Yesterday, we left the capital city of Accra and journeyed north up the mountain to Aburi. Like many spiritual pilgrims, we discovered truth on the mountain. This remarkable day pointed us to the underlying indigenous religion informing life in Ghana, as well as the healing nature of creation.
We first gathered at the feet of Professor Pashington Obeng, learning about traditional spirituality in nature. Later we hiked in Ananse Kwae, a forest preserve planted by the birds, resplendent with healing plants and trees. In the evening, we gathered for a debriefing dinner on the roof at the De Ofoso Hotel in Koforidua. This day impacted us all deeply. I offer here a few gleanings, seeds planted that will continue to grow into our lives.
Ubuntu: I am because We are. The good professor began the day with gratitude to our fellow traveler, Dela, who walked out to meet him halfway, leading him to our gathering place. “I wouldn’t be here, without Dela,” he explained, underscoring the interconnectedness of all life, Ghanaian spirituality echoes the South African wisdom of Ubuntu, where interdependence is key. Goosebumps formed on my arms as I looked down at my Ubuntu CultureFest t-shirt.
Honoring the ancestors. In a libation ceremony, Professor Obeng called on the Supreme Being and Mother Earth where he said the Spirit of the Earth resides, in the water, in the rocks and the elements of the natural world. He also called on the ancestors, explaining like the Sankofa bird with his beak turned backward, we must look to the past for wisdom needed today.
SANKOFA (Go back to retrieve. Go back to your past)
Don’t conquer the earth, befriend it. For many years, the colonial regimes in Africa made conquest the goal. The people and God’s creation became tools for material gain. The original Ghanaian spiritual tradition calls for befriending the earth. Our group reflected on our own accountability to care for the Earth, taking environmental action, in our teaching and in our lives.
The Healing Nature of Creation. At Ananse Kwae, we first gathered at a sitting area, designed in the form of an eye as Professor Obeng again led us in libations, honoring creation. Then we hiked into the woods, looking anew at the goodness of creation. Our guide led us from tree to tree, explaining the healing powers of each of the forest saints. We learned of remedies for cancer, diabetes, difficulties in childbirth, skin diseases, obesity and drunkenness all available from the seeds, bark, leaves and fruits of these various forest plants. In the town of Aburi, we passed The Centre for Nature Medicine Research, where Ghanaians continue to uncover the mysteries of creation for the good of the people.
In the evening, our cohort friend, Melissa, artfully led a discussion on what we learned during this day. Some talked about how they would incorporate care for the Earth in their teaching. Others reflected on the spiritual wisdom of the day. Many expressed joy of the walk in the forest, discovering the many healing gifts of the trees.
For many years, I personally have been on a quest to speak and write for the Earth, a calling I believe comes from God, from the Great Spirit active in all of creation. In my Christian spiritual tradition, I do not believe I can fulfillour greatest commandments of loving God and our neighbors as ourselves without befriending and honoring the natural world, on which we depend for life. I also hear this call from the indigenous people of my own country, from the Anchuar people of Ecuador, and now from the wise ancestors and modern pilgrims of Ghana in the heart of Africa.
I am grateful to the Witness Tree Institute for inviting me on this journey of discovery, to Professor Obeng for speaking such enduring and gentle truth, and to my fellow cohort members who picked me up on a day I didn’t feel well, offering me a hand and remedies, enabling me to listen and reflect on this wonderful day.
Nancy Flinchbaugh, retired and actively working and writing for peace, justice and the earth.
You can find more about Nancy on her websites at Nancyflinchbaugh.com and spiritualseedlings.com, as well as on YouTube.com/@nancyflinchbaugh