embedded in that simplicity. But it is difficult to translate indigenous wholeness in today's differentiated world. This is the same feeling I got from reading Jean Liedloff's The Continuum Concept. There is something so primal in our makeup that is not being met today.
I will read her other two books. Maybe she gives more possibilities of tranlating the indigenous connectedness into the western culture. And, if not--I have a task ahead of me!
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Oh i am going to look for this one on your reccomendation. It is so nice to have you back in this space beautiful lady. I hope your heart is happy and your days are sweet. Lots of love from here to you....xxxxxxxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteAmber, a friend of mine says that I'm a hermit on my best days. ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd even after reading about this beautiful African community, I still am nowhere close to knowing how to create it. But I do know that I want that kind of intimacy.
Thanks for the heart-full wishes, Amber. Back atcha! I hope your family is feelin' better. Hugs....
So hard to see a community that "has it right" , whose simplicity completely resonates within you, but that is so completely different that you can't see how to emulate them without totally uprooting and altering your life! But sounds intriguing none the less!!
ReplyDeleteThat's just it, RunninL8, we are not this wonderful African village. Our culture is how it is. We can do our best to work within the culture to live in wholeness, or we may just be able to create our community in our immediate family. We can breastfeed and babywear and eat dinners together. But we can still struggle with intimacy. We all long for it, right? How do we change the culture?
ReplyDeleteI highly reccommend you read Wise Women of the Dreamtime: Aboriginal Tales of the Ancestral Powers.
ReplyDeleteIt is beautifully written and grounded in how we can connect with nature and community to envision a rebirth of our culture instead of running backwards to ways that seem impossible within the context of modern times.
Sounds intriguing. I'll check it out. Thanks!
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