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.
Embark on John's 7-module video course, where you’ll be introduced 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 planned in this course for you that can foster laughter and play, which are essential for releasing mental blocks and enhancing your dream clarity.
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 module journey, 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.
In this 7-part transformational course, John guides 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.
This course features step-by-step teachings and experiential practices from John. Each session builds 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. Your purchase includes 24/7 ongoing access to your course content, allowing you time to review the materials at your own pace and integration.

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:

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:
In addition to John’s transformative 7-module course, you’ll receive this special bonus offering to complement the course and take your understanding and practice to an even deeper level.

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.

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.
Experience a unique opportunity to 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 session includes a streaming video 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.
In addition to the high-quality videos and MP3 audios, you’ll also receive session transcriptions. You can then review, print, and highlight the most important insights and practices you were given.
Between sessions, you’ll have the option of completing related exercises, practicing new tools, and answering questions to accelerate your learning and integrate each lesson.
We feel honored that John Lockley has chosen to partner with The Shift Network to offer this exclusive online course. This is a unique opportunity to learn from 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.
If you don’t absolutely LOVE African Shamanic Dreamwork — or don’t feel that it meets your needs — please submit your refund request form 14 days from your date of purchase and we’ll happily issue qualifying customers a refund.

John Lockley is a fully initiated and ordained sangoma (African shaman) in two lineages from South Africa: the Xhosa and Swazi nations. His Xhosa apprenticeship took 10 years, and he was foreseen in a dream by his teacher, MaMngwevu, a senior Xhosa sangoma – from the same tribe as Nelson Mandela — who invited him to be her apprentice.
He was one of the first white men in recent times after Apartheid to be awarded the title of “Ligqira Linkulu” by his Xhosa elders, meaning senior sangoma. His Xhosa name given by his teacher is “Ucingolweendaba,” meaning “the messenger or bridge between cultures.”
John has pioneered the bridge between modern Western psychology and traditional South African healing. For the past 12 years, he has been facilitating “Ubuntu” (Humanity) and Way of the Leopard retreats worldwide, teaching people how they can reconnect to their ancestors, spirit, and the Earth.
A passion of John's is teaching people Indigenous African medicine to help them reconnect to the Earth. He facilitates this through his Dreams & Tracking retreats in the Kalahari Desert every year, and Leopard Warrior trails in South Africa.
John, who holds an honors degree in clinical psychology, offers private divination and healing sessions online. He is also a Zen meditation practitioner with over 30 years of experience. He took Buddhist precepts with Zen Master Su Bong from South Korea in 1992.
He is the author of the book Leopard Warrior, and of audio teachings titled em>The Way of the Leopard.
Unfortunately, all scholarship awards for this course have been fully allocated, and we are no longer accepting scholarship applications.
The refund deadline for this course was two weeks. Refund requests are not accepted after the deadline or for courses purchased with scholarship awards. We’d also love the opportunity to address and resolve your concerns directly. If we can assist with anything, please contact us at [email protected] — we’re here to help!
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.
While this is a pre-recorded course, the teachings remain as relevant and impactful today as when they were first offered. We’ve selected these programs because their wisdom, tools, and practices continue to resonate deeply with our global community.
Your purchase includes 24/7 ongoing access to your course content — online via your Homepage — unless refunded or otherwise specified. We currently don’t have an expiration date for our online materials. This will allow you time to review the materials at your own pace and integration.