Between the Calling and the Clock: The Modern-Day Sangoma's Balancing Act | Native Heal

Sangoma's Balancing Act A reflection on spirituality, parenthood, careers, relationships and the realities of living with a traditional healing calling in a mo…

By Mkhulu Nyoni, traditional healer

There is a conversation we need to start having about modern-day sangomas and izinyanga - the reality of juggling a spiritual calling with the demands of everyday life.

Gone are the days when conversations about traditional healing focused exclusively on the spiritual journey, ancestral instructions, ukuthwasa and the responsibilities that come with being a traditional healer. Today, many traditional healers are also professionals, parents, spouses, entrepreneurs and active members of their communities. They live in two worlds that constantly demand their time, energy and attention.

Consider the sangoma who has to wake up early, prepare the children for school, get dressed for work and make it to the office before the morning meeting. Between emails, deadlines, performance reviews and workplace politics, there may be a client calling to request an appointment, someone asking for assistance with a spiritual matter, or a responsibility in the ndumba that cannot simply be postponed.

At the end of an exhausting working day, the journey does not necessarily end at the office door. There are groceries to buy, supper to prepare, children to attend to, homework to supervise and partners who also need attention and companionship. And somewhere in between all these responsibilities is the calling.

The calling does not operate according to office hours.

Clients do not always understand that their traditional healer has a nine-to-five job. An ancestral instruction does not necessarily arrive conveniently on a Saturday morning. Spiritual responsibilities do not always respect family time, public holidays or personal exhaustion.

There is also the expectation that when someone enters the ndumba, they must find a healer who is spiritually present, emotionally available and ready to attend to their needs. Yet very few people stop to consider what it takes for that healer to create and maintain such a space while navigating the demands of ordinary life.

Then comes the guilt - the guilt of having to reschedule a client because of a work commitment. The guilt of missing a family activity because someone needs attention in the ndumba. The guilt of wanting a weekend off, a holiday or simply an uninterrupted afternoon to do absolutely nothing.

Can a sangoma say, "I am tired today"?

Can inyanga prioritise a child's school event without feeling that they are neglecting their calling?

Can a traditional healer take a holiday, enjoy a romantic relationship, pursue a career and still honour their spiritual responsibilities?

I believe the answer to all these questions is yes. But finding that balance is not always easy.

The challenge of living in two worlds

One of the most difficult aspects of being a modern traditional healer is navigating the expectations of both the spiritual and secular worlds.

In the workplace, one is expected to be professional, punctual, productive and accountable. In the spiritual space, there are responsibilities that require patience, humility, discipline and availability. At home, there are people who need love, attention, guidance and companionship.

Sometimes these worlds collide. There may be days when one leaves a difficult client consultation only to walk into an equally demanding meeting at work. There may be moments when one has to put aside personal worries to provide spiritual support to someone else, despite needing support oneself.

And perhaps the most overlooked reality is that traditional healers are also human beings who experience disappointment, heartbreak, financial pressures, relationship challenges, parenting difficulties and exhaustion. The calling does not exempt anyone from being human.

Perhaps we need to rethink how we practise our calling.

Modern-day traditional healers need to recognise the importance of boundaries, planning and creating sustainable ways of attending to their spiritual responsibilities.

Having a calling should not mean living in a perpetual state of emergency. Nor should it mean sacrificing every aspect of one's personal life to prove commitment to the ancestors or to satisfy the expectations of clients.

There must be room for structure. Room for family. Room for careers. Room for rest.

We also need to appreciate that the journey of each traditional healer is different. Some practise full-time, while others balance their calling with formal employment. Neither journey should automatically be considered more authentic or more committed than the other.

What matters is the sincerity, respect, discipline and responsibility with which the calling is honoured.

A final thought

Perhaps the modern-day sangoma's greatest challenge is not learning how to exist in two worlds, but learning how to make space for both without losing themselves in the process.

We are healers, but we are also mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, partners, professionals and individuals with dreams beyond the ndumba.

We have deadlines to meet, school meetings to attend, relationships to nurture, careers to build and lives to live.

And sometimes, after attending to everyone and everything, the person who needs healing the most is the healer.

Perhaps that is a conversation worth having.

Because having a calling should not mean giving up the right to have a life.