The Spirit of Intimacy: Ancient Teachings in the Ways of Relationships

A renowned, respected teacher and mentor to thousands, Sobonfu Somi is one of the first and foremost voices of African spirituality to come to the West. 
Somi was born in Dano, Burkina Faso, a remote West African village with a population of about two hundred people. Dano has preserved the old ways of African village life, with family structures, spiritual practices, and methods of living that have been in place for more than ten thousand years. In The Spirit of Intimacy, Somi distills the ancient teachings and wisdom of her native village to give insight into the nature of intimate relationships. 
Somi generously applies the subtle knowledge from her West African culture to this one. Simply and beautifully, she reveals the role of spirit in every marriage, friendship, relationship, and community. She shares ancient ways to make our intimate lives more fulfilling and secure and offers powerful insights into the "illusion of romance," divorce, and loss. Her important and fascinating lessons from the heart include the sacred meaning of pleasure, preparing a ritual space for intimacy, and the connection between sex and spirituality. Her ideas are intuitively persuasive, provocative, and healing--and supported by sound practical advice, along with specific rituals and ceremonies based on those used for thousands of years. 
With this book, the spiritual insights of indigenous Africa take their place alongside those of native America, ancient Europe, and Asia as important influences on Western readers.

The Spirit of Intimacy: Ancient Teachings In The Ways Of Relationships

Self-Help

Somé, Sobonfu

Relationships

William Morrow

The Spirit of Intimacy: Ancient African Teachings in the Ways of Relationships

William Morrow Paperbacks

A renowned, respected teacher and mentor to thousands, Sobonfu Som is one of the first and foremost voices of African spirituality to come to the West. Som was born in Dano, Burkina Faso, a remote West African village with a population of about two hundred people. Dano has preserved the old ways of African village life, with family structures, spiritual practices, and methods of living that have been in place for more than ten thousand years. In The Spirit of Intimacy, Som distills the ancient teachings and wisdom of her native village to give insight into the nature of intimate relationships. 
Som generously applies the subtle knowledge from her West African culture to this one. Simply and beautifully, she reveals the role of spirit in every marriage, friendship, relationship, and community. She shares ancient ways to make our intimate lives more fulfilling and secure and offers powerful insights into the "illusion of romance," divorce, and loss. Her important and fascinating lessons from the heart include the sacred meaning of pleasure, preparing a ritual space for intimacy, and the connection between sex and spirituality. Her ideas are intuitively persuasive, provocative, and healing(and supported by sound practical advice, along with specific rituals and ceremonies based on those used for thousands of years. With this book, the spiritual insights of indigenous Africa take their place alongside those of native America, ancient Europe, and Asia as important influences on Western readers.

Berkeley Hills Books

Using voices from ancient Africa, the author celebrates children and their place in community, arguing that ritual and spirit can enliven daily living.

Welcoming Spirit Home: Ancient African Teachings to Celebrate Children and Community

Religion & Spirituality

New World Library

Sobonfu Some is the sole woman from her tribe – the Dagara people of West Africa – empowered by the tribal elders to bring the traditional teachings on women’s spirituality to the West. Now, for the first, Sobonfu shares the essential principles and practices of African feminine wisdom in a complete audio learning course – Women’s Wisdom from the Heart of Africa. In 12 intimate sessions, listeners will learn universally applicable teachings to claim their unique gift; engage their dreams; honor transitions; reclaim their ancestral lineage; identify power places in nature and in their body; and open the gateways to intimacy.

Women's Wisdom from the Heart of Africa

Personal Transformation

SOUNDS TRUE.

In the Dagara tribe of West Africa, women are valued as the source of the world's wisdom. They are valued as dreamers, as diviners, as the backbone of the community; the core of human survival. But what can the teachings of this indigenous culture show us that will transform the way we live? 
On Women's Wisdom from the Heart of Africa, Sobonfu Somé, author, teacher, and the first woman empowered by the Dagara elders to impart their teachings to the West, invites you to peer into a world where people remain closely connected to nature, their ancestors, and spirit, and to learn how to use powerful rituals to restore balance within yourself and with those around you.
Secrets of the Dagara Storytellers
Sobonfu Somé, whose name means "keeper of the rituals," was raised in her small village and sent by her elders to continue her education in the United States. With Women's Wisdom from the Heart of Africa, Somé shares authentic spiritual teachings of her tribe that were formerly handed down only within the circle of Dagara village life. 
These teachings are founded on a worldview that honors animals, plants, and trees as our elders, and human beings as the newcomers. From this revered relationship with the natural world, we learn how to live in unity with our environment, and create a deeper connection with spirit.
Discover Your True Gifts and Offer Them to the World Through Ritual and Celebration
How do we find this connection to spirit? For the Dagara, ritual is the gateway. Distilling the essential practices of her people, Sobonfu Somé shows you how to check in with spirit to receive guidance, observe the sacred spaces of your home, harness the energy of the elements, strengthen your relationships, create balance in your professional life, and much more.
 What are your unique gifts? What were you born to contribute? What can your community do to assist you? These questions are asked of every unborn Dagara child while still in the womb. Now, you have the chance to explore these and other questions, and to discover your inimitable gift as a woman with Women's Wisdom from the Heart of Africa.
Highlights:
<ul>
<li> Use ritual to discover power places in nature and in your body</li>
<li> Form a council of women to initiate growth and change in your community</li>
<li> How to relate to your life cycles and honor them as times of grace, beauty, and immense energy</li>
<li> Leadership as seen through the eyes of Dagara women—a different way of using your power</li>
<li> How to create a shrine in your home to call in the divine</li>
<li> Your unfiltered intuition—a guide you can always trust</li>
<li> Call in the spirits of the elements to create balance and harmony</li>
<li> Reclaim your ancestral lineage to learn who you are and what are your greatest strengths</li>
<li> Visible and invisible power—tapping into your own sacred energy</li>
<li> How to use grief and mourning to restore, renew, and regenerate your spirit</li>
<li> Draw upon your dreams to guide, support, and encourage yourself and others</li>
<li> Ritual—the key to connecting with spirit and with the people you care about</li>
<li> Seven hours of rituals, reflection, and stories to immerse yourself in the traditions of the Dagara tribe and expand any spiritual practice</li>
</ul>

Women’s Wisdom from the Heart of Africa

Politics & Social Sciences

Women's Studies

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Somé, Sobonfu. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Somé, Sobonfu