Using a special cloth mat featuring ancient imagery that represents certain segments of one’s life, Toby incorporates 133 cowrie shells and a variety of other items that come from the Dagara tribe in West Africa, the origins of this unique energy consultation process.

The reading itself, which lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour, can be done three ways:

1. in person
2. through Skype
3. over the telephone

When done in person, Toby will ask you to physically spread the shells and other items around on the divination cloth, imprinting your energy onto the items. When receiving a reading over Skype or the telephone, Toby has you repeat your name three times as he spreads the items himself, following a special protocol that ensures his energy is not imprinted on the shells.

Although you are unable to see the shells and divination cloth when receiving your reading over the telephone, Toby takes a picture of your shell layout and emails it to you so you have a visual representation of what the ancestors are telling you. He also records the process so you can refer back to as often as you wish, until you are ready for a new reading.

Watch this video of Toby explaining how the reading process unfolds:

Contact Toby Christensen at toby@healingdrummer.com to schedule your cowrie shell reading: in person, through Skype, or over the telephone! Each delivery method is as powerful and as effective as the next.

The ancestors can see what each of us brings to the world or what impact we have on the world, even when we cannot see it ourselves. So, when do you need a cowrie shell reading? Anytime you need clarity on something, want to make a shift or a change in your life, or if you need to get a new perspective on any facet of your life, call Toby for a cowrie shell reading.

Toby Christensen can be reached at toby@healingdrummer.com.

You can expect your cowrie shell reading from Toby to be an experience from which you will receive an accurate perspective on the situations or problems that exist your life. In addition to this, you will receive helpful information that will guide you in the steps you need to take to direct your life.

Watch this video of Toby explaining what you can expect from a cowrie shell reading:

If you are ready to eradicate the negative energy from your life and to receive clarity, instruction, and guidance, contact Toby today to schedule your cowrie shell reading!

Contact: Toby Christensen at toby@healingdrummer.com

Watch this video of Toby Christensen explaining this ancient form of opening your life up to the ancestors in order to receive accurate information to transform your own life.

If you have any questions or want more information, please contact Toby at toby@healingdrummer.com.

Following Toni’s reading, this is what I was fortunate to hear:

I only have one word to describe my reading and that’s “WOW!” I’m usually the first one to shy away from things of that nature, but your skill coupled with the reading made me a believer. I still can’t get over how accurate EVERYTHING was! Looking forward to more readings!

Jeff, who was in search of confidence and direction in his life, says:

I wanted to thank you for the shell reading that you did. I was amazed at how accurate it was with everything that is going on in my world, from my work, to my family, marriage, etc. It gave me an unexpected gift of confidence and sense of purpose in what I was doing and going through in my life. It was also incredibly telling and accurate with my wife and son. They were both blown away by what showed up! Thank you for sharing your gifts with us!

Brenda’s cowrie shell reading was a transformative experience for her. She was provided with the healing reassurance that her life is flowing as it should. Says Brenda:

I was immediately enchanted by the beauty of the process of the cowrie shell reading as Toby opened the divination cloth, poured the shells, stones and other items in the center of the cloth and asked me to spread the items around. Toby read the placement of the items and I was amazed at the accuracy. The reading provided clarity and assurance to me that the path I have chosen is supported by the universe and that I simply need to follow the flow and stop resisting. Two months has passed since the reading and the healing that the reading provided has not stopped. When I find myself resisting or worrying, I take a few moments and reflect back on the reading, smile, feel a sense of peace and feel so blessed. My thanks to Toby for another great healing experience!

I’ll always remember the insightful cowrie shell reading I did with E:

Toby is a startlingly accurate, wise and sensitive seer and reader. He captures nuances and weaves them into life-affirming and life-changing messages that light the way through shadows.

His reading touched me and I could feel the universal love, wisdom and profound divine insight as I sat before the cowrie shell layout he masterfully interpreted.

As a twice-ordained minister, and mystic with 12 years of client experience, I don’t get readings often and am rarely startled or amazed by them. My session with Toby was an exception. He’s real, integral and tapped into something so clearly beyond this world.

He has something within him that is very special, very powerful and that he could not have “learned.” It was always within him and now he brings it forth. I was lucky to sit with him. The world is lucky and blessed that he is in it, sharing all his gifts and being a light in the dark.

Thank you to everyone who shares their experiences and reflections of the cowrie shell readings. I feel honored to provide such a powerful approach to healing. For anyone interested in their own cowrie shell reading, or for more information, please contact me!

A fun activity to do with your friends is a potluck/cowrie shell reading night. This concept came from a friend of mine who called and said, “I know your work is really good, however, I have no idea what this cowrie shell reading thing is.”

Not wanting to pay $150 for something she knows nothing about, we put our heads together and came up with this concept which is similar to what I have been doing with drum circles. For years I have been doing drum circles where I give a demonstration of what a drum healing looks like and give everybody a small drum healing so that they can actually experience what it’s like to be under the drum.

So why not give everybody a taste of a cowrie shell reading?

A Shell Spread

Here’s How It Works

Here’s what we do: you invite over 8 to 10 of your friends. Each one of them brings $35 and something to eat. In a very casual, party-like atmosphere, we put the divination cloth and shells in the middle of the table and everyone gathers around. Each person, one at a time, takes his or her turn stirring the shells. I then do a 10 to 15 minute reading for each person.

What’s fun is that each of participant gets to witness what each of their friends’ reading look like. The thing that I have found about this is that it also validates the process. Each person’s reading is completely different.

Party At Jillian’s

I did this recently at my friend Jillian’s house in Park City. A group of women came together with some really good food—that’s one of my favorite parts about these events—and gathered around the shells. They were little nervous at first. No one jumped in to start the process, so I asked for a volunteer. The first woman took her position at the end of the divination cloth and began to stir the shelves in the appropriate manner. As she did, everyone watched as the shells took their place. Having no idea what they meant or the significance of their position, everyone sat silently.

As I begin to read the shells, her friends begin to comment. “How did he know about that?” or “You said you didn’t tell anybody!” It’s not that I was disclosing any secret information, it’s just that for example, if somebody has a relationship ring that is empty and it is in the fire area, it may mean they need some fire in their relationship. I don’t necessarily know anything about it, but the interesting thing is when these sorts of indicators are shown, it leads to specific remedies for conditions in a person’s life.

The Party Goes On

Throughout the evening each person got their reading. By the end of the night some of the women were keen on stone and shell positioning. So a person would take their hand off the shells and one of their friends would say, “The ancestors are talking to you!” or something similar.

The point is it becomes very fun. Another beautiful thing is even in the midst of these playful evenings, some very serious healing takes place. On this particular evening there was a woman who wanted me to look into a very messy divorce she was involved in. I knew nothing about the situation, but what the shells said was that she was coming into alignment with her life’s purpose, and that it was time for her to step in to the world in a very visible way. It also said as she does step into her power, there would be profound blessing. She began to cry, it brought her so much joy to know that she indeed was on a path of healing, and that her power and her visibility was not dependent on her husband.

Rave Reviews

As the weeks followed, I got reports of confirmations that came through the cowrie shell readings for each woman. The evening had such a large impact of the lives of those women, that one of them formed her own cowrie shell reading party and had me come to her home and do readings for her family and close friends.

Set Up Your Own Party

If you’re interested in doing a cowrie shell reading party for your friends, please contact me. I will be happy to make arrangements to come to your home and give you and your friends a taste of what you can find in this deep wisdom process. I look forward to more of these evenings and I hope to hear from you soon.

Peace,

Toby

Recently, Tina came to me. She was totally open to the possibilities that could be revealed from this process. She asked a couple of questions regarding life situations, made a basic intention about what she wanted to know from it. What we realized part way into the reading is that what she had asked about was just a small part of what was happening in her life. As the shells began to reveal to her the energy she was carrying and the direction of energy towards her life purpose, tears began to come. As she saw hope in areas that seemed hopeless it was beautiful to see tears of joy, renewed hope, and possibility gently fall down her face.

Djembe Tree Of Wisdom

In studying the Dagara culture, the thing that stands out more than anything is the complete lack of judgment. These tribal people hold each and every person in a sacred and honored place. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, and it doesn’t matter where you’ve been: they see the best in you.

This is what comes from the cowrie shell readings. Certainly we can see where there might be energy in your field that is not helpful, but the important thing about having a reading is to find the solution! After her reading, this what Tina sent to me:

“When I went for my first cowrie shell reading, I wasn’t at all sure what to expect. I went with an open mind and heart though, and as it turned out, the experience was wonderful! Toby did a great job of explaining what would happen during the reading, and I felt comfortable throughout the entire process. He was always clear as he explained the meanings and messages that were so important to me … and there were even some moments that were very emotional. I felt it was a beneficial and enlightening experience. I will do it again!”  ~~ Tina

I want to thank Tina for sending this testimonial. I hope for those of you who have questions or who are in need of new direction and insight that you will please call me and set up your time to have a session. The beautiful thing about the cowrie shell readings is that they can be done anywhere. So feel free to contact me and we’ll set up a time for your appointment.

Are you at a crossroads in your life? Are you wondering which road you should take? Do you have many options and wonder which is the best one?

These are common questions that people come to me with. Often, the cowrie shell reading can shed significant light on current situations and decisions that we face. I recently had a friend come to me that had several business opportunities. All of them looked as though they could be very helpful, but she really wanted to make the right decision. For her, the right decision was a business direction that would provide her financial stability, allow her to express her creativity, be in alignment with her life’s purpose, and get the most amount of productivity in the least amount of time. It’s great to make good money, but not if you work so much there is no time for fun! So we took it to the shells and did a reading.

Divination Cloth With Shells

The Process

The first thing we did when she came in was do an elemental construct chart. This is a process by which we analyze the numerical value of a person’s name, and take those numbers and apply them to their corresponding elements in the Dagara’s medicine wheel. Through this process we can determine which elemental energies are strengths, and which may be less supportive. When we find out a person’s strengths and natural tendencies, we can find a path that is most suitable when supported by favorable elemental energy. In addition, we discover the birth element. This is often a powerful indicator of ones most natural way of being.

Elemental Construct/Birth Element

Factoring in one’s birth element—which correlates to the year a person is born—and determining the elemental strengths in their name is very revealing about the most natural tendencies that a person has. Depending on the element, one might possess great organizational skills, be a profound inspiration, be a good peacemaker or negotiator, or perhaps the one who can see beyond the illusion and deep into situations. Others are naturally very good  at creating abundance and bringing people together.

These intrinsic tendencies correlate to the different elements. These elements are the map on which we spread the shells. How the shells and non-shell items corresponds to the elements shows us the energy that a person is carrying at a particular moment in relationship to the question asked.

Ask The Shells

At this point in the reading we had determined her birth element, the elemental construct of her name, and had formulated a question laying out three options for her  direction. You see, when you’re at crossroads, oftentimes there are no landmarks or road signs which say, “This is the best way!”

Holding these three possibilities in mind, she began to spread the shells. It was fascinating to see how the elemental stones lined up with the elemental energies of the medicine wheel to show us her strongest possible aspects. We could see parts of herself that were in deep transformation, parts that were aligned with her life’s purpose. We could see where deep healing was taking place in her life and the condition of her true nature. Each aspect that was revealed brought more and more clarity. I could see her demeanor shift from apprehension to delight.

The Bigger Picture Revealed

In addition to the shell and non-shell items on the divination cloth, there are spirit shells which are very useful tools in receiving yes and no answers. This helps us to fine-tune the question and answer process of a reading.

As we looked at the shells in the positioning of the elemental stones and other non-shell items, it was very apparent that this was a time for her to step into the world in a very visible way. She had gone through profound transformation and healing. She was connected to otherworldly helpers that definitely were in a supportive position. We then saw that she had strong blessings as she was true to herself, and worked in alignment with her true nature.

It’s at this point when the reading will stimulate questions. I began to ask her what felt most naturally when she thought about each of her business options. We discussed the path of healing that she had been on for the last two years. And as the shells indicated that there was tremendous support for her, it was then that she remembered some resources to help fund her business that she had not previously thought of.

It’s so cool how the shells begin to speak, which helps us all see a bigger and brighter picture!

The Result

I won’t bore you with the rest of the reading, but the bottom line is this: she made a decision and within a week landed a huge contract! She is working in a state of tremendous joy and her opportunities are expanding quickly and radically. I give thanks to the ancestors and to those who speak through this ancient portal for giving the information that helped guide her into a new empowered place in her life.

Are You at a Crossroads?

If you’re at a crossroads and need some direction, contact me. We can do a reading over the phone, Skype or iChat, or even better: meet face-to-face.

I had a client call the other day because she had a very disturbing sensation in her house: she woke at night at an unusual time and thought she heard voices in the other  room. She called to ask me if I could do a reading on her house to determine what the problem was, and to see if there was a solution.

Of course I was delighted to do so. I went over to her house  and set up the cowrie shell reading in her kitchen where she had heard the disturbing commotion. I talked to her a little bit about what had been going on in the house. She told me bout things happening with her relationship to her children and how the animals were acting strangely (she had two very cute dogs).

I also asked if there were any places in the home where she felt uncomfortable—you know, like that funny feeling you’re being watched, or a sudden coolness that overtakes you. As we discussed the condition of the house it became clear that there was some adversarial energy in the house and that indeed a cowrie shell reading would be very helpful to not only check on the energy of the house, but to check on the energy of how she  and her family were relating to the house and how the house was relating to them.

The Night Filled With "Other worldly Friends"

Energetic Relationships

We all have relationships with places and things. Have you ever noticed that when you go to certain stores, shopping malls, movie theaters or other people’s homes you feel differently in different places? This has to do with the energy that is contained in a particular location. It can be influenced by the energy of the land, situations in a home or business, the relationships of those who reside in any of these places, or who work there. These are all factors in the way that the energy relates to you.

Have you noticed that you can meet a perfect stranger at a party or event and it feels like you’ve known them all your life? On the other hand, you can meet someone who totally creeps you out and there’s no external reason why that should be. This has to do with energetic relationships. We all carry a certain vibration. It fluctuates from time to time. Sometimes we are in a high vibration where were happy and energetic, sometimes we’re in the low vibrational energy where we might feel depressed or sad.

It is important to pay attention to these energetic relationships, for it is with this awareness that we can gauge when we might need a reading to determine our relationship to a place, person, or thing and to look at our own energy to see how we might be  perpetuating a particular situation.

Asking The Shells/Tapping Into the Unknown

Okay, back to the reading. As I set up divination cloth and poured out the shells onto the cloth for the reading, the house felt very  calm. My client was a little bit nervous, for she knew that information would be revealed and had no idea what it might be. This is a very common feeling when people come in for reading. It is tapping into the unknown. And most of the time people— particularly in our culture—want things more defined. We want to know what to expect.

So I set up the cloth, poured out the shells, and I asked her to think very clearly about how she felt when the disturbance occurred in her home. As she closed her eyes and taped into this energy, her hands began to move in a counter clockwise direction and she spread the items out on the cloth and suddenly stopped, lifted her hand, and opened her eyes. Before us was a map of her energy and how that energy was in relationship to her home. It was very interesting.

Energy Was Revealed & Solution Given

This was a very defining moment. As I observed the layout of the shells and the non-shell items, I noticed that there was a strong indication of the ancestors asking for peace to come to the home. Rather than pointing out that there is chaotic turmoil in the home, the  ancestors simply indicates that there needed to be peace in the home. They are always solution-oriented, which is something I love about the West African culture.

As we looked at the other items, it was also clear that there was a pathway of disruptive energy in the lower portion of the home. By asking a few questions and tossing the spirit shells—which give specific answers to specific questions—we were able to identify several energetic entry points that were not helpful for those who reside in this particular home, and were given the solution of how to close these energetic points so that peace could be restored. We were also given a ritual to do to help maintain a peaceful state in this house.

After implementing the information given in the reading, smudging with some sage, and calling on the ancestors to protect and support the family, there has been a beautiful sense of peace in the home and a beautiful transformation involving the relationships in the family.

Simple And Helpful

I have received several reports from this particular client since the reading. It is so great to see how simple it is to solve what can be perceived as a significant disruption. I will be posting stories on a regular basis of what has occurred through these cowrie shell readings. And if you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment on this blog posting. And if you would like to get your own reading, let me know!

In The Beginning…

About 20 years ago I was going through a very difficult time in my life. Not knowing which way to turn and at the advice of the counselor I was seeing, I made an appointment with a diviner from Africa who was coming to my hometown. His name is Malidoma Somé and he is from the country of Burkina Faso. At the time I made the appointment I had no idea what he would do or what this “divination” thing was all about. What it turned out to be was one of the most profound and expansive experiences of my life.

Started as a Matter of Trust

I made the appointment without any investigation, simply trusting the man who had referred me. I had been going through tremendous turmoil, life changes, and catastrophic loss. I decided that regardless of what the process of the reading would be, if it helped, I would be very happy! As I drove to my appointment, fear and anticipation combined to create a tremendous tension in my stomach. As I sat in the waiting room not knowing what to expect, I kept fidgeting. My head ached and I could feel myself starting to sweat. I knew something was up but I didn’t know what.

 

Diviners Bag Holds The Shells

Our First Meeting

Suddenly, the door opened and this beaming black face with glowing white teeth smiled at me and invited me in. He greeted me with such enthusiasm and kindness I was instantly relieved.

He lead me over to an area in the room that had been prepared for the divination/reading. What I saw before me was a beautiful cloth with painted images on it and a large pile of shells and other objects in the middle.

We talked briefly but I told him nothing about my situation other than I was in a very low place and hoped he could shed some light on it for me. Smiling, he asked me to put my hand on the objects and move them in a clockwise direction for approximately 3 rotations.

As I touched the shells, they felt warm. The scent of sandalwood incense filled the air, and I felt as though I had entered an “otherworldly” place. As I look down I could see the objects taking shape as my hand spread them on the cloth. I could feel the smooth round cowrie shells, the sharp edges of some metal objects that were in the mix, the rough hard edge of a stone, and then my hand stopped moving.

…and Then My Hand Stopped

As I looked at the spread of objects on the cloth, it didn’t really make much sense to me. There seemed to be an order in this seemingly chaotic and random collection of things. The wonderful man looked with delight at the configuration of the objects. He smiled, groaned, and grunted a couple of times before beginning.

He told me of transformation that was occurring. He told me about the need for more water energy in my life, which at the time meant nothing to me. Then he pointed out something kind of interesting: he said, “This is very confusing to me. You see this red stone? It is an ancestral fire stone. It represents an ancestor who has come into your world. The thing that is troubling me is that this piece of wire wrapped in thread represents you, and you are leaning against the fire stone. If I were to see this in my village, I would expect you to be incinerating before my very eyes.”

The thing that Malidoma did not know was that only 10 days before my reading, my place of residence burned to the ground, and I lost everything.

Clarity and Communication

I explained to this puzzled man that I had lost everything a mere 10 days before this reading. There was no way he could have known about this, which was profoundly puzzling to me since the information was so clear. After I told him, he began to tell me how lucky I was. That for an ancestor to leap from the other world and cause this much disruption, there must be a good reason. “They just don’t do this for fun!” he said.

Having realized that he was from Africa and had quite a heavy accent, I figured he must not have understood what I said. So I slowly articulated the sentence again. “You clearly don’t understand what I just said,” I noted. Then I repeated, “I lost everything!” And he smiled and explained he absolutely did know what I said and that indeed, I was still lucky.

What I didn’t know about this man was that he understood the English language very well. He had a PhD in English Literature.

An Important Job

He then began to tell me that the configuration of the shells and other objects indicated that I had a very important job to do. He said that it was critical for me to lose everything so that the life I had lived before could be gone and the ancestors who had, in his words, “leapt from the other world into this world to get your attention,” and had come to assign this important job to me.

I remember not knowing whether to laugh or cry. In that moment I could find nothing important or valuable about my life. I had no money. I had just lost all of my material possessions. Everything that I identified myself with had been destroyed. How could I have anything good to bring to the world? How could I possibly have an important job that warranted the ancestors leaping from the other world into my world to stir things up?

20 Years Later

Well, here I am, bringing my gift to the world. A gift I didn’t even know I had. And I could not be happier. After bringing the Healing Drum around the globe for the past 8 years, traveling 300 days annually, there was a good reason all that happened! I could not see it with my human eyes or ordinary world perception, but the shells could. The birth of all that I do today came from the power of the cowrie shell reading.

Now It Is My Turn

This is an ancient process that over the last 20 years I have experienced many times. It has been a source of great guidance for me. I have now completed my training and am making cowrie shell reading part of my healing work.

I can’t stress the accuracy and potency of not just the information about your energy and about your life, but about the direction of healing that can occur for you. This form of divination not only tells you where you are energetically, but direction is given for you to remedy the problems. You are shown steps that can be taken to transform and rectify unhelpful situations in your life. Cowrie shell readings are solution orientated.

Now it’s Your Turn

If you have situations in your life that are confusing, or areas where you need guidance, don’t hesitate to give me a call or write me an e-mail. Let’s do a session. Readings can be done either over the phone, on video over Skype or iChat, or face to face. Many are having a reading done before they do a Drum Healing with me, so we can go deeper into the solutions in their life with the drumming and cowrie shell reading combined. I look forward to sharing this wonderful process with you and trust that it will help you as much as it has helped me.

Prices are:

• Reading fee for a one hour session > $150
• Reading fee and Drum Healing for an hour and a half session > $200