Mahlebezulu: Ku Phahla for beginners

There are many misconceptions about the spiritual world and we don’t know what to believe anymore. As an African, you may find yourself being told that there should be a ritual that has to be performed for you or your family. The headache starts here, you are clueless because you have never experienced this nor have you seen any of your parents doing a ritual before.

Here is a basic guide on Mphahlo

Ku Phahla is a ritual performed to;

• Ask for guidance, luck and blessings
• Call on the ancestors,
• And give thanks with a sacrifice or offering.

Ku Phahleriwa a gandzelweni (at a Shrine) where both the maternal and paternal ancestors rest; which have been collected from their resting places through formal instruction.

Ku Phahla differs from family to family;

• Some use candles, incense and snuff to communicate.
• While some use snuff, mealie-meal mixed with water and nkuma (ash) in an ndeko (wooden bowl).
• And others use snuff and mqombothi to further their communication with their ancestors.

Rules:

The time to perform this ritual should be told to you by those within your family, some perform before sunset and others on the brink of sunrise.

No one should tell you how to phahla except those within your family because they are the custodians of the practice. If this is new to you, I would advise you to get further assistance by undergoing ku femba, as you will have a direct communication through your guides and you will be able to ask questions for clarity.

For those who wish to perform mphahlo and live in rented houses, and flats. Normally, before you move into a foreign space, a ritual (mphahlo) is performed at home ku vikiwa (announce) that you are leaving to reside at a space that is not yours. When you get to this particular place, your family would have told you what to do when you get there.

Many families still Phahla in secrete because they belong to a certain church that forbids such practices and labels it as witchcraft. The sad truth is that communicating with your ancestors is not a sin nor should one be embarrassed or scared of others opinions.

Most of our surroundings are influenced by the blood that flows within our veins, it is time you wake up and find your path.