The Washington Informer: Health

Recently, a group of 24 individuals attended a weekend Cleansing and Rebirthing Retreat taught by the Burkina Faso native whose name means “keeper of the rituals” and who says she was destined to teach ancient wisdom, ritual, and the practices of her ancestors to individuals in the West.

The group included a psychology student; a medical doctor; a college English teacher, and a massage therapist, among others. All were eager to learn how their physical birth had impacted their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual life.

According to Somé, “When you are born, the events surrounding that birth, and the people around, or not around you, are very important. Also, other incidents like induced births or being born in a toxic womb can greatly impact one’s life.”

In the case of the latter, Somé explained, “Being born in a womb where you are not wanted can imprint the child. Also being born on the heels of a child that has miscarried can result in the child picking up the mother’s fear, sadness or the grief of the miscarried child.”

Somé’s words really resonated with many in the class, with several sharing the impact that their births had had. For Sherry Chastine, a 57-year-old D.C. family counselor, Somés words were right on target. “I was a preemie, and was born breeched with an umbilical cord around my neck. It has created for me a fair amount of limitations and always feeling limited as far as reaching my full potential.”

For Carolyn Sampeck, a Stafford, Va. life care planner who works with individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries, the re-birthing exercise hit home. “I have always felt that I was born in a haunted womb because my brother miscarried at four months,” she said. “I always felt like I was a replacement baby for my brother who my family never talked about.”

During the retreat, Somé explained that one can take incidents that seem like negatives and turn them into gifts. “What if we begin to take those things that represent that we are not good enough or wrong and turn them around?”

According to Somé, “A mother who can’t love you is an opportunity to be taught how to be love. A child who has been born out an incestuous relationship can heal that family’s dysfunctional situation if the child is supported in the family.”

During the retreat, Somé had the participants to bring items to work with, and some of them included things from their past, along with something that represented future possibilities. On the first night of the retreat, they were asked to spend time with the various items by placing them onto different parts of their body.

The next day, the participants discussed dreams that came through, and many shared powerful dreams that were symbolic of re-occurring, and sometimes negative, patterns in their life. That evening, the group built several shrines that would help in their cleansing, reconciling and rebirthing process. Each shrine represented a stage where the individual would recreate the circumstances around their birth.

Because there was great emphasis on cleansing the soul and ridding oneself of negative and limiting thoughts, the power of water was evoked and water spirits were asked to come in and assist with the process. However, spirits representing the other elements—fire, mineral, nature, and the earth - were called in as well.

By now the group had become a community and supported each other in letting go and in shifting the dynamic around their birth. It was a process that was not easy for many, but through being supported by others and the power of the ritual, itself, one could reap the reward of such an experience.

According to Chastine, who had been born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, “I set the intent that my birth was peaceful, and I saw myself born in a birthing pool.”

For Sampeck, “I almost didn’t participate because I thought I was going to suffocate in the birthing canal and not make it. But I was able to actually feel my brother and see him waiting for me at the end. He was actually cheering me on and waiting for me. It was great.”

For 37-year-old Michael McCormick, a psychology student who lives in Arlington, “This was really great, because I am a firm believer that therapists must transform their own lives before they can help others. As I get into my own demons and baggage and really deal with my stuff, I can be more accepting of others.”

Susan Hough, a 48-year-old Leesburg, Va. social worker who coordinated the weekend, said, “This retreat helped me to see how my birth did impact my life and the choices that I have made. I now know that I have the ability to change, or transform, the story into one that allows me to be more of who I am, a person with fuller potential.”

Again, Somé reminded the participants that one can turn what seems like negative situations into a gift, as she received applause and hugs from those attending.