written by Black Women Healing Retreats
Rituals have been part of black culture since the beginning of time. Our ancestors worked with the elements, and connected with the sun, moon, and stars to bring forth manifestation, sustainability and healing. The Dagara Tribe in West Africa often used spiritual practices such as communing with nature and using rituals to tap into the spiritual realm. The Yoruba practices encouraged prayers, spiritual dances and connections with deities like Oshun and Ogun. Spirituality for black people has always been about connecting with the Earth. Today though, black people have been disconnected from rituals. During slavery Black people had their culture, original faith and spirituality taken away from them. They were conditioned to believe that their own spirituality that once healed them was a dark witch craft. Like many African traditions, Many things which were once positive are now presented as negative, this is why it is necessary to understand our history.
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written by Black Women Healing Retreats
There is no battle against the common understanding that black people originated in Africa. Black people, in their most natural essence, lived in nature. Women’s bodies were viewed as holy-- women didn’t feel pressured to cover their naked breasts, because this was an acceptable sign of nurture and life. This was the understanding of nature before colonization was imposed upon black people, which created a society where a woman’s body was seen as something strictly sexual. Black people walked barefoot, and ate nutritious fruit from their surroundings. Tribes practiced tribal dances and spoke their own languages. They heard hymns from the trees and bathed in rivers: they were at one with nature, the ultimate healer of life. written by Michele Alcime
It is important to find communities for black women and girls while we are on our personal development journey because the ultimate purpose of personal growth is to ripple through the collective and raise consciousness. We have all heard some version of the saying, “the more we take care of ourselves, the more we take care of each other.” It is more than just another feel good theory. It is proven that taking care of ourselves (whatever that means to you) influence our patience with our kids, understanding of our partners, and loyalty to ourselves. written by Erika L Harper LPC
Strong Black Woman Syndrome (SBWS) is not a technical term but right away most of us are aware of the description. Over time it has morphed into an extremely damaging stereotype but it was originally created by us to protect ourselves from the horrors afflicted upon Black African families during American slavery. Many women today suffer from this syndrome due to our ancestors unknowingly and devastatingly passing down their trauma genetically into us. The trope of the strong Black woman is the reason why Black women have always been viewed as physically stronger, less prone to pain and more verbally aggressive compared to our white counterparts despite there being no evidence to support these claims. It is for these reasons that Strong Black Woman Syndrome is the perfect shield for masking persistent depressive disorder. written by Black Women Healing Retreats
Tarot cards can sometimes cause controversy amongst black folks. Some think that tarot is evil, but did you know that tarot is part of African healing? Tarot cards are part of Black Culture, because tarot has roots in ancient Egypt. The Tablets of Aeth, found in the sacred scrolls of the Egpytian Book of the Dead, was one of the earliest examples. Today when we see tarot cards, the cards are usually eurocentric, showing different white faces, contributing to the erasure of african history and spirituality. This is also why black folks may not realize that they, too, can benefit from tarot. written by Anais Maseda
We are firm believers that the way black women are treated within society reflects the way we treat our precious home, the earth. This observation makes it essential that we formulate a clear image of how women are treated within society then compare it to the treatment of Mother Earth. The very ideology of women being viewed as just bodies; therefore, being exploited in countless ways entirely reflects how Mother Earth is viewed and treated as replaceable. Mother Earth is too seen as "just another body" or object that can be mined, drained, polluted, and exploited. written by Black Women Healing Retreats
Healing is an ongoing lifetime journey; the healing of Black people is especially necessary. As we know, Black people have endured traumatic circumstances due to slavery. Perhaps you are a person who believes slavery has had no affect on the Black psyche. To gain more education and perspective about the intergenerational impact of slavery, one must look at racism through facts. Racism isn't solely based on feelings, opinions or emotions. It is a system based on factual history of the past, present and can statistically predict the future. To understand systemic oppression, one must remove their personal opinions and view it through facts. written by C. Nzingha Smith, M.S., RYT 200
I read an article this week where the writer mentioned being asked the question, “What would you do if you were unconditionally loved and supported?” Her answer was “Everything!” This prompted me to spend some time this week sitting with this question and paying attention to the answers. I decided I wanted to mix my faith and my words and begin manifesting this reality for myself and for a better, uncompromising future that allows me to grow into the “me” I truly want to be. Healthy and whole, peaceful, thriving, financially secure, and loved without condition written by Erika L Harper LPC
It is no secret when it comes to the way the United States views Black women. It’s a point of view that at times seems at odds with the many important contributions that Black women have made here in the U.S. and pan-Africa. All over the world Black women are at the forefront of major movements across both gender and racial lines. In the U.S., entrepreneurship has increased far faster over the years for Black women than with any other racial group. The same goes with Black women and education. We also are and have historically been immensely disruptive to the status quo in American politics with our votes providing upsets for a multitude of election outcomes. written by LeAndra Williams
For many years, Black Women have suffered through depression, anxiety, and PTSD, among other physical, mental, and emotional trauma. For years, Black Women have been taught to “pray” our hurt away, to sex our pain away, or to drink our pain away. Throughout history we’ve seen countless remedies from natural to pharmaceutical that claim to help alleviate these daily pains from our lives. Although there are countless of remedies out there, I have yet to find one full-proof way of eliminating these painful symptoms, until now. I am here to not only tell you how crystals changed my life, but also how these benefits could be the secret weapon to your freedom. |