Nsoromma: Adinkra symbol of the week No. 3

We've been on quite a journey in the first two weeks of this series. Sankofa sent us back to reclaim what was left behind. Adinkrahene reminded us of the centred inner power that receives it. This week, we look up.

❖  THE SYMBOL  ❖

Nsoromma is the Akan word for ‘star’. Literally translated, it means ‘child of the heavens’ and it carries one of the most beautiful ideas in Akan spiritual philosophy: that each one of us is a child of the divine, held in guardianship by a power far greater than ourselves.

As a symbol, Nsoromma speaks of faith, protection and the watchful presence of something above and beyond us. The star is a light that cuts through darkness. In the Akan worldview, the stars are also intimately connected with the spiritual world, with the beloved dead who continue to watch over us, co-creating with the divine for our greatest good.

You are not alone. You have never been alone. The stars that guided your ancestors home are still guiding you.

❖  WHY THIS MATTERS FOR YOU  ❖

Last week, Adinkrahene reminded us of the centred inner power that is ours. This week, Nsoromma takes us outward: you are not only held from within, but held from above. Watched over and loved from a dimension you can't always see.

We live in a world that can feel profoundly unsafe, one that asks us to carry so much alone. Nsoromma whispers: you are a child of the heavens. You are not carrying this alone. The ones who loved you and have gone before you are still here, shining their light into your particular night.

In my ancestral healing work, I witness again and again the profound relief that comes when someone truly feels, not just knows, but feels, that their wise and loving ancestors are present. That is what this symbol holds.

❖  JOURNAL PROMPTS & REFLECTIONS  ❖

Tonight, if you can, step outside and look up. Or simply sit quietly and imagine the vast sky above you. Then explore:

1. Do you feel held and protected in your life? What supports you, seen or unseen?

2. Who in your ancestral lineage do you feel is watching over you? What do you sense about their presence?

3. When in your life have you felt guided, as though a light appeared in the darkness just when you needed it?

4. What would it mean to truly trust that you are a child of the heavens, held, loved and guided?

Allow yourself to feel, just for a moment, that you are not carrying everything alone. The stars have always known your name.

❖  IN MY WORK  ❖

The energy of Nsoromma of being held, watched over and guided by the ancestors, is at the heart of every 1:1 Ancestral Lineage Healing session I offer. We create a ritual space together, and within that space, we invite your wise and loving ancestors to draw close. Many people describe the experience of feeling their ancestors’ presence for the first time as the moment everything changed.

In the Community Ancestor Circle, we gather each month in exactly this spirit: held by something larger than ourselves, and by each other. If you’d like to explore what it feels like to truly be held by your ancestors, I’d gently invite you to book an Ancestral Helaing session and join my exclusive email list to be the first to know about the next Community Ancestor Circle.

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