2. Rituals and the Living: Bridges Between the Visible and the Less Perceptible
In order to ensure a consistent basis for mutual understanding, we need as operational definitions as possible of the terms we will use in this presentation.
Clarifying some concepts
We assume that we agree on the principle of existence, namely that it is an emanation of the Universal Mind, which could be evoked by various terminologies: The Supreme Consciousness; God; the One at the Origin of All Things... Nothing is outside of this Oneness, and we would prefer it to be clearly agreed that everything that exists is a self-emergence of this Oneness, the diversity only reflecting vibratory nuances and consistency, depending on the level of existence of the occurrence.
Nature, Life and the Living
In Original Hereditary Naturopathy (OHN) we make a subtle distinction between these three interrelated concepts. Nature is broadly perceived as the great whole, the dynamic theater in which everything manifests. Life, on the other hand, can be succinctly defined as the active principle, the dynamic that we like to think of as mysterious, that animates objects, while the living refers to the set of individual expressions of this vital dynamic. This threefold perception, which we would like to explore in greater depth, gives us a deeper understanding of the interactions that promote wellness.
Nature:
First and foremost, we need to remember that the dynamics of the 'theater' that is nature are located at different levels of existence, which are more or less accessible depending on where the exploration begins. We'll return to this later. Furthermore, given that everything manifests in nature, it is difficult to consider certain occurrences as unnatural.
Tantra uses the term Sam'skrta 'Kuruksetra' (Kuru ˭does something; Ksetra ˭champ/place) to refer to the manifested world: 'the field that compels one to act' or 'the field in which one is compelled to act'. And the term 'Dharmaksetra' (Dharma ˭characteristic property; Ksetra ˭field/place) refers to a concept that speaks quite aptly of what we might well regard as the integrity of an entity. It translates as 'the field in which the characteristic property of each thing is compelled to express itself'. We feel that this conception offers us a more operational illustration.
Life and the living:
We need to redefine life to take into account all the different levels of existence. Thus I would propose as definition, any situation in which, in a 'relationship of subordination', a 'specific spiritual entity' (self-emergence of the Universal Spirit) manages to 'bring into coordinated co-operation for its benefit' a number of other spiritual entities. Together these entities form a 'living organism'. The dynamics of this combination of subordination and co-ordination could also be called 'life'. And it is the totality of such individual expressions that would constitute what we call 'the living'.
Multidimensional existence
Will we choose to finally talk about it openly?
Beyond the physical dimension, it is becoming increasingly clear from what advances in modern research are revealing that human existence is part of a multidimensional reality that includes energetic, spiritual and emotional aspects. This broader view naturally suggests that our Wellness depends on the harmony between these different dimensions. This is a fundamental principle of OHN: the recognition that our existence is not limited to the physical dimension perceptible to our ordinary senses. According to OHN, we exist simultaneously on several interrelated levels or dimensions (energetic planes, levels of consciousness, vibrational frequencies, etc.) - some manifest, others subtle. According to this view, illness and wellness disturbances often take root in parallel dimensions before manifesting physically. It's impressive to see how the subtle dimensions are linked to biological processes (e.g. autonomic nervous system, hormone production) far beyond what can be explained by current technological means. An adequate illustration of this is the regular palpable physiological effects of phenomena experienced in dream worlds. The OHN practitioner learns to consciously navigate between these dimensions in order to identify and treat the root causes of imbalances (whether in karmic imbalances, cellular memories or emotional blockages).
Let's look at how this works in practice.
It is important to understand that original hereditary naturopathy (OHN) is not a practice reserved for specialists or an elite group of initiates. It is accessible to anyone capable of accepting the instructions transmitted by intuition, dreams, visions or any other form of subtle guidance with openness and discernment, as long as these instructions are aimed at promoting well-being. Each time such an instruction is received and acted upon, the individual enters the living field of this tradition. It is precisely this act of alignment and service that consecrates the profound function of becoming a priest or priestess of Horus or Isis — not by symbolic title, but by an embodied posture rooted in a living relationship with the visible world and the subtle dimensions of existence.
How does an OHN practitioner 'navigate' between dimensions? Sometimes through the use of rituals, but the initiation leads to an increase in the fields of perception, which usually creates permanent multidimensional communication at the same time. This is why most people who are called to take on the role of Priest of HORUS or Priestess of ISIS go through a period at the beginning of their journey when those around them have the impression that they have lost their purpose. This conscious state of multidimensional coexistence will never leave them. The permanent coexistence in these multi-dimensions will only be appeased.
In the course of the OHN practitioner's work, plants and other ingredients are always involved through their more clearly perceived natures and their extended essences. The same is true of energy techniques. You just have to ask in certain situations to find out. Illustration: The anamnesis during a consultation with an OHN practitioner begins with the practitioner asking if he or she is competent to deal with the problem. This is immediately followed by a brief description of the 'physical and technological ingredients' that will be used. In most cases this will precede any information about the nature of the client's problem. The customer is asked to supplement this information with detailed descriptions. It often happens that the anticipation of the descriptions provided leaves the customer speechless
Illustrations: When dreams leave traces
What black African traditions tell us about the links between the visible and the less perceptible worlds?
Somewhere in southern Nigeria, a man wakes up with a start. His body is hot and he is struggling to breathe. He has just been attacked in a dream by an unknown being. But when he stands up, he discovers fine marks on his skin, like scratches. This is no coincidence. For the Yoruba, a dream (àlá) can be the site of a real encounter, a direct interaction with the forces that inhabit the spirit world. This dream has spoken and left its mark on the body.
In West and Central African societies, such experiences are neither surprising nor isolated: they are understood as real manifestations and integrated into the everyday worldview. Black African cultures do not make this clear separation between the physical world, which is immediately palpable to our senses, and the experience of other worlds - such as the world of dreams or, more broadly, that of spirits - as the modern world has tried to impose by considering the former to be more real.
In these traditions, dreams are as legitimate a mode of experience as the waking state, a place where relationships are forged, messages are transmitted, and visible effects are produced. You don't just dream: you walk through a space, you act in it, you receive calls from it.
Malidoma Patrice Somé, a Dagara initiate from Burkina Faso, recounts in Of Water and the Spirit how the ancestors in his dreams teach him ritual gestures and show him sacred objects he has never seen. These objects are later revealed in the tangible world, exactly where the dreams had intended them to be. Here the dream is a real learning space, the fruits of which are verified in the visible world. These are not inner visions: they are encounters with forces at work in a plane of the world that complements our own.
In Zimbabwe, Shona elders believe that certain dreams contain ancestral instructions that cannot be ignored. One woman, tormented by recurring dreams, finally follows the instructions given in her dream: to dig under a tree behind her house. There she finds a bag containing fragments of bones and pearls, the remains of an ancient ritual that has not yet been performed. This gesture, dictated in the dream, makes up for a spiritual rupture in the family. Here, dreams transmit buried ancestral knowledge and act as mediators of reparation between the living and the dead.
Among the Zulus of South Africa, dreams can herald a radical change in destiny. It is said that those destined to become sangoma (traditional healers) begin by having persistent dreams in which the ancestors appear to them, giving them objects and instructions. These objects - beads, bones, vessels - sometimes materialize in the visible world, found in places indicated in the dream or offered by strangers. This initiation process, known as ukuthwasa, is based on a reciprocal penetration of the planes of the world, where the messages of the ancestors become concrete points of reference on the path of life.
In Gabon, the Bwiti initiates, among the Fang, use iboga to open access to the world of the ancestors. During these journeys of the soul, dreamers perceive specific scenes, forgotten stories and hidden objects. And when they wake up, this information proves to be accurate. James Fernandez reports cases of novices revealing family secrets or locating ritual objects that they would not have known about otherwise. These revelations are not considered hallucinations, but crossings into a real space where the soul travels, learns and returns with elements of truth.
In the traditions of Black Africa in general, and West and Central Africa in particular, dreams and other forms of non-ordinary experience are experienced as extensions of reality, not as mental productions. They are part of a dense cosmological fabric in which interactions between humans, ancestors, spirits and natural elements are constant. And these interactions can leave tangible traces, on the body, in the environment or in the balance of social relations.
Rather than separating the visible from the invisible, or the spiritual from the material, as autonomous realms, the traditions of Black Africa describe a multi-layered world in which dreams, visions, trances and concrete gestures are all forms of real action, each operating on its own plane but interrelated in their effects. And in this world, dreams play a full role in the transformation of reality.
References (APA)
· Abimbola, W. (1977). Ifá : An Exposition of Ifá Literary Corpus. Oxford University Press.
· Ashforth, A. (2000). Madumo : A Man Bewitched. University of Chicago Press.
· Daneel, M. L. (2001). African Earthkeepers : Wholistic Interfaith Mission. UNISA Press.
· Fernandez, J. W. (1982). Bwiti : An Ethnography of the Religious Imagination in Africa. Princeton University Press.
· Gelfand, M. (1982). Les croyances spirituelles des Shona. Mambo Press.
· Ngubane, H. (1977). Body and Mind in Zulu Medicine (Le corps et l'esprit dans la médecine zouloue). Academic Press.
· Peel, J. D. Y. (2000). Religious Encounter and the Making of the Yoruba. Indiana University Press.
· Somé, M. P. (1994). De l'eau et de l'esprit : Rituel, magie et initiation dans la vie d'un chaman africain. Tarcher.
Wellness
Wellness is generally defined as an overall state of balance and harmony that encompasses not only physical health but also emotional, social and spiritual fulfillment. It is based on the satisfaction of basic needs, the quality of relationships, the meaning of life and the ability to achieve personal goals. Contrary to a modern vision often limited to comfort or the absence of symptoms, Wellness in the OHN represents a state of dynamic harmony between all dimensions of being and existence. It implies an expanded consciousness, a fluid connection with our natural and social environment, and an optimal circulation of vital energy.
Authentic Wellness manifests as a constant capacity for adaptation and regeneration in the face of life's many challenges. And what various other approaches to Wellness don't sufficiently take into account is the fact that the pursuit of Wellness concerns all existing entities without exception. This can be seen very quickly in the spontaneity of 'coordinated cooperation' between all existing entities. Only an approach that sufficiently integrates the multi-dimensionality of existence, as the OHN does, will enable us to grasp this aspiration.
Naturopathy and its offshoots, including OHN
Naturopathy is a holistic approach that aims to promote health and wellness by scrupulously respecting the specific nature of the beneficiary and the ingredients used. It explores this 'specificity' as objectively and systematically as possible, with the aim of developing solutions tailored to individual concerns. Beyond this in-depth analysis, it encompasses various practices such as the promotion of a healthy diet, phytotherapy, the promotion of fasting, as well as various approaches to physiological manipulation and detoxification.
It would be more accurate to recognize that what is known today as 'modern naturopathy' represents a special case, a limited expression of the principles and practices preserved in their entirety by Original Hereditary Naturopathy. Far from rejecting the approaches of modern naturopathy, the OHN fully integrates them while placing them within a broader and deeper framework. It recognizes the value of these methods for specific situations, while maintaining access to a much wider repertoire of solutions.
The OHN's persistent focus on the multi-dimensionality of existence is where its distinctiveness begins to shine through. But what fundamentally differentiates the OHN is its method of imparting knowledge. The initiation favors the total immersion of the initiate, creating the conditions for a deep and personal appropriation of the knowledge transmitted, far beyond mere intellectual understanding. It advocates that certain essential knowledge cannot be acquired through academic study alone, but is revealed through initiatory connections with dimensions that are sometimes difficult to perceive, yet are a reservoir of timeless knowledge. In these moments of connection, time acquires a surprising permeability that is almost limitless, apart from the ability to integrate the relativity of facts and things.
OHN is therefore not an alternative to modern naturopathy, but its original source and most complete expression, preserving dimensions that more recent approaches have gradually abandoned.
How does an OHN practitioner work?
Imagine an 'energy doctor' who uses both ancient and modern tools to bring your body, emotions and mind back into balance. That's how it works:
i. Navigating between dimensions
The OHN practitioner is like an explorer of the invisible:
- During a ritual with sacred plants, such as iboga in Gabon, he/she goes into a trance to see the energy blocks that are affecting you.
- But there's more! When you arrive at the OHN practitioner's home, he or she will describe your concerns with startling accuracy without you even having spoken. And why is this? Because he/she is instantly communicating with a parallel reality from which this information is being taken.
- In West Africa, among the Akan, a soothsayer can receive messages while awake or in induced sleep, revealing the deeper causes of an imbalance experienced in the physical world. The information often comes 'ready-made', as if dictated from within.
- Quote: 'Everything is energy' (Einstein). These blockages are like knots in an electrical wire - they prevent the vitality of the whole you represent from circulating.
ii. Plants, your multidimensional allies
They work on your body as well as your soul:
- Ashwagandha (an Indian plant) calms stress while recharging your inner batteries. But sometimes a plant is not enough.
- Imagine you're at a time in your life when everything seems to be stuck for no apparent reason. Among the Bamiléké and other tribes of Cameroon, the diagnosis may point to a disorganization of your relationships with other dimensions. If this is the case, the practitioner will suggest a ritual: either you or someone close to you will place a branch from the 'Tree of Peace' in a place associated with the blockage, with a clear intention and the right words. And often things move in the days that follow. Those who have tried it speak of an immediate appeasement, as if an authorization had been given from the other side.
- Also in Cameroon, certain lineages use the bark of the Onzele tree to 'awaken' benevolent ancestors who intervene in unexplained physical ailments. Once the invocation has been made, rapid physical improvement is observed, sometimes as early as the next day.
- Quote: Nature is the best doctor" (Hippocrates). In OHN each plant is selected for its visible and invisible properties.
iii. Techniques that speak to your body
Energy work uses gestures and objects to reconnect you with yourself:
- Using Tibetan bowls or essential oils, the practitioner harmonizes your chakras as if tuning an instrument.
- Among the Bamilékés and other tribes in Cameroon, the OHN practitioner may use smoke baths, call upon resilience spirits (by temporarily merging with an animal chosen for its aptitude in this area), or use colored objects to strengthen the aura.
- In Benin, colored beads are sometimes placed on the body to balance a patient's energy field. These beads are charged in a ritual and then placed on specific points to 'close' energy leaks. We find this practice among the Bamiléké people of Cameroon.
- Effect: After a session you sleep better, breathe easier and feel more present. Your body will thank you.
iv. Dreams, windows to your hidden memories
In the OHN traditions, dreams are not fleeting images, but diagnoses and guides.
- If you often dream of falling, this indicates a blockage in your root chakra. The practitioner will suggest meditations and perhaps a special herbal bath.
- In another case, if you dream of eating food - especially meat - this may indicate spiritual impurification. In this case you'll need a complete detox, not only physically, but also energetically and behaviourally. You will also be given advice on how to improve your discernment in the face of these invisible invitations.
- Among the Congolese, walking backwards in a dream indicates an undigested ancestral influence or an unacknowledged pact. The dream is then seen as a reminder of an energetic debt; you have to act, make an offering, and ask for reparation.
- Quote: 'The dream is the royal road to the unconscious' (Freud). But in OHN it is also a path to action, relationship and transformation.
v. Why is it so difficult for modern science to explain?
It's a bit like trying to film the wind with a camera: you can't see the wind, but you can see how it moves the leaves.
OHN practices often operate at levels that conventional instruments cannot yet detect. However, their concrete effects can sometimes be measured:
- Indirect evidence: after an OHN ritual, analyses show a reduction in inflammation (for example, CRP markers decrease).
- Another example: after an OHN treatment, cases that initially required major surgery are reassessed as requiring only minor procedures.
I can speak from personal experience: for a long time I believed that my detachment from the world was a mental disposition. Until the day I discovered, with the help of OHN, that it was a real multidimensional dislocation. I was repaired and realigned. Since then I've felt an embodied, enduring motivation. I've seen other people, as confused as I was, regain balance, meaning and vitality through these practices.
- Quote: 'What is invisible is often essential'. - Pierre Rabhi
This deep connection between the different dimensions of our being would not be complete without mentioning what runs through them all: nature, living things and especially plants. In OHN practices, they are not passive backdrops. They are active, conscious partners with specific functions.
Using nature, living things and especially plants in a ritual context to promote wellness
In the traditions of Black Africa - and particularly those of Central and West Africa - the whole of nature is involved in promoting wellness. Plants, of course, but also wind, water, stones, animals - all are carriers of intentions, stories and tangible forces that can intervene on very concrete levels. It's by connecting with them that we can engage in activities that promote Wellness.
It should be noted that these practices extend beyond the biochemical properties of natural elements. A plant is not merely an 'active principle'; it is a conscious ally, a living memory and, sometimes, a spirit with which a pact can be established. This cooperation can be coordinated or subordinated, depending on the need. Each natural element used in a ritual is employed for its own unique purpose and significance. The wind is not just a movement of air; it is a regular messenger. A rock is not just a mineral; it is often the guardian of buried knowledge. Such an entity is simply an example of a situation in which, in a 'relationship of subordination', a 'specific spiritual entity' (Self-Emanation of the Universal Spirit) manages to 'bring into coordinated cooperation for its benefit' a set of other spiritual entities. See the paragraph above about the concepts of 'nature', 'life' and 'The living'. Fire purifies and transmits intention to the subtle planes. These symbolic and spiritual connections are integral to the effectiveness of the ritual: Wellness is the restoration of alliances between the visible and the less perceptible dimensions of a being.
In these practices, recourse to nature is never passive. Every ritual gesture and every call to the wind, a plant or a spring engages the person in an active process. This is one of the founding principles of Original Hereditary Naturopathy: to restore individuals' autonomy and responsibility for preserving and promoting their health, despite the imbalances they may suffer from. The practitioner is not a 'miracle worker', but rather a guide and companion who encourages conscious participation in the Wellness-promoting process. They help to decode living signals and re-establish lost connections, but it is always the individual who, through the rituals, re-engages with their own transformation. This coaching approach is rooted in a tradition of living transmission which seeks to awaken, not control.
These practices are not simply a quest for relief; they are also a reactivation of the deep bond between humans and the living. In a fragmented, hierarchical and isolating world, these traditions remind us that true well-being is relational, grounded and collective. Nature, in all its diversity — mineral, vegetable and animal — is not merely a source of resources; it is a network of collaborating intelligence. Every ritual and conscious interaction is a way of honoring this perpetual alliance, known or unknown, and participating in an active dynamic to promote Wellness.
However, this approach to interacting with living things is rooted in a broader vision of the world — a cartography of existence that modern science is still struggling to fully grasp. The traditions of Black Africa, particularly those of Central and West Africa, invite us to broaden our perception of the realities that structure our lives. This is what we are now going to explore.
Gaining a broader understanding of the dimensions of existence:
Have you ever had the feeling that a dream, sign or coincidental event was trying to convey something important to you? In Black African cultures, particularly in Central and West Africa, such phenomena are not marginalized or dismissed as imaginary. They are accepted as real, meaningful events that form part of a multi-layered vision of the world.
In these traditions, existence is not limited to a single plane. It is perceived as an interconnected composition of worlds, where visible events often resonate with deeper realities, such as those of ancestors, spirits, memories and intentions. What happens 'here' is rarely unrelated to what is happening 'elsewhere'.
The OHN fully embraces this broader vision. It teaches that we exist on multiple planes simultaneously - physical, emotional, energetic, karmic and vibrational - and that imbalances only manifest in the body once they have circulated through these other layers of existence. This is why it is important not just to treat the symptom, but also to restore coherence between the different levels.
This approach does not reject modern methods, but opens up new perspectives. When we open ourselves up to other modes of perception, what our sensory and conceptual limitations do not allow us to see or measure can be felt, interpreted and integrated. It is a way of living that considers, as far as possible, the full range of manifestations, including those that the dominant materialistic vision still refuses to acknowledge.
In this approach, the OHN practitioner does more than observe what is apparent. Rather, he or she listens to resonances, follows correspondences that are difficult to perceive with common sense, and helps the person make links between different levels of existence. This approach involves listening and providing support to help individuals develop subtle perceptions, symbolic awareness, and an understanding of the living.
Are we ready to consider that fine perceptions—premonitory dreams, intuitions, and unusual sensations—are not illusions but genuine interfaces between complementary realities?
The OHN practitioner intervenes precisely in this space, not in belief, but in concrete recognition of connected, living, interacting planes of existence.
While this way of inhabiting reality is deeply rooted in Black African traditions, it is not unique to them. Similar traditions can be found among the Australian Aborigines, Amerindian peoples, Central Asian shamans, and Arctic peoples. Despite their differences, these peoples share a fundamental intuition: the world extends beyond what can be measured to what is connected.
From this perspective, the visible and the less perceptible do not oppose each other; rather, they cooperate. This intelligence of the living, integrated into the practice of OHN, is not presented as an alternative to modern science but rather as an extension of it. It reminds us that knowledge is not limited to numbers or measurable objectivity. There is also experiential knowledge derived from dreams, inner reflection, and contact with the world's diverse manifestations. This knowledge is not based on belief but on another form of rigor, confirmed by embodied experience.
In this worldview, where every manifestation of life is a potential message, ritual becomes a language. It is not a fixed act but a living gesture that mobilizes relationships between planes. The best way to grasp this intelligence at work is through the concrete observation of ritual practices rooted in nature and life. Let's examine a few examples.
Examples of nature, the living and plant-related rituals
From the perspective of Original Hereditary Naturopathy, natural elements are not used solely for their curative and restorative properties. Rather, they are summoned for what they are: living presences rich in expression, memory, and message. We enter into alliance with them in specific contexts.
The following seven rituals, from the traditions of Black Africa — particularly Central and West Africa — demonstrate how nature, the living, and plants play an active role in regulating our existence.
a. The Path of Leaves: Reestablishing a Wordless Bond
When family tension builds to the point where dialogue seems impossible, a path of leaves, chosen for their pacifying virtues (from the cheese tree or baobab depending on the region), is laid out at dawn between two houses. A trusted relative walks the path in silence carrying a bowl of infused water. This simple act opens the way to relational relaxation. Sometimes, gestures come before words.
b. Fire and Breath: Refocusing a Disoriented Young PersonA young adult who has "lost their way" is invited to spend the night alone in front of a fire made of scented wood. Throughout the night, he or she gently blows on the flames while silently naming the things inside him or her. The fire receives; the breath liberates. In the early morning, water from the ashes is poured over his or her feet to help him or her "walk right again."
c. Hot Stones — Calling the Ancestors
In certain Sahelian rituals, pebbles are heated over an acacia fire and then briefly buried with dried plants and honey. The steam generated is seen as a call to the ancestors. The person then sleeps near the site in silence. The response comes in the form of a dream or an unexpected event in the following days.
d. Herbal Tea of Passage: Relieving the Burden of the Past
After experiencing several losses or breakups, a woman is guided in preparing a bitter infusion of plants known to "wash away memories." She slowly takes three sips as she walks toward a strong tree. When she reaches the trunk, she gently blows on it, entrusting her past to a greater force.
e. The Shadow Bath: Clearing the Mind
When someone says, "I can't see clearly in my life," the practitioner may suggest sitting barefoot on a bed of freshly watered leaves under a dense canopy in the early morning. During the song of a bird, often chosen for its constant rhythm, the person remains silent. The plant's darkness acts as a mental filter. Upon exiting, clarity often returns of its own accord.
f. The Seed Walk — To Regain Inner Momentum
Medicinal seeds, such as cow-pea or black sesame, are placed in the pockets of those seeking to regain initiative. Walking at dawn, the person touches a seed with each conscious breath. As soon as she feels relief, she plants a seed by the side of the path. In this way, she sows her own rebirth.
g. Wind Circle: Soothe Obsessive Thoughts
When the mind is invaded by repetitive thoughts, a circle of light branches (like those of a dwarf palm) is formed. The person sits in the center as the wind picks up. They then speak in a low voice, "offering" their thoughts to the wind. According to the ancients, "if the wind listens to you, it carries away what no longer needs to stay."
It goes without saying that the nature of the concerns of people using the OHN Practitioner's services does not authorize disclosing mechanisms for preserving and promoting Wellness. It should be obvious that these are conflicting situations, with tendencies toward promotion and preservation working to supplant those toward destruction, degeneration, and disruption. According to Original Hereditary Naturopathy, these two fundamental tendencies are simultaneous, each unfolding within its own sphere of competence and aptitude. This is symbolized by the yin and yang symbol.
Reminder: Use 'good/bad', 'positive/negative' and 'constructive/disruptive' trends for fluid communication
As far as possible, limit the infiltration of ingredients that could hinder the perception of what you're trying to convey.
Have you ever been in a situation where someone said: "That's a bad idea," or something similar? The room froze. Tension mounted, not because of the content, but because that word locked in the exchange. Nothing kills a conversation more effectively than judgment masked as feedback.
In communication, we instinctively categorize things as good or bad, positive or negative. These simplistic terms impose judgments that stifle nuance, curiosity, and growth.
However, an alternative inspired by living systems and ancient wisdom is available. Rather than asking ourselves if something is good or bad, what if we simply asked ourselves: Is it constructive? Is it disruptive?
That's precisely how OHN sees it. Everything lights up differently.
A disruptive comment or perception is not an attack; it's a catalyst that unblocks fixed patterns. Likewise, a constructive remark is not necessarily complacent; it can clarify or move things forward. This perspective transforms exchanges from confrontations into explorations.
We've all experienced moments when an inconvenient question reveals an essential truth or when "positive" praise bypasses the heart of the matter. Speaking in terms of constructive and disruptive describes the real impact, not our opinion.
By abandoning the labels of good and bad, we create space for authentic dialogue, uncomfortable truths, and genuine learning.
OHN simply asks: Will it build? Will it challenge what needs to be challenged? If so, then it is preferred to be said or done.
Suggested bibliography
- Turner, V. (1969). The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure. Aldine.
- Douglas, M. (1966). Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo. Routledge.
- MacGaffey, W. (1986). Religion and Society in Central Africa: The BaKongo of Lower Zaire. University of Chicago Press.
- Olupona, J. K. (ed.). (2000). African Spirituality: Forms, Meanings and Expressions. Crossroad.
- Mbiti, J. S. (1969). African Religions and Philosophy. Heinemann.
- Watt, J. M., & Breyer-Brandwijk, M. G. (1962). The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa. E & S Livingstone.
- Sillitoe, P. (2023). A Handbook of Ethnobotany. Routledge.
- Janzen, J. M. (1978). The Quest for Therapy in Lower Zaire. University of California Press.
- Kaptchuk, T. J. (2002). "The placebo effect in alternative medicine: Can the performance of a healing ritual have clinical significance?" Annals of Internal Medicine, 136(11), 817-825.
- Soga, M., Gaston, K. J., & Yamaura, Y. (2017). "Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis." Preventive Medicine Reports, 5, 92-99.
- Sullivan, W. C., et al. (2018). "Nature experience and mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(11), 2411.
Conclusion
I can still picture the puzzled look on the doctor's face when I told him that a tea I had seen in a dream had healed something that neither his scans nor prescriptions had identified. He listened, oscillating between doubt and fascination, before concluding, "Interesting, but unverifiable." This encounter revealed to me that the gulf between lived, original knowledge and clinically validated truths isn't insurmountable — just unexplored. The passages between the visible and the difficult-to-perceive dimensions that OHN rituals invite us to cross transform our perception of reality. Is science really so distant from these subtle dimensions? Or is it time to map the common territories and unexpected resonances—perhaps even unsuspected complementarities? Our next exploration of Original Hereditary Naturopathy will precisely chart this fascinating frontier: the conversation between initiatory wisdom and scientific discoveries, sometimes tumultuous but invariably fertile.