A Sanctuary of Medicine & Art
I'm Tylor Middlestadt — an initiated Diviner carrying the Dagara “Stick Medicine” lineage. I’m also an entrepreneur and seeker of the sacred. Why this sanctuary exists? The truth is the tradition found me first, and I haven't been the same since.
Offerings From The Ashes
Ash Is the Only Thing Fire Cannot Eat
The Dagara people of Burkina Faso in West Africa offer ash to the ancestors — to give them power and to protect our prayers. It is one of the most potent substances on Earth, because ash is the only thing that fire cannot eat.
From The Ashes is named for that offering. This project — this living library of art, divination, and ancestral wisdom — is that offering. A sacred effort to open the way for healing, for reconnection, for a thriving future for all beings.
Like a phoenix from the ashes, the truth and the sacred always rise again. You found this site for a reason. Let this be a moment to connect more deeply with life.
Dagara Divination
Ancestors Are Trying to Reach You
Dagara divination is an ancient West African spiritual tradition — 20,000+ years of ancestral intelligence, available to you right now.
I sit with you and your “unseen team” — the Ancestors, elements, and spirit guides already shaping your life.
Together we open the way — bringing clarity to what's confusing, guidance to what's stuck, and ritual to signify that we are listening.
Sessions online.
Price: $100–$250 (sliding scale)
The Dagara Collection
African Medicine Art To Transform Your Space
Oumarou Traoré is a Dagara artist and cultural guardian from Dano, Burkina Faso. His paintings carry the five elemental forces of Dagara cosmology into physical form — Fire, Water, Earth, Mineral, Nature. His artwork is more than decor for your home. These pieces are potent medicine that bring a transformational energy into your space. This collection sparked the inspiration for From The Ashes, and I hope it awakens something in you, too.
Artwork Description:
Crocodile: The Water Spirit, is a sacred animal totem for many Dagara clans. He is known as a fierce protector, and is also a messenger of the Water Spirits, which are the healing beings in Dagara cosmology.
Crocodile is also known to be an emissary of the Ancestors, and those that claim crocodile as their animal totem, often believe that their spirit double is a crocodile in the wild.
Crocodiles are sought out by Diviners and wisdom keepers in Dagara culture, often to seek out rain to nourish the lands during farming season, they visit in medicine dreams to mark initiations and other ceremonial milestones, and when they emerge from the water to greet humans on the shore, it is understood as a good omen and blessing to those that witness the event.
Medicine Art Transmission:
Crocodile: The Water Spirit is waiting in the waters, watching for the right person to walk along the shores, so that he can emerge with good tidings and blessings for their life.
If that person is you, be prepared to receive the good flows of energy, connection to the Ancestors, and the potency of your spirit guides and relationship to the Divine. This piece is certain to speak to your heart, once it finds a place in your life and home.
Artwork Description:
Argala: Protector & Guide
In the words of the artist, Mr. Traore, “Argala is a mystical bird that symbolizes freedom, hope, and new beginnings, and also represents joy, peace, and prosperity. Argala is called forth to bring courage, strength, and intelligence for those calling in support.”
The Dagara people, deeply connected to nature and the spiritual world, often embed their cosmological beliefs in symbols derived from the natural world. Argala is a mystical and powerful entity in their belief system representing an intermediary between humans and the divine.
The presence of Argala in Dagara mythology symbolizes a connection to higher wisdom and the ability to see beyond the ordinary, as birds are often seen as creatures that can transcend the boundaries of earth and sky. Argala, therefore, represents a bridge to spiritual knowledge and a guide for those seeking to connect with the divine.
Argala is also associated with transformation and protection. As a bird that can traverse great distances and soar to great heights, it symbolizes the ability to rise above challenges and gain a broader perspective on life. The mystical nature of Argala also imbues it with protective qualities, watching over those on a spiritual journey or those seeking to understand deeper truths.
Medicine Art Perspective:
Adding this Argala Dagara Medicine Art piece to your collection will add a unique vibrant beauty to your home, altar, or shrine room while infusing your space with the powerful energies of deep vision, transformation, and communication with the unseen realms. Argala brings the essence of divine guidance and protection and serves as a messenger between the worlds. If you’re desiring deeper insights into the spiritual realm, or looking for an archetypal image to inspire a more expansive vision of the transformational possibilities your future holds, look no further!
Artwork Description:
In Dagara cosmology, the power of elements is a primal force that affects all aspects of life. Fire is known as the first element, full of power and creative force, yet so hot and unpredictable that life could not be supported by fire alone. Understanding The Power of Fire is a journey that ensures one will also deepen their knowledge of the five elements, and the Ancestors.
Fire is the element of the Ancestors, and is the first element that is called upon when a Diviner begins the invocation at the start of a Divination healing session.
Because of the untamable heat and power of fire, it had to be tempered by the Water, and the water began to heal and open the way for there to be a more fertile environment for life to grow and thrive.
As the fire and water mixed, and cooled, out of that union formed the Earth which is the third element. Over time the earth transformed and grew and matured, and eventually formed the fourth element, Mountain/Mineral.
And with the four elements having come into being and flowed together in many ways, life abundantly sprang forth and the fifth element was born, the Wild.
In Dagara cosmology it is believed that gecko created fire and that the people call upon gecko to assist when the people need to harness the power of fire, to burn a tree, light a ceremonial fire, or create fire to boil water.
Medicine Art Perspective:
The Power of Fire is certain to bring transformational creativity into your home and creative space. The images bring the ancient energies of the ankh, the mysteries of reptile spirits, and the boldness of contrasting colors of bright green and orange, surrounding the Fire Spirit of indigo blue at the center.
Artwork Description:
The King of Medicine is a mystical snake that represents the power of health, healing, and medicine in Dagara culture. He is the keeper of the secret wisdom of life and regeneration, and knows the key to transmuting death into new life.
In Dagara lore, a great hunter was deep in the bush of West Africa hunting game to feed his village. Seeing a large animal moving in the bush ahead, he shot an arrow on target. Once he approached the animal he has just killed, he realizes it is a large snake, a sacred and powerful totem creature to the Dagara, which is forbidden to kill or eat.
The hunter, realizing what he has done, quickly takes leaves from a large healing tree nearby, chews the leaves to a pulp and places the poultice in the mouth of the snake. As the healing medicine takes root, the dead snake comes back to life, and from that moment is known as the King of Medicine.
The King of Medicine represents a profound, mystical power over life, healing, and transformation. His miraculous act of revival and the sacred knowledge contained within it about the healing power of plants, marked the snake as the embodiment of medicinal wisdom and renewal.
In Dagara beliefs, this mystical figure symbolizes not just physical healing but the restoration of balance and vitality in one’s spirit. It embodies the connection between nature, life, and the cycles of death and rebirth, suggesting that true healing requires harmony with the natural world and an understanding of the mysteries it holds.
The King of Medicine is revered as a guardian of health and transformation, a reminder of the power of plants and ancient knowledge to transcend mortal limitations.
Medicine Art Transmission:
With the King of Medicine Medicine Art piece in your collection, you will experience an essence of healing, renewal, and profound balance in your space.
The King of Medicine emanates the sacred wisdom of the wild, healing plants, sacred minerals, and all the natural elements that nurture and restore vitality to life.
A symbol of holistic wellness, this figure embodies the transformative power of nature's remedies and the wisdom of aligning the body, mind, and spirit with the rhythms of the earth.
For those seeking a source for rejuvenation, spiritual cleansing, or a relic that connects them to the ancient wisdom lineage that preserves nature’s profound healing abilities, this piece is a powerful ally on your path.
Artwork Description:
Mami Wata of Manoa, is a sacred Water Spirit that is known in local lore to be associated with the founding of the village of Manoa in the southwest region of the Ioba Province in Bukina Faso, the heart of Dagaraland in West Africa.
The village of Manoa is nestled between the Bougouriba and Black Volta rivers, surrounding by the flow of healing waters in nearly all directions. With this is mind it is clear why this specific emanation of Mami Wata of Manoa is deserving of her own lineage.
Mami Wata is worshipped throughout Africa, and beyond, and she is linked to Earth’s waters in all forms, embodying the vast depths and powers of oceans, rivers, and lakes, harnessing their mystic energies.
Mami Wata is deeply rooted in Dagara traditions, associated with Divine Feminine and Beauty. Mami Wata embodies beauty and enchantment with her powerful and mesmerizing appearance, long flowing hair, captivating eyes, and graceful figure emanating an archetype of allure.
Mami Wata carries the energies of freedom and empowerment and is also seen as a symbol of Love and Health, particularly for women. She is the keeper of transformational dreams and visions.
In Dagara cultures, bodies of water are believed to be portals for communication with Mami Wata, and because of this connection, bodies of water are known to hold transformative powers.
Mami Wata is also associated with wealth, prosperity, and abundance, which is common in Dagara lands and throughout most regions of West Africa. Her influence has transcended geographical boundaries spreading beyond Africa, and as a result she has become a symbol of cultural exchange and a testament to the enduring power of African Traditions.
Mami Wata is also associated with Love, Relationships, and Fertility, as well as Spirituality and Worship. Mami Wata’s essence is at the heart of all artistic expression and creativity. Paintings, sculptures, music, and literature often depict Mother Water as a muse for creativity, inspiring artists to channel their imagination and capture her captivating essence.
Medicine Art Perspective:
Adding the Mami Wata of Manoa Medicine Art piece to your collection invites the transformative energy of fluidity, intuition, and nurturing from the sacred waters. In Dagara cosmology, Mami Wata embodies the essence of the divine feminine, symbolizing the source of life, emotional depth, and the mysteries of the unseen.
Known as the keeper of the waters, Mami Wata represents both the gentleness and power of nature’s cycles, guiding one through healing, rebirth, and the acceptance of change. This piece channels the nurturing energy of water, encouraging you to flow with life’s currents and embrace the intuitive wisdom that comes from connecting with your emotions and spirit.
For those seeking renewal, emotional clarity, or a deeper connection with life’s cyclical nature, this artwork will serve as a profound companion, offering the soothing and empowering presence of the Mother Water.
