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Ancient Practices

Ancient Living Traditions

Learn how different communities understand healing through culture, land, ancestry and ceremony.

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Ceremony and ritual

Traditions to explore

  • Ifá

    A Yoruba tradition practised in West Africa and across parts of the African diaspora. In an Ifá consultation, a trained diviner interprets signs through a body of oral verses and teachings to offer guidance on personal or community questions.

    More information coming soon

  • Curanderismo

    A name for diverse healing traditions found in Mexico and other Latin American communities, including communities in the United States. Depending on the tradition and practitioner, care may involve prayer, plants, bodywork or a cleansing ritual known as a limpia.

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  • Andean ceremonial traditions

    Practices vary across communities in the Andes. The pilgrimage of Qoyllurit’i in Peru is one example of how devotion, community and relationships with the landscape come together in ceremony.

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  • Mongolian and Siberian shamanic traditions

    These encompass distinct traditions with their own languages, histories and ceremonial roles. In parts of Mongolia, for example, communities gather to honour sacred places, with customs shaped by the place and the people who care for it.

    More information coming soon

  • Balinese healing traditions

    In Bali, people may consult traditional practitioners known as balian. Their roles differ, and a consultation may draw on prayer, ritual or local understandings of what a person is experiencing.

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  • Rongoā Māori

    A living Māori healing tradition in Aotearoa New Zealand that may include plant remedies, bodywork and prayer. Knowledge and practice can vary among iwi, hapū and practitioners.

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  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healing traditions

    Healing knowledge belongs to distinct peoples and communities. One example is the work of Ngangkari, traditional healers of the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara lands. Their work is one place to begin learning from the people who carry that knowledge.

    More information coming soon

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This is educational information. It is not a recommendation that this approach is right for you. Always speak with a qualified health professional.

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