John’s teachings will help you reconnect with your “blood and bones” on a cellular and spiritual level. These skills can help you calm, awaken, and engage your nervous system as you cultivate a state of connection with all of life — and merge intellect with instinct.

These practices are designed to help you feel more alive as your nervous system and electrical field expand. You’ll become more sensitive and intuitive — and will learn to trust your inner guidance — helping you make important decisions.

When you join John for this special free event, you’ll be among the first to hear about a 7-week online program in which he’ll go much deeper into the healing powers of South African shamanic dance, drumming, and heartbeat meditation.

You'll learn how to access the mindfulness practice of ubuntu, which invokes the circle of life to help transform any feelings of shame, blame, and pain in your family, culture, or ancestral lineage — and to “grow” your spirit to become more empathic and intuitive.

You’ll also be empowered to connect with your “khanya” (inner shining) for more peace and connectedness with your ancestors, guardian spirits, and nature.

What People Are Saying About John Lockley...

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

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.

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

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.