What if the anxiety you feel isn’t just stress—but a forgotten ancestral whisper? What if the animals, places, and dreams that call to you are not random, but signals guiding your journey toward inner peace?
In this deeply grounding episode, host Anshu Bahanda is joined by South African sanoma and Indigenous Knowledge Consultant Gogo Khanyakude (Tiisetso Ntuthuko Makhubedu) to explore how reconnecting with animal totems, ancestral guides, and Earth wisdom can lead to profound peace and belonging.
Gogo brings us into their personal story: from the gospel music of early childhood to visions once mistaken for mental illness; from a spiritual “dark night” in Cape Town to initiation in ancestral healing. They share how ancestral identity, animal spirit guides like lions and goats, and even a long-unsprouting Marula tree were all signposts on the path home to their soul.
Together, Anshu and Gogo explore:
● Totems vs. Spirit Animals — ancestral lineage markers vs. divine archetypes walking with you
● Signs from the invisible—when ancestors speak through birds, landforms, and instinct
● How animal guides can catalyze healing, transformation, and purpose
● The framework of People, Spirit, Space as a pathway back to inner peace
● Why reconnecting with indigenous traditions is a healing act of decolonization
“Inner peace isn’t a thought—it’s a reconnection.”
This episode invites you to answer the call you may have been feeling—toward an animal, a memory, a direction—toward belonging.

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