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Banish Your Ghost Father: African Wisdom vs. Freud on Inherited Trauma and Ancestral Grip
Published 5 months ago
Description
Examines the deep historical roots of therapeutic practice, showing that ideas central to modern psychotherapy appeared long ago in various traditional African societies. It describes how groups such as the Yoruba, Oromo, and Hutu interpreted mental distress as a sign of disharmony with the spirits of deceased relatives or ancestors. One example is the Yoruba ritual with a babalao (diviner), who uses a ceremonial tapper to communicate with these spirits to ease the sufferer’s troubles—often seen as linked to self-sabotage or persistent unhappiness. In this tradition, the practitioner may either negotiate with a disruptive ancestor or firmly send them away. The passage ultimately argues that the belief that past forces can disturb the present—and that healing involves addressing them—is an ancient, widespread understanding rather than a uniquely modern discovery.
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https://www.podcaistudio.com/
You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms:
https://linktr.ee/life_notes
Produced by:
https://www.podcaistudio.com/