The Healing Power of African-American Spirituality: A Celebration of Ancestor Worship, Herbs and Hoodoo, Ritual and Conjure

by Stephanie Rose Bird

Overview

The essential resource and guide to African American spirituality and traditions.

This is a fabulous resource for anyone who wants to understand African American spirituality, shamanism, and indigenous spiritual practices and beliefs. It is designed to be informative while providing hands-on recipes, rituals, projects, and resources to help you become an active participant in its wonderfully soulful traditions.

Inside you will find:
1. A celebration of healing, magic, and the divination traditions of ancient African earth-based spirituality
2. An explanation of how these practices have evolved in contemporary African American culture
3. A potpourri of recipes, rituals, and resources that you can use to heal your life

Among the topics covered:

• African spiritual practices of Santeria, Obeah, Lucumi, Orisa, and Quimbois
• Hoodoo—and how to use it to improve your health
• Ancient healing rituals and magical recipes of Daliluw
• Talking drums, spiritual dancing, clapping, tapping, singing, and changing
• Power objects, tricks and mojo bags, and herbal remedies

Previously published as The Big Book of Soul.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781642970289
Publisher:	Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.
Publication date:	02/01/2022
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	210,434
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Stephanie Rose Bird holds a BFA cum laude from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University, and an MFA from the University of California at San Diego. Bird works as an artist, herbalist, and aromatherapist. She is a co-owner of SRB Botanica with her daughter.

Table of Contents

Introduction xv

Chapter 1 African American Spirituality: An Overview 1

Chapter 2 Hoodoo and Holism: A Fresh Look at African American Wellness 17

Chapter 3 In Matters of Life and Death: It Be Best tuh Heal Ourselves 37

Chapter 4 Red: The Strength and Power of Blood 53

Part I Ab: The Heart-Soul 56

Part II Beets: Making the Body Rich and Strong 59

Part III Pupa Medicines 61

Part IV Rites of Passage 63

Part V Warrior Herbs 67

Heart-Soul Summary 71

Chapter 5 As It Is Above: Osayin's Gift Basket 73

Chapter 6 So It Is Below: Rooting for Good Health 101

Chapter 7 Rewarding Naturally: Sacred Spaces 121

Chapter 8 A Fresh Start: Holistic Detox 149

Chapter 9 Elemental Ritual: Ancient Egyptian Therapies for the Sacred and Mundane 169

Chapter 10 Tribal Beauty: Ancient Egyptian Beautification from the Soul Outward 199

Conclusion 233

Endnotes 235

Glossary 243

Editorial Reviews

"The Healing Power of African American Spirituality by the illustrious Stephanie Rose Bird is a timely and much needed inclusive contribution to humanity's spiritual awakening and evolution at this time.  Ms. Bird gives us richly textured, detailed descriptions and powerful histories about numerous, authentic African, African-American, and Caribbean spiritual traditions and holistic health cures for the mind, body and soul.  Each Afro-centric culture Bird discusses offers their own uniquely captivating and sparkling messages about how to live one's best, magickal life inspired by the ancient beauty and truth of African spirituality. If you want to deepen and diversify your spiritual practice, you must add this book and Bird's other titles to your collection." 

Ifeanyi C. Oshun

Traditional African Spirituality in itself is inherently rebellious—- a delicious roux, an okra gumbo for the beautiful black soul. Stephanie Rose Bird’s emotionally liberating text champions the syncretism of diasporic healing motifs while enhancing the potency of eclectic African- centered folklore. As you travel the pages of this book you will begin to conjure change in your own life by any herb/bath/ root or oil at your disposal. You will triumphantly follow the cowrie shells back to the crossroads lined with deities happy to be both nappy and above all sun kissed.” 

Mawiyah Kai EL-Jamah Bomani

"Stephanie Rose Bird invites readers to get rooted in the gifts of nature energetically with our Ancestors as our guides to an unbound future. This book shares African spiritual truths that permeate the African Diaspora and become accessible for our healing and peace.

Omilade Janine Bell